
It’s Sunday, July 21st, 2024, and in this week’s roundup, learn in 5 minutes or less:
Career Advice: Building Dreams: 5 Businesses You Can Start While Working Full-Time
Mindset Matters: How to Cultivate the Right Mindset to Start a Business While Working Full-Time
The Weekly Round-up: Mass IT outage affects airlines, hospitals, media, and banks. Is AI the answer for better government services? The 2024 Olympics kick off this Friday, July 26th, in Paris, France.
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CAREER CORNER
Building Dreams: 5 Businesses You Can Start While Working Full-Time
Happy Sunday Everyone,
This week, I want to share with you 5 businesses you can start while working full-time. We all know that balancing a full-time job with wanting to start your own business can seem overwhelming. However, starting a side business while maintaining your full-time job can be a strategic way to diversify your income and explore your passions.
Personally, starting The Careerguard has been a thrilling challenge and a rewarding experience. Initially, it was a side project born from my passion for sharing career advice and helping others navigate their professional journeys. Providing a resource I wish I had when I started my career.
So far, Dom and I have grown our newsletter into a business with over 10K+ subscribers and have been able to monetize through various avenues while still working our full-time jobs. So, starting a business on the side while working a full-time job is not only feasible but can also be incredibly rewarding.
Like the Careerguard, here are 5 innovative start-up ideas perfect for busy professionals like us.
Idea: Create and sell monthly subscription boxes tailored to niche interests such as foreign snacks.
Why It's Great for Busy Professionals: Curated subscription boxes offer a recurring revenue model and can be managed during evenings and weekends. This business allows you to combine your passion for unique products with the excitement of delivering delightful experiences to subscribers.
Steps to Get Started:
Research Your Niche: Identify a specific market interest, such as international snacks, artisanal products, or eco-friendly items.
Source Products: Establish relationships with suppliers to curate a selection of high-quality, unique products.
Build Your Brand: Create a compelling brand identity and design attractive packaging that enhances the unboxing experience.
Market Your Box: Utilize social media, influencers, and email marketing to attract subscribers and build a loyal customer base.
Example: A "World Snacks" subscription box that delivers a selection of snacks from a different country each month, along with cultural insights and fun facts about the featured region.
2. DIY Urban Gardening Kits
Idea: Create kits for urban dwellers to start their own indoor or balcony gardens, complete with seeds, soil, and instructions.
Why It's Great for Busy Professionals: Urban gardening kits tap into the growing trend of home gardening and sustainability. These kits are easy to assemble and can be marketed to city dwellers looking for a green thumb project.
Steps to Get Started:
Select Plants: Choose a variety of plants that are suitable for indoor or balcony gardening, such as herbs, succulents, or small vegetables.
Assemble Kits: Include everything needed for the garden, such as seeds, soil, pots, and detailed instructions.
Create Instructions: Develop easy-to-follow guides that make gardening accessible and enjoyable for beginners.
Build a Website: Set up an e-commerce site to sell your kits and provide additional resources, such as gardening tips and videos.
Market Your Kits: Use social media, gardening blogs, and local community groups to promote your products.
Example: A "Balcony Garden Kit" that includes a selection of herbs, organic soil, biodegradable pots, and a detailed gardening guide to help urban residents create their own herb garden.
3. Prototype Development
Idea: Offer 3D printing services to inventors and small businesses for prototype development.
Why It's Great for Busy Professionals: 3D printing technology is revolutionizing product development by making it easier and more affordable to create prototypes. This business can be managed from a home office or workshop and offers services that are in high demand.
Steps to Get Started:
Invest in Equipment: Purchase a high-quality 3D printer and necessary materials.
Learn the Software: Become proficient in 3D modeling software such as AutoCAD, Blender, or Fusion 360.
Offer Services: Provide a range of services, including 3D modeling, printing, and finishing.
Build a Portfolio: Create prototypes for personal projects or offer discounted services to build a portfolio of work.
Market Your Services: Promote your business through a professional website, social media, and local business networks.
Example: A prototype development service that helps inventors bring their ideas to life with precise and detailed 3D printed models, from concept to functional prototypes.
4. Adventure Travel Consulting
Idea: Specialize in planning unique and adventurous trips, such as eco-tours, extreme sports vacations, or cultural immersion experiences.
Why It's Great for Busy Professionals: Adventure travel consulting allows you to combine your love for travel with your organizational skills. This business can be managed remotely, making it ideal for after-work hours and weekends.
Steps to Get Started:
Identify Your Niche: Focus on a specific type of adventure travel, such as eco-tours, cultural experiences, or extreme sports.
Build Partnerships: Establish relationships with travel providers, tour operators, and local guides.
Create Itineraries: Design unique and customizable travel itineraries that cater to different interests and budgets.
Market Your Services: Use a professional website, travel blogs, and social media to attract clients.
