How To Build Your Online Boutique While Working a 9 to 5
I know first hand how difficult it is to be a 'sidepreneur' while working a day job. Even though it seems like the next sequel of Mission Impossible, starting an e-commerce business really isn't that complicated.
I know the struggle is real because I've been there, working a day job and side hustling, trying to be a superwoman all while wishing I had someone to help me out.
Do you feel the same?
Do you feel the need to start your own side hustle but not sure how you'll be able to pull it off while managing a household and still working your day job?
Don't worry!
I'm here to give you the tips and tricks I for starting an online boutique + a BONUS gift to help you get started.
How To Build Your Online Boutique While Working a 9 to 5
So, the good news (I'm sure you've guessed it by now) is that starting an Online Boutique while working your 9 to 5 is very much possible.
How? Let's look into it!
For starting an Online Boutique on the side, the first struggle to encounter is
+ how to get started and
+ what to sell.
Generally working full time, you want something that's easy to source, requires little maintenance and can be automatized in the long run, thereby making the process easy.
Dropshipping - the retail selling model that does not require you to buy products first hand - is a great way to get started. You leverage the goods from your supplier and buy them only after you've made a sale. Thereby saving you a lot of time, energy, and resources in handling the supply chain processes of running your Boutique.
This solves our 'how to get started' struggle.
Let's look at 'What to sell?'
One of the places to look for inspiration is by asking yourself - What do you know?
Starting an online boutique by selling something you know helps you not only add more value to the product but will also push you when going gets tough.
Having said that don't let this prevent you from selling something you truly believe in or think will be a huge success. If you need a little help, check out the 11 Online Boutique Ideas and go from there.
Remember, you have an advantage over anyone whose a full-time entrepreneur. Running a side hustle while working a day job gives you an opportunity to invest in your own e-commerce business. You can pay for the monthly fees for your online platform or hire a web designer to help you create an Online Boutique website of your choice. You can hire a VA to help set things for like writing product description, processing orders, running social media and more, thereby giving you more time in hand.
Here are a few tips to help you build your Online Boutique on the side -
💗 Focus
Focus is the main component required when starting an online boutique. Pick one task, finish it before jumping onto another. Pick one social media, master it before jumping onto another. Focus on ONE. Too many ideas in mind? Narrow down by researching on Google, checking out trends, asking friends, family or even the internet for a pool to see what they might be interested in.
💗 Baby Steps
I know it's going to sound cliche but it's all about taking action and taking baby steps. Since you are working part-time on your e-commerce business, there's only so much you can accomplish in the time frame. But whatever you do, make sure you take action.
"The only thing worse than starting something and failing is not starting something." - Seth Godin.
So take action, no matter how small it is.
PS - Check out the BONUS, in the end, to help you eliminate overwhelm and lay out all the tasks for you.
💗 Schedule & Block Time
Create a schedule around the tasks you want to accomplish and start by blocking time during mornings and evenings. Let your family know that you'll be busy during those hours and should not be disturbed. You can block time by using a Google Calendar or a planner & manage tasks using online apps like Evernote or Asana. They are free to use and really helpful when it comes to keeping a track of your progress.
💗 Stop doing things that don't matter
A lot of time I've seen people say "I just don't have time" and then start binge watching shows on Netflix. That's not how you are going to achieve your dream. I truly believe that everybody has time. It's all about the priorities. If you are serious about starting an online boutique, even though it's a part-time thing atm, you'll put all your efforts and stop at nothing. Don't procrastinate. Find an accountability partner to keep you accountable for your tasks. You can also join the Curious Babe's Facebook Group for like-minded babes on a mission to start their e-commerce journey.
💗 Outsource
As I mentioned earlier, having a full-time job gives you leverage to invest in your business by outsourcing tasks that aren't worth your time. With dropshipping, you've already outsourced order fulfillment; however, you still have other tasks like order processing and product listing that can be outsourced to VAs.
I'm not going to lie to you. The struggle is real and will require a lot of sacrifice from you but in the end, it'll all be so worth it in the end. Working in pockets of time, while traveling to and fro work, at night or early morning is just a small price you need to pay while building your business from the ground up till you can turn it from a side hustle to a full-time business.
I know you have the fire in you and you want to make things happen.
Therefore, I've created a new program that would help you launch your Boutique with no effort!
BYOB - The Pre-loaded, Pre-programmed Ready to Launch Website with products and designs created exclusively for you!
Do you think this is something that would make starting your own Online Boutique easy? Book a 1 on 1 session here and #letschat!