Here’s my situation:

Currently salaried at 75k and WFH. My department is imploding and I should have been laid off months ago. We just aren’t bringing in revenue and it’s stupid to keep us around. I genuinely work for maybe 2 hours per day and I’m working less and less the slower we get. I basically just have to be present on slack during the day by wiggling my mouse.

In my down time, I’m starting a business. A friends dad had a screen printing shop and recently retired. I purchased all his equipment which is now set up in my garage. This is something I’ve always wanted to do and consider it a passion project now that I have tons of down time during the day. I’d say I have about a month before I start bringing in any money.

Before purchasing the equipment, I started applying for new jobs. I recently had an interview with a super reputable company which is recession proof and has tons of opportunity for growth. They offered me 55k plus opportunities for overtime, great benefits, etc. The downside to this opportunity is I would have an hour commute to and from. I have a 3 year old son and would only get to spend 1 - 1.5 hours/day with him during the week.

My question is.. do I hang on to the current position with the risk of being fired while I launch my own business OR do I go the safe route and take the new position I would likely work at for years to come.

Cliffs:
Make 75k and WFH but I’m about to be let go any day
I’m currently starting a business in my down time
Opportunity to take a new career path starting at 55k
New career cons: less money starting, back in office with long commute, lose time spent with son
New career pros: recession proof industry, lots of opportunity for growth, good company to work for

Do I take the risk and ride out current position and start business or take the safe route

That’s a big drop in money with too much commuting for me.

What will your business make realistically after being open 1 year?

I would probably continue to ride out the current job while getting the side business going.

You can continue to job hunt as well.

Imo would ride out current job while applying to other jobs. Current offer does not seem worth it. Business is a bit risky with a son, plus economy is questionable at this point and most people arent going to have discretionary income. Keep it as a side hustle not the main source of bread until its stable

Hold on to your current job and make them chit can you so you can at least pull UE, make sure you use up any PTO ASAP bc if they’re going under anyway they ain’t gonna pay accrued PTO.

Keep applying to new jobs, and keep working on your business. Maybe use that PTO to build inventory, or get new customers?

This is what I would do as well and honestly, I'd probably prioritize 1) Current job 2) Finding a new FT job 3) Your own side business

The real question is can you afford to not have a job for any substantial period of time? If that answer is no, then you need to take the job offer. If you can survive without a job for 6-12 months, then ride out the current job while trying to get the business together.

It’s hard to say. As a side hustle, my goal is an additional 30k. From my research, I know companies that clear 100k with little to no marketing experience

Now is not the time to be taking pay cuts imo

Luckily, my fiancé is in a good position financially. Neither of us are in debt aside from our mortgage. The current company laid off the sales team a couple months back and they did receive a nice severance so I do have some wiggle room for a few months

Ride it out. There will always be another opportunity if you get laid off.

WFHcels are on borrowed time
LOL @ WFHcels

$20k pay cut + committing costs + not seeing your kids doesn’t seem worth it.

Does your current employer offer severances? Have you networked internally to move to a different team/position?

Lose 20k, 2 hour commute, less time with son, and less time to work on business...

Just ride out your current job imo

Then you're good to stay put I'd think.

2 hours of commuting for 55k salary? It doesn't even pay to work at that point. McDonald's in LCOL area has starting wages of roughly 40k per year in this economy. Keep current job and look for another remote role.

Hey misc, my options are stay at my current job where I'm bored, don't work much, and might get laid off, or;

there's a new job opportunity where I have to commute 2 hours every day and get kicked in the nuts by they/them.

Wat do?

The main thing is job security. Every post of yours is negative and unhinged. Time to work on yourself my man

How old are you?
What industry do you work in?
What kind of money did you make in your previous job?
What makes you think this side hustle is going to bring in money "in about a month"?
I just looked up screen printing.....the equipment is cheap, and no special skills are involved, this is like arts and crafts - how big is this market, and why would someone hire you? How much will the average client pay for your services?

What I think? You aren't a very realistic or driven person, you aren't ambitious, and you prioritize your personal hobbies / comfort over hard work and accomplishments. I won't say ALL people who WFH are losers, but the majority are, unless you have exceptional skill, which you clearly don't have given your next job offer was $55k.

So

1) Keep riding out your current job.
2) You have tons of free time - IMPROVE YOUR SKILLS, what's the next step in your profession, start building the skills that requires the next step.
3) Add new skills to your resume, spend 2hrs/day applying to jobs at the next level above your current position
4) If you are getting interviews but not getting hired, you need to improve your skills / knowledge / experience.
5) You may have to take a job 1 step below to build the required skills / knowledge / experience for the next level....WORK HARD, 10-12hr days minimum.
6) Re-apply to the higher position or get internally promoted.
7) Once you've increased your income, built the skills, and have a steady secure job at the next level, THEN you can play around with your HOBBY.
8) Stop acting like a teenager - time to be a grown ass man who gets chit done and works hard. Grow up.

