If you’re looking to build a thriving six-figure online business while only working part-time hours — this is your step-by-step guide. Whether you’re a creator looking to add passive income or a business owner wanting to expand with digital offers, this post walks you through exactly how to make it happen. Based on years of experience growing a multi-six-figure brand organically, we’re breaking it all down. Watch the video below or keep reading to learn how to build a lean, profitable business that supports your lifestyle — not the other way around.
Choose Offers You Actually Want to Sell
Before anything else, the key to sustainable success is creating offers you genuinely love. There are so many directions you can go — digital products, online courses, templates, memberships, high-ticket coaching — but you don’t need to do it all. What you do need is to choose something you enjoy and can stick with long-term.
If you’re someone who’s tired of time-for-money models like services or freelancing, or you’re pivoting from affiliate marketing, MLMs, or TikTok shops, then creating your own digital offer is a game changer. Not only does it allow you to sell something that’s 100% yours, but it can also become a scalable source of passive income.
Digital products (under $100) and mid-ticket courses (typically $150 to $2,000) are incredible because of their high margins and low overhead. Once a customer purchases, you deliver it digitally — no inventory, no shipping, and no recurring costs. If you’re unsure where to start, there’s a free guide linked here the video that breaks down what makes a digital course actually sellable.
Focus on Income-Producing Activities First
You only have so much time in a week, especially if you’re aiming for a 20-hour workweek. That means you need to know exactly where to spend your energy. The majority of your time should go toward the activities that directly drive income — like marketing, selling, and product development.
Inbox zero, admin tasks, and organizing your Canva folders? Those can wait. What’s going to move the needle is showing up consistently, talking about your offer, creating content that builds trust, and making sure people know how to buy from you. Whether that looks like daily Instagram posts, email marketing, or launching a new funnel — keep it focused.
The goal is consistency. Create your offer, launch it, get beta testers in, gather testimonials, and keep showing up to sell. The more you prioritize those sales-focused actions, the faster you’ll grow — even in just a few hours per day.
Automate & Streamline Everything You Can
Want to do more in less time? Automate and simplify wherever possible. If something is repeatable, it can likely be templates or automated. This applies to everything from customer onboarding, sales funnels, product delivery, follow-up emails, and even parts of your content creation.
Using AI tools and automations is one of the best ways to save time without sacrificing quality. You can create SOPs (standard operating procedures), use automation tools for email sequences, and implement systems that run in the background while you’re not actively working. AI can help turn transcripts into blog posts (like this one!), write email drafts, summarize customer feedback, and more.
Important note: AI is powerful, but it’s not a replacement for your voice. Always review and personalize anything AI creates to keep your content unique and authentic.
Plan Your Week in Advance
One of the biggest productivity hacks when working part-time? Planning your week ahead of time. Knowing exactly what you need to do before you sit down to work removes decision fatigue and helps you get straight to business — especially if you’re working in short chunks of time.
For example, 20 hours a week can look like four hours a day, five days a week — or three longer days if that’s what fits your schedule. What matters is that you know what’s on your list when it’s time to work.
Tools like Trello (there’s a $7 planning template linked below) can help you map out your tasks by day. When every hour counts, having that structure is key to actually getting things done without constantly feeling behind.
Outsource and Let Go Where You Can
As your business grows, your time becomes even more valuable. That’s why knowing what to outsource — and when — is crucial. You don’t have to hire a full-time team right away. Outsourcing could look like hiring a contractor for video editing, using Instacart to save time on groceries, or investing in a tool that automates repetitive tasks.
Look at your life and business holistically. What are the tasks you have to do yourself? What could someone else do faster or more efficiently? Freeing up time might mean spending money, but if it gives you more space to focus on revenue-generating work — or quality time with your family — it’s often worth the tradeoff.
And sometimes, it’s not about outsourcing — it’s about letting go. There are seasons where you won’t have time to update your website every month or keep everything Pinterest-perfect. That’s okay. Focus on what matters most and release what doesn’t.
Mindset Shifts That Help You Stay Consistent
Sticking to a 20-hour workweek while growing a business to six figures and beyond requires intentional mindset shifts. A few that make a huge difference:
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Stay focused. Pick an offer and a person to serve, and stay the course. Yes, you can pivot — but constant change will slow your growth.
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Plan like it matters. Your time is limited. Treat your work hours like gold and plan them accordingly.
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Let go of perfection. Not everything has to be perfect. Done is better than perfect, especially when consistency is your goal.
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Don’t do it alone. Whether it’s your partner watching the kids or a tool helping you automate your systems, you don’t have to wear all the hats forever.
When things feel messy or hard, come back to your bigger “why.” You don’t need 40+ hours a week to build a powerful, impactful business. You just need the right systems, a focused offer, and the commitment to keep showing up — even in the small pockets of time you have.
Your Next Step
You really can build a six-figure online business in part-time hours. It’s not about hustle, it’s about strategy. Prioritize your income-producing tasks. Automate what you can. Plan your weeks intentionally. Get help where you need it. And keep your mindset focused on the bigger picture. Whether you’re a creator, mom, or side hustler, your time is valuable — and you don’t need to burn out to be successful.
If you’re ready to dive deeper into creating your own digital product or course, make sure to grab the free course types that sell guide.
