How to quit my day job

We’ve all had that moment. You’re sitting in a meeting that could have been an email, staring out the window, dreaming about being in your studio. You imagine a life where you just make things all day. The temptation to hand in your resignation letter is strong. But then, reality hits: Mortgage. Rent. Health insurance. Groceries.

There is a dangerous myth in the creative world that you aren't a "real" entrepreneur unless you are doing it full-time. That is 100% false. In fact, keeping your stable income while you build your wholesale wing is often the smartest business move you can make. Here is why you don’t have to choose between stability and your dream—and how to create a "Part-Time Plan" that works.

Why Wholesale is Perfect for the "Part-Time" Maker

Unlike selling B2C (Retail), which requires constant daily attention—answering DMs, packing single orders daily, posting to Instagram 5x a week—Wholesale is surprisingly schedule-friendly.

Wholesale is built on predictability and batching. You control the timeline: When a shop places an order, you usually have a 2-4 week lead time. This allows you to plan your production around your day job. Fewer emails, bigger results: You might spend your lunch break emailing 5 shops. If one says yes, that could equal the revenue of 30 individual Etsy sales.

The "Hybrid" Plan: How to Share the Load

Instead of jumping off a cliff, build a bridge. Treat your day job as your primary investor. It is funding your creative business, so you don't have to take out loans.

1. The "Batching" Schedule. Don't try to do everything every day. You will burn out.

Mon-Thurs Evenings: Admin only. Answering emails, updating lookbooks, and ordering materials. (Low energy tasks).

Saturday: Production day. This is deep work time.

Sunday: Rest. (Seriously, you need this).

2. Let Systems Be Your "Employee" Since you can't be in your business 9-5, you need tools that work while you are at your desk job. Set up a wholesale portal on your site (or use Faire) so shops can order while you are at work. Draft your pitch emails on Sunday and schedule them to send automatically on Tuesday morning.

3. Set a "Freedom Number" Don't quit based on a feeling; quit based on data. Set a specific financial goal. For example: "I will reduce my day job to 3 days a week once my wholesale income covers my rent for 3 months in a row."

Slow and Steady Wins the Race

There is no shame in growing slowly. Building your wholesale accounts part-time allows you to make mistakes when the stakes are low. It gives you the freedom to say "no" to bad deals because you aren't desperate for cash.

Your creativity is a business, not a gamble. If you are ready to build a system that fits into your current life—so you can eventually build the life of your dreams—it’s time to get strategic.

Need a roadmap for the transition?

In the Wholesaler Maker Course, I teach you how to streamline your processes so you can pitch, sell, and ship without spending 40 hours a week doing it.