Get another remote job and work both.

You need to calculate how long you can get by in a worst case scenario and how high the chances are of your business succeeding. Can you survive for a year on no/low income and can you get the business up to 70k+ a year in profit within that year? If so then obviously go do that and do something you love doing.

How old are you? 32

What industry do you work in? Tech/Pharmacutical

What kind of money did you make in your previous job? 66k

What makes you think this side hustle is going to bring in money "in about a month"?
I just looked up screen printing.....the equipment is cheap, and no special skills are involved, this is like arts and crafts - how big is this market, and why would someone hire you? How much will the average client pay for your services?

One piece of equipment is being shipped from Canada. Supplies will be in by EOW. Fair to say it is arts and crafts. No barriers to entry. Simple skill to learn. In my area, its mainly old guys and stoner/skater types. I have connections in construction, fire departments, painters, and personal trainers that always need shirts. Plan is to start outbound sales with local breweries, dispensaries, schools, kids sports organizations, etc.

What I think? You aren't a very realistic or driven person, you aren't ambitious, and you prioritize your personal hobbies / comfort over hard work and accomplishments. I won't say ALL people who WFH are losers, but the majority are, unless you have exceptional skill, which you clearly don't have given your next job offer was $55k.

I’ve been in account management/sales the past few years so I don’t have any specific skills like you mentioned. I have been a top performer on all teams but both companies had little room for growth. Only thing available is lateral promotions with little incentives.

Appreciate the advice

This is what I did. When covid hit I kind of knew i was going to get laid off, even before the lockdown things were getting bad. Same as you I wasnt really getting asked to do much. They didn’t tell me until July that my last day was August 31. I basically spent full time my last 2 months looking for another job, but was only going to take a good job. Got a decent severance when let go so it was kind of a no brainer to keep getting paid for looking for a better job.

I the one company wants to hire you than other will as well. Its not a one off that someone like your qualifications.

Knowing that it lessens the risk of starting your own buisness. The hour long commute is really a killer as it adds a lot more than just 2 hours to your day. That is time you arent paid for and cant get back not to mention the wear and tear on your vehicle.

If it were me, I would sit at my current desk until they kick your out. Save as much cash as you can in the mean time. In your off time work on the side business to get some of the kinks worked out whikle you are still drawing a paycheck.

Then you can have a safer transition to working for yourself. Worst case, it doesnt work out, you can always get another job as you already know your skills are something companies want.

lol, the hottest job market in history and you're thinking of taking a $20k pay cut, loss of family time, side hustle time, and a 2 hour commute?

You're lucky I was nice.

Ok, I think you're going to make it - I know I come off as abrasive, but 95% of it is an attempt to be motivating, and 5% of it is to see if you'll get emotional and reactive from a simple message board comment, you didn't, so respect.

Unfortunately one of the areas I know least about is sales - what I DO know is sales skills are highly transferable to different industries, and highly compensated if you've built up a strong track record.

It sounds like you aren't really even a hardcore sales brah, more like a low level person who just follows up with accounts which are already established - which isn't exactly a high skilled / high compensated position, and it's easy to replace you.

Even though you're 32 with a family, I would suggest you may want to look into a career change - doesn't have to be drastic, maybe go full sales, or just on the management track, but from the sounds of it you aren't going to have any kind of real growth in your current track.

No joke man, go to a remote location for a weekend, no wife/kid, no distractions, and write down your realistic goals, and how you'll achieve them. Write down what your strengths are, what your weaknesses are, and how you can improve. Take an accurate assessment of where you are in life at 32, and what the next 10-20 years will look like.

If you are outgoing and don't have any issues talking to people....and assuming you don't have any high end skills, I might suggest you try your hand at sales - personally to me it seems fun and challenging, high pressure yes, but around men who are equally competitive it will lift YOU to perform better and work harder than you thought you could - high end sales dudes make LOADS of money....even car Brah's make good money. Pharma sales are very profitable....but usually they prefer hot young girls to sell, as the clients are typically boomer doctors so they're more likely to buy from cute females...you know how it goes. Find your niche.

The other thing is.....like no joke man...you gotta get off your ass, you are WAAAAAY too comfortable, this is why WFH is so bad - you have too much free time, I'm sure you aren't maximizing it, you gotta get a purpose, you gotta have goals, accomplish something you'll be proud of....something your family will be proud of. Hard work is GOOD for men. Push yourself to be UNCOMFORTABLE.

Good luck.