This year marks over 7 years since I left the day job and have been at Inspire To Thrive full-time. Many people think I work from home in my pj’s but those that know me will tell you that I’m out and about quite early with clients on many days since I left the day job.
I incorporated the business on July 17, 2017 as I prepared to go full time after leaving my long day jobs.
Table of Contents
The Beginnings
Of course, there are a few days I’m home and can be found on my side deck or desk with Hunter by my side working away on the laptop. Alas, those days have become fewer over the past year as I gained more clients and worked from their locations.
When I first started, I planned on being home on Mondays and Fridays to do work on the computer and meet with clients Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. That quickly altered as appointments changed and clients’ needs developed.
Then a year later I moved away from the area and become a real remote worker. I sure miss Hunter these days as he passed several months ago now.
So much for the 4 day work weeks working from home. These days I do work almost 7 days a week.
But take today as an example, I have a doctor appointment 2 hours away. My husband I will leave by 11 am and make a day of it shopping and having a bite to eat before coming back. (We moved to a rural area 4 years ago and there are not many places nearby.)
However, I got up at 5 am and will work until 10 am. So for me putting in a 5 hour workday is not much.
So what I have done and learned after I Left the day job at a cubicle?
Outsourcing To The Rescue!
Oftentimes in interviews, people ask: What is your greatest challenge as a new business? My greatest challenge was keeping up with the workload. I learned that outsourcing a few tasks really could make a big difference.
I’ve hired several freelancers that would come up with ideas for me, others that would ghostwrite blog posts, and others to schedule.
I hired a knowledgeable person for SEO, and I kept my techie Mayura DaSilva busy from time to time. He’s been with me for quite some time now and I couldn’t have thrived here without his quick and phenomenal help.
Many bloggers may know Brenda Pace and she’s helped hold down the fort at the blog when I go away on vacation and/or travel. You can see my latest travel adventures from the Riverboat Cruise we just got back from over on Instagram.
It was a lot of work scheduling everything prior but it was worth it! That’s another tip: Do take some time off from your business.
Today in 2024 Mayura is still with me but I do my own SEO as I’ve learned so much over the years about it.
Using the Right Tools to Help Inspire To Thrive Grow
The one tool that really propelled my business was Agorapulse. I use it for scheduling, some monitoring, and more importantly, for reporting. It’s been invaluable to me as it helps save time with social media management.
Moreover, if you know how that goes, social media takes a LOT of time.
Another vital tool is Paypal. It is great for doing invoicing and getting paid of course. The invoicing day used to take me hours and I’d work 18 hours on the 1st of the month but now with Paypal, I have shaved off some time and start on the 31st.
I generate reports to send along with them via Agorapulse. These reports can show clients how their social media pages are performing.
Some other tools I’ve invested in are Premium Canva, Camtasia for Video, and of course The Right Blogger and Fliki AI for Pinterest videos just to name a few. Notice I used the word invest?
Yes, if you are in business you must invest some money into tools and training.
How the Daily Schedule Goes Being in Business For Yourself
Oftentimes, I am asked by friends how long I work and what I do, etc. I typically put in 10-hour days, sometimes up to 14, and a rare 18. However, I do work sometimes on weekends and try not to work for too long on Sundays.
I love doing most of my work, especially the creative work in the early hours of the morning. It’s my most productive time of the day.
You will rarely find me working after 8 pm. After 9 pm I’m really no good and need to hit my pillow. However, today in 2024, I usually don’t go over the 10 hour day.
I don’t take on demanding customers that require things all hours of the day and was able to grow my affiliate business with the proper use of SEO.
What I Don’t Miss At The Day Job
I love not having to deal with traffic to and from a city every day. I make most of my appointments after rush hour or before rush hour. It’s really to manage my time better. Why sit in traffic when I get other work done?
I do not miss constant meetings and reports that do not generate results. Reporting is still needed, but they are for me and they are useful ones on the day job.
I still have a pipeline and am thankful for my sales background. I’ve always been very goal-oriented and know what needs to be done.
I also love working my own hours and not having to be inside all day. I can work outdoors when the weather is nice unless I’m with clients.
Recently I got a little sick and it is so much easier working from home when feeling sick than going into an office coughing away.
