How To Turn Your Passion Into A Successful Full-Time Side Hustle
A lot of people are now embracing the idea of a side hustle. In fact, almost 46.5 million people in Canada and the United States are working outside their 9-5 jobs. In this post, you’ll learn effective strategies to help turn your passion into a full-time side hustle.
For most people, making some extra cash is one of the primary drivers of a side hustle. Others are searching for ways to fuel their passion and widen their experience.
Regardless of the reason why you’re thinking of jumping on board, it’s important that you have a clear understanding of what a side hustle is. Knowing important tips and tricks can also help you in the long run. This article will guide you on the right path to becoming a side hustle pro.
What Is a Side Hustle?
The word “hustle” used to have a negative connotation. People used to think that it was associated with wrongful and unlawful means of earning money.
This is not the case anymore. Today, the term side hustle means a way of making money outside of your full-time job. It’s using your spare time to earn extra cash to alleviate your financial burden, pursue your passion, or buy things you want. Because the truth is, most of our 9-5 jobs are not enough to cover all of these expenses, relying fully on your full-time job can mostly mean paying all the bills and expenses but leaving you with no extra money for a little luxury or savings.
A side hustle can mean different things to different people. Most people associate it with earning extra income. For some, it’s just an opportunity to explore other skills or passions that they don’t get to use in their regular jobs. Others see it as an opportunity to create a brand or start a business.
If your goal is to achieve financial independence while doing the things that you love, then it is important that you pick the right hustle. Having a 9-5 job can already be exhausting. You can easily find the boost of energy and creativity to survive your side hustle if you enjoy what you do.
If you’re set on starting your side hustle and rising amongst millions of side hustlers, you must follow the helpful tips in the next section.
Elevate Your Side Hustle to the Next Level
Almost half of Americans resort to side make ends meet. Forty-three percent of these people who have side hustles have full-time jobs, while 51% are part-time workers. These side businesses earn an average of $686 per month. Some side hustlers use the extra money to cover ordinary expenses, while others consider the money disposable income.
While most people with a side hustle are happy earning some money on the side, some creative entrepreneurs make substantial income from their part-time gig. These people are not just getting by. They have mastered the art of side hustling and often overtake their main source of income.
Do you want to increase the digits in your bank account, too? Follow these tips and become a side hustle pro.
Find Your Passion and Set Your Goals
The last thing you want in your side hustle is for it to feel like a chore. It’s never a good start when you start a project just because you have to rather than because you want to. Having a side hustle will only work if you genuinely enjoy every second that you spend on it. This can be a demanding endeavor as it requires extra time, energy, and sometimes money. You will have more motivation and perseverance if you are passionate about what you do.
Create a list of the things that you like or are interested in. Brainstorm possible side hustle ideas that you can have around your hobbies, interests, and skills. This is always a good start for your new business project.
For example, Nicole Buergers started her company, Bee2Bee Honey Collective, because she loves bees. Her company is one of the biggest service providers for the installation and maintenance of beehives around Houston. She’s now earning an average of $4,000 a month.
Why do you need to set your goals?
Setting goals is also a key step in starting your side hustle. Determine what you want to do, where you want to go, and when you want to achieve these goals. Creating a roadmap will keep you on the right track and lead you to success.
Goal setting is crucial in any endeavor. It keeps you organized and focused and helps you be motivated and accountable.
Write down your goals and set a due date for each goal. Additionally, it would be best if you also created action plans on how to reach these goals. For example, if you want to create and monetize a blog, list the things you need to make this happen. This may include creating three good-quality blog posts per week, setting up promotions to reach a wider audience, or utilizing social media to promote your blog.
Mindlessly signing up for gigs may help you earn extra cash, but strategic planning can make these side gigs reliable and successful.
Organization is the Key
A systematic process is important to a successful business. It’s hard to deliver great results and impress your clients when you’re bouncing from one place to another without getting things done.
If you want to become a side hustle pro, then you must master the art of organization. Several years ago, a planner and a pen were every businessman’s weapons of success. Thanks to the power of technology, organizing the things that you need to do in a day is no longer limited to a bulky pen and several pages of paper.
These tools and applications can help you get things organized. As a result, you get to tick a lot of items off your checklist easier and faster.
