By Vicky Sidler | Published 24 September 2025 at 12:00 GMT+2

I never planned to start a business. In fact, for most of my life, I actively avoided it.

I’m the kind of person who chooses fixed growth over crypto. I’ve only ever played the slots twice, lost everything I intended to spend, and wondered what on earth people enjoyed about it. My version of a financial thrill is finding a 12-month interest-bearing account with no early withdrawal fees.

Entrepreneurship? That felt like jumping out of a plane and hoping the invoice system doubles as a parachute.

But after getting retrenched. Again. And again. Then finding myself at rock bottom during COVID. I had to ask: where exactly was all this job security everyone kept talking about?

So I started something of my own. Carefully. Quietly. Without the fanfare. And five years in, I can tell you this:

I’m more secure, more fulfilled, and more in control than I ever was in traditional employment. And I’m not alone—I’ve helped dozens of other cautious entrepreneurs do the same.

Now I’m writing a book to help others do it too.

TL;DR:

• I’m writing a book for people who want a stable, fulfilling business without high risk

• It’s based on my own journey from risk-averse employee to confident business owner

• There are ways to run a low-risk business that gives you freedom, not burnout

• This is not about Ferraris, funding rounds, or 4am grind culture

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Table of Contents:

Not a Hype Story. A Human One.

This book is for the people who don’t want to be billionaires. Who just want a decent living, meaningful work, and enough time to actually enjoy their life. For people who want to cure their insomnia, not worsen it.

It’s for people like me. People who stayed in employment too long because it seemed safer—until it wasn’t.

I used to think business ownership was for extroverts with no fear of failure. The people who start ten things before breakfast and call it productivity. Meanwhile, I’m over here with 20 tabs open to ensure I’ve done enough research before buying a new laptop.

Most of the business books I’ve read seemed to assume I wanted to scale fast. Build a team. Maximize revenue. Sell or exit. And power to anyone who does—those books exist for a reason.

But that wasn’t my goal.

I didn’t want to build an empire. I wanted something stable, profitable, and manageable. Something I could enjoy while I was running it—not just after I retired.

And I’ve managed to do that in one of the most notoriously unstable industries around: a marketing agency. The kind of business people warn you is too stressful, too unpredictable, too risky.

And yet here I am. Five years in. Calm. Profitable. And loving it.

This book isn’t about how to start an agency. But it is about how to build something solid—even in an industry that usually isn’t.

Once I figured that out, there was no going back.

What I’m Writing (Without Spoiling It):

The book is still in the early stages. The outline is there. Some pieces are clear. Others still need quite a bit of work. But here’s the idea:

What if employment is actually riskier than running your own thing?

In my book, I’ll explore:

• Why “job security” is a myth no one’s updating

• How treating your clients like a diversified portfolio changes everything

• The 5 stages I went through to go from panic-mode freelancer to creative freedom

• Why some business models are more stable than others—and how to spot the difference

• What “success” can look like if you strip away the hustle porn

This isn’t a how-to for taking over the world. It’s a guide for building a life and a business that you actually like waking up to.

What I’ve found is this: Running your own small business—especially one built with intention—is one of the most quietly liberating things you can do.

It’s not without challenges. But it gives you something most jobs never will. 

Real autonomy. 

The ability to decide who you work with, how you spend your time, and what your life looks like.

That’s the kind of freedom no one talks about when they say “be your own boss.” But once you experience it, you don’t want to trade it back.

Why I’m Sharing This Now:

Because I know I’m not the only one who wants a meaningful, manageable business that doesn’t eat your life.

You’re allowed to want simplicity. You’re allowed to want freedom without chaos. You’re allowed to want financial safety without putting your future in someone else’s hands.

If that’s you, you’re exactly who this book is for.

I’ll be sharing the journey here and on LinkedIn—including insights that won’t make the final cut, real case studies I’m developing, and maybe even some chapter previews for the people following along.

Meanwhile, if you want a low-risk business you’ll actually enjoy running, be sure to try my 10-Minute Business Idea Validator and discover your best-fit service business using what you already know.

👉 Access it for free here

You will also be added to my mailing list and get notified of any book updates!

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AI Business Advice: Why It Helps Some Owners but Hurts Others

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What is this book actually about?

It’s about building a stable, fulfilling business without gambling everything. If you’ve ever wanted to start something of your own but felt overwhelmed by the risk, pressure to scale, or 4am hustle culture, this book gives you a different way to do it.

Is it only for people who want to start a marketing agency?

Not at all. While I built a marketing agency using the approach I’m writing about, the book isn’t about starting an agency. It’s about creating any kind of service-based business that’s manageable, profitable, and built to last—even if you hate taking risks.

Do I need to be based in South Africa for this to be relevant?

Nope. This is for anyone, anywhere, who wants to build a stable service business without going broke or burning out. I’ve worked with clients all over the world, and the principles hold up whether you’re in Pretoria or Portland.

Is this anti-scaling or anti-growth?

Not at all. If you want to scale, go for it. This book is for people who want to grow in a way that feels sustainable and sane. It’s about defining success for your life, not someone else’s revenue goal.

When will the book be published?

I haven’t set a firm date yet, but I’m actively writing and sharing parts of the journey. If you follow along, you’ll be the first to know when it’s ready.

Can I follow the writing process?

Yes! I’ll be posting updates, case studies, and maybe even chapter previews here and on LinkedIn. If you’re curious about how the book is coming together, or just want to see the behind-the-scenes of a book built for real people, keep an eye out.

What should I do while I wait?

Start by getting your message right.Download the 5-Minute Marketing Fix to write one clear, powerful line that builds trust with your audience. It’s the same tool I use with every client—and it’s free.