Financial Freedom Friday
The struggle between job security vs business freedom isn’t theoretical—it’s personal. It’s the quiet negotiation happening in the back of your mind when you scroll past someone working from a beach while you’re buried in back-to-back meetings. It’s the question behind every “what if” you ask yourself during your commute or your lunch break: What if I could do work I care about—without sacrificing my stability?
Sometimes, job security can be the very thing that makes business freedom possible. That was true for me.
When I first started Backbone America, it wasn’t bold—it was survival. I’d lost my job. I didn’t have savings or a cushion. Launching a business meant racking up credit card debt and hoping I could outrun the interest. I was chasing freedom, sure—but I was also chasing the next bill.
The second time was different. I had a steady paycheck. Benefits. Breathing room. That job security gave me the space to rebuild Backbone America the right way—intentionally, sustainably, and without the same financial strain. But I also knew that security could become a trap if I let it. The comfort of a paycheck can make you stall, hesitate, keep waiting for the “perfect” moment to begin.
This post isn’t about picking sides. It’s about recognizing what you’re trading, what you’re building toward, and whether your current path is moving you closer to freedom—or quietly keeping you from it.
The Trap of Employee Thinking (Even When You Like Your Job)
There’s a quote often attributed to Tony Robbins: “Change happens when the pain of staying the same is greater than the pain of change.” I don’t know who actually said it first—but I know what it feels like to live it.
That strain between job security vs business freedom doesn’t always show up as a dramatic choice. Sometimes, it creeps in slowly. You’ve got a decent job. The pay is consistent. The benefits make sense. Nothing’s “wrong,” exactly. But that quiet discomfort starts building—because something inside you knows you’re not where you’re supposed to be. And eventually, it becomes too uncomfortable not to change.
That’s what makes the employee mindset such a subtle trap. It’s not that the job is bad. It’s that it becomes easy to stay—even when the role is too small for your vision.
For me, movement is how I survive. When I feel boxed in, I start looking for the edges. Not because I’m reckless—but because I need motion to think clearly. I need options to feel steady. That’s why I’ve never stayed stuck for long. I might not have had a perfect plan, but I had to start moving.
That’s the difference. Employee thinking waits for direction. Business thinking looks for opportunity. One follows structure. The other builds it.
If you’re feeling that quiet restlessness—the sense that you were meant for more, even if you can’t see it clearly yet—don’t wait for it to go away. That discomfort? It might be the very thing trying to point you forward.
If you’re still in a day job right now, that’s not a problem. But ask yourself honestly: Are you letting that job define your limits? Or are you using it to fund something bigger?
When Job Security Becomes a Launchpad
I don’t believe in burning the boats when you still need to swim. For me, job security wasn’t a barrier to business freedom—it was the thing that made it possible the second time around.
After the chaos of building a business without resources, I knew I didn’t want to do that again. So I took a different approach. I used my steady paycheck to strategically fund Backbone America—no panic, no debt, just intentional reinvestment. I treated my income like a tool, not a finish line. That in itself was freeing.
But here’s the key: job security can give you runway—but only if you treat it that way. It’s not just about having money—it’s about what you do with that stability. Too often, we let that security lull us into delaying what we actually want to build. We tell ourselves we’ll start “when things calm down,” or “after the next promotion,” or “once we’ve saved a little more.” But security, when left unchecked, starts to feel like permission to stay put.
The truth? Your job doesn’t have to be the thing you escape from. It can be the engine that funds your exit—if you start building while you’re still there.
When I returned to Backbone America, I didn’t need it to cover my rent right away. That gave me space to be thoughtful. To lay the groundwork. To test and rebuild. That’s what freedom looks like in the beginning—it’s not dramatic. It’s deliberate.
Building While You’re Still on Payroll (Without Losing Momentum)
You don’t need to quit your job to start your business—but you do need to stop putting it off.
When your paycheck covers the bills, it’s easy to treat your business like a someday project. But “someday” doesn’t come automatically. It has to be scheduled, prioritized, and protected—especially when you’ve got a full plate.
The question isn’t whether you have enough time. It’s whether you’re clear on what to do with the time you already have. Because the truth is, you make time for what’s important to you. And if your business keeps falling to the bottom of your list, it’s not always about bandwidth—it’s about what’s been claiming your focus.
If you’re still employed, here’s what that can look like:
Use your income strategically. Think of it as fuel. Set aside a monthly amount—$50, $200, whatever’s doable—for tools, training, or support that moves your business forward.
Look for two-for-one opportunities. If you’re learning tools, managing vendors, or documenting systems at work, apply that same thinking to your business.
Treat your business like a commitment, not a hobby. Whether it’s five hours a week or one focused hour each evening, block that time off. Not when you’re free—before you’re booked.
None of this requires 60-hour hustle weeks. But it does require clarity. If you’re only working on your business when you feel inspired or energized, it won’t grow. Not because you’re not capable—but because your calendar is already full of other people’s priorities.
You don’t need to drop everything. But you do need to decide that your business matters now—not later.
The Shift From Employee to Entrepreneur Starts Here
Employee thinking waits for structure. Entrepreneurial thinking builds it. One asks, What do I need to do today? The other asks, What am I building toward—and what decisions move me closer?
This shift isn’t about piling more onto your plate. It’s about approaching your time, energy, and priorities with ownership. Treating your business like a real commitment, even if it’s still early. Even if no one else sees it yet.
Because when you make that shift, things start moving. You stop waiting for direction and start choosing it. You stop organizing your life around what’s urgent—and start structuring it around what matters.
That’s what begins to unlock freedom. Not later. Now.
So ask yourself:
Am I using my job as a stepping stone—or just staying because it’s familiar?
What could I build if I treated my job as a source of funding, not identity?
If I already have the stability—what’s really stopping me from starting?
You don’t need to have every answer. But you do need to start asking better questions.
Don’t Let Comfort Become a Cage
There’s nothing wrong with wanting security. The problem is when that security quietly starts calling the shots—when comfort turns into caution, and caution turns into delay.
That’s how the employee mindset keeps you stuck. Not by force—but by ease. By making the idea of staying feel simpler than the work of starting. For some, it even comes dressed up as success: the good salary, the reliable benefits, the routine that mostly works. But those golden handcuffs still hold you back—especially when they convince you not to reach for more.
If you’ve made it this far into this post, something in you already knows: the freedom you want isn’t going to hand itself over. You have to build toward it. Intentionally. Even if the timeline is longer than you hoped. Even if the steps feel small.
Job security vs business freedom isn’t a fight. It’s a choice about how you use what you already have. If your job gives you stability—great. But don’t confuse stability with direction. You still need to decide where you’re headed.
Because the years will pass either way.
The question is: will they take you somewhere that feels like yours?
If you’re ready to stop letting comfort make your decisions for you, you’re not alone.
My email list is where I share the mindset shifts, practical tools, and quiet strategies that helped me build a business while still working full time—without burning out or giving up.
Sign up here to get insights designed for your next chapter—because business freedom isn’t just possible. It’s buildable.
