The Safe Path to Entrepreneurship How to Reduce Risk Before Quitting
- Akino Davis
- 3 days ago
- 6 min read
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Welcome back to the Becoming An Entrepreneur Newsletter, the space where high-performing professionals learn how to transition into entrepreneurship with clarity, confidence, and strategy.
In last week’s article, we unpacked “How to Identify the Best Business Model for Your Transition to Entrepreneurship.” If you missed it, you can catch up here. This week, we’re continuing that conversation with a deeper look at how to reduce the risk of your entrepreneurial leap before you leave your job.
Because let’s face it...
The biggest fear most professionals have about entrepreneurship isn’t starting a business. It’s failing after they’ve already quit their job.
And I get it. That fear isn’t irrational. You’ve spent years building your career, your income, and your lifestyle. Taking a leap without a parachute can feel like trading your hard-earned security for uncertainty.
But here’s what I’ve learned and what I teach every client I coach:
You don’t have to jump. You can build a bridge.
The Problem: “I Want to Start, But I Can’t Afford to Fail.”
Most professionals I work with want to make a meaningful transition. They’re ambitious. They’ve outgrown their jobs. They’re sitting on business ideas, skills, and experience they know could make an impact.
But they also have
A mortgage or rent to pay
A family to support
Bills, responsibilities, and a lifestyle they’ve worked hard for
And that’s why they hesitate. Because the “popular” startup narrative says:
Quit your job
Burn the boats
Go all in, or don’t bother
That’s a dangerous message. It’s built for people with high risk tolerance and no real consequences. But for experienced professionals with commitments? It can backfire. Hard.
I know this firsthand.
A Personal Story: How I Built While Employed
When I first had the idea for SME Digital, I was still managing high-pressure projects and operations in the state construction and facilities management sector. I was doing near 10-hour days, 5, sometimes 6 days a week. But the desire to build something of my own kept growing stronger.
I didn’t have time to “figure it out later.” I needed to be intentional.
So instead of quitting my job, I made a plan:
I carved out late evenings and early mornings to coach one client at a time.
I wrote my newsletter consistently, week after week, to build visibility and authority.
I tested my offer, refined my systems, and learned how to sell before I ever thought about going full-time.
That’s when I discovered what I now teach:
Entrepreneurship is not about jumping; it’s about designing your exit.
Why Common Advice to Reduce Risk Falls Short
Here’s what you’ll often hear:
“Just take the leap; you’ll figure it out.”
“The discomfort will force you to succeed.”
“Passion is all you need.”
Let me say this plainly: No, it’s not.
That advice creates more burned-out, broke entrepreneurs than successful ones.
Why?
Because it skips over the fundamentals:
Business idea clarity
Offer validation
Income runway
Strategic marketing
Clear timelines and KPIs
When you skip those steps, you don’t just risk failure. You risk burnout, financial instability, and loss of confidence in your own ability.
I’ve had clients come to me after trying to leap too soon, rebuilding after six months of uncertainty. Not because they weren’t capable. But because they didn’t have a transition plan.
My Coaching Approach: The Low-Risk Business Transition Plan
Here’s what I recommend instead, and what I walk my clients through in the Becoming An Entrepreneur™ Coaching Accelerator:
1. Clarify Before You Create
Get clear on what you want to offer, who it’s for, and why you’re the one to deliver it.
Don’t quit to “find your passion.” Start by solving a real problem with the skills you already have.
2. Validate While Employed
Test your idea in the real world before making a full transition.
Pilot your offer with 3–5 people. Charge. Learn. Refine.
3. Build Proof and Demand
Before leaving my last full-time job, I had
5+ coaching clients under my belt
Dozens of newsletters and posts published
A clearly defined process that got real results
That foundation gave me confidence and income to grow full-time.
4. Design a Financial Runway
How many months of expenses can you cover? How much revenue can you earn part-time before you quit?
Knowing these numbers removes emotion from your decision. It’s math, not a leap of faith.
5. Set a “Quit Criteria” Checklist
Don’t quit on vibes. Quit when you meet your benchmarks.
Monthly recurring income goal hit consistently
Offer validated with real customers
Minimum savings runway achieved
Business systems in place
One of my clients, a corporate design specialist, followed this exact framework. She built an agency brand while employed, validated her niche offer, and within 4 months had a waiting list.
She didn’t leap. She stepped confidently.
A Final Thought: Trade the Cliff for a Bridge
You don’t have to choose between staying stuck or risking everything.
You can:
Start with clarity
Build proof while employed
Grow into your business model
Step out strategically, not emotionally
That’s the path I took. It’s the path my clients take. And it’s the path I want for you.
Want to Keep Learning?
Every week, I write for professionals like you who want to build their business before they quit their job.
If today’s article resonated with you, make sure to Subscribe to the Becoming An Entrepreneur Newsletter for weekly insights, strategies, and stories to guide your low-risk transition from employee to entrepreneur.
You don’t need to quit tomorrow. You need a plan today.
Let’s build it together.
Whenever you are ready, there are more ways that I can help you:
Get My Book: The Ultimate Guide for Aspiring and New Entrepreneurs. "Becoming An Entrepreneur: Beginners Guide" is your essential roadmap, packed with insights, strategies, and real-world advice to turn your business aspirations into reality. Download on my Website or Buy on Amazon
Live Class: A FREE 2-Hour Monthly Exclusive Webinar Masterclass for Professionals Ready to Transition into Business. Learn More Here
Group Business Coaching Accelerator: A step-by-step group coaching program designed for professionals ready to confidently transition from employee to entrepreneur. Next Cohort Starts: August 1st, 2025. Learn More Here
1:1 Business Coaching Accelerator: Chart Your Path to Entrepreneurship with Clarity and Confidence. “Becoming An Entrepreneur 1:1 Business Coaching Accelerator” is a 3-month individualized business coaching accelerator to help professionals build, launch, and grow a successful business. Learn More Here
Spotlight: Live Class is Now Open for Applications
Are you stuck in the “thinking about it” phase of starting your business?
That in-between place, where you're still working your 9–5 but dreaming of building your own business, is one of the most overwhelming stages of entrepreneurship.
That’s why I created the Becoming An Entrepreneur: Live Class.
It’s a free, high-impact 2-hour working session that gives you the clarity, structure, and roadmap you need to finally move from idea to action.
Inside the Live Class, you’ll:
✅ Clarify the right business idea for you
✅ Shift the limiting beliefs that are keeping you stuck
✅ Learn how to test and validate your idea before you invest
✅ Create a personalized 30-day business action plan
✅ Get introduced to my 1:1 and group coaching programs for deeper support
It’s not a webinar. It’s not a pitch. It’s a working session.
Spots Are Limited: Only 25 Professionals Accepted Per Month.
Ensure your spot today to begin your entrepreneurial journey with clarity and confidence.
Next Live Class:
🗓️ 1st August 2025
⏰ 7:00 PM (AST)
📍 Online (Webinar)
Join Me On YouTube
My latest video series, Coaching in the Car, is now available on YouTube. Check out the playlist below. Make sure to like, share, and subscribe to the channel.
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