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I am working in a small software company. Owner directly manages the business. I'd like to start my own project, part time.

I have a family. It is difficult to find free time to work on my project. I am going to ask my boss to give me one free day a week, keeping the same salary.

Is it a good idea? If it is, how to start the conversation? What should I say and what should I not say?

I think he appreciates my work and does not want me to leave the company. He pays me a good salary but I feel I could get more elsewhere. I think at the moment having extra time to work on the project is more important than the salary increase.

Many thanks

EDIT 1

Is it a good idea to promise him a percentage of the profit (10%? 20%) - while I run the project and still work for him? I mean profit sharing, not the ownership.

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Why would your boss give you a 20% raise to start a company of your own? Doesn't make any sense. – littleadv Oct 2 '12 at 21:20
I think (but not sure) I can get a higher salary elsewhere. If he want me to stay without paying extra money, it could be an option. I am concerned that saying it directly (give it to me, or else) would be offensive. – Mel Oct 2 '12 at 22:38
Why not work a couple of extra hours on 4 days of the week? Your boss still gets 40 hours, and you get a free day (subject to employer approval). However, check any contracts you may have signed - the employer may own creative work regardless (jurisdiction dependent). – Clockwork-Muse Oct 2 '12 at 23:45
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If it is that important you should make the time commitment yourself before asking someone else to make the time for you. Plenty of people with young families make the sacrifices. Whether the sacrifices are worth it is another matter - but you have to make your priorities. If you are not being paid enough then address that by getting a raise or finding other employment. But don't ask your employer to fund your new project(s). – TimJ♦ Oct 4 '12 at 2:47
@TimJ - I think if I leave it would be bad for my boss and his company. I do not want to create a problem for him. I also hope that the proposed idea is a win-win solition. – Mel1 Oct 17 '12 at 21:33
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3 Answers

up vote 2 down vote accepted

Offer him 20% of the business you are starting and he might go for it.

Point out any cross-over work that might exist where stuff you learn from your own project will benefit your work for him and/or his business.

Add that Google give their employees 1 day a week to work on their own projects with a similar scheme.

While you're at it, you could also ask him if he'd be interested in investing in the idea too!

Good luck, Dave

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Interesting... Do you mean 20% of shares OR 20% of profit? If shares, what to do if there are other cofounders? – Mel1 Oct 3 '12 at 20:16
Thanks for mentioning Google! – Mel1 Oct 3 '12 at 20:17
I was meaning shares, but if there are other co-founders you'll have to chat to them to discuss the best approach. – Dave Hilditch Oct 3 '12 at 21:27
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This must be the wrongest move ever! Equity is not peanuts to just give away 20% of it for next to nothing!!!! – johnjohn Oct 4 '12 at 1:45
This is a huge risk to take. As others have pointed out, you are essentially telling your boss a few things: I can't manage my time well and want you to fund the things I wish to do in my extra time. I have such little respect for the work you pay me to do that I am asking you to underwrite my outside work. I can't make the sacrifices necessary to take on this outside project, but I still want to do it so I am asking you to sacrifice for me. Etc. – TimJ♦ Oct 4 '12 at 14:49
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up vote 9 down vote

Wearing my boss hat what you seem to be doing is:

  1. Asking for a 20% raise
  2. Asking me to go to the time and expense of finding somebody to cover the extra day that you won't be working.
  3. Signalling that you're likely not going to be here in the long term.

I'm not seeing the upside here :-)

Unless you are currently extremely underpaid for the role (1) is going to raise questions. Since the time taken to do (2) is pretty close to the time it would take me to find a new full time employee I'm going to be saying "hmmmm" to myself.

Note: It doesn't matter if you are underpaid for your personal skills - only if you're underpaid for the role you're currently filling. The former means you're in the wrong position - not that you're underpaid.

I'd also be thinking that this person is starting his own business. If that's a success then he/she is not going to stay. I'd also be thinking that this person is obviously not satisfied and challenged in his current role, otherwise they wouldn't be off to start their own side project.

So - if I were you - I'd be thinking of ways to address these sorts of questions. They key to successful negotiations is having both sides walk away feeling like they've won.

I'd also be thinking about what your BATNA will be (I'm guessing looking for another job with higher pay?)

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Thanks for BATNA - useful idea – Mel1 Oct 3 '12 at 20:14
#2 is not the case - we are developers, there is no need to work every day (unless there is a hard deadline) – Mel1 Oct 3 '12 at 20:20
#3 - if boss accepts my idea, it would decrease the chances that I will leave the job to get a higher salary. – Mel1 Oct 3 '12 at 20:22
"if that's a success then he/she is not going to stay." - I probably could promise some profit share. – Mel1 Oct 3 '12 at 20:24
" I'd also be thinking that this person is obviously not satisfied and challenged in his current role" - what'a wrong with it? – Mel1 Oct 3 '12 at 20:25
up vote 1 down vote

Say nothing to your boss, stay at the job and go for a raise.

That done, use the extra money to get a programmer to get on-board to help you. You can work a few hours on the weekend and you can also hire some talent from a second-world country (no offense intended) to take advantage of the salary differences.

You keep full equity and your boss is unaware and happy. +1 for Adrian Howard 's boss hat!

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