Did you notice? 2020 is the perfect time to strike up a side hustle
But what about the pandemic?
Now, more than ever people are realizing that anything and everything can and will happen; which means you need to be prepared for not just a rainy day, but a steady downpour. Believe it or not the current state of the world serves as the perfect opportunity for you to bring that dream business to life, even if you’ve never started business or can’t afford to leave your 9-to-5 just yet.
All you have to do is master the secret to a successful side hustle!
But Wait…I’m Broke!
Starting a side hustle? Right now?
I know what you’re thinking: I don’t have the money or the time to start a business!
And I get it. It’s almost impossible to think that you could start a successful side hustle in your current situation. I mean look at the world and what’s going on. Frankly, you may be right…the barrier for entry in starting a viable business is high…but not for the reason you think!
Frankly, you shouldn’t let that thought stop you!
The secret to a successful side hustle doesn’t cost money or even too much time. Some of the greatest entrepreneurs of all time like Steve Jobs and Bill Gates started out empty pockets and a dream.
Why should you be any different?
I’ll tell you why. It’s the reason you keep holding yourself back from starting your own business. It’s the reason you won’t get out of your own way so you can begin to hustle hard and experience success. It’s the reason that Amazon, Disney, and Dell are all multi-billion dollar empires that grew from pipe dreams!
Your mindset.
Get Your Head in the Side Hustle Game
First, I’m not saying that this part is easy. In fact, it’s the hardest obstacle you’ll have to face in order to start and see real success in any sort of business endeavor you take on. But that’s also why it’s the most important!
Ask yourself these questions: What do you need to start your business? How much money will those things cost? How much would having that money help you kick start your business?
I’m sure you can come up with 100 answers to each one of those questions.
But stop for a moment and consider this: What are all the things you can do right now for you business that don’t cost a dime?
I can list a few for you:
- Generate buzz around your idea
- Define your perfect customer avatar
- Craft an unforgettable brand story and offering
- Refine your products and services based on audience feedback
Whether you realize it or not, you might be using your lack of time or money (or both) as an excuse not to start your side hustle! You might be in your own way.
Here’s the thing: Mindset is the most important factor in your future success as a business. If you don’t have the right mindset from the start, it’s going to reflect in every single action that you take in regards to your side hustle. You could have a million dollars in start up money and all the time in the world but without the right mindset, it would all amount to nothing.
Shifting your mindset, orienting towards that “can do” attitude is the key factor in creating something successful that you can ultimately be proud of.
Tips for Side Hustle Success
Though getting in the right mindset for side hustle success can be hard, here are a few tips and tricks you can use to orient yourself in the right direction:
- Do What You Can for Free
There’s a lot you can do without spending money on start up costs: peg down your branding and overall messaging as a business. Establish what you’d like for a logo and visual identity. Start putting out buzz on social media and with word of mouth marketing. Ensure that your product or service is the best it can be by probing your audience for feedback.
And much more!
Like I mentioned before, you can accomplish a lot in your business without spending a single dollar. In fact, other than effort, some of these things won’t even cost you too much time; but they will equip you with a solid foundation which can set you apart from the competition.
- Don’t Go it Alone
One of the best things you can do for your side hustle is to learn to ask for help from the very beginning. No matter how good and capable you are at what you do, there is always someone doing something better or different than you are that may help you develop as an entrepreneur. You need to utilize those skills and create connections to get advice and feedback before you even launch!
I’m sure that you know at least one local professional that lives in your area that does what you want to do. If not, LinkedIn is the perfect resource for connecting with the type of people you need to make connections with! Reach out to those people, ask them if you can take them out for coffee or lunch to get to know them. Don’t just dump a bunch of questions in their inbox and hope for an answer. Take the time to get to know them as a person and a businessperson. You’ll be shocked at how many people will take you up on the offer to network!
Step outside your comfort zone and see what happens!
Also, don’t forget that you have something to offer. Other businesses or entrepreneurs could have the resources you need and be willing to exchange services. And finally, Google is your best friend and a fledgling entrepreneur. Don’t underestimate the power of a search engine and online experts that can teach you how to do things for yourself!
- Have patience in the process
This tip is almost as important as getting your mindset right. Here’s the deal:
You aren’t going to see success overnight. It may take weeks or months or even years for you to see the type of return you want in your side hustle.
But it is possible!
You have to have patience in the process of your success. Don’t give up when you hit obstacles. Push through the hard times in favor of experiencing the good when it comes. Start small but don’t be afraid to dream bigger and bigger as you see growth in your business.
You might be ready to quit your day job on the day your brand launches but if you have patience in the process you’ll be ready for everything being an entrepreneur throws at you…so when you reach that summit, it’s even sweeter from the top!
- Never give up
This isn’t a tip as much as it’s a moment for motivation. Times are going to get tough. So tough that there will be times when you want to quit because it’s “just a side hustle”. But think about it this way…
We’ve got dozens and dozens of businesses in our TSP Mastermind that started off as side-hustlers. Now, they are six and seven figure businesses that are crushing it on the daily! The question remains:
Why not you?
You’ll never know if you give up. So keep hustling!
Final Thoughts
Side hustles can be hard to start and even harder to maintain, but you shouldn’t use that as an excuse to put yours on hold any longer.
Now is as great a time as any to start something that you can build in order to ensure economic stability and freedom the next time something unexpected happens. You don’t need a bunch of start up money or all the time in the world to get started, either.
Do what you can without spending money. Lean on other entrepreneurs for tips and advice on how to make your business the best it can be. Allow yourself the time to grow and expand as both a business and an entrepreneur. And most importantly, never give up on your dreams!
For more tips and tricks on how you can utilize your passions and CRUSH it at doing business, make sure to check out our other articles on how you can crush the e-commerce game on the TSP Blog!
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