I’m working a full-time job while my spouse and I grow our small tech repair business. We started it at the end of 2022, and we’re approaching our two-year anniversary. We’ve had to keep working other jobs because the business hasn’t made enough money yet.
My goal has always been that once we hit 100 Google reviews, we’ll have enough daily business to quit our jobs and focus solely on the business. It’s a bit of a tug of war because if we quit our jobs, we’d have more time to grow the business. For now, we mostly rely on the small repair jobs we get daily to grow our reviews—we just hit 52.
Does my plan make sense? Has anyone done something similar and can share some insights? I’d love to hear from people who’ve transitioned from a steady paycheck to going full-time with their business.
Also, regarding the title, is it normal not to be super ambitious with my business? I don’t need it to be huge—I just want it to pay the bills and give us more control over our time. I don’t want to be tied to someone else’s schedule.
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Everybody has different goals, so that’s totally fine. I’m not focused on growing revenue and profits either. I cringe when people say that a business that isn’t growing is dying.
That said, it’s good to find a balance you’re comfortable with, but always keep in mind that you’ll need to put work in to maintain that.
But don’t let anyone tell you that you have to get rich from owning a business. However, I’d suggest that sometimes you ask yourself if it’s worth the effort.
@Skyler
That makes perfect sense. Luckily, I haven’t experienced burnout so far, even during busy times when I’ve been working tickets all my free time. I love the work I do, and it’s rewarding, so I hope to keep that drive for a long time. Thanks for the insight!
Keep in mind that just because you reach the point where you can quit your job doesn’t mean you won’t need to go back to work at some point for extra income. That’s not a failure, just a change in circumstances you adapt to.
Also, it’s perfectly fine to want a business just to support your household. Most businesses are like that. For every big company like Walmart, there are hundreds of small businesses that do just enough to keep a household going.
@Shannon
I think you’re looking for a metric that drives business results (revenue/profit).
I’d suggest focusing on leads and lead conversion.
By increasing marketing activities and generating leads, revenue will likely grow. You just need to manage marketing costs, so cost per lead is key. Focusing on organic marketing like SEO and social media could be helpful for you.
It’s not uncommon to want a business that’s just big enough to support your household. That’s perfectly fine.
However, 100 Google reviews might seem arbitrary. It’s customers who keep the business running, not reviews. Even 100 5-star reviews won’t bring in cash.
Also, until your company can sustain itself and hire a management team, you’ll still be tied to the business grind. You’ll have more control over your time, but it’s always going to be in the back of your mind. I learned that I couldn’t just shut off when I was running my business—it’s a constant responsibility.
That said, lifestyle businesses are totally valid. Just make sure you run it in a way that allows for future growth or sale if needed. Not every company has to be the next big thing.
Why do you think hitting a certain number of Google reviews will solve everything?
Small business is about charging the right prices to stay profitable. Work out what you need to charge to make it worth your time.
Over deliver for customers so they keep coming back, and keep your prices high.
Make your business efficient, work smarter in every area. It’s hard work, but if you stay consistent and keep learning, you’ll improve your profits.
Don’t expect things to be easy, and don’t rely on wishful thinking.
Maybe one of you could keep a job until the business is stable enough to support you both. At some point, you’ll need to take the risk and go full-time, but always try to minimize those risks.
That’s what I’m doing with a new online business. I’ve been in teaching and retail management for years, but I burned out, so I’m focusing on building my own business.
My wife isn’t interested in being involved, but I’m keeping the business scalable to fit my time. It’s a low-cost e-commerce site that I just want to make a decent salary from and be my own boss.
Good luck with your business, and remember—memories are more important than money!
There’s nothing wrong with aiming to support your family financially with your business.
However, keep in mind that your targets may need to evolve as your business grows. Competitors and clients change, so always be ready to adapt. Business can surprise you.
We had a rough year and had to adjust our plans. It’s the backup plans that helped us stay afloat and set us up for growth next year.
I do tech repair too and have 120+ five-star reviews. Reaching 100 reviews doesn’t automatically mean you’ll get a huge customer boost (though it helps). It’s supporting my household and giving me freedom, but it can be slow sometimes.
Not everyone leaves reviews. Lately, I’ve averaged 57 repairs per month. This month, I’m expecting around 8 to 12 repairs. It fluctuates.
Feel free to message me if you want to talk more about tech repair. It’s my hobby first and business second.
That was my goal too, but my wife wanted to grow the business. Now we have headaches, big revenue, but lower profits and employees. I love your plan—just make sure to save money along the way.
I don’t think it’s wrong at all. I’ve been doing tech support for years. My goal is to provide for my family. Keep things simple—don’t aim to grow too fast or get burned out.
Tech repair doesn’t always scale easily, so figure out if you can sustain the work/life balance you need and maintain enough money to get by.