How I Built One-Person Business Alongside A 9–5 Job (In 1 Hour Per Day).

I knew I could never work a 9–5 job forever

Crossing the road in Bangkok

I would wake up.

Roll out of bed. Slap the alarm off. Look at the time. It’s 5:00 am. I’d get to my computer. And start writing. I wouldn’t stop for 1–2 hours.

I did this for close to 5.5 years.

The result?

I built a:

• 70K+ audience

• Made $10k (AUD) per month

… all while working a 9–5 job.

Here’s how I did it.

I knew I could never work a 9–5 job forever

And rather than ignore it, I made a plan.

I used my 9–5 job to:

• Ruthlessly learn every skill and knowledge while getting paid.

• Build my network with others like my life depended on it.

• Create financial security and a buffer for myself.

But I still made sure that I:

• Brought in the highest amount of sales at my job.

• Delivered high-quality deliverables for clients.

• Kept my lifestyle cost at a minimum.

Despite making six figures in my job, I made a plan to quit.

I ignored everyone telling me to take the ‘safe option’.

This includes my parents and family.

I’m at a point where I’d rather die than work at 9–5 forever.

It sounds extreme (and it is).

But I would rather disappoint everyone around me than disappoint myself.

Rather than accept your sad reality, take small action to change it.

I would give my business the best time of the day.

After a long day of work, the last thing I want to do is work on my business.

That’s why my 9–5 job never got my full energy or focus.

I reserved my most creative and productive hours to build my one-person business.

This meant:

• I’d often wake-up at 5:00am.

• From 5:00am — 7:30am was dedicated to my business.

• I would work on weekends, and wouldn’t go out on weekdays.

I’ll wake up earlier, reschedule meetings, and do whatever it takes to make the magic happen.

I never got it 100% perfect.

Some days, I want to stay in my warm bed.

There were times when I spiraled into overthinking. The cold in Melbourne can be so intense that my fingers go numb as I type.

Yet, I keep going.

By structuring my day around my high energy, I ensure that I work on my business every single day, no matter what.

Even on tough days, I can go to bed knowing that I’ve dedicated the best part of my day to building the future I want for myself.

It’s one of the most effective practices I’ve implemented.

Every hour before 9 is worth double every hour after 5.

I used the 80/20 principle

I had limited time per day to build my business.

So, I’d ask myself:

What’s the 20% action that would produce 80% of my outcomes?

Answer: Writing.

Everything in business is writing:

• Emails = writing.

• Offers and proposals = writing.

• Social media content = writing.

You get my point.

So, I’d focus on writing for 15–20 minutes per day.

Easy. No pushing. No frustration.

But, like lifting weights in the gym, you get stronger.

After 5+ years of writing, I can write for 1–2 hours and not even feel it.

Sometimes, I completely lose track of time.

But I didn’t start there.

And you shouldn’t either. Start with what you have. Whether that’s 5, 10, 15 or 20 minutes.

Don’t over commit. Start so small it feels too easy.

The best solopreneur is the one that never quits.

I want to play the business game forever.

So, I optimize for the marathon. Not the sprint.

Remember:

Most solopreneurs die from indigestion, not starvation.

I would exploit small pockets of time

I had a friend ask me:

How do you get so much done?

I said: “you were 15 minutes late to our dinner.”

They replied: “I’m sorry.”

“No, I’m not trying to make you feel bad.”

The contrary.

While I was waiting, I used that 15 minutes to:

• Outline an email.

• Finish off a Medium article.

• Reply to a client on WhatsApp.

I’m even writing this article on a bus while I am traveling in Vietnam.

Most people use ‘dead time’ in their day to numb themselves.

They binge Netflix. Or doom scroll for hours.

The person next to me has been playing Candy Crush on their phone the entire time.

I’ve been on this bus for 2 hours already. Read that again.

Small actions compound exponentially.

All these small pockets of time accumulate into hundreds of hours over a year spent working on my business.

Time compounds whatever action you feed it.

If you only have 1 hour per day, do this:

• Understand what your dream reality is. Make a plan to achieve it.

• Give yourself the best time of the day to work on your biz.

• Leverage the 80/20 principle to stay effective.

• Exploit small pockets of time.

In 3–6 months, you can have either:

Build a business that sets you free.

Or..

Still be trapped in a 9–5 existence you hate.

Start small. Iterate quickly. Scale rapidly.

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👉 I’ve previously sold a one-person business and I’m in the process of scaling another one to $20k per month. If you want my one-person business growth system, I’ve created a FREE email course for you to get started.