Navigating Layoffs: Building a Safety Net with Your SaaS Business
Layoffs aren’t just news headlines—they’re a harsh reality that can turn your world upside down. Companies like Amazon, Google, and Dell are cutting tens of thousands of positions, leaving many high-achieving professionals wondering, “Am I next?”
For executive women in tech, this uncertainty can feel even more personal. After years of climbing the corporate ladder, managing teams, and delivering results, the idea of losing that hard-won stability can be terrifying. The question isn’t just about finding the next opportunity but about maintaining the financial security you’ve built for yourself and your family.
I’ve been there myself, and I’ve seen it happen to clients, friends, and business school classmates who thought their roles were rock-solid—until suddenly, they weren’t. But what if there was a way to create a safety net? A way to protect yourself financially and gain control, even when the job market is unpredictable?
That’s where building a tech or SaaS business comes in. It’s more than an income stream—it’s your path to financial independence and lasting peace of mind.
So how do you start building that safety net and take back control of your financial future? Let’s explore what it takes to create a SaaS business that can support you, no matter what happens in your corporate role.
In this article, we’ll cover the key steps you need to take to build a SaaS business that becomes your safety net, from ideation to getting your first paying customers.
1: The Reality of Layoffs and Why You Need a Backup Plan
No matter how successful you are in your corporate role, the tech world is constantly changing. Even the most established companies can shift their priorities, leaving thousands of skilled professionals out in the cold.
Amazon, for example, plans to cut 14,000 manager positions by 2025.
Dell is laying off 12,500 employees, while giants like Google, Meta, and Microsoft are letting go of 10,000 to 12,000 people each.
And it’s not just tech giants. Companies across various sectors are downsizing, including:
- Mastercard
- LL Flooring
- Tata Steel
- Citigroup
- Walmart
- Scale AI
- FedEx
- Klarna
- Cisco
- Lykos
- Telia
- Intel
- IBM
And it’s not just about numbers—these cuts impact real lives, even those of top-tier professionals who believed their roles were secure.
I recently worked with an executive woman in tech, a VP at a leading company, who had always felt her position was safe. Then, her entire team was downsized. Suddenly, she found herself navigating a job market filled with fierce competition, trying to replace the income that had once felt stable. It was a wake-up call that even years of hard work and dedication don’t guarantee job security.
When you rely solely on a corporate salary, you put all your eggs in one basket. A sudden layoff can turn your world upside down, putting your financial stability and lifestyle at risk.
That’s where your SaaS business comes in—it’s not just about an extra income stream; it’s about building a safety net that’s entirely yours, offering stability no matter what happens in your corporate role. By starting your business now, while you still have your corporate job, you give yourself the leverage to leave on a high, with confidence and control over your future, instead of scrambling for solutions when things take a downturn.
Start building that safety net today, so you can choose when and how to make your next move—on your own terms.
Now, let’s look at how you can start building that safety net and create a business that supports you, no matter what happens in your corporate role.
2: How a SaaS Business Can Be Your Financial Safety Net
A SaaS business is more than just a passion project—it can become a reliable source of income, offering security during uncertain times.
One of the biggest appeals of the SaaS model is its ability to generate recurring revenue. Unlike traditional business models where you’re constantly chasing new sales, a SaaS product allows you to serve clients on a subscription basis. That means predictable, ongoing income that can provide stability, even when other aspects of your career are uncertain. Plus, with SaaS, you can scale easily and serve customers across the globe, without being limited by location or time zone.
I experienced this firsthand when I co-founded Le VPN. My co-founder and I started with just a $1,000 investment to get the company registered. Starting with this low investment allowed us to minimize our initial risk, making it easier to take those first steps into the world of entrepreneurship.
I left my corporate job to go all-in on building this business, knowing I had built a financial safety net to cover my expenses during the transition. My co-founder was still in his corporate role, using evenings and weekends to build our product.
We focused on creating a lean, minimum viable product (MVP) to test in our first niche market (which was France) before making larger investments. That early focus on keeping things simple and manageable paid off.
Over the years, we scaled Le VPN into a multi-million dollar business with thousands of loyal customers, turning it into a fully automated profit machine. This financial cushion gave me the freedom to explore other projects and dedicate myself to business coaching helping other entrepreneurs build their own tech businesses.
When it was time for me to take my maternity leave—and as an entrepreneur in France, you don’t get much coverage while you’re not working—my SaaS business continued to generate income. It fed me for 6 months without any involvement from me, allowing me to dedicate 100% of my time to my new family.
The flexibility of a SaaS business means you can grow it on your terms, even while balancing a demanding job or multiple businesses within your Portfolio career. It’s not about taking a massive leap—it’s about starting small, validating your idea, and then scaling as you go.
By building gradually, you create a business that can grow with you and support you when you need it most. It’s possible to build a business that not only survives without you but also allows you to thrive—both as a founder and in the other parts of your life that matter most.
3: Building Consistent Progress Toward a Resilient Future
Consistency is the secret ingredient to turning your SaaS business into a safety net.
Building a business alongside a demanding corporate job might seem overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. The key is setting aside time each week—just 5 hours—to focus on your next steps. It’s about making steady progress, not massive leaps.
Take “Niki,” for example. While managing her full-time role at AWS, she dedicated just a few hours each week to her new business. We worked together to create a roadmap that broke down her big goals into weekly tasks. Every week, she focused on a specific priority—whether it was conducting customer interviews, refining her MVP, or developing her first marketing strategy.
Over time, those small, consistent actions began to build momentum. Niki started seeing tangible progress, like her first positive feedback from customers and early interest in her prototype. The weekly effort not only brought her closer to her business goals but also gave her the confidence to keep pushing forward, even on challenging days.
Having a clear roadmap makes all the difference. It keeps you on track and helps you see that every action is bringing you closer to your vision.
Every hour you invest in your business today is a step toward a more secure and resilient future. It’s about building something that can support you when you need it most.
Conclusion: Building a SaaS Business Is Building Your Safety Net
Building a SaaS business isn’t just about creating something new—it’s about creating a safety net that protects your future.
Let’s recap what we’ve covered:
- The reality of layoffs and why having a backup plan is essential—no matter how secure you feel, the job market can change in an instant.
- The power of a SaaS business as a reliable safety net—offering recurring revenue and the flexibility to grow on your terms.
- The importance of consistent progress—how dedicating even just a few hours a week can build momentum and get you closer to a financially resilient future.
This journey is about taking back control, ensuring that you’re not at the mercy of corporate decisions but rather shaping your own path. It’s about securing your financial future while maintaining the freedom to explore what you’re truly passionate about.
Are you ready to build a business that gives you peace of mind, no matter what happens in your corporate role? Let’s chat about how I can help you get started.
Schedule a free strategy call with me today, and let’s build your safety net together.