Sometimes, it’s the little things you really need.
What I Missed After I Left the Day Job
At first, I missed connecting with others but as things have progressed as I left the day job. I talk to people every day on the phone if not in person and I feel I have the right balance now.
No matter what you do, you must get off “the island” because you can’t do anything today in this world all alone. We all need people to help us, whether it be just to say hello, give advice or do business with you.
That is something I learned a long time ago and then again with my blogging aspect of the business.
Always Learning to Stay Ahead
Another thing I do for myself, my clients, and my business is to constantly learn as social media is ever-changing. I attend workshops or seminars to learn more so I can train others better.
It’s a never-ending process but I always love learning new things. Ever since I left the day job I put aside hours a week for this purpose.
Many of you may not realize that I also teach social media. I have classes for Instagram, XTwitter, and Facebook Pages.
I was certified by the state of Rhode Island at the Real Estate Institute of Rhode Island for agents that need to get their CE credits every 2 years. I did not resign after I moved and began making more money through affiliate marketing.
My next venture is to do webinars or online courses. (which I did a few years ago now.)
Attending Networking Events to Grow Your Business Even Before I Left the Day Job
If you are in business, you will need to network. I joined a local Chamber of Commerce and attended a few events. I had hoped to attend more but my work schedule didn’t allow that yet this year.
I’m hoping the fall season will allow time for that from time to time. I prefer mornings of course to any of the evening events. Even before I left the day job I attended networking events for years.
If you are in a business, especially a service-type business, you need to always network and have a pipeline ready for when you lose a client or want to outsource more work. Oftentimes, I learn a lot from others who own businesses at these events too.
It’s never a loss of time going to one as long as you don’t go all the time and lose time running your business.
Having Mentors is Important When You Work
I’ve had mentors all my life in my work world. I’ve had them in my blogging world such as Donna Merrill, Erik Emanuelli, Ryan Biddulph, Neil Patel, and Enstine Muki to name a few. Donna and Ryan really taught me to let go of my fears and just do it!
Many customers have also become my mentors. I can’t imagine being in business for yourself without having some mentors to help you along your path. Thank you to all.
What Will It Take For YOU To Go Full Time with Your Passion?
I talked to an old high school colleague today who sold me some Arbonne products and she was so thrilled to have her own career change. She too loved the freedom of working for herself and being able to set her own hours. She was a dentist full time prior to that.
Once you get a taste of leaving the day job, you won’t want to go back.
You will forge ahead and make changes as you go along. However, you have to get rid of your fears of failure and fear of loss of income.
Once you do that, you will do what it takes to succeed. You can also make adjustments along your path. It’s never too late to leave your day job!
Your Turn: Going Full Time From Day Job
What do you love about working for yourself today? If you don’t, would you want to? If so, what is holding you back? I’d love to know more in the comments below.
7 Years Since My Feet Left the Day Job and What You Can Learn Share on X
She has 30+ years of experience in marketing/advertising with 12 years of experience in content marketing, social media, blogging, and SEO.
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Hello Lisa,
Today, doing business is not easy – your mistake will motivate to learn more and more, here no one is perfect. What I learned, the more mistakes you make, the more you grow, the more you develop your knowledge and expertise.
Indeed, fresh and healthy learning helps you to always ahead in your game. A mentor is someone who you can feel comfortable bouncing ideas off of without fear of embarrassment.
You should have a level of understanding with your mentor that no matter what the subject matter may be or how crazy an idea may seem, that it is okay to have these types of conversations and feel comfortable doing so.
An ideal mentor should be willing to invest their time and support in your professional development and have a strong desire to help you succeed. Eventually, thanks for sharing your amazing experience with us.
With best wishes,
Amar Kumar
Hi Amar, you are right, it’s not easy! Interesting about mistakes, but you are correct there too. You can learn more that way than if you did nothing. You are most welcome and thanks for coming by on this one Amar. Have a great day.
Hi Lisa,
I am reading your blog for the first time, and you know what? I am already in love. You seem natural and inspiring.
Who doesn’t want to be their own boss these days?
The degree of flexibility and freedom of working are uncomparable with being an employee in other companies.
Of course, Efforts and time management are also required when we have our own business.
