From PAYE to CEO Thinking of leaving your 9-to-5 for entrepreneurship? Three successful founders share their insights on the risks, rewards, and real-life lessons of making the leap.

Leaving the security of a steady paycheck to start your own business is a bold and often daunting decision. Though the leap can be uncertain, it brings the promise of independence, more freedom, and greater personal satisfaction.

9-to-5 to entrepreneurial success

Kat Wellum-Kent, the founder of Gloucestershire based Fractional Finance, a company offering strategic financial growth services for tech start-ups and scale-ups, had long harboured the ambition of running her own accountancy practice. A serendipitous encounter with Michelle Kvello, a notable figure in accounting, who also made the Top 50 Women in Accounting by Ignition, proved to be a catalyst.

"After a couple of hours of chatting, my ambition had been reawakened. I spent the rest of the afternoon mapping out the business I wanted to create, who I wanted to help, and what problems I wanted to solve," she says.

That same evening, she established her company and handed in her resignation the following day. Driven by a clear vision for both her business and her family's future, Wellum-Kent found the motivation needed to navigate the rollercoaster of entrepreneurship

"I've got a vision board as my desktop background and I've also got it laminated in the shower. Seeing that on the tough days gives me an extra push. And I also think it's really important to remember that whether you are having an up or a down, it will pass. So appreciate the highs, accept that the lows are inevitable and focus on what you can do to move on from it as quickly as possible," she advises.

Wellum-Kent stresses the importance of trusting one's instincts. She acknowledges that her frequent second-guessing led to unnecessary stress, but she also views mistakes as valuable learning experiences.

"Mistakes are also part of the process. Figure out the learning and then move on," she adds.

What would the entrepreneur say to someone currently in a PAYE job who dreams of starting their own business?

"Don't quit on a bad day. Are you dreaming of starting your own business because you want to be an entrepreneur or is it because you don't like your job? Are you moving towards something new or are you running from something old? Starting your own business isn't the easy route, you've got to really want it, but it's incredibly rewarding."

Starting his first business at 15, James Griffith, CEO and co-founder at Mous, an award-winning, global tech accessories company based in Ipswich, always knew he wanted his own business. He describes his 'aha' moment as when he realised he could only get so far working on a business during weekends and evenings.

"I needed to take a leap of faith. Our first idea was a disaster, but the lessons we learnt were invaluable – lessons I wouldn't have gained in a corporate job. Finding my co-founder Josh, a talented engineer, gave me the confidence to give it a shot. We attended a workshop run by Virgin StartUp and secured a loan, which really motivated us to go for it. It was more about believing in ourselves than the initial idea and that belief paid off."

The entrepreneur advises others to just start building something, revealing your business doesn't have to be unique; it just needs to be better than the competition, and there's no time like the present.

"It's easier to start a business before you have a family. I have a 10-month-old baby now and while I have a supportive family, I wouldn't want to put them through the startup phase now nor would I want to guarantee £2m worth of debt like I did back then. My advice? Start as early as possible."

Entrepreneurship isn't always smooth sailing. After leaving her PAYE job, Emma Castle, founder and creative director ofMargate based Bright Island, a creative agency collective, faced a unique set of challenges. She found the absence of daily interaction to be particularly disorienting.

"I had left my job to take some time off, to reset, and to adjust to living outside of London, but instead, I felt disoriented. Even though I had savings, the idea of not earning money every day made me anxious. Transitioning from being an employee to running my own business required me to reframe everything—my approach to personal development, my self-belief, my work habits, and how I generated income," she says.

Her advice for those still in employment but dreaming of starting their own business is to begin building their personal brand while still working. This approach helps lay the groundwork for future ventures and develops an income strategy.

"Ensure your finances are as secure as possible before making the transition. Seek guidance and advice from a variety of sources. Stay curious, explore your strengths in the context of running a business, and build a network of people who can complement your skills, she advises.

She adds that it takes time and doesn't happen overnight, so you'll need patience and confidence in yourself.

"Ultimately, build a business that aligns with how you work, rather than how you think it should operate."