How to Build a Brand While Working Full Time: My 5 Real-Life Lessons

If I got a dollar every time someone gasped, “Wait—you worked a 9-5, built a brand, and still chased a toddler?” I’d be swimming in cash. My husband swears I’m part octopus because I can be on a client call while cooking dinner and remind him where his keys are (simultaneously). Truth is, it took industrial-strength coffee (shout-out to Ori from the Moms Making Content Facebook Group who knows exactly what I’m talking about). Here’s exactly how I made it all work, so you can, too.

1. How to Build a Brand: A Reality Check

I worked West-Coast hours for a Los Angeles employment-law firm while living in New Jersey. My husband did the same for a California tech company. That schedule meant our mornings were blissfully quiet, so I outlined podcast episodes around that time. Anything related to the podcast was either before or after work. No daycare (because it’s frigging expensive), just us getting through.

Evenings ran on Pacific time, too. late dinners, bedtime wrapped by 9pm, and once our daughter was out, the living room became my studio. While my husband edited the episodes; I cranked out show notes, thumbnails, and next-day recording prep. We kept that rhythm for about three years—sometimes sprinting, sometimes crashing for a week, but always coming back. It was nowhere near “perfect”, but consistency beats waiting for perfect every single time. So work around your schedule because there is no one-size fits all.

2. How to Build a Brand: Don’t Spend All of Your Money

I kicked things off with whatever my wallet could handle on Amazon and the free version of every tool under the sun. That duct-tape setup worked, but once the downloads started climbing, “free forever” stopped making sense. Each small win funded the next upgrade: the $40 USB mic eventually became a $399 Shure mic, then I spent some funds on the actual home studio. That’s when I finally treated the podcast like a business instead of a hobby.

Here’s the part I had to learn (painfully), because patience isn’t my strong suit: you level up one piece at a time. Prove you’ll actually use what you buy, then invest in the next thing. And while you’re upgrading, remember this: you won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. Decide whether you’re here to reach the masses or to serve a tight-knit community, and let that choice guide every brand decision. There’s no secret sauce, the brand is yours, and you get to shape it exactly the way you want.

3. How to Build a Brand: I Stayed Consistent for 2½ Years

Downloads don’t just crawl…they yo-yo. One week spiking, the next week tanking, all while you’re still figuring out what buttons do what. It’s normal. Some listeners binge you, others ghost because they’ve heard enough of your voice for a minute. That swing is part of the classroom. But that quiet stretch is actually the safest time to experiment: new segments, fresh intros, different thumbnails. Barely anyone’s watching, so test everything.

Remember, tiny wins do stack even when analytics show otherwise. One heartfelt review turns into three. One guest slot opens up consulting work. One repurposed clip blows up on Reels. Progress will feel glacial at times, until the day it doesn’t.

So ride the highs, learn from the lows, and keep showing up. Consistency is the interest that compounds, and the payoff usually arrives right after you’ve convinced yourself nothing’s happening.

4. How to Build a Brand: Community > Algorithm (My Unpopular Opinion)

We’re taught to obsess over metrics, yet a single heartfelt review can elevate your brand more than a thousand vanity numbers, don’t come at me, that’s just my experience. Algorithms shift, but relationships stick. Reply to every DM, amplify your audience’s wins louder than your own, and they’ll ride out every platform change with you.

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