The art of the “side-hustle”

For the better part of an adult life, the only thing you will spend more time on outside of work is sleeping. People identify as their job and without it can become lost, stressed and without purpose. Millennials have seen the negative impact of this mindset and are pushing for change – this has led to emergence of the side-hustle. A side hustle is any type of employment undertaken in addition to one’s full-time job. A side hustle is generally freelance or piecework in nature, providing a supplemental income. Side hustles are often things a person is passionate about, rather than a typical day job worked in order to make ends meet.

However, when it comes to this modern-age idea, most individuals don’t know where to begin. Here we have a list of common, yet successful ideas that can help with your side-hustle creation.

Start a niche E-commerce company

Consistent income with few touch points, an E-commerce company is a common type of side-hustle. All you need to set up an E-commerce store is a bit of background in website design, plus an understanding of your product and market. An ideal E-commerce store will operate in a niche, staying away from corporate juggernauts. An example of this is a product like Eftpos paper rolls which is low cost, niche and hands off. It is a good option for the individuals that are busy most of the time and have only a few hours to give to their business.

Buy & Sell Products

There are many individuals that have a hidden talent. They can prepare hand-made jewelry or find a diamond in the rough. If you are one of the few people in the world with one of these talents, it’s time you monetized it by sharing it with the world. Scan sites where people sell their old second-hand products, find some that you can fix, touch-up or you know are worth more value and then sell them on yourself. If you do this right, you can have fun, hone your skills and make some money in the process.

Freelancing

Passions can also be money-makers. With the expansion of the internet has come online platforms where you can advertise your skills and start a freelancing job. Freelancing also offers you the freedom to work anywhere at any time. Examples of common freelance jobs are

• Copywriting
• Data entry
• Web development
• SEO marketing
• Video making and editing
• Proofreading

Blogging

Blogging often takes time to monetize but it will give you the chance to create, make money and indulge in your passion through writing. i.e. If you know how to cook you can start a blog about all the amazing recipes that you’ve found or created, or just write about the benefits of different food items. With the passage of time more people will start reading your blogs and your revenue will increase accordingly through targeted advertising offerings.

Surveys, games, and ads

There are many online platforms where you can generate income by completing surveys, watching ads and playing different games. It is rarely taken advantage of and may not yield huge monetary results, but it only takes a few minutes of your time.

Bottom line

One of the most important things to remember is that a side-hustle is a secondary income, not primary. Much like anything though, it’s an effort-based occupation where you will be rewarded accordingly. Without doubt there are many individuals that are making millions from a side-hustle that has grown, however, you must remember that it took them months or years to get to this stage.

As the old Chinese proverb says, “the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now”. You are the key to your side-hustle’s success, and to succeed you only have to start.