I agree that having mentors is important when you work. We got a similar mentor, like Donna Merill, Ryan Biddulph, and Neil Patel etc. And now you’re on my list, sigh!
Thanks a lot for a motivational post. Keep on inspiring us.
Cheers,
Jeangam Kahmei
Hi Jeangam, welcome to Inspire To Thrive. Oh yes, the flexibility is awesome though you oftentimes work more hours but on your own terms. Having mentors does help a lot in any business. I always have someone to ask questions and learn more from. Even as I teach social media now I always end up with more questions after a session as everything changes so fast now! You are welcome, glad to be motivating!
Thank you for coming by and have a great weekend Jeangam!
Hi Lisa, I left my full-time job last year. But I did it only once my blog started earning me full-time income as it made over $100k in the last one year alone.
That being said, being your own boss has its own pros and cons. Setting deadlines and meeting your goals can be a lot harder when no one is around you. That’s why it’s essential for you to keep disciplined, set to-do lists and set a full-time work routine as soon as possible.
As you said in the post, having mentors definitely helps in any business. Just make sure to find and connect with the right mentors who constantly push you hard towards reaching your goals. Thanks for sharing the post!
Hi Anil, Congratulations! That is awesome. Oh yes, I do work longer hours and even on most weekends for a while. Sometimes I think I’m too disciplined. There some things I keep putting off like writing which is NOT good. I must start again doing that first thing in the a.m. before turning my internet on. I did learn that my one of my mentors Ryan Biddulph. Thanks for coming by with your input on this one and have a great day ahead.
Hi Lisa,
It’s such a nice feeling to be “free” isn’t it?
Free of the JOB, free of the FEARS… free of anticipation.
Sounds like you’re living a life on your terms, now.
Follow that passion, girl.
-Donna
PS: Thanks for mentioning me here as one of your mentors. I’m so glad you’ve made such great progress, and happy 1st Anniversary.
Hi Donna, yes, it certainly is. It is something you really don’t know until you experience it, and then you realize how unfreeing it was prior. You are most welcome Donna, I’ve learned a lot from you over the years.
Thank you for coming by on this one and have a great new week! I can’t believe this is the last week of August already.
Hi, Lisa
Thank you for sharing this great article for us.i am using these tips in the future for my business, may this will be changing my mind for doing business.
Hi Honika, welcome to Inspire To Thrive. What tip did you like the most here? What change are you making for your business? Thanks for coming by and have a great day!
Hi, Lisa
This tip I like the most that I do not miss constant meetings and reports that do not generate results in the future.
I will attend workshops or seminars to learn how to gain own business moreover I can train my staff for better performance on the busineses platform.
I hear you on that Honika 🙂 So true! Thanks for coming back to answer. Have a fabulous day.
A Hunter locating! I cherish him Lisa. I cherish your story as well. Motivated! I can’t trust it has been 1 year. Time passes quickly. I realized you were a characteristic however in light of the fact that you did the correct things with the correct vitality for quite a long time. Going full time, things bloomed and you learned important re-appropriating exercises as well. Phenomenal guide for bloggers here.
Thank you Purnendu, welcome to Inspire To Thrive. He is not the most photogenic dog so I don’t get many good shots of him. Yes, time flies! I wasn’t sure going full time would make the difference but many mentors told me it would and they were RIGHT! I am also constantly changing things up as well along the way. You have to be very agile in this industry. Thanks for coming by and for your input! Have a great day.
Congratulations on your first anniversary Lisa. I bet you’ve learned a lot more than what you’ve talked about above. As an added bit of things to outsource, I pay for an accountant so I don’t have to track my money, I pay someone to mow my lawn and a service to remove snow, and recently I started paying someone to come every 3 or 4 weeks to clean my kitchen and bathrooms thoroughly. I also pay my neighbor to come sit with Mom a couple of hours 3 days a week so I can have some free “non-working” time to myself, especially on Saturdays.
After all these years however, I find myself pulling away from a lot of offline interactions. I’m no longer on any boards and I’m down to 1 1/2 organizations (I’m a member of one organization that has a membership in another) but I decide when I want to go and that’s going to diminish somewhat this year. The home responsibilities eliminate a lot of networking events I could go to, but before Mom moved here I wasn’t going anyway so I can’t blame that on her. lol
Good luck in the 2nd year; I know you’ll be great!
