Individuals everywhere are using their passions to come up with creative ideas to start their side-hustle. The term “side-hustle” can be defined as any side job that helps you make some extra cash or even just a niche that you’ve decided to develop. Side-hustles can range from selling home-made jewelry to freelance work, or even an internship or volunteer experience. Typically, side-hustles stem from a passion, skill, or hobby that you’ve decided to take to the next level and possibly even use to generate some revenue.
This week I spoke with Kevin O’Connell about where to start your side-hustle, how to manage your side-hustle, and how to turn your side-hustle into a career. If you have a skill that you want to turn into a gig, or maybe you already have a side-hustle and want to take it to the next level, this blog will walk you through the best ways to get your side-hustle moving.
An important point that Kevin made clear was that “side-hustle” is definitely a buzzword and having one isn’t for everyone.
“Side-hustles don’t have to lead to money, don't have to lead to overnight fame or to starting your own business, it could just be a creative outlet that gets you to your next opportunity.”
This article will show you how to turn your side-hustle into your career or how to use it as a stepping stone for your next job.
Creating Your Side-Hustle
Creating a side-hustle isn’t always easy, but for Kevin he had the “epiphany” of The Niche Movement. TNM was Kevin’s first side-hustle, an organization dedicated to helping college students find their niche. When I asked him how he first started TNM, he explained that through the creation of his website and blog, he realized that, “all of a sudden I had this business, I had a side-hustle.” Since then, Kevin has taken TNM full-time, along with FYN Creative. He still has a few side-hustles today like teaching at GW, General Assembly and as a keynote speaker.
If you aren't a full-on entrepreneur like Kevin but you have a passion, service, or product that you want to start making a profit on, you may be wondering where to start. Kevin often asks people with this conundrum,“What are three things you would do for free?” Answer that question first and see if you could start your side-hustle there.
“If you can’t answer that question, look at your Instagram feed, the books you read, the shows you watch, your Google search history. There has to be something that you are really into that you can turn into your side-hustle.”
Once you have those three things, the next step is turning your idea into a reality. I asked Kevin for examples of people turning their idea into a product. He mentioned that his brother-in-law, Kyle Stone, started an MCT super coffee, Lyle’s Buttered Coffee, simply with a magic bullet blender in his apartment. Stone started by showing up at farmer’s markets giving out samples. “Then he had a small warehouse, then an even larger warehouse, and eventually he was in stores. It started in his tiny apartment.” This is proof that to create a product, you don’t need tons of investment and technology from the get-go, it all starts with a creative idea and dedication.
Another friend, Dustin Ramsdell, started a podcast called Higher Ed Geek. The podcast, although a side-hustle, is more of a passion project, combining Ramsdell’s work in higher education and love for geek culture. Kevin speaks to Ramsdell’s side-hustle and that it’s okay to have your side-hustle be a way to flex your creativity.
“[Dustin] might make some sponsorships and small money off of it–not enough to go off on his own though. But he’s flexing his creative outlet and doing something he's truly in love with outside of his nine-to-five.”
When creating your side-hustle your gig should be something that you want to do and that makes you happy. It doesn't necessarily need to go full-time and gain popularity overnight, but it should involve your passions and be something that you look forward to doing. Especially now, given the uncertain circumstances, it may be particularly risky to leave your day job. Instead, keep your side-hustle as an extra hobby.
We also discussed volunteering as a form of a side-hustle. If you aren’t doing what you would hope to be doing with your nine-to-five and are looking for more involvement, volunteering could fill that gap. Whether it’s spending a few hours every week or month with a non-profit, there is so much to gain from that experience. You can do it to the point where you may even be an integral part of the organization and that may be your next step. Volunteering isn’t about making money and you can be part of a project with like-minded people that share the same goals as you.
Establishing Credibility
Regardless of the nature of your side-hustle, whether it’s providing a service or selling a good or product, you need to establish credibility. One of the best ways to establish credibility is testimonials.
“My business now is 90% referral based. Just because I have a fancy website and a blog, it’s all referral based and that’s how I know I’m building up credibility. I put out some piece of content, deliver a keynote, deliver a training, and people start talking and provide a testimonial or say ‘hey, we’re looking for XYZ service and Kevin’s the person to do it.’ People can run ads and all that stuff but it’s all about testimonials, referrals, and putting out really good work, product, or service.”
Word-of-mouth advertising was integral in getting Kevin’s business moving. He also explains that you can’t be afraid to ask your personal and professional network for referrals in order to garner more business. It’s great to put yourself and your side-hustle out there and generate positive responses, but you also need to get testimonials and referrals to establish credibility.
