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A Complete Guide to Finding the Right Side Hustle

Side hustles have become very popular. Here's a complete guide to finding the right side hustle.

By Jacqui CoombePublished 2 years ago 4 min read
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Side hustles have become very popular with people in recent years. They’re not just about generating extra cash to cover your expenses or to save more money. For those who want to make a change, a side hustle can become an entrypoint for transitioning into a career that they love. For others, a great side gig might not become a full-time job but provide a lot of creative satisfaction and fulfilment in addition to a second stream of income. Yet, finding the right side hustle and launching your second job can seem daunting if you’re new to it. How do you go about deciding what type of work you should do and getting started?

1. Skills and interests

You’re already working full time (or perhaps part time) in your main job, so you’ll need a level of commitment to persist in your second role. For this reason, you should look at your skills, personality, and interests when choosing your side hustle. If the idea of speaking in front of audiences scares you, a job moonlighting as a master of ceremonies probably wouldn’t be right for you. On the other hand, if you’re organised and love selling and dealing with customers, flipping goods for cash online could turn out to be a profitable venture. So take time to consider what you’re interested in and what excites you, as, for most individuals, this will maximise the chances of success. Make a list of possible things you’re interested in.

Once you have a list of interests, passions, or hobbies, you can start narrowing it down by considering your skills. You might like the idea of driving people around and socialising with them, but if you don’t have your driver’s licence or lack sufficient driving experience, becoming a ride-hailing driver might not be a good idea. In most cases, it’ll be a good idea to work through each potential hustle in your list by checking whether your current skills and knowledge would set you up well for the role. Finding that sweet spot between what comes naturally to you and what you’re proficient at gives you the best foundation for succeeding. It could see you persisting at something that will take up what otherwise would be your free time.

2. Getting started

Once you’ve chosen a side gig, it’s time to put it to the test. You might have a clear plan for launch, but for others, some missteps, testing, and trial runs might be necessary. Don’t be afraid to experiment when getting started if you don’t yet know exactly how your side-hustle business will look like. One of your first steps will probably be working out how much time you have to dedicate and what kind of a market you have for your goods or services. Whether you’re becoming a pet sitter, virtual assistant, or freelance photographer, you’ll need sufficient demand to guarantee a certain level of income for the time and effort you put into your second role.

Look at similar local businesses and try to gauge how busy they are. Start marketing your goods or service, whether it’s through online advertising or other means. This could also give you a good idea of how much demand there is out there. For the next step, do research for newbie tips and information. Spend some time reading about the world of side hustles so you can avoid common pitfalls made by beginners. Another essential step is to set yourself up with essentials like an office space, online presence, social media channels, equipment, stock, and goods where relevant. Keep in mind once you’ve launched, your side hustle could continue to evolve. You’ll likely be receiving feedback from your customers and adapting your offerings to meet what individuals and businesses are seeking.

3. Work to milestones

A side hustle sounds great, but it can test your commitment when things get busy. As you balance your job, family and friends, and your social life, it’s important to find ways to stay focused. To achieve what you intend with your second gig, set realistic, manageable goals so things don’t stagnate. Establishing and reviewing milestones keeps you motivated. They also let you evaluate how effective and on target you’ve been. You’ll be able to see more clearly what’s been working and what hasn’t worked so well so you can focus your efforts on what you need to.

So how do you set a milestone? You could start by setting weekly, monthly, and quarterly goals. These could include things like growing your sales, growing your customer base, developing a new service or solution, and increasing web traffic. Be specific, and assign percentages, figures, and dates to each milestone to make it measurable.

A successful side hustle could be that meeting point between sufficient market demand, a viable profit margin, and your interests and passions. In time, you might be able to turn it into something full-time and perhaps even grow it into a bigger business with employees. You might be able to find the perfect hustle on your first try. However, don’t be afraid to keep experimenting. If things don’t turn out the way you planned and the idea of a second gig and extra income still interest you, explore and pivot until you find something that works. With a side hustle, you can afford to take more risks - and enjoy the journey to discovering something profitable you enjoy doing.

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About the Creator

Jacqui Coombe

Jacqueline Coombe is a freelance writer specialising in business development, marketing and career development content. With 7 years of experience preparing content for a range of industries, she enjoys sharing her expertise with others.

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