Hey there 👋,

Making the leap from a steady 9-to-5 to running your own business can feel daunting. But what if you could build your dream job without risking it all at once?

Noah Kagan, a master of side hustles and founder of AppSumo, has some practical tips for building your business in parallel with your full-time job. Today, I’m sharing his top strategies to help you start small and make that transition smoothly.

1. Start with the Freedom Number

Before you dive in, figure out your Freedom Number, the monthly income you need to replace your 9-to-5. This gives you a clear target to work toward and helps you know when it’s safe to make the leap.

💡 Noah’s Tip: Focus on covering just your basic expenses at first, not your dream lifestyle.

👉 I wrote a complete article about this! If you want to learn more, check it out here: Your Freedom Number

2. Validate Your Idea First

Don’t spend months building something nobody wants. Test your idea quickly by finding 3 paying customers. If they’ll pay for your solution, you’re on the right track!

💡 Example: Noah tested AppSumo’s concept by pre-selling deals to his first customers before building out the full platform.

3. Dedicate 10-15 Hours a Week

You don’t need to quit your job to start. Dedicate just 1–2 hours a day to your side hustle. Small, consistent progress compounds into big results over time.

💡 Pro Tip: Block out time early in the morning or during weekends when you’re least distracted.

4. Outsource What You Can

As your side hustle grows, don’t hesitate to outsource repetitive tasks like admin or design. This frees up your time to focus on the big-picture strategies that drive growth.

💡 Noah’s Insight: “You can’t do everything yourself. Hire freelancers to help you scale faster.”

These steps won’t just help you start, they’ll set you up for a smooth transition into full-time entrepreneurship when the time is right.

Let me know what’s your dream side hustle? Hit reply and share, I’d love to hear about it!

Cheers, 🍻

Catch you next week !

Lucien

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