For about a year I really wanted to spend more time on my startup, but my wife pointed out that we needed a steady income to support our family. Naturally, she

For about a year I really wanted to spend more time on my startup, but my wife pointed out that we needed a steady income to support our family. Naturally, she was right - I wrote about it here : http://blog.gridspy.co.nz/2010/02/part-time-entrepreneur.html http://blog.gridspy.co.nz/2010/02/part-time-entrepreneur.htm... What I have discovered is that you need to be clear about why and how your business is going to work. Be really honest with yourself and with her. You don't have to leap straight from full-time employment into full-time Startup, a gradual change is much better. In my case, I soon moved from full-time into contracting, working from home. I continued to do my startup part time, by this point I had the dicipline since I had been working 60 hour weeks (40 fulltime + 20 Gridspy) for months. See my corresponding blog entry : http://blog.gridspy.co.nz/2010/06/breaking-away-from-the-man.html http://blog.gridspy.co.nz/2010/06/breaking-away-from-the-man... More recently, our business is starting to become more serious. However my wife sometimes calls it "my hobby" - her point is valid, until GridSpy is making serious money I need to keep cash coming in to support my young family. Realise that your wife probably has a lot of valid points. She won't want to hear your argument until it is clear that you have heard hers. Talk together with her about a plan that can bridge the gap between your current job and a startup. Begin by spending more of your free time on the startup in a regular and productive way. Then look into either spending less time at work (talk to your boss) or explore contracting opportunities. You might find that you can get a higher contracting rate than the rate you currently earn full-time. There is a very good chance that your startup will fail or simply go nowhere. It takes a huge amount of persistance to get to success, and you will need her support. Don't throw away all you have for nothing. Communicate your goals and how you will live up to her expectations and she will probably support you.