table of funtents

1. 👋🏼 it’s me, hi

2. 👀 how to start a biz while still employed

3. 🚪 parting words

👋🏼 it’s me, hi

HAPPY WEDNESDAY, MISFITS ✌🏼

How’s it going, y’all? We’re in the final stretch of summer with another week of record high temperatures hitting the UK and I can’t say I’m overly thrilled (FYI: this Cali girl can’t do British heat).

Fun fact: I came up with the idea for keshty this week two years ago 🥰

But let’s be honest from the off: I did NOT start keshty while in full-time employment. Not even a little.

Today’s episode is one a number of you have asked about - but transparently - also one I haven’t gone about in a traditional way myself.

Still, there are things I’d do differently with the knowledge I have now, so I’m hoping this helps some of y’all have a better stab at it the first time.

Without further ado, let’s dive in.

👀 how to start a biz while still employed

I left Multiverse in May 2023 - a role where I looked after over 100 employees and nearly £100m a year.

As you can imagine, I had little headspace to think about anything other than my full-time job. I was also more naive and inexperienced than I am now.

I took a sabbatical from May to September 2023 where I solo traveled, visited family and did a whoooole lot of nothing. Honestly, I wouldn’t have my situation play out in any other way, because it was integral to get me where I am now.

With that said, it did mean a number of realities not everyone (including me) is fully comfortable with, like:

• Building the plane as I’m attempting to fly it

• Trying to get my name out in rooms with zero warm contacts

• Worrying about money, product and everything in between all at once

I like to live a hashtag no regrets life. BUT if I could go back again with the knowledge I have now - highly-demanding full-time job or not - I would do things differently this time around.

Today, I’ll share those reflections in the hope that, wherever your career journey currently stands, you can take on my lessons and nail it even faster.  

PS: none of them include waking up at 5-9 and then doing your 9-5 and another 5-9 before bed. In the interest of growing sustainably and maintaining consistency, that’s just not how I roll 🫠

1. get permission from your employer

Ideally, you’d start your side hustle while still employed, and once it takes off, simply quit your job and go all in. Right?

WRONG, FOLKS. WROOOONG.

I’m ex-HR so I feel extra compelled to put this bluntly:

Before going out into the world with your super-awesome offering, start by checking your employment contract.

You’re looking for clauses with terms like “outside interests,” “restrictive covenants” or “exclusivity.”

If your contract restricts your ability to take up outside work, here are your options:

1. Leave your employer and go all in with your business idea

2. Put your idea on pause until you can pursue it without restriction

3. Put in a formal request with your employer asking for permission to carry out your side hustle (likely to be fine if your idea is in no way a direct competition to your employer)

4. Invest in activities that will still move your idea forward, but are otherwise fine to undertake without violating exclusivity clauses*

*ALL recommendations below support Option 3 AND 4, just in case you’re restricted; even if you’re not restricted, these suggestions still stand!

2. be realistic about what you can do

When considering activities that can move you forward (restrictions aside), it’s important to caveat with this helpful tip:

Do ONE of these really well, or a mix at adjusted effort percentages.

It doesn’t help to do everything at 100%, especially when you’re still employed - there’s simply not enough of you to go around.

codify your brain

Something I wish I did differently was codify my brain while still in employment. All my templates, frameworks and actions were being done live and therefore fresh in my mind.

When I left MV, it took a solid 3 months for me to remember what I did, what I was good at, what actually worked for me and what didn’t.

My advice to anyone starting out now: build 15 mins for a daily writing practice - specifically one where you extract the brilliant bits of your brain and ways of working.

Do it at the end of your work day, tag it onto your journal sesh - whatever works for you. Your future self will thank you.

PS: In the absence of Jamboard, I recommend Miro for dumping thoughts and Obsidian for refining them, both of which you can make great use of for free.

begin user research

One of my fav stories to share with other misfits is how I spoke to 100 ideal customers to build keshty’s current offers.

While I’d (again) caution discussing ideas with your employer’s clients or competitors, all I did was ask 25 warm connections the following:

1. What's keeping you up at night?

2. What scares you most about working with a fractional executive?

3. Who are two others you think I should definitely meet?

That got me 75 conversations (with the other 25 being people I met serendipitously along the way) - all of which that happened remotely I was able to capture via my nifty AI notetaker.

If I could go back, I’d attempt this while still in work because it would’ve paid off in dividends when I finally got going.

build connections outside your org

Similar to the above (but less client-centric): if I could go back, I’d get out of my employer’s MEGA bubble while I was still in it.

With 100 team members and another 300+ stakeholders, I found it seriously difficult to build outside connections.

But this was at my own expense: when I left Multiverse, no one outside the business could vouch for me (and I sadly learned MOST people didn’t even know who Multiverse were!). This means I had next to no social proof or credibility.

You might not know how embedded you are in your company’s bubble, so let this serve as a reality check to consider when you last talked about work with someone who isn’t your colleague (or immediate family).

And it can look like whatever works for you, whether that’s:

1. Joining a community while still employed (e.g. I get loads of value from Generalist World and Operations Nation)

2. Attending networking events (e.g. Luma and Eventbrite are great for local happenings - I’ve linked London, but feel free to change your city!)

3. Having 1:1 calls or coffees once a week before / after work or during your lunch break

3. start light-touch and grow from there

Once you’ve done some or all of the above, it’s about taking it one step further with something light-touch that can be repeated and scaled while you’re still employed.

If we look back to the suggestions, this could look like:

1. Codify your brain —> share your insights (e.g. on LinkedIn, Instagram, a newsletter or blog, etc.)

2. Begin user research —> advise a client on one specific problem (remember to gather testimonials!)

3. Build connections —> re-establish your professional tribe and ask them to keep their eyes peeled for opportunities (so you have advocates ready to vouch for you)

🚪 parting words

A FINAL NOTE: whatever journey you end up on, do what’s right for you. I wouldn’t have changed taking a sabbatical and highly recommend them to anyone who can.

With that said, starting while still employed would’ve saved me stress and agony in other ways. It might be the right path for you.

Either way, there’s no right or wrong - so do what’s best for you and where you’re at.

And that’s a wrap on today’s episode, misfits 🫶🏼

As always, I’m only a message away for thoughts, questions and topic ideas. I read and sincerely appreciate every single poll / email response! Please keep them coming.

Before you go, could you let a girl know what you thought of this issue with the pulse check below? Good intent feedback is always welcome ⬇️

xo, Neds