Remember why you started your side hustle? If you haven’t pen it down before, it is time to recall your initial drive for doing this.
A side hustle is a side job that people do to improve their lives. In most cases, it starts as something small such as a blog or online business that you juggle as you go about your daily 9 to 5 grind. Speaking of the 9 to 5 grind, isn’t that one of the reasons for you to begin this side hustle?
It definitely is the motivation for me. The other reason is daily commuting. If you have been following some of my blog posts, you know I’m a strong advocate against daily commuting, whether it’s public transport or driving my own car. I just don’t see the long term benefit of spending 2-3 hours on the road daily just to get to the workplace and then back home.
So much energy is used and along with that, the time that could be put to better use.
Enough of my ranting, let’s get back to the key theme. Your side hustle is not working out as desired and you are considering to throw in the towel. The good news is you are not alone.
The better news is that there is a reason why your side hustle is not working out YET…and it’s possible to analyze and rectify that.
Here are some tips I like to share from my personal experience with running my side hustles…
1. How Many Side Hustles Do You Have?
If it is anything more than one, you are probably overstretched. A side hustle is not something you do full-time. It probably happens after work hours from 6 pm to whatever hour you can endure. Sounds tough? It is but if you are planning or already in the midst of one, it’s better to get this fact right.
After a day of work at your office, you have given the best of your energy to your company and thus you have to set realistic goals for each day, week and so on. Don’t start thinking things are not working out because you have put in much work and yet see nothing. Compared to those who are full time 24/7 working on their businesses, you have a job and very often a family to juggle with.
2. Have A Plan!
Start by writing down your long-term goal and then breaking it down into smaller short-term goals. The purpose of doing this is because the long-term goal is what keeps you focused and motivated while the smaller short-term goals are what you have to do daily to get there.
The saying “Failure to plan is Planning to Fail” holds in these kind of situations.
3. Time Drain From Social Media
Almost everyone who starts and runs an online venture will struggle with social media. The fact is, you know somehow you need to get onto it but once you are in, you are flooded by tweets and all kinds of social media notifications. Suddenly, you have a lot going in for you.
In my experience, social media is a double edged sword. If you have a message for your audience, it’s definitely a potential channel but again, it doesn’t mean lots of people will get to read your article or ad as there are just so much information out there.
If you are feeling this way as well, it is time to pause…for a while and rethink your social media strategy.
Are you investing in too many platforms and not seeing any results?
Is it better for you to focus on just one platform and build up that channel first before trying to jump onto every social media bandwagon? In fact, this is my preferred way and I am currently focusing on Twitter.
Connect with me on Twitter Follow @bytetodc
What do you want to achieve from your social media efforts? Branding or direct promotion of your product?
How much time should you invest on social media per day? If you are constantly on it, it’s probably the wrong strategy!
When it comes to being effectively social, there is no rush as it is better to go in with a well thought out strategy than just blindly and randomly attacking it from all angles hoping you will hit something or someone. You do, but the results can be dismal.
Be a sniper, not a machine gunner.
I have an article on how you can better utilise social media for your brand / product. Read it here.
4. Get Involved With The Right Community
It’s sad but the moment you start something outside of your 9 to 5 work, expect many naysayers to come at you telling you what a terrible decision that is, that you are no Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos or Jack Ma.
The thing is we are not trying to be them in the first place. We just want to make things better and if you can build a business of your own and scale it up to the point that your 9 to 5 job becomes optional, that’s the first major leap forward.
Starting a side hustle is no small feat. From humble beginnings and even without negativity from your family or friends, the journey itself is never easy. So brace yourself and be extremely passionate about your business / blog. Become the subject matter expert in your topic (niche..we call it) and you will one day see the fruits of your labour coming back multiple fold.
To do that, it is easier when you are surrounded by people who share in that entrepreneurial spirit. As entrepreneurs, we are not living in a naive world where success belongs to those who live outside the box. The journey is arduous most days and what keeps you going is the desire to give to others the BEST of yourself.
You find that there are people who oppose you and try to crush your dreams. Avoid these people and just work at your craft. Importantly, immerse and engage with people who are on that journey so that you can build dreams together for a better tomorrow.
5. Are You Investing In The Right Platform?
Are you utilising the right platform? It suffices to say there are different paths to the top of the mountain, so you have to find your own trail.
When I started my side hustle, I researched various options and also tried several. Eventually, I decided to go into affiliate marketing which is my recommendation. However, there are also options such as:
- Selling on Amazon
- Dropshipping
- Trading
- Coaching
- Creating your own Online Course or Digital Products for others
The possibilities are almost limitless but you should choose and focus on succeeding with one option before committing to another. What you choose is as equally important as what you do. You have to find your groove to be successful. Some people make their success from affiliate marketing while others get their financial breakthrough by selling on Amazon. However, the same thing rules in all of these cases – hard work, the willingness to keep learning, adjust and the resilience to keep going.
Are you planning to start your side hustle and want to sidestep all those pitfalls?
Much as you can learn, there is no avoidance of setbacks along the way. In fact, that’s how people grow. However, it is a good idea to take the experience of others and avoid some of those pitfalls.
Without a clear roadmap, it is hard to figure out the pitfalls that often robs us of our time and energy. If you are motivated to work hard for your side hustle and turn it into an income replacing business that frees you from the 9 to 5 grind, the best weapon is to invest in the right education and platform.
To do that, I want to share with you the resource I use. It is an online platform known as Wealthy Affiliate. Wealthy Affiliate gives you the proper training and tools (yes, you need tools!) for creating your side hustle from day one. Regardless of your niche (passion), you can turn it into a profitable venture by learning how to build content that serves your target audience, making them your trusted customers for life.
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