Is there something you're really good at that you like doing? Have you ever thought about using that skill to make a side income? In this article we will talk about how you can leverage an expertise/passion to make some money on the side, potentially start something that could grow into a career.
Jonathan and Emily dive into the “why” of side hustles to talk about their experiences.
Jonathan:
Passion! It is the things that drive humans to be better. Whether it is a passion for cooking, sports, or writing - when you feel strongly about doing something it inspires you to get better. I have found my side hustle as a way to channel the passion I feel about career coaching. For as long as I have been a professional I have been providing career advice to my friends and family. I did not realize that I could monetize my knowledge until my friend offered me $50 to help him with his resume. I was nervous to do it because I didn’t know what to expect. I was confident that I knew what a good resume was, and that I could help my friend, but I doubted myself. However, after working on the resume and seeing my friend’s gratitude, I knew I had something valuable. As I continued to see more needs I was able to curate more services to leverage my knowledge and help clients.
I believe that a lot of people have knowledge/skills that can be used as a side hustle. However, it is hard to determine what skills can be monetized. You also need to consider whether you are passionate enough to sacrifice your time, effort and sometimes money with your hustle. If you are contemplating putting yourself out there here are a couple things to think about:
Write out some skills you have that you would be willing to pay for.
Determine if they can be made into a product or service.
Do some research and see if others have paid for these product and services
Ask your friends and families if they would pay for your product or service
Determine how much of a market there is and how you would market your hustle
Being a recruiter I realized that I had extensive knowledge about professional branding. My skill was knowing what hiring professionals are looking for. After working with my first client, I started researching how much of a need there was for resume writing. Through LinkedIn I was able to see that a lot of people were looking for help, and from there I started marketing through social media. Through subconsciously executing these steps, I was able to build a side business.
After doing JRH for a little over a year there a couple things that I have learned:
Put yourself out there
Be consistent about marketing
Believe in yourself
These lessons have provided me with mild success during my time doing JRH. I would recommend that anyone looking to leverage their skills for side income should follow these tips. The benefits of developing a side business are awesome. It provides feelings of ownership, growth and more. So if you have an itch to create something new, try it! Don’t let fear stop you and make mo’ monetizing what you know!
Emily:
How to get out of your own way
The only true way I’ve found to actually make change in my life always comes down to one thing -- adaptation. Everytime that I’ve decided that I want to try to make a big change in my life or add a new habit to my routine, I start off very inspired. I’m a sucker for New Years Resolutions, 30 day challenges, and all goal setting. I love the feeling of checking off to-do lists, completing goals, and having a side hustle.
Now, part of introducing something new into your life is making room for it - whether that be physical space, time, or mental energy. Humans are habitual creatures and when our routine is interrupted it’s difficult to assimilate to. When I’m trying to make room for something new in my life like a side hustle, I always find myself thinking of this common idea that I’ve heard phrased a few different ways - “If you really want to do something, you’ll find a way; if you don’t, you’ll find an excuse.” This powerful quote starts to taunt you a bit as you question the ideas of things you’ve “always wanted to do.” What’s truly been stopping you?
There will always be an excuse not to do something, but what I suggest instead of avoidance is adaptation. So, you want to start a side job? It’s a daunting and loaded undertaking. But, it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. The smallest adjustments in your daily routine will lead to bigger changes. Block 5 minutes of your evening and dedicate it to research every day for a month. Skip checking social media for 20 minutes in the morning and brainstorm your business ideas instead. You probably have more time than you think you do, and you can guarantee to make significant changes in your life by starting small. Five minutes might not seem notable at first, but slowly dedicating a small portion of the room in your life for a new habit will yield changes, if you can adapt to them.
The most important part of adaptation is committing to it. So great, you’re spending 5 minutes or 10 minutes, or maybe even an hour a day, using dedicated brain power to brainstorm, research, or start your own side hustle. But now what? Well, the answer is commitment. The ideal outcome is that you can gradually increase the room you’ve made for this new activity in your life. However, if 6 months have gone by and you are still only spending 5 minutes a day on your side hustle - that’s a giant win. Your consistency is off the charts amazing. You really wanted to start something, and you found a way. Doing something is always better than doing nothing. You will not accept any excuses that you make for yourself.
So - reader, let me ask you this… what’s yours?
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