Side Hustles and How to Start Them

“If you want a car, you have to get a job” - the soul crushing statement my parents laid down shortly after my 17th birthday. I’m a May baby, so my fall-born best friends were ahead of the game, already set up with their own rides and what felt like unlimited freedom. I was sick of being a passenger and desperate for my turn behind the wheel, so…I got a job.

I was surprisingly gung-ho about the whole thing once I officially accepted the offer, and I showed up on my first day with my red Michael’s Arts & Crafts shirt, khaki pants, and a matching red bandana in my hair. I was ready to work….or maybe I was just ready for a nice employee discount and my own car. It was this job that led me to my second ‘business’, truthfully, to my second side hustle.

You see, when I was 15 years old, Tumblr was all the rage. I spent a lot of time behind the screen, posting selfies and little journal entries about my life. I racked up a steady following, and decided to test out my reach by asking a simple question - if anyone was interested in buying the scarves and hats I crocheted for fun while watching TV at night. Spoiler - they were! I was 15 when I opened my first Etsy shop, and was already doing custom orders on a weekly basis. To be honest, I wasn’t even very good at crocheting at the time, but my customers loved their purchases! I had my own money for Starbucks dates with my friends, and I was able to treat myself to a cute new skirt or dress at Forever 21 when I wanted. I eventually gave up, but with that retail job at Michael’s and limitless craft supplies just a few steps away, I started my side hustle back up. I made jewelry, hair bows, leg warmers - you name it. As just a teenager, I was able to bring in a little extra money with minimal promotion, minimal work, and truthfully, minimal skill. I turned my hobby into a little flow of income, and that is why we’re going to talk about side hustles.

It seems like nearly everyone has dreamed of owning a business at one point in time - turning a passion into a money flow and having the freedom of creativity. But to be straight forward, being a full-time business owner isn’t for everyone, and if everyone worked for just themselves, we wouldn’t have nurses and teachers and cashiers! If you’ve got that standard 9-5 job, you can still be a boss, and you can bring in extra spending money along the way. Side hustles are perfect for saving for a wedding, new car, or downpayment on your dream home, or they’re perfect for having the extra cash to take a vacation or buy the iPad you’ve always wanted. So how do you do it?

1. Find your talent! Like I said, I love to crochet, so my first side hustle was selling handmade scarves and beanies. Maybe you have a great eye for art, or can renovate a beat up old table into a gorgeous piece of furniture. Maybe your skill is academic and you could start a tutoring business, or maybe you’re a Marie Kondo in the making and can start a home organizing gig! There are endless options for turning something you love into something you can profit from!

2. You don’t need to spend money to make money! When you’re starting a side hustle, it’s not beneficial to dump a lot of start-up money into something that might not profit. Utilize what you already have, or make minimal investments. When I used to make bows, I would use old clothes I no longer wore for repurposing materials, rather than investing in new fabrics - because of this, I made 100% profit! If you love reimagining furniture, check your garage for an old desk or nightstand you can start with, or drive around during a bulk pickup to collect potential furniture from the curb! Once you start selling your work, you can use a portion of the profit to invest in more material.

3. You already know your customers/clients! Don’t worry about buying Facebook ads or developing an expensive marketing strategy. Share your product or service with family and friends, even ask them to spread the word with THEIR family and friends. If you’re a photographer, see who in your network needs new headshots or coverage of their baby shower. If you make killer diet plans, share your service with friends you made at the gym. Start with people you know, and the word will spread from there.

So, you want to be a total boss babe, but don’t know what your business could be? Here are some ideas!:

- Furniture Renovations

- Wedding Invitations

- Web Design

- Home Organization

- Meal Planning

- Photography

- Music

- Event Planning/Coordinating

- Tutoring

- Lightroom Presets

- Music Lessons

- Calligraphy

- Custom Art Portraits

- Landscaping

- Home Staging/Interior Design

Have an idea for a great side hustle? Leave it below in the comments!