How to Pick a Side-Hustle

So you’ve decided to start a side hustle – you go girl! We’re proud of you. They always say that having the courage to begin is always the most difficult part of any journey, so you’re already on the right track. It takes bravery to decide to put yourself out there, especially when you can’t hide behind the shield of an established brand, as is sometimes the case for people in full-time jobs. Side-hustles are totally up to you – which is an amazing, exciting thing, but can also be daunting. Below, we’ve assembled some tips to help you get started with your side-hustle. Send us a message on Instagram to let us know how you’re getting on – we’d love to hear!

Get inspired by other people

One of the awesome things about social media is that you have a world of inspiration at your fingertips – especially when it comes to side-hustles. When you’re starting to think about what field you’d like to side-hustle in, it can be helpful to do some strategic social media stalking to see what other people are up to. Our top tip? Look up lists of who’s speaking at cool events in your area. Often, people are chosen to speak at events and on panels because they’re involved in lots of different projects, including their own side-hustles which can help fire up your imagination. Some of our girl boss idols to get you started are Chinae Alexander, Yari Blanco, and Sharmadean Reid – and of course, our very own founder Jessica de Block.

Work out where your skills and interests intersect

It’s time to get strategic, girl. Draw a Venn diagram on a piece of blank paper, and label the left circle ‘skills’, and the right circle ‘interests’. Your skills could include social media, marketing, and writing, while your interests could include beauty and makeup. Your ideal side-hustle would fall somewhere in the section between the two circles, combining what you’re interested in with what you’re good at. It’s also important to get clear on the point of your side hustle. Do you want to make money, gain new skills, or have a creative outlet? This will help you narrow down the options into a few possibilities that you can look into more. 

Feel free to pivot

The best thing about your side-hustle is that it’s yours. Unlike having a full-time job at a big company, you don’t have to answer to a boss, and you can quite literally do whatever you want (unless of course, you’ve signed a contract with a side-hustle client!). So feel free to pivot girl – if something isn’t going your way, or you’ve decided you’re more interested in pursuing another type of side-hustle, go for it! You hold the freedom in your hands…

Just get started

Finally, whatever you decide on, whether it’s a blog or a fashion line, just get started! It’s always going to feel intimidating, and that’s something that will only get better once you’ve started and realise that it’s actually not so bad after all. Every new experience is a chance to grow and learn, whether the outcome is successful or not, so don’t be afraid to jump right in. Most importantly, always remember to have fun!