How A One Person Business Owner Can Start Investing To Build Wealth

You’ve Left the 9-to-5 — What’s Next?

If you’ve clicked on this article, chances are you’ve either already left the traditional 9-to-5 life or you’re planning to. You’ve stepped into the world of being self-employed—a one-person business.

You’ve probably invested a lot of time and money into yourself to learn a trade, build a skillset, or launch your freelance service. And that investment is starting to pay off. You’re making more money. Business is moving.

But then you take a step back… and realize you haven’t been building your asset column. This is Elijah Bilel from The Side Hustler's Society and lets deep dive into it. 

Not in the mood to read? Check out the video version of this below!

The Missing Piece: Building Assets That Work for You

You’ve invested in yourself—and that’s a great first step. But now it’s time to think about investing in something else: assets that generate income on their own.

These are investments that allow your money to work for you, so you’re not always trading time for dollars.

Unfortunately, many freelancers and self-employed people delay this. They keep pouring money back into their business or personal development, which is important—but never shift into true wealth-building.

Let’s fix that.

Step 1: Open a Brokerage Account

The first step to start investing is simple: open a brokerage account.

Without it, you can’t buy stocks, ETFs, or any other investment assets. This is your gateway to building that asset column.

There are plenty of platforms available today—some are beginner-friendly with mobile apps and automation tools built-in. You don’t need to overcomplicate it. The important thing is just to open the account so you have the ability to invest when you're ready. I use and recommend M1 Finance because of their ability to reinvest dividends into my entire portfolio automatically instead of just the paying stock. If you want to check out M1 Finance, click here. 

Step 2: Speak With a Financial Advisor or Watch My Video

Once you’ve got a brokerage account open, your next move is to get educated. For some people, that means sitting down with a financial advisor who can walk you through what investing looks like.

For others—especially those just getting started—you can begin by watching my video on investing, which I’ve linked below.

It breaks down how investing works in simple terms and gives you the context you need to make smart decisions with your money.

Either way, the key is to build understanding before blindly jumping in.

Step 3: Use Weekly Percentage Investing

This is a game-changer—especially if your income fluctuates as a freelancer.

Instead of investing a flat amount every time (which may not always be realistic), use a weekly percentage-based system. Here’s how it works:

• Pick a percentage of your income—say 5% or 10%

• Every week, calculate your total earnings

• Invest that percentage consistently, no matter what

This method removes the stress of trying to “time” the market or over-commit financially. It allows you to build the habit of investing consistently, even if your income isn’t exactly the same every week.

Recap: The 3-Step Investing Blueprint for Freelancers or The One Person Business Owner

Here’s a quick summary of how to start investing as a freelancer or one-person business:

1. Open a brokerage account – This gives you the ability to invest in assets like stocks and ETFs.

2. Speak to a financial advisor or watch my investing video – Get clear on what you're doing and why.

3. Use weekly percentage investing – Invest a set percentage of your income every week to stay consistent.

Final Thoughts

If you're serious about building wealth outside of your business, these three steps will help you get started without overwhelm. I also cover additional information about the different types of accounts that can be used for investing in my PDF Steal My Financial Blueprint. You can download this document for free here.

You’ve already taken control of your career—now it’s time to take control of your finances.

If you would like to know more about thriving as a one person business owner, consider joining The Self Made Business Academy where we support people making the transition from side hustle to a full time one person business. Click here to learn more!