I’m a big supporter of side hustles. Side hustles are powerful. They allow you to reach your financial goals faster. Plus, there is just something rewarding about doing your own thing and making money outside of the traditional 9-5.
When it comes to side hustles, there is an abundance of ones to consider. DC wrote an entire book about starting a side hustle. As for me, I’ve tried out several side hustles like tutoring, selling candy, being a brand ambassador, selling textbooks, doing yard work, and freelance writing.
Making extra money via side hustles has allowed me to pay off my student loans, contribute more to my savings, and fuel my inner motivation by allowing me to experiment with different things. Side hustles are great and I always tell people to consider having one.
One of the things I’ve come to realize from trying out different side hustles is just how much each side hustle can vary in terms of time commitment, resources, expenses, and physical or mental energy required.
In the past, I didn’t always know how to start a side hustle and properly manage it. I would struggle with time management and figuring out how to balance it with my full-time job. Through experimentation and talking with other side hustlers, I was able to figure out some things everyone should do to start a successful side hustle.
1) Figure out the Time Commitment
Every side hustle is different. Mowing lawns and doing yard work takes more physical energy than doing tutoring. Freelance writing takes more mental energy than taking surveys does.
Consider not just the time it takes to do the side hustle but also other things like driving time, getting ready and changing clothes. If you do something like in-person tutoring or being a brand ambassador, figure out how much time you would have to spend driving to and from the place where you do your side hustle.
There are side hustles that require you to be physically present at a certain time while there are others like a blogging that allows you to work whenever you want.
Understanding a side hustle’s time commitment is important for a few reasons. First, it allows you to assess what type of side hustle you would want. Maybe you like physically going somewhere to do something. On the flip side, maybe you prefer to remain in your pajamas and do a side hustle like blogging or freelance writing.
A second reason to consider the time commitment of a side hustle is so you can see how to fit it in with your full-time job. Take stock of how much time you have outside of your full-time job to devote to a side hustle.
2) Do a Skills Assessment
People often wonder what skills they have in order to do a side hustle. The first step is to see what you’re doing at your full-time job. If your job duties include anything such as writing, managing social media, doing outreach, then consider a digital marketing or freelance writing side hustle.
Back when I was teaching abroad in Thailand, I leveraged my characteristic of being a native English speaker and started doing a tutoring side hustle teaching children how to learn English.
The possibilities are endless. All it takes is a little creativity and thinking outside the box. Don’t hold yourself back from pursuing something just because you don’t haven’t reached expert status at it yet. I didn’t know much about content marketing when I started my blogging side hustle, but it didn’t stop me from starting and creating my digital marketing side gig.
3) Start a Blog
Blogging is one of the best side hustles to have. If you love to write and have an interest in marketing, then it can be great. You get to do it from anywhere, at any time, and there are several ways to make money through a blog.
Admittedly, you don’t absolutely need a blog to have a successful side hustle, but it can be beneficial to have one. A blog allows you to share your thoughts, connect with like-minded people, and gives a creative outlet. I’ve had a blog long before I ever started a writing side hustle. My blog allowed me to showcase my skills and document the different ways I was making extra money.
It has taught me skills like building a community, social media management, email marketing, adhering to deadlines, photo editing, and has improved my writing skills.
While blogging can be challenging at times, at the end of the day it’s rewarding. Read the guide on how to start a blog today to get started.
4) Reach out to Your Network
Let the world know about your side hustle. Tell friends, family and acquaintances about your new venture. Send friendly, personalize emails detailing your side hustle. Talk with people around you and attend events or meetups.
If you run a freelance side hustle, it can be hard starting out trying to find clients and getting paid. Leverage niche Facebook groups and other online freelance communities to find work. Putting yourself out there can feel weird at first, but it’s important and gets easier over time.
5) Invest in Yourself
It can be tempting to not want to spend any money when starting your side hustle. However, it takes more than just effort to start and grow one. Always be on the lookout for ways to grow and improve your side hustle.
Investing in the right tools and services is often the way to start and grow a successful side hustle. Never be afraid to re-invest in your side business. It is a business after all.
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Always remember the reason behind what you do. To be successful in side hustling, you need to stay motivated and remember why you started in the first place. Working additional hours for something on top of your full-time job can be a challenge. Get clear on a the distinct reason behind why you side hustle. This will help you manage your expectations and remain consistent.
Side hustles are a powerful thing and they can help you in so many ways. Just remember to figure out your motivation for doing one, and do the above steps to start and grow a successful side hustle of your own.
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