lady startup

Canna Campbell busts the biggest myth about starting your own business.

You’ve had it with your job. You’re under constant pressure, your boss is demanding and you feel like you’re always at work.

And that’s when starting your own business can look so damn appealing. Knocking off at 3pm to pick up the kids, working from home and squeezing in a lunchtime gym session are all possible if you are your own boss.

But author, finance expert and owner of two businesses, Canna Campbell, says you should think twice if you’re starting a business for the sake of flexibility alone.

On Mamamia’s podcast Lady Startup, Campbell and host Rachel Corbett, who also runs her own business, spoke about the misconception that starting your own business involves less pressure and fewer time commitments than working for an employer.

Sugarmama.TV Founder Canna Campbell shares her best tip for turning a side-hustle into a money-making machine. Post continues.

“You really realise that the people that succeed and actually turn their side hustle into a full-time job are really the ones who are willing to be sitting at the computer at one o’ clock on a Saturday night and working 20-hour days if they need to,” Rachel said. “Because that’s the kind of fire that you need in your belly if it’s ever going to last.”

Campbell agreed that creating your own business was hugely involved, and that the only way you can cope with the demands is if you love your business so much that it doesn’t feel like work.

“Having that passion so it doesn’t actually feel like you’re working,” the SugarMamaTV founder said. “You’re happy to get out of bed at 5am because you know that you’re going to get these things done. You’re going to invoice that client, or you’re going to secure that deal or reach out to these people.

“You don’t even think of it as work, you know it’s something that is burning inside you and it makes you spring out of bed.”

This kid knows how to make me laugh…

A post shared by Canna Campbell (@cannasass) on

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Campbell also said she built up her business, SASS Financial, and did as much of the planning and groundwork as she could before she handed in her resignation at her bank job. It meant for a while she was working her full-time job as well as evenings and weekends.

“I’m really big on starting it up on the side. These people who hand in their resignation and then go and start their business, oh that’s so dangerous,” she said.

“Do your nine-to-five or the hours you’re doing, then stay up late working on your business, get up early in the morning before work and work on your business, work on the weekends.

“Have something cooking before you jump in.”

You can hear more of Canna Campbell’s advice on starting your own business on the full episode of Lady Startup. Listen here or download from your favourite podcast app.