I decided to start my side hustle (aka this blog!) back in 2016 when I graduated from CSUN. My primary purpose was to find an outlet for writing (bc hello boring day job!) and to find an easy way to share with others.

After years of content creation and blogging, I’ve received some DMs on how to jump Into or start a side hustle. We are lucky now in a sense that technology has paved the way for opportunities beyond brick-and-mortar AND resources are just readily available online for research.

So what is a side hustle? In simple terms to me, it is an extra source of income outside of your typical job.

Before I dive into some of my tips, here are some benefits of doing something outside of your day job:

• Finding purpose beyond your work
• Diversifying your skills outside of work (ie. creativity!)
• Connecting with others in a different way
• Gain time AND project management skills
• And of course, earning extra income!

Your side hustle can contribute to savings, paying off debt, etc and can give you a sense of “reassurance” knowing you’ll always have some flow of income coming through.

Let’s talk skills to determine which side hustle to start

It can be as easy as surveying your skills! For example, I knew I loved writing + designing – both of which I was unable to explore in my initial day job. Since I loved to write, I immediately went straight to the blogging platform followed by Instagram years later when IG was only for iPhone users and I was unfortunately Team Android (lol, I kid!)

Ask yourself: what do I enjoy doing? What am I good at? Is there a need for this?

If you like managing tasks for instance, you can be a Virtual Assistant (aka a VA). If you love all things social media and want to do more beyond your own account, consider being a Social Media Manager!

Be patient when you start your side hustle

I didn’t start a blog to make money tbh. I started blogging bc I wanted to expand on my previous Blogger/Blogspot/Tumblr use. My work did not allow me to be creative, so this seemed to be the only avenue. I didn’t realize it was even possible to monetize my blog until I came across other bloggers at events sharing some of their tips. While I’m making extra pocket change, I want you to know this isn’t an overnight journey. Be patient and don’t give up before you see your initial transformation. Trust in the process.

Be realistic with your schedule

This one’s huge for me. I used to beat myself up for not blogging or creating enough. I know a ton of 9-5ers KILLING it in the content creation world, and I’d go down a rabbit hole comparing myself and my worth. While I’m still figuring things out, it’s important to be realistic with yourself and your goals. For first-time bloggers for instance, you might want to set a goal of blogging once a week and then building it up or lowering it depending on your bandwidth. Ask yourself: how many hours do I have to allocate to this? Do I see myself doing this in the long run?

My current goal is to blog 3-4x/month, but I’m also trying to be more flexible in anticipating any unforeseen events that might throw this off. Lately, I’ve been drained from my 9-5 work, so I tend to do most of my blogging/IG content on weekends but sometimes, I just want to binge watch a show and that is okay!

Survey your inner circle to “validate” what you can bring to the table

Ask around and find out which side hustles your friends and family are doing. Some may be of interest to you and you can even chat with them to brainstorm some ideas that would align with your skills and goals. I know the term “networking” can be pretty rigid, but do a couple of coffee chats. Diversify your digital feeds and find out what people are doing.

Also, you can also avoid the “online influencer” world by doing things like:

• Setting up an account on Upwork to freelance work like graphic design, copywriting, editing, etc. Super quick, easy, and you can sign up for short-term/long-term projects!
• Managing social media accounts for small businesses
• Driving with ridesharing apps if you’re into being out and about
• Teaching English (ie. Vipkid)
• Recording voiceovers or transcribing
• Assisting with a business’ finances (ie. taking care of invoices)
• Real estate
• Caregiving
• And many more!

You can also look up remote service-based jobs. For instance, if you’re a photographer, you may look up editing/designing jobs if you’re trying to be remote or post photography gigs if you want to do in-person. So many people are often googling things on their own that I’m pretty sure they’d love to hand off to someone!

Do a self-assessment 

Once you have an idea of what side hustle you’d want, ask yourself a few things:

• Do I need to gain more skills or get extra training in? For example, I considered being a health coach on the side and just bailed on that idea bc I really was not trying to do more certifications/training after I invested in getting my MPH (!!).
• How much effort would this take? Personally, blogging + creating content takes up SO MUCH of my time but I would NOT give it up for anything else in the world. It allows me to tap into my creativity and fulfills me beyond my 9-5.
• Do I have time for this? 
• Will I be happy doing this 6 months from now?
• Is the pay worth the type of work I’m doing? If you feel like you’d be working way too much for pocket change, consider your priorities (time/rest vs money)

I also want to reiterate that you do NOT need a side hustle as well. If you’re living comfortably and enjoying having time to do things you love, please do not feel like you need to go googling for ways to fill up your time. I’m a huge supporter of rest and self-care and would advocate against working way too much unless you want to! 

If you are considering starting a side hustle though, I hope this post helps as you figure out next steps. I also created a worksheet down below, so be sure to grab it! If you have ANY questions on starting a side hustle, whether it’s time to quit your FT job to pursue something bigger, or if you’d like to specifically start a blog, let me know and I can share some tips in my next one!