How to successfully start a small business in the evenings

If you think a lack of time stops you from launching your own business, think again. In this guide, we look at how you can realistically start your own small business by working in the evenings.

Technology makes it easier than ever

Thanks to modern technology, launching your own business while still working full-time is easier than ever.

With tools like AI assistants and cloud-based software, you can automate many tasks and manage your business remotely.

It means you can breathe a little sigh of relief and avoid the terrifying prospect of plunging into an uncertain world without the safety net of a regular salary.

Balancing your day job and evening business

Setting up a business in the evenings is all about getting the balance right.

You need to be able to turn the few useful hours you have before bed into profitable work.

And whatever business you are in must be able to tick along during the day more or less without you.

The key is to perform your paid job as an employee to the best of your ability while still having a realistic time window in the evenings to start and grow your own business.

Leverage modern technology to manage your time

In 2024, advancements in tools like automated email responses, social media scheduling, and AI chatbots make it easier to communicate with customers and clients while you’re at your day job.

The internet, email, and mobile phones—now alongside mobile business apps—make it entirely possible to monitor calls and messages from potential clients while you are on your lunch break.

Choose the right type of business

Still, you’ll never match the service levels offered by people running their businesses full-time. That fact should influence what type of venture you go with in the first place. When launching a new enterprise in your spare time, you have two broad choices:

1. Set up a business in the evening that you hope will grow into your full-time occupation or
2. Start up something that is designed specifically to give you a boost in income and will remain a part-time venture.

Depending on which option you choose, you’ll need to take a different approach to the business. Here are some of the main issues you need to consider.

What kind of business should you set up?

Think about your skills and how much time you want to devote to the business. If you have a hobby you enjoy, could you make money out of it? Will you have time to do it properly? And if it is a hobby, is there a danger you could fall out of love with it as commercial pressures affect it?

Don’t worry too much about coming up with an idea that’s never been done before. Starting a successful business is often more about how well you execute an idea than having a ground-breaking concept.

Find out if people really want it

Once you have your idea all ready to go, do your research. Who are you trying to sell your product to? Whether your target market is office workers or busy mums, go out and speak to them. Would they buy your product? Do they need it? How much are they willing to spend on it?

Use online surveys or social media groups to gauge interest before investing too much time or money.

If nobody is interested in what you are trying to sell before you have even started, it is probably time to think again before you waste more time and effort on it.

Create some space for your business

Successfully running your business from home normally means setting aside an area for your work.

The TV can be a major distraction—if you switch it off, your family might switch it back on! And as much as you love them, attention from your other half or children can make you lose your focus.

If you don’t have the luxury of a spare room to convert into your workspace, find an area in another room but make it clear to everyone that when you are there, you are there to work.

Now more affordable and widespread, co-working spaces can also be an excellent option for getting out of the house and separating work from home life.

If you need total isolation, perhaps a friend or relative has some spare space you can use.

Also, consider your existing evening commitments. If you have to collect one of your children from football practice on Wednesday and another from swimming on Thursdays, then that’s going to affect how much time you have in the evenings to start your business.

Managing business time and personal time

It’s easy to neglect family and friends when focusing on evening business. Agree in advance when you are going to spend time together and stick to it.

It is very easy to pop to the pub with colleagues for a drink on the way home rather than putting in some hours on your new venture, so avoid temptation and plan in advance.

Setting clear boundaries using shared digital calendars can help you manage your personal and work schedules and keep everyone informed of your availability.

Market, market, market

The key to success in any business is simple: find something people want and then work really hard to make sure they know about it.

Your product or service could be exactly what people are crying out for, but if you don’t do enough marketing, your potential customers will continue to struggle through life without it.

A website is essential to any business, so get yourself online. You also need to find out what your potential audience reads and where they are browsing, as these websites are often the ideal places to start getting your message across.

Digital marketing tools, email marketing platforms, and paid social ads can help you reach your target audience effectively, even on a tight budget.

When you run a part-time business, it’s unlikely that you will have a big marketing budget, so you’ll need to use as many low-cost or zero-cost marketing tactics as possible.

Be ultra-professional

Running a part-time business can give the impression you aren’t taking it seriously. Remind yourself that this isn’t a hobby; it is a business, and people expect to be treated with the efficiency they would if they were dealing with a large organisation.

For example, sending a stroppy email because you’re tired and have had a few drinks is exactly the kind of behaviour that will quickly give the game away. To compete with larger companies, you have to act professionally in order to be taken seriously as a smaller company.