So you’ve decided this is the year you’re going to start your side hustle. Congratulations! Taking that first step is definitely one of the hardest parts.
But what comes next isn’t exactly easy either! Because now the work of actually launching your side hustle, and turning that dream into a reality begins.
And we’re not going to lie to you. It’s going to be tough. You’ll face challenges and setbacks. You’ll feel like you want to quit. But you won’t. Because at the end of the day, it will all be worth it seeing your side hustle roar to life.
And while we can’t take away all of the struggles you’ll face on your journey, we can help make the road to success just that little bit easier.
We’ve got some top tips to help you start that side hustle. Check them out, and let’s help you bring that side hustle front and center!
Tips to Help You Start Your Side Hustle
1. Outline your side hustle dream
First things first, determine what it is you want to do. This may seem like a no-brainer, but it’s important to have a clear focus from the outset. Once you know what your main objective is, it becomes much easier to make a plan and take actionable steps towards achieving it.
You’ve probably got a really good idea about what you envision your side hustle being. But you put pen to paper and write down all you want your side hustle to be.
You can’t create a game plan without first knowing the game. So, start by outlining your side hustle. It’s the first step for turning that dream into a reality.
2. Define your goals
Next, you need to define the goals you want to achieve by starting your side hustle.
Starting a side hustle is an exciting prospect, allowing you to pursue your passions and make money at the same time. Before you dive in, it’s important to take a step back and define your goals. What exactly do you hope to achieve by starting this journey?
Is it supplemental income to help cover monthly expenses? Or do you want to transition into self-employment full-time? Establishing clear goals from the very beginning will allow you to measure progress and work towards them with purpose!
Whether you want financial security or the freedom to determine your schedule, taking the time to establish these goals will set the groundwork for success.
3. Do your research
Next tip for successfully starting a side hustle? Do your research! There’s no need to reinvent the wheel, or learn everything for yourself. You can learn a lot by leaning on those who have walked the road before you .
So, before embarking on a side hustle, take the time to do your research. Find out what others in the same field are doing and build off existing solid foundations. Research all areas of your potential business.
Thorough research can help save lots of time and energy, by helping you avoid unnecessary trial and error. This saved time then allows you to focus on polishing your own business ideas.
4. Create a plan of action
Now it’s time to create your plan of action. This will help you stay organized and on track.
A plan of action helps keep all your bright ideas neatly organized and will help you stay on track as you launch your business. Taking the time to think ahead, map out goals, outline key steps and plan your finances, can ensure that when it comes time to start executing, everything will be much more effortless.
The plan of action should document all the steps you need to take in order to launch your side hustle. This can include tasks like finding a business name, setting up legal documents, researching logistics and marketing strategy among other things.
Are you making products? Selling a service? Think about everything involved in you successfully fullfilling your mission. And write these down in your action plan.
That way, you won’t miss out any vital steps. And you can launch your side hustle without a hitch.
5. Set aside time each week to work on your side hustle
No plan becomes reality without time and hard work. You’ve laid out your plan of action, but now you need to put the work in.
There’s no way around it. A side hustle will take time. Time you need to carve out of your already, more than likely, full schedule. But if we don’t make time for things, they simply won’t happen.
So a key tip is to treat your side hustle like part of your weekly responsibilities, rather than something you work on “when you have time”. Newsflash! That time is never going to materialize if you don’t make it happen.
You need to look at your schedule, and figure out where you can build in that time you need to work on your side hustle. But, let me tell you, it will take some sacrifices.
Perhaps you need to get up an hour earlier to work on your side hustle before the day starts. Perhaps, instead of watching that re-run (again!) you need to switch off Netflix and dedicate your evenings to putting your carefully thought-out plan of action into action.
The main takeaway here is that just because you’ve decided to launch your side hustle and create a foolproof plan, you’re not going to magically have the time to make the dream a reality. You have to make time. And the best way to do this is to schedule in dedicated side hustle time in your weekly schedule.
6. Don’t be afraid to ask for help
Can I let you in on a little secret to successfully launching your side hustle…ask for help! Seriously! You don’t have to do it alone!
It can be hard to work through setting up a side hustle, especially if you’re feeling the pressure to make it a success. So don’t be afraid to ask for help!
Whether you need help with a specific task or more general guidance on how to get started, don’t be afraid to ask! You won’t be the only one who has gone through what you’re going through.
Reach out to family and friends, or even a mentor in the relevant field, for advice and support. Even if they can’t offer direct help, having supportive people around is always helpful when tackling a new challenge!
Don’t feel like you have to go it alone. You could be missing out on invaluable advice and insights because you feel like you have to have it all figured out. You don’t! You can and should ask for help!
7. Don’t forget to have fun!
Finally, our last key tip for successfully starting a side hustle…don’t forget to have fun! This is supposed to be something you enjoy, so make sure you’re enjoying yourself along the way!
While taking the necessary steps towards success and growth always require dedication, discipline, and hard work, don’t get so lost in the process that you lose all the joy the thoughts of starting a side hustle used to bring.
So make sure you give yourself permission to enjoy yourself along the journey – it’s part of what makes your side hustle worth all the time and effort you put in.
Yes, it will be hard. That’s a given. There will be challenges, setbacks, and disappointments. But it shouldn’t only be those things! (If it is, consider relooking and reworking your action plan! Because something is not working!) Take time to enjoy the small wins. They lead to big wins! But if you don’t appreciate and celebrate the little things along the way, how can you expect the “big wins” to bring joy and fullfillment when they eventually happen?
Take the time to enjoy and appreciate the journey, and your success will be that much sweeter!
In Conclusion
If you’re thinking of starting a side hustle, we say go for it! But we also know that starting a side hustle takes more than just deciding to do it. And we also know that not everyone who decides to launch a side hustle meets with success.
But we do know some handy tips to tip the scales of success in your favor.
Let these tips help you as you prepare to launch your side hustle, and we can wait to hear of the success you experiecne along the way!
Related read: The Best Self-Improvement Podcasts for 2023
