Should You Start A Side Hustle?

As someone who has started three successful side-hustles turned six-figure businesses, my answer to this question is always going to be a resounding YES. 

But, I’m biased :-)

And starting the RIGHT side-hustle is an important factor that we’ll dive into more . . . 

Starting my first side-hustle was really just turning a hobby into an Etsy shop that generated a few extra bucks for me a week, which at the time was huge. It meant the difference between being able to take a cab home at 4am after a gig or braving the subway alone . . . and let me tell you, I took that second option way too many times and found myself in some not-so-safe situations.

Let’s dive into some reasons why starting a side-hustle could be a good idea for you and a few that could dissuade you:

THE YES COLUMN:

• You need extra cash on the side
• You have a hobby that you think you could make some money on
• You have a little extra time on your hands
• You have a skill that people need
• You want to eventually quit your day job and be your own boss
• You love the thrill of chasing a sale
• You love helping people or making their lives better/easier
• You have knowledge that is valuable to others

THE NO COLUMN

• You believe that nothing you do has any value
• You have absolutely no interest in adding value to the world

EEK. That no column is pretty bleak. 

As you can see from this list, starting a side-hustle can be great to scoop up some extra cash on the side . . . and if you see some signs that it could be more, then you’ve got a potential business on your hands!

Starting a side-hustle doesn’t have to take up a ton of time or cost a lot to get off the ground. In fact, I started my first business for $72 and my second for $16! Anyone can start a side-hustle, you just need to have an idea. 

Not sure what side-hustle to start? Here’s a list of ideas that might spark something for you: 

Sell someone else's product to friends and family 

• Avon
• Arbonne 
• Scout & Cellar 
• Pampered Chef
• Cricut Affiliate
• The list goes on and on...think Tupperware parties
• Start a dropshipping business
• Curate products using Oberlo to sell on an e-commerce site (great if you know about marketing)
• Start and Amazon business
• Find products to buy in bulk and sell for a profit on Amazon 
• Sell your creations and crafts on Etsy
• Knitting
• Custom cards
• Jewelry
• Personalized items 
• Pottery
• Blown glass
• Hand-made items 
• Custom illustrations
• Digital downloads
• Sell your information 
• Create an ebook
• Create a webinar
• Create a course
• Do consulting or coaching
• Host a workshop or event
• Host local trivia nights (or virtual)
• Sell services on Fiverr

There are so many ways to start a business and sometimes it's best to just try something, see if it sticks, and if it does then fan the flame! 

My coloring book business started like this . . . I knew coloring books were popular so I threw some pages up on Etsy, they sold, I attracted media attention, the rest is history! It was low-risk and low-investment to start, which was great for me at the time. 

If you’re anything like me, you may have a million ideas for businesses floating around in that brilliant, creative brain of yours. This is one of my biggest challenges because I fall in love with ideas and wind up in rabbit holes days later having spent a ton of time brainstorming an idea I either lose interest in or decide isn’t a good idea after all. 

Sound familiar? 

If you have an idea for a business, but aren’t sure if it’s viable or something you should pursue, take my side-hustle success quiz to score your ideas. I’ll walk you through some systematic questions about your idea and at the end you’ll get a score of 1-5 . . . 1 being an idea you probably shouldn’t pursue, and 5 being an idea worth exploring more. (Taking my advice is totally optional!)

CLICK HERE to take my Side-Hustle Success Quiz now! 

Starting a side-hustle should be fun and relatively low-risk. It’s a great way to dip your toes into entrepreneurship and building a business without forking out tons of cash up front or trying to find investors for a bigger project. 

And hey, if it goes well, then you may be able to grow it to six-figures or beyond, quit your day job, and find the financial freedom you’ve always wanted! 

Never hurts to try :-) 

Don’t forget to take my side-hustle quiz to test out your ideas HERE.