How to avoid buying a 60-hour-a-week job instead of a business
Prospective buyers face the danger of acquiring an enterprise that requires their constant presence rather than running semi-absentee. This traps corporate professionals with full-time careers into working grueling hours instead of owning a scalable, independent asset.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
- 1Cold calling former franchisees listed in the FDD to ask about actual take-home cash flow
- 2Looking at unsexy service businesses or acquiring existing independent businesses from retiring owners instead of buying new franchises
In their words
Unedited, most upvoted first, each linked to the thread it came from.
“Before looking at specific brands, the biggest filter is deciding whether you want to buy an actual business or just buy yourself a 60-hour-a-week job.”source ↗
Archcrown · r/smallbusiness · 1 upvotes
“I have a full-time corporate job and don’t want to simply buy myself another 60-hour/week job.”source ↗
ComfortableRoyal8847 · r/smallbusiness
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 3How to buy a small e-commerce business for under 20k
- 6How to quit a corporate job to start your own business
- 13How to start a business with no industry experience
- 2How do I find a trustworthy business partner and avoid split mistakes?
- 2Why do acquired businesses end up overvalued?
- 5How do I know if I should sell my business?