Your 9-5 Is your best startup fund

To start this email, I want to wish everybody that has been supporting this humble little newsletter of mine a Merry Christmas 🎄

May the soon-to-come new year bring you more opportunities and help you be the person you always want to be.

Everyone's got this story backward. You've probably heard it: "Quit your job, take the leap, go all in." That's what they told me too. But let me share something that might save you from the biggest mistake wannabe entrepreneurs make.

Five years ago, I was sitting at my corporate desk, dreaming about my side business. Every entrepreneurship podcast, every guru, every "motivational" post was screaming the same thing – quit your job to focus on your dreams.

But here's what they missed: My 9-5 wasn't holding me back. It was funding my future.

Think about it. While others were burning through savings or drowning in debt to "chase their dreams," I was using my steady salary as rocket fuel. Every month, my salary wasn't just paying bills – it was buying inventory, funding marketing tests, and building my safety net.

Smart entrepreneurs don't burn bridges – they build bridges. Your job isn't your prison; it's your private investor who doesn't ask for equity.

Here's the reality check nobody talks about.

Most businesses don't fail because of lack of time. They fail because of lack of cash. When you're stressed about paying rent, you make desperate decisions. Trust me, nothing kills creativity faster than an empty bank account.

I'm not saying stay at your job forever. But there's a smart way to transition:

• Use your salary to fund your startup

• Test your ideas without the pressure of needing immediate profit

• Learn from your company's systems and processes (it's free business education)

• Build your business in phases, not overnight

The corporate world taught me things about systems, customer service, and operations that I use every day in my business. Plus, my stable income meant I could take calculated risks without risking everything.

Your 9-5 isn't your enemy. It's your secret weapon. Use it wisely. Build your dream on a foundation of stability, not desperation.

Because sometimes, the bravest thing isn't taking the leap. It's being smart enough to build your wings first.

From someone who's still learning, still growing, and thankful I didn't listen to the "quit your job" chorus – your current job might just be the best business partner you'll ever have.

If you would like to connect on a deeper level, feel free to REPLY to this email and I’ll get in touch with you.

Be unstoppable,

Amos - Founder of The16hourclub