[bartozone]

Just talk to the VP before it becomes anything significant and get clearance. If you want to start something and they say no, then you know in advance and you can decide if you want to leave or not. If you start a serious side business and they find out without you having told them, then it's problematic. You signed a contract when you started.

If you didn't sign anything then you are free to do as you like. But this is probably an unlikely scenario.

[icedchai]

Fortunately, that VP (or anyone else) doesn't control what I do in my free time.

[lifeisstillgood]

sadly that very much depends on the contract you signed