Launch a Side Hustle!
2020 can be the year of increased profit and new beginnings for aspiring entrepreneurs. For this issue’s cover story, we spoke with experts across an array of industries. They share insight on choosing a side hustle, planning, budgeting, marketing, publicizing, website building, pricing, and persevering as a self-employed boss. Let’s get started…
Dive into a Self-Employed Career
The Side Hustle Revolution
By Liz London, Founder of The Ladyboss Nation (https://theladybossnation.com/) and Author of The Business Bible for the Unconventional Entrepreneur (http://www.theunconventionalentrepreneur.com/)
We’re in the middle of a self-employment, side hustle revolution. Parents depend on flexible work hours to accommodate pulling all-nighters with an infant, sick kids, and endless IEP meetings for children who need extra help to be academically successful. Not to mention finding time for family outings, self-care staycations, and good old-fashioned human social contact.
“The internet has made work-from-home online options feasible and affordable.”
The great news is that e-commerce platforms allow anyone with even the most minimal web experience to start selling products online with just a few clicks. A new MLM is born every day, tempting women with discounts on high-end makeup products or fabulously easy nail art by becoming a sales rep for all their friends. One survey estimates that by 2020, there will be 42 million self-employed Americans. Another says that more than half of small businesses are home-based. Doing work remotely is no longer unconventional. It’s practically the norm in many industries.
Yet do any of these side hustle opportunities really care if you’re successful long term? Nope. They just ask you for a username, password, and a bank account number, and you’re off!
So, what does it take to truly run a successful side hustle?
The answer is simple: treat it like a real business. Take your hustle seriously and demand to be taken seriously.
If you’ve got the personal drive, self-starter attitude, strong time management and find a product or service that you love talking to people about in authentic, organic ways, you’ve got the recipe for a successful side hustle.
Choosing a Side Hustle
“It is crucial to choose something that doesn't feel like work, something you can say is my passion rather than a job 'I need to do for cash'. It is key to pick a niche that needs an uplift! Your side hustle should be one that is giving people a reason to follow, subscribe, pay or endorse. It should make whatever else there is on the market look dull when put up against you! Your work, service or product should be different enough to attract the audience in that particular niche but also assimilate to the audience’s standard of 'What they already know'.” - Syed M. Rizvi, Online Medical Educator & Founder of REV MED (https://www.instagram.com/rev.med/)
Quick Steps to Get Started
By Rachel Jones, Founder of Money Hacking Mama (http://moneyhackingmama.com/)
There are endless possibilities to make extra money with a side hustle these days. Technology has made it easier than ever before to find people who are looking for your skills or services. Sometimes the hardest part is figuring out which side hustle you want to do. Here are some tips:
1. Start by brainstorming things you enjoy and are good at. This will help you narrow down your selection choice. For example, if you like dogs and you’re good with them, you can start by coming up with side hustle ideas related to dogs.
2. Next, once you’ve found a general area, you should try to brainstorm as many ideas as possible. For example, if you like dogs some side hustle ideas could include being a dog walker, dog sitting, dog training, making dog collars and selling them on Etsy, dog breeding, dog photography, the list can go on and on.
3. Once you have a list of ideas, it’s time to go through them and see which one speaks to you and which one combines your unique skills and interests.
4. Once you choose an idea, you can test it out and see if people are interested in what you’re offering. If the interest seems low, you can try a different idea from your list. Don’t be afraid to test things.
