The leap from side hustle to full-time business is the most romanticized and most badly timed decision in the freelance world. People jump too early, run out of runway, and go back to employment with a story about how “it didn’t work.” Here’s how to know when it actually makes sense. The income benchmark. Before going full-time, your side hustle should be generating at least 75% of your current take-home pay — consistently, not in a good month.