Finding A Side-Gig That Feels Right For You

Your mom-friends are popping up as entrepreneurs all over the place. Are you thinking about going for it too??

You’ve probably even sign up a distributor with one of them or hosted a party or two of your own, but you’re just not sure if it’s worth pursuing.

We often are presented with business opportunities as vehicles for leaving our full-time jobs and making a living with the ultimate level of flexibility. I’m all for dreaming big and designing your life around exactly what you feel called to do, but there are reasons to start a side gig besides quitting your job.

So let me start out by saying that there is nothing wrong with working a 9-5 job for a living. You might love your job, and there is nothing wrong with that! You might not love your job, but also not be interested in diving head-first into entrepreneurship right now. All of that is okay.

Whether you are happy with your current job or you are desperately looking for a way out, there are so many reasons to start a side hustle.

Increase your income.

If trying to fit everything you want into a balanced spending plan has you frustrated, starting a side gig can help by bringing in additional income.

I am all for cutting spending on the things that don’t matter.

Truth: “Frugality, quite simply, is about choosing the things you love enough to spend extravagantly on, and then cutting costs mercilessly on the things you don’t love.” – Remit Sethi, I Will Teach You To Be Rich

But we also want to make sure that there is enough money to work with to turn our biggest dreams into reality.

Also true: “There is a limit to how much you can cut, but there is no limit to how much you can earn.” – Remit Sethi, I Will Teach You To Be Rich

(Man, that guy knows what he’s talking about!)

More money coming into your household means more wiggle room in your spending plan. An additional income stream can help make the ends meet without you having to stretch quite so hard.

More availability of money means dreaming bigger and living more generously.

Especially if you can increase your income with work that you enjoy, a secondary income source can play a huge role in your fulfilling life!

Diversification of your income.

If the COVID-19 pandemic taught us anything, it was the fragility of life as we know it. Even the most stable of jobs can disappear overnight.  Even if you love your job or your business, having an additional income stream can help to protect your family from the unforeseen circumstances.

Build a passive income source.

Your job probably doesn’t pay you if you don’t show up for work. The ultimate goal of financial freedom is having assets that generate sufficient income for you to not need to go to work anymore. The asset that earns you money in your sleep is called passive income or residual income, and a lot of side-gig options can be that passive income source for you.

Options for the future.

Your work or home situation is not permanent. Things can change quickly. You never know when you may find yourself in a position of needing to find a new source of income.

You might need to be able to care for a sick family member.

There may be a change in the management structure at work that changes your outlook on your growth potential or enjoyment in your job.

By starting a side-gig now, you’ll always have the ability to decide to invest more time in and grow your business – much easier to do than starting from scratch when you find yourself in need.

Gain skills for advancement in all areas of your life.

When I was considering joining my first network marketing company, I was super hesitant and skeptical.

(Side note: Healthy skepticism is a good thing when someone is presenting you with a business opportunity! BUT most of what we hear about network marketing and multilevel marketing programs being scams, is garbage. Just do your research to make sure it’s a good opportunity before you dive in.)

What really tipped the scales for me and made me decide to get started in a marketing gig, was a section in the book, Rich Dad, Poor Dad, where Robert Kiyoski explained how gaining sales skills could help me to be more successful, no matter what line of work I was in. Kiyosaki recommends joining a network-marketing company for education and experience in sales and marketing. The training programs available within network marketing companies can help with overcoming fear of failure and rejection. The education that we receive through these companies can be even more valuable than the money. 

Putting yourself out there, busting out of your comfort zone, and learning new skills is going to help you, regardless of how you decide to earn an income. Your side gig may end up being the connection to the job of your dreams!

Once you’ve decided to start a side gig, the next step is choosing an opportunity to pursue.

Be true to yourself.

Find an opportunity that feels like a good fit for you, and don’t think that you need to change who you are to be successful.

Don’t chase the money, and don’t do something just because someone else is doing it.

A little healthy skepticism is a good thing.

Ask questions and do your research, but don’t fall into a trap of analysis paralysis, holding out for the “perfect” opportunity. Remember that there are pros and cons to everything.

Find an opportunity that feels like a good fit for you and give it a try!

