THE idea of starting a business can be pretty daunting. Quitting your career, surviving on savings and even risking your home and happiness to pursue your dream of being your own boss may seem too much of a risk for most people.
But a growing number of entrepreneurs are choosing to start small and keeping their day jobs while they test out their business ideas. Some even stay in their chosen profession permanently and use their new firm to bring in a second income.
Anita Gordon-Macintosh is one of these. Happy in her career, she has decided to bring in extra cash through the appropriately named Sideline, which sells limited-edition T-shirts by up-and-coming artists and graphic designers.
She and her husband, James, spent about £3,000 building the website and launched the business 18 months ago, unsure if there would be any demand for their products. They need not have worried. Although it is only a part-time business, it is already profitable and generates a modest second income.
Gordon-Macintosh said: “We had no idea whether people would even be interested in the idea, which was born out of my love of fashion and James’s love of graphic design. We have been really surprised by the response from people around the world and it’s already far more than a hobby.”
The internet was an invaluable means of building the business inexpensively, she said. For example, the auction site Ebay is a useful way to test the response to their T-shirts as well as marketing to customers and communicating with them all over the world. “It’s a wonderful way to test new designs. People are very responsive on Ebay and sometimes give us ideas for products,” said Gordon-Macintosh.
The business only trades online for now, so it is easy to manage alongside a full-time job, she said. “We can deal with it after work or in the lunch hour, and if we start getting really busy at work we can take Sideline down a notch or even stop trading for a day or two.”
If the business starts to take off, the couple may devote more time to it, but for now they are happy to enjoy the additional income. “It’s a pretty specialised area and we’re not looking to be millionaires this time next year.
“We like our jobs but we also really enjoy running the business. It can be quite addictive — rushing home to see if anyone has ordered anything. I also like the fact that, because this is not full-time, there is no pressure to make the business our livelihood.”
According to Jamie Parkins at Ebay, a growing number of people in Britain are bringing in second incomes in this way. “We estimate that 68,000 people in the UK are making a living or supplementing their jobs by trading on Ebay.
“A lot of people are running their businesses after 5pm, when they get in from work, and many are doing very well out of it. Some are mums doing it between the school runs to supplement the family income.
“It can be a way for people to try something new or a stepping stone for those who are not ready to spend all their time on a new business venture.”
Lucy Wills also combines conventional employment as an IT consultant with running her own business, Seraglia, which makes and sells jewellery. The two complement each other, she said.
