I’ve been there. Staring at bills while trying to get a business off the ground. The truth is, survival mode and builder mode often overlap. What saved me was finding bridge income that gave me breathing room without killing my momentum.
For me, that meant leaning on the skills I already had. I took on contract work, did short consulting projects, and even packaged smaller services that could generate cash quickly. None of it was “the dream,” but it kept the lights on and bought me time.
The trick is not to see these gigs as a distraction but as a bridge. Cut your burn rate as much as you can, pull in flexible income where you’re already strong, and keep your eyes on the long game. It won’t feel glamorous. Sometimes it feels like duct tape and grit, but that’s what gets you through the early chapters until your business can stand on its own.