Hi Mitch, Thank you. Oh my goodness, yes, always learning new things and how to do things better as I go along. I have thought about that, we have one for our taxes but my husband is good with the finance and I have been keeping great excel spreadsheets so far. But that could change!
I also have someone to cut the grass not just for time but for my health as I’ve had Lyme disease several times over the years here. I still garden from time to time but am more careful.
That’s great that you have someone to come and help with your mom, I honestly don’t know how you do it all Mitch!
I don’t go to as many networking events as I’m truly too busy these days. I am a member of the Chamber of Commerce and think I will do another year with that. I have to decide in December.
Thanks so much Mitch, I appreciate your vote of confidence.
Hi Lisa,
Congratulations on completing 1 year full-time! This post is truly inspirational for anyone who’s looking to be their own boss, and enjoy the flexibility to work from anywhere. Your post has so much to learn from. From outsourcing to scheduling things in advance. Even it’s so helpful for beginner and growing bloggers.
All the mentors you mention are a true genius.
Best,
Arfa
Hi Arfa, Thank you. Yes, I truly love it too. I am at the point where I enjoy every single one of my accounts and my workloads have shifted over the year as well. It will be interesting to see how certain “directions” go in the 2nd year. Are you full time blogging now?
(I almost had your comment in spam, what happened to your photo? I thought you would have a gravatar. Luckily I recognized your name via Twitter.
Have a great weekend!
A Hunter sighting! I love him Lisa. I love your story too. Inspired! I cannot believe it has been 1 year. Time flies. I knew you were a natural though because you did the right things with the right energy for years. Going full time, things blossomed and you learned valuable outsourcing lessons too. Excellent guide for bloggers here.
LOL Ryan, yes, Hunter loves being by my side when I work from home. He is not too photogenic or I’d share his photos more. Me too, a year flew right by us. Thank you for the compliments Ryan and you have really inspired me over the years, about 10 of them – imagine! (a decade!) Have a great day and a nice weekend Ryan!
Hi Lisa,
This article gives us a glimpse of what you’re doing for your business, and I must say that you have done incredibly well. Congratulations on a one-year full-time blogging journey. However, you are a fantastic teacher, and I wish I were in your class to learn from you.
Hi Moss, Thank you. Yes, it seems my local clients don’t know much about the blogging business and the bloggers don’t know much about my local work. Thank you for the compliments Moss. I hope to do webinars in the near future for teaching social media. Something on the plate for 2020. Now, doesn’t that sound weird 2020? Have a great day and a nice weekend Moss!
Hi Lisa,
happy freedomversary as David here said it.
It is truly a joy to be working for yourself and be your own boss, than to work for someone else and have that someone lord over your head.
You deserve it all and here’s for another year of prosperity, for all of us!
Cheers!
Thank you Nikola. I love that term he came up with there. It is! Thanks for being a contributor and for your shares and support over the year. Have a great rest of your day there.
Happy freedomversary, Lisa!
Love that term David, Freedomversary! Good one. Thank you for coming by on this one and have a great rest of the day there.
Hello Lisa,
Congrats for completing 1 year and make blogging full-time. You are really doing a great job. Ryan, Donna, Enstine, these are awesome guys who helped everyone in their blogging journey. I am also happy to be connected with these great blogging buddies. My best wishes for your future ventures.
Regards,
Vishwajeet
Thank you so much Vishwajeet. Thanks for all your shares and support over the year as well. I see you are rocking it over at your new blog! Have a great day and great rest of the week there.
? I am glad to know that you have learned the importance of outsourcing. We cannot do everything by ourselves. If I was blogging professionally, I would also outsource the SEO aspects to an expert.
Hi Renard, thank you! Yes, that didn’t take me too long to realize, thankfully. It’s the only way to grow your business. Have you thought about taking yours up to that notch yet? Thanks for coming by on this one Renard and have a fabulous Thursday.
? At the moment, I like being a personal blogger.
Whenever I choose to run a business-related blog, you will be one of the first people to know.
Gotcha Renard, thank you!