How To Balance Your Product-based Business When You Work a 9-5 | Guest Blog
- Mango Marketing
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
When I started my small business, Fetch Bamboo Company, I was lucky enough to have a bit more flexibility in my corporate role. Back then, we were on a hybrid schedule, which meant I wasn’t spending hours every week in traffic or rushing from one thing to another. That extra time gave me the space to focus on something I was passionate about — building a brand that felt like me.
But now, things have changed. We’re back in the office full-time, and suddenly, a big part of my day is taken up by things like commuting or sitting in traffic. That might sound small, but when you’re trying to balance a demanding corporate job with running your own business, those hours matter. It’s made things more challenging, but also taught me how to separate, prioritize, and protect the time I do have.
My corporate job is just that — a job, and one I take seriously. I oversee material handling equipment across 170+ distribution facilities throughout North America. It’s high-level, fast-paced, and requires constant focus and problem-solving. There’s no halfway approach there.
Fetch, on the other hand, is my creative outlet. It’s something I love doing — something I look forward to doing. It’s not something I can squeeze in between corporate meetings or calls, because it deserves its own space and energy. So for me, balancing both comes down to keeping them separate. My corporate work demands structure and leadership. Fetch thrives on creativity and passion. Trying to blend the two never works — but giving each its own focus does.
I’d be lying if I said it was easy. There are weeks where I’m stretched thin, days where I’m tired, and moments where I wonder how I’ll fit everything in. My corporate role doesn’t always stop at 5 p.m., and Fetch still needs my attention. But the difference is, Fetch runs at my pace. It’s mine. I decide what to launch, what to create, and when to show up — and that’s empowering.
One of the best decisions I made was hiring Mango Marketing. They’ve helped elevate my social media presence and content in a way I never could’ve done alone. Having a reliable team that understands my brand takes so much pressure off — I can focus on my corporate responsibilities knowing my business is still growing in the background.
That freedom lets me spend my “Fetch time” doing what I love most — creating, designing, picking new products, handling shipping, or planning collabs. It’s the hands-on part that makes it all worth it.
Balancing both worlds is definitely a sacrifice, but it’s one I’m proud of. Since launching Fetch in March 2024, I’ve learned that you truly make time for the things that matter to you. I pour 150% into everything I care about — and even when it’s tough, it’s worth it.
If there’s one takeaway from my journey so far, it’s this: balance doesn’t always mean blending. Sometimes, it means keeping two things completely separate — each fueled by a different mindset. My corporate life is structured, analytical, and collaborative. Fetch Bamboo Company is personal, creative, and pure passion. Both challenge me in different ways, but together, they make me better. About the author:
Britt is “Philly born and South Jersey based, I’m ambitious, resilient, and endlessly creative. I’ve been part of the hardcore and metal scene since I was twelve, and that raw, unapologetic energy shows up in everything I do. I’m all about good vibes, loud laughs, and spending time with my friends and my Cane Corso. When I set my mind on something, I figure out how to make it happen.”