Series: From Employee to Entrepreneur: Part 3 " From Pay check to Profits The Job-to-Business Roadmap"

Series: From Employee to Entrepreneur

The Job-to-Business Roadmap

A Practical Guide to Transitioning from Employment to Entrepreneurship

By Hanif Lakdawala | For Business Magazine

• Don't quit before you’re ready.

• Prepare for launching business while you earn Salary

The 10-Step Job-to-Business Roadmap

1. Audit Your WHY

Before you plan your business, understand your reason for starting Business

Do you want:

• More freedom?

• Financial growth?

• A creative outlet?

• To solve a personal or market problem?

According to LinkedIn India (2023), 54% of professionals considering entrepreneurship said lack of purpose in their jobs was their top motivator.

2. Shift Your Identity

• Don’t just see yourself as an employee.

• Start calling yourself a builder. A creator. A side-preneur.

The Kauffman Foundation found that most successful first-time founders were 35+, bringing years of corporate experience to their ventures.

3. Solve a Real Problem

Do not chase random passions. Think about your own observation and experience in solve something people are already frustrated with or paying for.

CB Insights (2023): 42% of startups fail because there’s “no market need.” Always validate the pain before the product.

4. Validate Before You Quit

• Talk to customers while you are on job. Launch a test version a micro version

• Make efforts to secure your first 3–5 paying clients while still employed. For this you need to meet at least one prospective client every day. Even if you get one success out of 10 pitches its fabulous.

Lean Startup research shows that early validation cuts failure risk by 50%.

5. Block Weekly "Business Hours

Create a routine:

• 1 hour/day on weekdays

• 4 focused hours on weekends

Harvard research shows consistent effort beats total hours when building side businesses

6. Build a Financial Runway

• Have at least 6–12 months of expenses saved—or

• Grow your side income to cover 50–70% of costs before quitting.

NASSCOM (2022): 35% of startups fail due to poor financial planning.

7. Grow Before You Go

Reinvest early earnings into:

• Branding

• Tools (CRM, accounting)

• A basic freelance team

YourStory (2023): Startups that bootstrapped for 6+ months had higher long-term success.

8. Build a Personal Brand

• · Share your journey.

• · Document your process. Let people know what you’re building.

Bain & Co (2023): Founder visibility is a major trust factor in India’s D2C and startup landscape.

9. Plan a Structured Exit

Quitting your job should be a project:

• Give 30–60 days’ notice

• Wrap up debt/EMIs

• Align family support

• Transition clients or savings plan

Harvard Business Review: Professionals who plan their exit over 3–6 months are 40% more likely to sustain entrepreneurship

10. Go Full-Time, Stay Lean

Now you're ready.
Focus on:

• Deepening customer trust

• Building repeatable systems

• Scaling sustainably

BCG (2022): Startups that scaled slowly and systemically had 2x higher survival rates.

Timeline Snapshot

• a. Month 0-3: Validate idea + Save

• b. Months 3–6: Get first clients + Test offerings

• c. Months 6–12: Grow brand + Financial runway + Exit plan

• d. 12+ months: Full-time, systemized, scalable business

Final Thoughts: Do not Quit in Frustration. Graduate with Intention.

Your job isn’t a trap—it can be your training ground.
Use it to:

• Learn structure

• Save capital

• Fund experiments

• Build discipline

"Build something on the side—until it’s strong enough to stand on its own."

This roadmap is not about perfection.
It is about direction.
If you follow it, you will not just quit a job—you’ll step confidently into a future you cont