Couple Quit Their Jobs To Become Entrepreneurs, Now They Make $1M A Year And Only Work 20 Hours Per Week

A couple living in Silicon Valley left the safety of their 9-to-5 jobs to spend more time with their kids, and they ended up with two businesses that bring in $1 million each year.

How They Did It: According to a CNBC report, Jen and Steve Chou run a couple of related businesses that generate profits of about $500,000 each year. One of the businesses could be growing even faster, but the couple prioritizes time with their kids over money in their pockets.

It all started in 2007 when Jen launched Bumblebee Linens, a company that makes custom aprons, towels and handkerchiefs. Her initial investment in the business was just $600 and the business took off right away.

After finding some initial success with the startup, all of their friends started asking for tips on how they could ditch their full-time jobs too.

That's when Steve got the idea to start a blog answering a lot of the common questions called, "My Wife Quit Her Job." That blog became so popular, it has since grown into a scaled business with ebooks, podcasts and in-person conferences. The blog also offers video tutorials and courses for building e-commerce brands.

Steve charges an upfront lifetime membership fee of $1,900, which he said helped him to maintain a strong subscriber base. 

"I have a philosophy that if my students are successful, then I’ll become more successful. When they’re successful, I brag about them and that leads to more business," Steve said. 

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As Steve continued to blog about Jen's success, Bumblebee Linens continued to grow. It actually grew so fast that it was hard to keep up with. 

“When we were growing really rapidly, it was causing a lot of headaches and honestly, I didn’t want to do the job at all,” Jen said. 

If it grew as fast as it could, Bumblebee Linens would need a larger office, plus manufacturing space. The company would also have to hire more employees and Jen would have to take on more tasks, but the main reason she quit her job in the first place was for her kids, so she limits herself to working 20 hours a week.

Steve, on the other hand, continues to push the growth of his blog. It's easier to manage at scale since it sells digital products, he said. 

The two companies bring in a combined yearly income of $1 million, and the couple doesn't even "spend a fraction" of what they make. 

Jen and Steve noted that they are saving money to have cash on hand for when an opportunity arises. 

"In the past, looking at our periods of the greatest wealth creation, it actually occurred during periods of downturns where we had the opportunity to buy something at a really good deal," Steve said.

Read Next: This Millennial Went From 'Completely Financially Illiterate' To Semi-Retired And Sitting On Half A Million Dollars Quick

This story is part of a new series of features on the subject of success, Benzinga Inspire.

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