Trello
Trello is a popular tool used by many organizations and companies. It’s great in managing shared projects while it also works well for individual users.
You can create several cards for your “to-do” list on your board. You can also easily keep track of its progress and label the ones that you have completed. It offers many options to organize the things you want to do, and you can even set a due date and label the ones that are of high priority.
Trello offers both web and mobile apps. This service is free but you can upgrade for $10 to $21 per month and get featured services like the ability to attach larger files to cards or improved integration with third-party apps.
Cortana
If you can’t afford to pay a virtual assistant yet, downloading Cortana would be your best alternative. This app can help you organize your day—it can create a list, take notes, and even set task reminders. It also works with most calendar apps, so you can keep track of your appointments or add new events conveniently. Additionally, Cortana gives you access to daily weather forecasts and news.
Google Keep
If you’re like many people who feel the need to note any idea that pops into their mind, then this app is perfect for you. It’s compatible with multiple platforms and offers a straightforward interface to make your note-taking game easier and more organized.
Smarter Time
Spending your entire day wisely is critical for the success of your side hustle. It’s easy to get lost with time, though. You can keep track of your time and activities thanks to Smarter Time. This app lets you log all of the activities you do in a day and how much time each consumes. Based on this data, Smarter Time generates a report on how you spend your day as well as which activities you eat most of your time. This app can help you set customized goals to help you spend and manage your time wisely.
Create Your Brand
One thing that will take your side hustle apart from the others is your brand. Build a brand that will serve as the identity for your business. This brand should represent who you are and what you do.
Creating a good logo should be the first step in building your brand. This logo does not need to be over the top; sometimes, the simplest logo grabs more attention and attracts more potential clients. Your logo should be distinct and recognizable. More importantly, you should use your brand consistently across all platforms, including social media and print.
When you have built a strong brand, more clients will take your business seriously. It creates a positive impression that this is not just your hobby but a legitimate business.
Promote Your Brand
Most side hustles start within the local community. You offer your service to your friends, neighbors or co-workers. If you want to become a side hustle pro, you should not limit your service within your community. We now live in a modern society where marketing your brand can reach so many target audiences all over the world.
Leverage the power of technology to your advantage. Once you have already established your brand, promote it through social media to widen your reach.
Here are some of the best social media platforms for marketing your side hustle and potentially growing your client list.
This platform is known to be the most business-oriented social media site out there. With more than 260 million active users, you can easily build credibility for your side hustle business. To establish your brand as an expert in your field, you must always present yourself professionally. You should also post informative content regularly. These posts should be related to the services that you offer. For example, if you are a personal coach, write blog posts or share content that promotes health and wellness. Regardless of your service, you must attract more clients by showing them you know what you are doing.
Twitter is a great platform if your side hustle requires you to engage with your customers. Over 80% of Twitter users use their mobile accounts, so it’s a convenient way of posting content and responding to your customers anytime and anywhere. You can also use this platform as a research tool. You can take a poll on what product your customers want, crowdsource solutions to a problem, or get immediate feedback on your new product.
If you offer products in crafts, arts, beauty, retail, or fashion, you should start using Instagram to market your brand immediately. Instagram can help you visualize your brand and present it to your audience. Its interface is user-friendly and offers tons of filters and effects. You don’t need an expensive camera or jaw-breaking photography skills to present your products and services. Just remember to post content that is appropriate to your brand regularly.
Facebook is no longer an app where people catch up with their friends or share what they have for lunch. It has grown so much that it has now evolved into a powerful app for business owners and entrepreneurs. Word-of-mouth has always been an effective marketing tool. Getting great reviews from other people who used and liked your service can certainly gain the trust of potential clients. It also offers a Marketplace feature where you can post your products and services to people near your location.
Track Your Success
Constantly evaluating your progress and tracking your success is integral for your business. Go back to your goals from time to time and check how far you have come along. Knowing your little wins and success stories will keep you inspired and motivated.
You should also open a separate bank account exclusively for your side hustle income. This way, you can easily keep track of your earnings.
Last Piece of Advice
A side hustle should not just be limited to being an extra source of income to pay the bills and make both ends meet. Become a side hustle pro and take your business to the next level. Doing the things that you love while achieving financial dependency is ultimately possible. These helpful tips can help you become the businessman that you have always wanted to be.