I’m going to start this off with a disclaimer: I actually don’t have all the answers. What I do have is some experience with starting side hustles, along with some experience in how to cope with rejection when your ideas aren’t received well. I know about the nitty-gritty, all the tiny messy details that nobody really talks about.
But before I get stuck into it, here’s a little glimpse into my love-hate relationship with side hustles.
I’ve been creating for as long as I can remember. When I was a teenager, I made jewellery that I persuaded several jewellery shops to sell on consignment. I used to walk past these shops and peer into the window at my little handmade cardboard display, counting how many pairs of earrings were hanging there to see if I’d miraculously sold some.
Fast forward a bunch of years and I’ve tried forming little businesses out of sewing apron skirts out of designer fabric remnants, making jewellery (again), and holding bespoke vintage markets in the living room of my mum’s house. It’s gotten to the point where I feel like I’ve tried almost everything.
But the other night, I realised I was bored, and hadn’t stretched myself creatively for quite a few months. An idea started taking shape, followed quickly by a business name that I liked the sound of. When I googled it to see if it was taken, it wasn’t. So I set up an Instagram account under that name (@giftwrapgirl) and hoped to Gd the rest would fall into place.
Anyway, that’s the background. Now, for what I promised in the title: How to find a side hustle that sustains you and keeps you interested and creative. Well, for that, I’m going to share three quick tips:
Tip #1: For your side hustle to sustain you, you need to be earning a profit
I know — obvious, right? But in order to earn a profit, you can’t give away your services or products for free. You worked hard to get to this stage, don’t let people undermine your talent or ability by offering you less than what something is worth. Start getting comfortable talking about money. Learn how to work your numbers, learn how to keep tabs on your expenses and track your spending.
There’s more to it, though. For a side hustle to sustain you it also needs to fulfil you emotionally and creatively. If your business is doing great, but it’s burning you to the ground, well then — clearly it’s not doing so great after all. It’s time to come up for air and reassess.
Tip #2: For your side hustle to keep you interested you need to be doing something you’re passionate about
Even passion gets old, so make sure you choose something that interests you now, but will also interest you later. Many businesses are formed out of a desire to find solutions to a need that isn’t met. That is, we come up with our ideas because they matter to us. So make sure you are passionate about your idea to the max. Passion will only get you so far, but it will be the flame that keeps on burning even when the house around it is crumbling.
Tip #3: For your side hustle to be creative, you need to be constantly creating
Creating can take on many different shapes and forms, but it always involves doing something in the present moment. It’s not enough to just sit back and relax, and hope that your business will magically evolve. Side hustles take innovation, they take guts. If you’re not ready to put your heart and soul into something, and inevitably get knocked back a few times, perhaps this side hustle culture isn’t for you.
But if you are ready to give it your all, ready to buckle down and work hard, and ready to take your little business with you everywhere, then maybe it’s time you gave it a go?
Side hustles don’t evolve overnight. But then again, neither do most things in life.
*You can find out more about my latest side biz on IG @giftwrapgirl, or you can simply just ask me!