How To Turn Your Side Hustle Into A Profitable Business
The year of 2020 has brought with it many challenges as well as new found business ideas, with so many people out of work now is the time to turn your side hustle into a profitable business.
There are many skills that you may not have discovered if it wasn’t for the state of the world that we are living in today.
If you don’t have a side hustle yet, don’t fret. I will give you some ideas of how you can begin your journey into entrepreneurship with no cost to low cost entry, so you can begin utilizing your skills to make money.
Tip #1
Determine what you’re good at, what is it that you do really well, (baking, cooking, fixing computers, sewing etc….) many people found out in this pandemic that they could make good money from their skills. Look at the different styles of face masks that have been created since we first began.
I am sure when everyone was at their normal 9-5 jobs they had no idea that a shift was coming and they would utilize a skill set that they had put on the back burner for years. We are living an a decade where it’s no longer time to put the dream of starting your business on hold, now is the time to go after it.
Tip #2
A good side hustle for those who are skilled in drawing, maybe you just do it in your downtime or a way to relax. Why not put that skill to use, there are many entrepreneurs who are looking for someone to do the artwork for their book, graphics etc… that won’t charge them an arm and a leg and once your work is out there you can receive referrals from those you worked with.
Don’t be afraid to step-out, join Facebook groups for writers and pay attention to the conversations are better yet do a search in the group to see who may be looking for a book illustrator. I’m sure you have many designs you’ve done in your leisure time to showcase your work.
Tip #3
There are many parents out there who will sing your praises, if you have a skill-set, certificate, or degree in handling children with ADHD. With the pandemic and children now being home it’s very challenging for a parent who has no experience and handling their child at home especially if they now are remote workers at home. Your side hustle can be in the form of an ebook or a packaged podcast series to equip them to handle the challenges of children with ADHD and homelife. You can showcase ways the parent can set a schedule of activities that can assist the child to have some level of instruction throughout the day.
Tip #4
Story writers have such a vivid imagination your side hustle can be in the form of short stories for children, I am sure with children being at home your skillset can stimulate their young minds and if you want to get more creative you could create something interactive online so they stay engaged with the content.
Your content can truly be unique, something that parents will love and definitely pass on to other parents.
Tip #5
I know there are many women out there as well as men who have gone through very trying times in your life and now you are on the other side. You can start a Youtube channel and share how you overcome those challenges, create a workbook or guide for those who want to go deeper in their transition and transformation. You can even create a course and offer support for those who feel alone in their situation.
Tip #6
Photographers are definitely needed in the online space, this is a side hustle which there is a need for diverse photographs for (content creators, storytellers, etc…) I have searched online for hrs looking for photos that would speak to the content that I was creating only to find that it doesn’t exist or I haven’t found the photographer who has done the work.
Having a photo tell the story that you are trying to convey in your blog post or website photo is everything. A picture is worth a thousand words is so true, a great way to step out of the box and provide a more niched service is to create photos that are conversational.
Example of a conversational photo, I was looking online about a week ago for a photo a frustrated entrepreneur (in my mind that would be a woman at her computer, or laptop and you could see the frustration on her face) I would like to see these kinds of photos with a diverse group of women and men.
The one photo I did find is the one I used on many occasions and so has everyone else. So aspiring photographers there are many ways you can use your skill set. Here’s another idea for your side hustle. Photo shoots, now you may have to do some research on how you’re not just taking a photo, the photo is relating something to those who it’s intended to reach.
There are many entrepreneurs who would love to have a photo shoot be it a product photo shoot or the person themselves, that won’t break the bank, so you can turn your side hustle into a profitable business with the addon services that you offer.
Tip #7
I haven’t forgotten about you crafters out there, your skills in creating things of beauty in the form of crochet, knitting, gift cards… are amazing. You can utilize your skills in turning your side hustle into a business that makes a good income. You can sell your crafts on Etsy as well as a step by step training guide.
Tip #8
For those who have worked in marketing, advertising and sales at your former job you have a skill that a vast majority of entrepreneurs need. You can help them in how to market their products, how to do market research as well as sales.
This doesn’t have to be overwhelming to get started. I know there is a lot of noise out there on social media, however you can put together guides, ebooks, checklists and package these to entrepreneurs who are just starting out.
And if you have experience with how to create Facebook ads then you’re in a great place to grow a profitable business.
Many of you were pushed into becoming an entrepreneur, jobs that we once thought had job security showed us just how secure they were. I know a lot of people have suffered through this crisis that we are currently living in, however adversity comes to reposition you to your purpose.
Some of you would have never started a business or even think of another source of income until you were pushed into that direction.
Tip #9
Calling all cooks put that side hustle into a profitable business, so many of you who love to cook out there. How do I know that because I see it on your Instagram and Facebook feeds and stories. One thing I always would say to my husband when we were trying to get a food truck business going. (it’s still in the works)
People will always find money to get something to eat. Food just does something to us, it calms us, makes us happy and celebrations always involve some type of food.
You are already marketing your skills when you post your food photos online, how many people are commenting on:
- Wow that looks good
- How to make it
- Do you sell dinners
What can you take from those responses is to:
- Create a recipe book
- Create Youtube cooking videos
Another way to promote yourself is go to some of the restaurants in your area, take samples of your product and tell them you can negotiate to bring this product to them on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. If you do nothing then nothing won’t happen.
Funny story: my husband tried this restaurant near us, and he told me everyone was raving about the food. Truth the food was okay but not where I would buy from them again. One of the side dishes was potato salad and you would think that a soul food place would at least get the potato salad right.
However it was just cut up potatoes with eggs stirred up in it. I was like okay, they just lost their soul food card, I wanted to make up a batch of potato salad just to let them know what it should look and taste like. (LOL)
I shared that to say many of you could be on the verge of being a popular restaurant, food truck owner or however you decide to go about it just do it, because if your product is good, you won’t have to advertise because word of mouth will not only get you customers but also catering contracts.
Make A Plan And Execute On It
* The first thing in getting started is to plan out how you will go forward you can use the SMART goals method (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Time-bound)
* Pick a platform that you will utilize to promote your products/services on.
* Join Facebook groups that is geared to the market you want to serve, research in the group to see who may need you services (be respectful of the groups guidelines don’t promote your business unless they give the go ahead)
* Set-up an email auto-responder like Mailchimp or GetResponse to capture emails.
Utilize the time that you now have to either increase a skill-set or learn a new one. If you already are moving in the area of launching out with your business venture stick to it nothing of value happens overnight, continue to put yourself out there.
People are watching even if they aren’t yet responding, at the right time all your hard work will payoff and you will be on your way to building a business that you can truly be proud of.
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