When and How Could I Build This?

Jake and Nikki here.

Last week, a bunch of you sent us your sentence. We were super impressed!

But we also noticed: a lot of you are trying to figure out if you should quit your job tomorrow or never do anything at all.

N: As if there’s nothing in between.

J: Let’s talk about why this is where our minds go…

The LinkedIn Trap

Here's what's happening: You're scrolling LinkedIn. Everyone's posting about:

• "I quit my job with $0 and built a $1M business in 9 months!"

• "My morning routine as a 7-figure entrepreneur"

• "5 years ago I was broke. Now I own a jet!"

And you're thinking: "I should quit too! I'm behind! If they can do it, why can't I?"

N: Can we talk about this for a second?

J: I don’t think I could stop you anyw–.

N: That's not reality. That's a highlight reel. 

J: Nobody posts "I quit my job, struggled for 18 months, questioned everything AND still cry in my car twice a day."

N: Or— wait, Jake are you ok man? 

J: (just keep going)

N: Anyway, you rarely see people talk about how hard it is.

J: You just see the victory lap. 

N: Right. You're comparing your real life to someone else's carefully curated success story.

J: And their situation is nothing like yours. Different money, different family, different risk tolerance, different timing.

N: So stop trying to follow their timeline.

J: Figure out YOURS.

This Week's Video from Nikki:

Nikki's breaking down why she chose to build while working full-time  and why that wasn't settling or being scared. It was strategic.

The financial math. The family conversation. The part where she almost didn't do it.

Six-figure side business. Still employed. Still has health insurance. Still sleeping at night.

If you've been feeling pressure to follow someone else's path, watch this. Because there's no one right way.

The Three Timelines

There are three ways people approach building something:

Timeline 1: Building Now (30-45 days)

• You're starting in the next month or so

• Either as a side hustle or planning a direct transition

• You have some capacity and you're ready to take action

Timeline 2: Preparing to Launch (3-6 months)

• You're not starting tomorrow, but soon

• Using this time to get finances ready, build knowledge, test ideas

• Strategic preparation, not procrastination

N: Big difference between those two, by the way.

Timeline 3: Learning the Playbook (6+ months)

• You're building knowledge for when timing is right

• Not sure exactly when, but you want to understand how it works

• Exploring without pressure to commit

All three are valid. The question is which one matches YOUR situation.

Self-Assessment: Which Timeline Are You On?

Answer honestly. This is for YOU, not for LinkedIn.

1. Time Reality

How many hours per week can you REALISTICALLY dedicate right now?

• 5-10 hours

• 10-15 hours

• 20+ hours

• Honestly not sure yet

N: And by "realistically" we mean actually, not "if I wake up at 4am and stop sleeping."

J: Right. Based on your current life, not your aspirational life.

2. Risk Tolerance

When you think about starting something new, you feel:

• Excited - I'm ready to test this

• Strategic - I want to plan first, then move

• Cautious - I need to be very careful here

• Overwhelmed - This feels too risky right now

3. What's Driving This?

Why are you even considering building something?

• I want MORE (expanding my options, not escaping)

• I need an EXIT (job is draining, need out eventually)

• I'm EXPLORING (genuinely just curious how this works)

• I feel BEHIND (everyone else seems to be doing this)

N: If you picked "I feel behind" -

J: That's the comparing yourself thing we just talked about.

N: Exactly. That's not a reason to start a business. That's a reason to get off social media for a minute.

4. Your Actual Capacity

Beyond time, what's your life situation?

• I have mental space and energy for this

• I'm stretched thin but could make room

• I'm barely keeping up with current responsibilities

• Major life things happening (new baby, sick parent, etc.)

5. The Honest Question

If you're being completely real with yourself:

• I'm ready to start building something

• I want to be ready in a few months

• I'm just learning for someday

• I'm not sure this is even for me

What Your Answers Tell You

Does this sound like you?

Your time situation is genuinely unclear. You feel more overwhelmed than excited when you think about starting. You're exploring OR you picked "I feel behind." Life is really full right now—there's no real capacity to add anything. You're thinking "I just want to understand how this works."

→ "Learning the Playbook" makes the most sense. And that's completely valid. Build knowledge for when the timing aligns.

Or maybe this feels more like you?

You have time but you're not sure how to organize it yet. You're naturally cautious—you want to think this through properly. You want MORE but there's no crisis, no urgency. You're juggling a lot but could probably create some space in a few months. You're thinking "I want to be ready soon, just not today."

→ The "Preparing to Launch" approach might fit better. Give yourself 3-6 months to get organized. That's strategic, not stalling.

N: As long as you actually use the 3-6 months to prepare.

J: Not just to keep thinking about it.

N: Right. There's a difference between preparing and procrastinating.

Or wait - is this actually you?

You've got 5-15 hours a week you could actually carve out. The idea of testing something excites you (or at minimum, doesn't terrify you). You want MORE from life—you're not desperately trying to escape. Life is full but it's manageable. You keep thinking "I'm ready to actually do this."

→ You're in "Building Now" territory. So let's talk about what's actually stopping you.

It's not time. You have 5-15 hours a week. It's not the idea. You figured that out last week.

It's the voice in your head saying:

• "Who am I to charge for this?"

• "What if I'm not ready?"

• "Everyone else seems more qualified"

• "I need to figure everything out first"

N: Can we just call this out?

J: I have a feeling you’re going to.

N: That voice is lying to you.

J: You know more than you think you do.

N: The thing that feels normal to you? That's expertise to someone else.

J: And waiting until you feel "ready" means you'll never start.

N: Spoiler alert: you'll never feel ready.

J: Ever.

N: Even after you have clients, you still won't feel "ready." I have clients. Plural. And I still don't feel "ready" half the time.

J: I've been doing this for years and there are still days where I'm like "am I qualified for this?"

N: Here's what you need to hear: You don't need permission. You don't need to be perfect. You just need to start.

J: Your first client won't be your ideal client. Your offer won't be perfect. You'll figure it out as you go.

N: But 30 days from now, you could have your first paid client.

J: Or you could still be "getting ready."

N: Still reading articles. Still taking courses. Still waiting for the perfect moment.

J: Which doesn't exist.

So what's it going to be?

Your Homework

Reply with:

1. Which timeline you're on (Building Now / Preparing / Learning)

2. Your biggest concern about that timeline

We read every response. We'll tell you if you're being strategic or just reacting to LinkedIn guilt.

N: And we're annoyingly honest about it.

J: It's kind of our thing.

Next week: WHO your person is.

Whether you're launching next month or learning for next year, you need to understand who you are for.

See you then.

Jake + Nikki