Earn Side Hustles

How to Finally Get Your Side Hustle Off The Ground (Yes, In The Middle Of A Pandemic) 

Arielle Lapiano  |  December 31, 2020

Do rough times make it prime time to start a side hustle? Bringing in extra money certainly helps. Here’s how to ease into the extra work.   

Times are tough. A lot of people are still reeling from a job loss they experienced during 2020, and it’s safe to say that the hoards of toilet paper we bought back in March have finally run out. If you’ve ever thought about starting a side business, you may be wondering if the timing is right to make it happen now, especially when the job market is less than ideal. 

According to a Vistaprint survey, 55% of Americans now say they’re interested in a side gig. When job security is a real concern (as it is for many as we enter 2021) earning extra money can be a smart move. And although getting a side gig going is never hassle-free, there’s no time like the present.  Here’s some advice from those who have been there, done that, launched the successful side hustle. We hope you can go into the New Year just as inspired by them as we are! 

Dream big, but start your side hustle small

It is easy to get lost in the big picture of a side business idea, says Kirsten Penaloza. By (week) days she’s a deputy director for donor support at a nonprofit. But at night — and on weekends — she runs her business, Bodhi Leaf Designs, a vegan eco-friendly soap and skincare brand. 

Penaloza says she found it helpful to tackle one small aspect of starting her side hustle at a time. For her, it was finding safe ways to test ideas, products or services — she tapped friends and family. She suggests setting aside tiny time blocks in which to get things done. “You don’t have to spend four hours a day,” she says.

Nick Loper agrees with the “take small steps” approach. He’s a podcast host and Chief Side Hustler at Side Hustle Nation, a community of small business entrepreneurs. “Starting a business can be daunting, so break it down into the smallest actionable steps, he says. “If you do that, you’ll be able to make consistent progress and not get overwhelmed.”

RELATED: How to Take your Side Hustle to the Next Level

Tame the time crunch

Julia Zhu, who works at an investment bank, concedes that it took her a couple of years to get her yoga teacher certification. “I always had an excuse,” for not getting started, she says. Top of her list — you guessed it — Not enough time. “Time is our most valuable asset,” Zhu says.

So what’s a busy gal to do? Zhu recommends taking control of your hours in the day. “I put a lot of thought into how I use my time.” For example, once she focused on the path towards her side gig, “I was very clear with the people in my life and asked for their flexibility,” she says.

Rochelle Porter, who started her lifestyle brand side hustle while working full-time, also highlights the time challenge. “If you’ve already got a full time job and the relative security of a steady income, it’s hard to give up your leisure time to pursue yet another job … it is definitely not for the faint of heart.”

To carve out the time you need, set boundaries with your day job and eliminate activities that are sucking your time without feeding your soul. Remember that time is something to be guarded and doled out efficiently. 

RELATED: How to Manage Your Full-Time Job and Side-Hustle Without Burning Out

Put a price tag on your side hustle

It is great if you’re able to follow your heart, but don’t lose your wallet along the way. If your goal is to bring in money — and not just fill your time — you can’t ignore the bottom line. 

A hobby is a great place to begin exploring ideas on what to pursue as a side business. “But you still have to figure out how your interest in that hobby translates into dollars,” says Loper.

Porter recommends getting your financial life in order while money is still coming in from your full-time job. That’s the time to set financial boundaries for your expenses. And before you launch your side gig, “have a clear strategy for monetizing your work,” she says. 

RELATED: Do I Have to Pay Taxes on a Side Hustle Income?

Power through tough times

Resilience is an essential trait for those starting a side hustle. There will be obstacles and unexpected setbacks along the way. At one point an injury threatened to derail Zhu’s plans to teach yoga. Reconnecting with the reasons she started pursuing the practice helped her pull through. 

“A lot of the time, I feel like I am going to drop dead,” confesses Penaloza. During the moments that test her, she, like many of the side-giggers we spoke with, encouraged connecting with the purpose, joy and satisfaction of your side-gig.

Loper agrees. “The most important thing is your driving ‘why’ behind doing it,” he says. Keeping your “why” in mind will help you work through the hard times.

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