I‘ve always wanted to start my own business but haven’t done much besides researching a few ideas on and off over the years. I spent a long time (6 years) trying to confirm that legal practice is not for me and now that I’m finally absolutely sure, I want to get out asap.

How much of a mistake would it be to resign to give myself time to launch a business? Ideally I could do a side hustle first but I worry I’ll not be able to commit properly with the biglaw workload, even with slower markets.

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First of all - I love where your head’s at! My philosophy is that how you design and build your business is as unique as a fingerprint. So - I don’t think of it as right/wrong. But, there are some things to weigh. I will say that getting a business to the point of replacing your income can take a little while. Longer if you’re still nailing down your idea. Totally normal. It’s just a question of how stressed that would make you in the process. It can feel like a lot of pressure on your new business. And you want to set yourself up for success.

Some questions to consider: How long without income would you be comfortable? Are you sure you couldn’t get somewhat down the road with your current job? Is there a way to turn down the dial on your hours there? Is there a bridge job (something that pays some bills but is pretty low-key) that you could do while building?

I’ll also say this from my personal experience and people I’ve worked with - there is a real energy shift when you commit yourself to a path you’re excited about. And sometimes just that can make your job tolerable for a bit longer. And then you get to think of it simply as the thing that’s funding your business. Not the thing you should feel invested in.

All that said - if what you need is a clean break, go for it! Know that you’re resourceful and will always have options and can figure it out.

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