Written by Saskia Greiner, Success Coach
Saskia Greiner is a Jay Shetty certified Success Coach and host of the podcast "Success Speaks." With over 13 years of experience in sales IT, she has the knowledge and skills to achieve long-term success.
Building a business is a journey filled with excitement, challenges, and growth—but it’s also a massive undertaking that requires focus, perseverance, and a solid mindset. Now, imagine doing this with your sister by your side. While working together with family can be rewarding and inspiring, it can also bring a unique set of challenges, especially when you’re also juggling a full-time job. So how do you build a successful business, cultivate the right mindset and confidence, and still stay focused at your day job? Here’s how to balance it all and make it work for you.
Setting a solid foundation: Communicate with your sister
When you’re in business with family, especially a sibling, the bond is strong. You know each other well, but this can be both a blessing and a curse. It’s essential to establish clear communication from the start. Be open about expectations, roles, and responsibilities. You’ll need to have tough conversations about who’s responsible for what and how you'll handle disagreements.
Tip: Write down your business goals together, and break them into manageable milestones. Make sure both of you understand and agree on the vision and your long-term objectives. This shared vision will help you stay aligned when things get tough.
Having a partner in your sister means you can share the load—whether it’s brainstorming ideas, tackling tasks, or lifting each other up when self-doubt creeps in. But it’s also important to draw healthy boundaries. Your business should be a space where you work collaboratively but also respect each other’s time and energy.
Building the right mindset: Embrace growth and resilience
Mindset is everything in business. There will be moments when it feels overwhelming—especially when balancing a full-time job on top of everything. But cultivating a growth mindset can help you push through. This means viewing challenges as opportunities, understanding that failure is part of the process, and believing that you can learn and improve no matter how tough things get.
Your mindset should also be rooted in self-compassion. Building a business is hard work, and there will be moments where you feel like you're not doing enough. It's important to remind yourself that growth takes time, and success isn’t a linear path.
Tip: Whenever doubt sets in, practice self-affirmations. Remind yourself that you and your sister are capable, resourceful, and resilient. Remember that your journey doesn’t need to look like someone else’s.
Confidence: Trusting yourself and your sister
Confidence isn’t something that just magically appears—it’s something that you build over time with consistent action. Trusting yourself is critical, but so is trusting your sister as a business partner. You both bring unique skills to the table, so remember to celebrate each other's strengths. When one of you is struggling, the other can step in and offer support.
It’s also important to remember that confidence comes from doing. It’s easy to feel insecure when you’re just getting started, but taking small, confident steps forward will help you feel more capable. As you start seeing results—whether it's landing your first client, getting positive feedback on a product, or hitting a sales target—your confidence will naturally grow.
Tip: Celebrate small wins with your sister. This could be something as simple as landing a new customer, completing a major project, or even just managing to stay organized. These moments of acknowledgment keep you both motivated.
Balancing a full-time job and a business: Time management is key
This is where things get tricky—balancing a full-time job and running a business requires discipline, time management, and a lot of self-awareness. If you’re serious about your business, you have to create a routine that works for both your job and your entrepreneurial goals.
Start by setting realistic expectations for what you can do in a given week. You’re not going to be able to devote the same amount of time to your business as someone who’s working on it full-time, and that’s okay. Prioritize tasks that have the most impact. For example, focus on sales, marketing, or product development before spending hours perfecting the design of your website or creating the “perfect” logo.
Tip: Set boundaries around your work hours. Schedule time to work on your business during evenings or weekends, but also schedule time to rest and recharge. Burnout is a real risk when you’re juggling both a full-time job and a side business.
A helpful tool is the “Time Blocking” technique—break your day into chunks of time dedicated to specific tasks. This method helps you stay focused and ensures that you aren’t spreading yourself too thin.
Stay focused on results: Track progress and adjust as needed
As you build your business, it’s crucial to stay focused on the results. What’s working? What’s not? Are you seeing growth, and is it aligned with your goals? Tracking progress helps you stay grounded and gives you the information you need to make adjustments along the way.
Tip: Use simple project management tools or a shared calendar with your sister to track deadlines and milestones. This helps you both stay accountable to each other and keeps everything organized.
Also, don’t be afraid to reassess your approach. Sometimes you’ll realize that what you thought would work isn’t yielding the results you hoped for. Be open to pivoting or changing strategies, but always stay focused on the bigger picture. Consistency and adaptation will serve you much better than simply sticking to a plan that isn’t working.
Self-care and mental health: Don’t forget about you
Building a business takes a lot of mental energy. So, while it’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and grind, remember that you are your most valuable asset. Taking care of your mental health and well-being is just as important as growing your business.
This could mean taking breaks to clear your mind, practicing mindfulness or meditation, exercising to relieve stress, or simply getting enough sleep. When you feel good, you perform better, both in your full-time job and your business.
Tip: Establish a morning or evening routine that allows you to center yourself. This could be something as simple as journaling, going for a walk, or practicing gratitude. These small habits can help you maintain a positive, balanced mindset throughout the day.
Conclusion: It’s all about balance and patience
Building a business with your sister while maintaining a full-time job is no small feat, but it’s absolutely possible with the right mindset, confidence, and time management. Success won’t come overnight, but if you approach it with a collaborative spirit, a focus on results, and a commitment to balancing your responsibilities, you’ll create something truly special.
Remember, this is a journey—so be patient with yourself, trust the process, and celebrate your wins along the way. You’ve got this.
Saskia Greiner, Success Coach
Saskia Greiner is a Jay Shetty certified Success Coach and host of the podcast "Success Speaks." With over 13 years of experience in sales IT, she has the knowledge and skills to achieve long-term success. Saskia's coaching style is empathetic and accountable, helping individuals unleash their untapped potential through transformative programs. She specializes in personal development and career advancement.
