small time
1. adjective Of only minor or modest importance, achievement, or influence. Hyphenated if used before a noun. I'm only small time, so the IRS doesn't give me too much grief. There are a lot of small-time actors here, but a few are really big deals.
2. noun A level minor or modest importance, achievement, or influence. This is your chance to bring your business out of the small time and find some real success.
small time
A modest or minor level of achievement, as in Her success took her out of the small time to prime-time television. This expression was originally used in vaudeville for second-rate theaters and productions. [Early 1900s] Also see big time, def. 2.
small-time
mod. insignificant; petty. Bart was involved in a lot of small-time crime when he was twelve.