I bought my first business while working a 9-5. If I woke up...
Codie Sanchez@Codie_Sanchez
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Jun 02, 2026
~3 min read
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I bought my first business while working a 9-5.
If I woke up tomorrow on a corporate salary again and wanted to become a millionaire by 2036, this is what I'd do:
If I woke up tomorrow on a corporate salary again and wanted to become a millionaire by 2036, this is what I'd do:
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Step #1: Extract every dollar from your job
Most employees treat their salary as their income ceiling.
They get the offer, sign the contract, & never touch the conversation again...
I’d treat it as my starting point to negotiate a higher pay. How?
Most employees treat their salary as their income ceiling.
They get the offer, sign the contract, & never touch the conversation again...
I’d treat it as my starting point to negotiate a higher pay. How?
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By using the six Negotiation Levers:
1. Show your numbers - quantify how much revenue you drove, costs you cut, and time you saved for the business
2. Anchor high - say: “Based on my output and market data, I'm targeting $X.” If they push back, talk about finding the middle
1. Show your numbers - quantify how much revenue you drove, costs you cut, and time you saved for the business
2. Anchor high - say: “Based on my output and market data, I'm targeting $X.” If they push back, talk about finding the middle
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3. Negotiate beyond base pay - ask for profit bonuses, milestone payouts, equity. Companies are more willing to give you upside when it's conditional
4. Make it easy to say yes - "If we hit these metrics by this date, can we agree to a comp adjustment automatically?"
4. Make it easy to say yes - "If we hit these metrics by this date, can we agree to a comp adjustment automatically?"
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5. Negotiate timing - get your next raise pre-agreed in writing and tie it to milestones: "If I hit X by Y date, comp moves to Z."
6. Ask the question nobody asks - “What have I not hit yet that's in the way of my next raise?" They'll literally tell you what to do to hit it.
6. Ask the question nobody asks - “What have I not hit yet that's in the way of my next raise?" They'll literally tell you what to do to hit it.
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Every year, I’d apply these to fight for 5% at review.
Around year 3 you'll likely max out. When it happens.. jump. One job switch gets you $10k+ faster than any annual review.
(Also, if they won't pay you more when you produce more.. that's a sign you need a different company.)
Around year 3 you'll likely max out. When it happens.. jump. One job switch gets you $10k+ faster than any annual review.
(Also, if they won't pay you more when you produce more.. that's a sign you need a different company.)
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Step #2: Manage your money before it disappears
Before lifestyle inflation catches up, build a 3-6 month emergency fund and eliminate any high-interest debt (credit cards especially).
Then, automate your transfers.
Before lifestyle inflation catches up, build a 3-6 month emergency fund and eliminate any high-interest debt (credit cards especially).
Then, automate your transfers.
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A simple baseline I like to use for this is the 50/30/20 rule:
• 50% → needs (rent, car, living basics)
• 30% → wants (dinners, travel, fun)
• 20% → savings & investing
With that 20% saved up, I’d start building what I call my "FU Fund".
• 50% → needs (rent, car, living basics)
• 30% → wants (dinners, travel, fun)
• 20% → savings & investing
With that 20% saved up, I’d start building what I call my "FU Fund".
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A war chest that gives you the power to say FU and walk away when you hate your job.
Your target: 3 years of living expenses saved up.
(That's how long it takes to pivot a career, start something from scratch, or buy a business.)
Once you get to that amount, you put it to work
Your target: 3 years of living expenses saved up.
(That's how long it takes to pivot a career, start something from scratch, or buy a business.)
Once you get to that amount, you put it to work
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Step #3: Buy a cash-flowing business
Take your savings & put:
• 10% into the stock market (index funds, ETFs)
• 10% into an account to acquire a business
One grows while you sleep, the other gets used when you find the right deal.
Here's what that looks like in practice:
Take your savings & put:
• 10% into the stock market (index funds, ETFs)
• 10% into an account to acquire a business
One grows while you sleep, the other gets used when you find the right deal.
Here's what that looks like in practice:
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Meet Jesus.
He worked a corporate job but wanted to become an entrepreneur.
Instead of quitting his 9-5, he spent 6 months learning deal structure with us, and walked out with a $4.5M acquisition on a $7M manufacturing company.
He now runs a team of 88.
He worked a corporate job but wanted to become an entrepreneur.
Instead of quitting his 9-5, he spent 6 months learning deal structure with us, and walked out with a $4.5M acquisition on a $7M manufacturing company.
He now runs a team of 88.
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Or take Bethany...
She bought a 20 year old hydroseeding business in North Carolina for mid 6 figures using an SBA loan.
Just 8 months after getting fired from her job.
Want to be next?
She bought a 20 year old hydroseeding business in North Carolina for mid 6 figures using an SBA loan.
Just 8 months after getting fired from her job.
Want to be next?
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Jesus and Bethany are just two of the 14,000 people we’ve helped buy their first cash flowing business (most while still working their 9-5s).
If you want to learn how they did it, I'm teaching the entire process live here.
↓↓
codiesanchez.com/msm/?utm_sourc…
If you want to learn how they did it, I'm teaching the entire process live here.
↓↓
codiesanchez.com/msm/?utm_sourc…