Listen to to the entire Episode 54 of Out to Launch on Spotify or Apple or read the highlights below.

Creating a future beyond 9-5

Justine Jones is one of the many individuals looking to create a life of freedom, flexibility, fulfillment, fun, and funds. We here at Cutclass like to call this getting your 5 F’s. In this article and podcast, Justine shares how she is taking steps to build a side hustle and eventually make the full transition out of 9-5. Rather than “making the leap”, Justine is strategically taking steps and allowing her journey as a business woman unfold. Here are some highlights from our conversation with her:

The never-ending story of freedom

Fourteen years ago, Justine Jones moved from sunny Jamaica to the second-largest country in the world, Canada. Where she studied diligently for many years and entered into the Tech industry as a software engineer. 

When friends and family members would ask Justine what was next for her after her studies, she would joke and say retirement. Justine has always wanted to skip working the 9-5 phase and get straight to the retirement phase. However, because of the influence of her parents from that baby boomer generation, money and status in traditional roles mattered.

I just don't know what to do

In 2021, we saw an event take place that fueled a monumental shift in the workforce called the Great Resignation. Unprecedented numbers of people choose to walk away from their jobs. According to a Pew Research Center survey, low pay, lack of opportunities for advancement, and feeling disrespected at work were the top reasons for the exodus of Americans.

The last few years have been a time of great reflection as Justine evaluated her path forward. We have always embraced the blueprint of how our life should go according to the influence and tradition of our cultural environments. Yet, she was unsure whether her commitment to these traditional paths could be reconciled with her happiness and true fulfillment.

You can be the next millionaire

Around the time of Justine’s reflective periods, she remembered when she dreamt of this or wanted to be that. She discovered an online forum for software engineers and people in tech.

A place where people were discussing their projects successfully turning into million-dollar businesses. They did interviews where the founders of these businesses would discuss how they did the business, the numbers, tools, and even the revenue, such as making $80,000 per month with zero employees. That sparked a driving new ambition within Justine. It reprogrammed a shift in her mindset that, this was possible.

Sometimes the first step is about what you already know

Knowing what you do not want is the key to knowing what you do want. For the last two years, Justine has had an interesting journey working for one of the largest companies in the world. She consults as a cloud engineer for Amazon web services helping enterprises build their infrastructure as part of the implementation phase with cloud technologies. 

Her time spent on the forum learning from the techies that turned into millionaires, taught her invaluable information. She was able to surmise the businesses they started were not necessarily her cup of tea. She loved the idea of freedom and working for herself, but it had to be something she wanted to do. Aimed with this knowledge, Justine narrowed down the field of what she did not want to do to achieve her goal of leaving her 9-5.

There is no shortage of examples of people starting million-dollar businesses and exiting their 9-5s. There is an undeniable attraction and appeal to it.

If we took that leap to leave our 9-5, what on earth would we do? We want that lifestyle but have no clue how to get there. What one person makes look so easy may not be a career path in alignment for you. 

If you don’t know where to go, how can you know where to go to achieve this dream of freedom everyone talks about?

A new way of thinking

One reason cited for the transition out of 9-5 is poor treatment and overwork of employees. Justine, like many, is sadly no stranger to these experiences with 5 jobs in the last 6 years. 

While it’s common in the Tech world to transition from one job to the next for better pay and opportunity, Justine has only liked 1 of those 5 jobs. She worked for a company that was overworking employees for arbitrary deadlines. The pre-resignation work environment where they grind you to the bone without consideration of work-life balance. These inhumane and unnecessary working conditions solidified her WHY. She was determined to find a way to eventually transition completely out of the 9-5 cycle.

Get the freedom to be you

Justine has always been really in tune with herself. If an employer is not valuing her or mistreating her, she will bring those concerns to the table. In the absence of action or a resolution to her expressed concerns, she is apt to move on to a better work environment. 

Many people endure insecurity whenever they enter a new role in a company. Unfortunately, the big issue is the vacillation between what the company says they represent in print, such as their mission statement, and the actual environment. While companies can claim one thing until you are an employee and behind the scenes, you are unlikely to discover the truth until it is too late. This irregularity in a work environment is exactly what Justine wishes to avoid, at all costs.

Stop dreaming and start doing

There’s sometimes this puzzle piece that goes kerplunk in our 9-5, where you are like, what am I doing? I’m not happy as long as I keep doing this and I will never have control. I’ll always be at the mercy of someone else. 

A light turns on. You see it clearly and it becomes your propelling reason to leave. This reason helps you push past the fear because you’re like, I can’t take this anymore.

Justine had one job she loved. I found the company to be in an exceptional situation where amazing managers wanted to experiment with culture but also wanted to protect it. Does that not happen in a lot of companies? Justine thought, what were the chances she will experience that again, especially with big companies that can pay you what you want?

Here's what I learned along the way (and you can too)

Now, Justine hasn’t fully transitioned out of 9-5 but gives herself two years max and she’s charting her path out. She is freelancing as she explores, which she thoroughly enjoys. Coaching with Leslie and Scott Forgey has made a tremendous impact on shifting her mindset and learning entrepreneur strategies and structures.

Want to learn more about Scott Forgey, be sure to check out Episode 52, Imposter Syndrome? Join us for our upcoming series on the Out to Launch Podcast with Scott, you don’t want to miss this series. During these conversations, you will expand your mind, achieve new results, and gain new experiences. Now is a good time to subscribe or get on the email list for upcoming reminders here.

Passion is key to a successful side hustle

• The first step is non-negotiable. I cannot be here for over 3 years. Take your goal of how long you want to be there and work backward.

• Learn from other entrepreneurs leaving their 9-5s and read a lot of books.

• Learn from people creating the lifestyle you want. Find those people and study them.

• Networking with people like Leslie offers the formulas to achieve success through her proven entrepreneur strategies.

Find people who have what you want, do what they do and you’ll get what they got.

Get the freedom to be you 

Important key points when considering your transition out of 9-5, but you want to be strategic and aren’t ready to leave your 9-5.

Many people don’t take action until they know exactly where they are going. Leslie says to begin by taking steps toward your goals and the path will form before you. Don’t be afraid to explore.  

This allows you to align yourself with the future you. The you, that you, want with the entrepreneur mindset. Surround yourself with a community of entrepreneurs and begin forging new ideas and shifting mindsets through new content, podcasts, books, and new conversations.

Connect with Justine via her LinkedIn.

About

Every week (or so!) there is a new episode released to help people learn how to start a business, a new project, or start that new chapter in life. The Out to Launch podcast is brought to you by Cutclass, a company designed by and for those exhausted from the rat race, MBAs, ex-executives, subject matter experts, and creatives. We will help you transition into your dream of achieving full-time freedom and turning your passions into a rewarding, thriving business.

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Article by Leslie Levito with Stefanie Joseph