Questions to ask yourself to find a side gig that feels like a good fit.

What makes you feel both productive and joyful?

What is your favorite part of your job?

What are your favorite chores to do at home?

What are your favorite things to do for other people?

How do you spend your free time?

What are you good at?

What is something that is easy for you to do but difficult for others to do?

What do you know a lot about?

What products or stores have added value to your life?

When something asks you about products you use, what is one that you love talking about?

What is a problem that you once had to find a solution for?

What lessons have you learned that you could teach others?

Need some specific side gig ideas to consider?

Network Marketing. The opportunity we are most often presented with is marketing and social sales (commonly referred to as direct sales, network marketing, and multi-level marketing). I’d be willing to bet that you have at least a few friends that participate in a network marketing program and have invited you to join them.

As Robert Kiyosaki explains, network marketing companies are great for learning sales skills. You can dip your toes into entrepreneurship without diving into your own product idea, investing in inventory and overhead, and taking on a ton of risk. Network marketing is something you can really start small with and grow at your own pace.

Do your research!

Not all products, brands, or teams are the same. Just because your friend is involved with a particular program, doesn’t mean it is the best choice for you. Make sure you’re sharing a product people need, from a brand that you trust, with a compensation plan that fits well with the work that you can put in, and with a team that is ready to support you with tools and trainings to help you succeed.

Product creation.

If you are a creative artist or crafter, a seamstress, an baker, or can use one of those fancy Cricut cutting machines that make awesome t-shirts and custom mugs, turn that creativity into money! People like me that have no ability to make anything fancy are ready to send you money for beautifying our lives.

Start creating and sharing. Post to social media sites to let people know what you are up to, to find out what people are most interested in, and start making some sales! Just be sure to pay attention to the costs of materials and your time going into your products and make sure you’re earning a fair profit!

Assisting others.

One of my favorite things about the internet is that we can take advantage of work opportunities outside of our geographical area.

I highly recommend the Horkey Handbook #FullyBooked Virtual Assistant course if becoming a virtual assistant is something that you want to get started with. Even if you’re just exploring the idea, Gina Horkey has a ton of free information to help you decide on a work-from home path.

Don’t get too hung up on the term “assistant.” Being a VA is playing a major role in the success of someone’s business and that role can be tailored to your specific skillset. From administrative tasks to writing and creative design to tech support and project management, there is a valuable service that you can offer another business owner.

Teaching others.

I’m a total nerd at heart, so my other favorite thing about the internet is that it is a massive network of learning opportunities. If there is something that you can teach others about, you can totally make money doing it!

Grow a following my sharing tidbits of information on your social media platforms. Offer a free course on your topic (through Facebook, Instagram, or e-mail) to see if people are interested. Grow from there! Use your knowledge and experience from sharing free advice to create a course that people will pay you for!

Get started!

Starting something new is the hardest part. It is okay to start small and grow from wherever you’re at.

Commit to two things: authenticity and constant growth.

Choose a strategy that feels right for you but also challenge yourself to get out of your comfort zone.

Sometimes it is hard to tell the difference between something that isn’t a good fit for you and something that is a good fit but is just a little scary.

Don’t take yourself too seriously. My coach and dear friend, Katy Fassett, helped me to get out of my own way by reminding me that, “In 60 years, we’ll all be dead anyway!”

If you think something is a good idea, give it a try and use your experience to determine if you need to make adjustments as you go.

Focus on taking action and observing the results.

Just get started. Take action. See what happens.

Set your business goals based on the ACTIONS that you can take and that you expect to earn you an income. Evaluate the results that those actions provide and adjust your action-oriented goals based on the results you want to achieve. If you focus on the sales, or the customers, or the size of your team, you’ll have a tendency to come off creepy and desperate.

Focus on what you can do to serve others, and the money will find its way to you.

Are you ready to get started? How can I help?

I’m here to support you on your road to success, friend! Even if you just need an outside perspective as you decide on a path to take, I’m here to help! Use the Get In Touch button to set up a free strategy session with me to get started.

Do you have a business or side gig already? Drop a link in the comments so that we can find you and support you!

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