There are other ways to establish credibility, like joining a larger organization as a freelancer. Maybe they can’t afford to take you on full time, but you would still be able to experiment with your skills and make a few extra bucks a month. A friend of Kevin’s, Mandi Stewart, who now works in higher education and student affairs, had experience working with a larger company as her side hustle. Stewart’s first side-hustle was actually editor-in-chief at TNM.
“She was on the West Coast and would get up for 6AM calls because she was just that passionate about it and was given the creative outlet she needed. Now, full circle, after finishing her PhD she started a side-hustle selling women’s makeup and then got embedded in another company. Although she didn’t start it from scratch, she’s her own boss, it’s her own side-hustle, and she has support from a bigger company to do so.”
Stewart’s dedication to TNM showcases the perfect side-hustle, something that you are passionate about outside of your nine-to-five and are willing to show up for. She was then able to start her own side-hustle, creating safe make-up. Stewart furthered her reputation by joining a larger company but still reaps the benefits from being her own boss.
Additionally, there are many online tools that can help you and others start taking your side-hustle more seriously. Websites like Fiverr, Thumbtack, and Upwork allow you to post services like web design, coding, and even landscaping. Creating a profile on these freelancing websites will get you more work and add legitimacy to your side-hustle. These opportunities are great for establishing your expertise, getting your hustle out there and taking it to the next level.
Taking Your Side-Hustle Full-Time
During Kevin’s process of expanding his side-hustle, he made the decision to go full-time. But in making this decision, Kevin shared that he realized taking his side-hustle full time was going to take longer than he anticipated. This may be common for people with side-hustles–of course you want to get going on turning your side hustle into a full time career–but you also need to make sure you have the right tools implemented for your hustle to succeed. I asked Kevin what to do when you want to take your side-gig full time.
“You’re going to analyze your revenue streams. Say you’re making three to four thousand dollars a month from your paid job–does the side hustle start to produce that much money, or close to that much money per month? Is it producing half? If you go full time can you make up that other half? Another thing to consider is saving a couple thousand dollars from your side-hustle program and when it comes time–you can go off on your own. So putting 25%, 50%, 100% of the money that you are making away, will give you that financial runway and help ease the stress and anxiety a little bit more.”
Obviously stability is crucial when going off on your own. If you can create a safety net, in terms of dollars, the more stable and secure ground you’ll have to launch your side-hustle off of. You’re going to want to ensure that you have enough money invested in your side-hustle and have the resources to take it full time. Equally as important, you want to make sure that you will be able to generate revenue that you can live off of.
Staying Motivated
Oftentimes you might get caught up in starting your passion project, but then excitement fizzles out. What if you aren’t garnering as much traction as you wanted to, or you’re getting too caught up in the amount of ‘clicks’ you’re receiving? Kevin introduced me to an essay, “1,000 True Fans” by Kevin Kelly. Kelly explains that you don’t need a million subscribers, views, etc. you only really need “1,000 true fans,” or whatever that number may be for you. Kevin explained that this piece has always been in the back of his mind when it comes to TNM. He has a strong core audience for his posts and career advice, and that support keeps TNM going.
Kevin and I also discussed consistency and the importance with getting content out, even if you aren’t generating revenue.
“Create that Instagram, that TikTok account, but it’s [about] the consistency. My friend, Micheal Shipp, created a podcast called Perfect Timing Multisport. He’s a triathlete merging adversity and sport–he’s putting out a podcast twice a week for about three months now. He’s interviewing triathletes and other athletes about the adversities they faced and how sport helped them. He’s showing up on a weekly basis. If you want traction, if you want views, if you want sponsorship, if you want people to recognize you, you need to be in people’s faces and show up.”
It can be daunting to keep putting out material to what seems like an empty audience, but if you are serious about your work, consistency is critical. Like Kevin mentioned, you need to be in people’s feed in order to be recognized, and with that comes putting out content regularly. There may be days when the last thing you want to do is create a TikTok or write that blog post, but it’s a responsibility that comes along with developing your side-hustle.
If you are looking for more resources and advice on starting your side-hustle here’s a great Medium article that outlines what you can do during COVID-19 to get your side-gig going. Additionally I’ve linked a Forbes article that further strategizes turning your side-hustle into your full-time job.
Even if you don’t end up continuing with your side-hustle, it’s still a great skill to take with you. You can add that you started a blog or a podcast to your resume. Side-hustles show determination, creative thinking, and technical skills, all attributes that employers look for, and it may even help you land your next job. Whether you’re looking for a way to showcase and develop new skills, boost your resume, or even start your own business, a side-hustle can help get you there.
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