Provide Support: Offer comprehensive planning services, including booking accommodations, transportation, and activities.
Example: An adventure travel consultancy that specializes in eco-friendly tours, offering clients unique experiences like rainforest hiking, wildlife conservation projects, and sustainable accommodations.
5. Smart Home Consulting
Idea: Provide consulting services for smart home technology, helping clients integrate and optimize smart devices in their homes.
Why It's Great for Busy Professionals: As smart home technology becomes more prevalent, there's a growing demand for expertise in setting up and optimizing these systems. This business can be managed remotely, allowing for flexible scheduling.
Steps to Get Started:
Stay Informed: Keep up-to-date with the latest smart home technologies and trends.
Get Certified: Obtain relevant certifications in smart home technology or related fields.
Offer Services: Provide consultations, installations, and optimization services for smart home devices.
Build a Website: Create a professional website to showcase your services, client testimonials, and smart home tips.
Market Your Services: Use social media, local business networks, and home improvement forums to reach potential clients.
Example: A smart home consulting service that helps homeowners integrate smart lighting, security systems, and voice-activated assistants, ensuring seamless and efficient home automation.
These startup ideas offer the flexibility to pursue entrepreneurial ventures without sacrificing your full-time jobs.
By leveraging your skills and interests, you can create a successful side hustle that generates additional income and fulfills your entrepreneurial ambitions, which may one day replace your full-time job.
If you like any of the ideas above and would like to discuss them further, feel free to email us. We would be happy to discuss them.
Anokye - Cofounder, The Careerguard
👉Follow us on Instagram; we plan to conduct a series on your money mindset and its impact on career decisions over the next few weeks; comment and engage with us your thoughts when you see the posts…
MINDSET MATTERS
Cultivating the Right Mindset to Start a Business
Starting a business while maintaining a full-time job requires a strategic mindset and the right resources to succeed. Here’s how to cultivate the right attitude and what you’ll need to get started.
Adopt a Growth Mindset - Believing in your ability to learn and grow is crucial. A growth mindset helps you view challenges as opportunities for development rather than obstacles. Embrace the learning process, stay resilient in the face of setbacks, and celebrate small victories along the way.
Time Management is Key - Balancing a full-time job and a startup demands excellent time management. Prioritize tasks, set realistic goals, and create a schedule that allocates dedicated time to your business. Tools like Trello or Asana can help you stay organized and track your progress.
Stay Passionate and Purpose-Driven - Your business should be something you are passionate about. This passion will keep you motivated during long hours and tough times. Clearly define your ‘why’ and let it drive your actions and decisions.
Build a Support Network - Surround yourself with supportive friends, family, and mentors who understand your goals and can offer advice and encouragement. Networking with other entrepreneurs can provide valuable insights and moral support.
Leverage Available Resources - Utilize the numerous resources available for budding entrepreneurs:
Online Courses: Platforms like Coursera and Udemy offer entrepreneurship, marketing, and business management courses.
Business Tools: Use tools like Canva for marketing materials, QuickBooks for accounting, and Mailchimp for email marketing.
Incubators and Accelerators: These programs provide mentorship, funding, and resources to help you grow your business.
Freelance Platforms: Sites like Upwork and Fiverr can help you find freelancers to handle tasks outside your expertise.
Financial Planning and Management - Proper financial planning is essential. Start with a clear budget and track your expenses meticulously. Consider consulting with a financial advisor to ensure your business is financially viable.
Maintain Work-Life Balance - Juggling a full-time and startup job can be challenging. Schedule downtime and take breaks to recharge. A healthy work-life balance will sustain your productivity and enthusiasm in the long run.
Final Thoughts
Starting a business while working full-time is challenging but achievable with the right mindset and resources.
Stay focused, manage your time wisely, and don’t hesitate to seek support and advice.
Anokye - Cofounder, The Careerguard
SUNDAY MOTIVATION
The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing
MEMES & BANTER

BEST FROM TIKTOK THIS WEEK
@theicedcoffeehour The Best Business to Start in 2024 #hormozi #sidehustleideas #alexhormozi
WEEKLY ROUNDUP
Business: On Friday, July 19th, An IT outage affected airlines, hospitals, media, and banks. Cyber security firm Crowdstrike has confirmed the cause of the worldwide outage resulted from their defective software update for its Microsoft Windows hosts. Read more here
Tech: The emergence of generative AI in the last two years has revived a vision of more efficient public service, where human-like advisors can work all hours, replying to questions over benefits, taxes, and other areas where the government interacts with the public. Is AI the answer for better government services? Read more here
Sports: The 2024 Olympics kick off this Friday in Paris, France, and we want to know what sporting event you are looking forward to the most. Also, here is a day-by-day guide to all the actions.
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DISCLAIMER: None of this is financial advice. This newsletter is strictly educational content and is not investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions.
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