Side hustles are a great way to increase your income beyond what you make in your 9 to 5 — and with more money comes more opportunities.
For example, increasing your income could allow you to pay off your student loans more quickly or reach that savings goal even faster than you had anticipated — the possibilities are endless.
The best part about getting your hustle on is that there are a variety of ways you can do it, whether it be driving for a car-sharing service such as Uber or Lyft in your spare time, launching a small business for your crafts or using your unique talents to help others.
To help inspire you to get your hustle on, we asked five successful side hustlers to share their top tip for creating a successful side hustle. Here they are.
Just start already
Daniella Flores, creator of iliketodabble.com
There is no secret to starting a successful side hustle. The difference between my successful side hustle and where you currently are right now is that I started mine. Start right now, where you are, with what you have. Then tweak as you learn and grow.
Use free online courses on platforms like Udemy and Coursera to learn new skills or expand on existing ones. Look for Facebook groups in a side hustle niche you want to go for (like freelancing groups or virtual assistant groups) for support as you get started. Follow other creators on Instagram and TikTok for more free learning and start implementing some of the action items they give you. Side hustling is really all about learning as you go — learning by doing. Start now, tweak later. You got this.
Start now and perfect as you go
Becca Brenner, blogger and coach at Blonde Broke and Bougie
The hardest part of starting a side hustle is getting the courage to do it. You may feel pressure to get things perfect, or like you need to make a ton of money off the bat. But if you wait for that, you may never actually do it.
It’s okay to make mistakes along the way. It isn’t okay to wait forever! P.S., an honorable mention goes to my No. 2 tip for starting a side hustle: Put money away for taxes!
Focus on service first
Jannese Torres-Rodriguez, creator and host of the Yo Quiero Dinero podcast, a personal finance literacy podcast for Latinas and people of color
When I’m thinking about a new side hustle, I always approach it from a place of service. Ask yourself these questions: Why am I doing this? What problem am I solving for my clients? How will their life improve by working with me? When your vision and purpose are clear, the success (and money) will come!
Do your research and create valuable content
Latasha Peterson, side hustle expert and founder of Arts and Budgets
When you are just starting out, it’s a great idea to conduct research. In this stage, find out what will be needed to start a successful side hustle (start-up costs, tools, resources).
Additionally, brainstorm and create valuable content that will help your audience solve a direct problem. This will help set you up for success when you are just starting out.
Set specific goals and establish a routine
Katia Chesnok, money expert and founder of Economikat
When you start a side hustle, you have to identify your why. You should ask yourself, “Why do I want to start this side job?” Is it because you need extra income to pay off debt, to start investing or to save more money for a specific goal you want to achieve?
Once you know your “why” for starting this side hustle, it’s easier to set specific SMART goals that you want to achieve.
If you want to succeed, you have to establish a routine. For example, when I started my side hustle, I was also working full time in banking. I would come home and work on my side hustle always after dinner, from 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. I realized that by including the side hustle in my routine, I had more control over my schedule and was able to focus on one task at a time. Being very specific and consistent with your goals is what will set your side hustle up for success.
Learn more:
- 5 services that will help you start a side hustle
- 6 signs your side hustle needs a business bank account
- 12 passive income ideas to help you make more money
