• December 10, 2025

Should You Quit Your Job to Start a Business? A Complete Guide to Making the Right Decision

At some point in a stable job, almost every professional has this thought:

“Is this it? Or should I quit and start my own business?”

On one side, you have a predictable salary, structured work, and security. On the other, you have the dream of independence, unlimited earning potential, and the pride of building something that is truly yours. It’s tempting to romanticize entrepreneurship as the “escape door” from a 9-to-5 life, but the decision to quit your job for a business is far more serious than a motivational quote or a LinkedIn post.

The real question is not just “Should I quit?”
It’s “When, how, and under what conditions does it make sense to quit-if at all?”

In today’s world, with new-age business models like cloud kitchens and FOCO/FOPO franchises, the equation has changed. You no longer always have to risk everything to start something of your own.

What People Imagine vs. What Actually Happens

Before making any big decision, it’s important to separate imagination from reality.

Many people imagine entrepreneurship like this:

• No boss
  
• Flexible hours
  
• Working from cafés
  
• More money than a job
  
• Quick success if they “work hard”

In reality, especially in the early years, it often looks like this:

• You are your own boss, but also your own employee, accountant, and customer support
  
• You work longer hours than in your job
  
• Income is uncertain, especially initially
  
• You are responsible for every mistake and every crisis
  
• You don’t just “do the work”; you must continuously find the work (customers)

Understanding this difference doesn’t mean you shouldn’t start a business. It means you should approach it with clear eyes, not fantasies.

Key Questions to Ask Yourself Before Quitting Your Job

Instead of asking “Should I quit?” in general, ask yourself these specific questions. Each one matters more than it first appears.

1. What Is My Current Financial Reality?

This is the most important and often the most ignored point.

Ask yourself:

• Do I have at least 9–12 months of living expenses saved?
  
• Can I afford to earn little or nothing for a few months?
  
• Do I have EMIs, rent, school fees, or other non-negotiable monthly commitments?

A business usually does not start giving stable profits from day one. If you quit your job with no savings and expect the business to “rescue” you quickly, you are setting yourself up for pressure, panic, and desperate decisions.

A financially prepared entrepreneur has:

• An emergency fund
  
• A clear idea of startup costs
  
• A realistic timeline of when the business might start paying

If you are not there yet, quitting now is risky. It does not mean “never start a business” – it means “build your safety net first.”

2. How Clear Is My Business Idea?

“Starting a business” is not a plan. It’s a category. You need clarity.

Ask yourself:

• Do I know exactly what product or service I want to offer?
  
• Do I know who my customer is?
  
• Do I know why they would choose me over others?
  
• Have I done any form of validation – even small (surveys, test orders, sample clients)?

If all you have is “someday I want to start something” and you quit your job, you’ll spend months just figuring out basics-without income. That’s not brave; it’s unplanned.

On the other hand, if you already have:

• A niche
  
• Some early demand
  
• A clear business model
  Then quitting becomes more of a calculated transition rather than a blind jump.

3. What Are My Responsibilities and Dependencies?

Your decision doesn’t affect only you if others depend on your income.

Ask yourself:

• Am I the primary earning member in my family?
  
• Will my family be comfortable if my income becomes uncertain for some time?
  
• Have I openly discussed this decision with my partner or dependents?

If others rely on you financially, taking extreme risks can create stress and conflict at home. In such cases, a gradual or parallel business approach is often wiser than a sudden full-time move.

4. What Is My Risk Tolerance and Personality Type?

Some people thrive on uncertainty, others need stability to think clearly.

Be honest:

• Do I handle pressure well? Or do I get anxious easily?
  
• Am I okay with not knowing exactly how much I’ll earn next month?
  
• Can I stay disciplined even when no one is watching?

Entrepreneurship does not magically turn a person into someone else. If you hate instability and lose sleep over small financial fluctuations, you should either plan more carefully or choose a business model that minimizes risk and daily involvement.

5. Do I Have Relevant Skills or Experience?

Just wanting to do business is not enough. The closer your skills are to your chosen field, the smoother your journey.

Ask yourself:

• Do I understand this industry at least at a basic level?
  
• Have I worked in a related field before?
  
• Do I know anything about marketing, operations, customer handling, or finances?

If your answer is “no” to all of the above, you have two choices:

• Learn and work in the field first (job, freelance, part-time), or
  
• Choose a business model where the operational and industry expertise is provided by the brand, and you play more of an investor/owner role.

The Pros of Quitting Your Job to Start a Business

If you’re well-prepared, quitting and going full-time into your business has genuine advantages:

1. Full Focus

You avoid the split energy of juggling job and business and can dedicate all your time to growth.

2. Faster Execution

Decisions, iterations, and pivots happen quickly because there are no job constraints.

3. Stronger Commitment

With no backup salary, you tend to take the business more seriously, think more creatively, and push harder.

But these benefits only matter if you have:

• A validated idea
  
• Financial backup
  
• Clear execution plans

Otherwise, full-time entrepreneurship becomes full-time stress.

The Risks of Quitting Too Early

Leaving your job too soon can create problems that actually harm your business.

1. Financial Panic
   If money runs short, you may under-price your services, take bad clients, or make poor decisions just to survive.
2. Emotional Burnout
   Constant worry about income kills creativity and long-term thinking.
3. Loss of Credibility at Home
   If your family doesn’t see stability, they may stop supporting your decisions.
4. No Room for Experimentation
   Ironically, too much pressure can make you more conservative, not more innovative.

That’s why many modern entrepreneurs choose a third option: don’t quit immediately – start smartly.

The Third Option: Start a Business Without Quitting Your Job

This is the part most people don’t think about seriously enough.

You don’t always need to choose:

• Either job
  
• Or business

You can start with both, if the business model allows it.

That means:

• Keep the job as your financial backbone
  
• Start a business that doesn’t require you full-time
  
• Gradually grow that business into a solid second income
  
• Then decide later if you want to go full-time into it

This is where franchising and especially cloud kitchen franchises shine – because systems, operations, staffing, and setup are handled by experts, not first-time entrepreneurs.

And among such models, one of the most powerful in India right now is The Rolling Plate.

How The Rolling Plate Lets You Start a Business Without Quitting Your Job

If you’ve ever thought, “I want a business, but I don’t have time or experience to run it every day,” then The Rolling Plate is exactly the kind of model built for you.

The Rolling Plate is India’s largest cloud kitchen franchise company, operating since 2019. It grew out of a simple but strong idea:
make it possible for ordinary people with limited time to own a food business without handling the messy day-to-day operations.

Founded by Jahaan Khurana, a forward-thinking entrepreneur, The Rolling Plate was designed to solve the real-life challenges that traditional food businesses face:

• High setup cost
  
• Rent and kitchen infrastructure
  
• Staff hiring and training
  
• Daily management
  
• Uncertain profitability

Instead, The Rolling Plate introduced a one-time setup concept for cloud kitchens, backed by technology, operations expertise, and proven brand systems.

What The Rolling Plate Has Built So Far

• 600+ clients
  
• Presence in 6 major cities: Delhi, Gurugram, Ghaziabad, Noida, Bangalore and more
  
• 30 operational cloud kitchens
  
• 20+ established sub-brands across Indian, Chinese, and multi-cuisine categories

So you’re not just opening a random outlet-you’re plugging into an ecosystem that’s already running, tested, and optimized.

FOCO Model: Franchise Owned, Company Operated

If you want a business with truly minimal involvement, this is designed for you.

• Minimum investment: around ₹2.9 lakh + GST
  
• You purchase rights to one of The Rolling Plate’s 20+ brands
• The Rolling Plate handles:
  1. Kitchen setup
     
  2. Finding and finalizing the location
     
  3. Hiring and managing staff
     
  4. Paying rent
     
  5. Managing salaries
     
  6. Running day-to-day operations

What do you do?

You own the franchise and earn from the food business, without having to spend your days managing the kitchen.

No staffing headaches.
No rent liability.
No monthly operating risk.
No need to quit your job.

This is entrepreneurship in a semi-passive mode.

FOPO Model: Franchise Owned, Partner Operated

If you want to go a step bigger and earn from multiple brands and franchises under you, the FOPO model is like becoming a Super Franchisee.

• Minimum investment: around ₹12 lakh + GST
  
• One kitchen runs multiple brands
  
• You become a super franchise partner for a region
  
• You help drive:

1. Sale of unit franchises
   
2. Support to those unit franchisees
   
3. Coordination with aggregators like Zomato and Swiggy
   
4. Ongoing brand visibility in your zone

In return:

• You get a share (around 45%) from each unit franchise fee sold under you
  
• You earn monthly royalty (typically 5–8%) from food sales across all the brands in your network

With this, you are not just earning from one outlet-you’re building a network of income streams, again without needing to quit your job or operate the kitchens yourself.

Final Thought: You Don’t Have to Choose Between Security and Ambition

So, should you quit your job to start a business?

The honest, informed answer is:

• Quit only when your finances, readiness, and business model support that move
  
• Do not quit just because you’re bored or inspired by someone else’s story
  
• And most importantly: understand that you no longer have to quit your job to become a business owner

Models like The Rolling Plate’s FOCO and FOPO cloud kitchen franchises are proof that you can:

• Keep your job
  
• Start a business
  
• Leverage expert systems
  
• Minimize risk
  
• Build a serious second income
  
• And later, decide-on your terms-if and when you want to go full-time into entrepreneurship

You don’t have to jump off a cliff to call yourself an entrepreneur anymore.
You can take the stairs-calmly, strategically, and profitably.