5 Tips to Start a Side-Hustle Career

Sometimes in life, you need to consider your plan B, especially when it comes to supporting your family. If you have a full-time job, it can be a good idea to think about building a side gig to help with everyday expenses. Your side gig can encourage you to embrace the entrepreneur lifestyle and become your own boss. Additionally, in times of crisis when you are left unable to work, for a variety of reasons, having a side-hustle business you can rely on can make a huge difference. However, starting as an independent freelancer is not easy. Here are 5 foolproof tips to hit the ground running. 

#1. Don’t run your finances alone

If you’ve never worked for yourself before, you may need the help of professional accountants, such as the team from Bowman & Company CPA, PC, to make sense of your deductible expenses and taxable earnings. Filling up your taxes, as a freelancer, is not the sale as working for a company. Therefore, it can be useful to have an expert who can make sure you get your finances in order. 

#2. Don’t compete against your day-time job

Nowadays, side gigs have become a popular move for professionals who want to boost their finances. We live in an economy where almost 40% of working Millennials have a side hustle business, which means that most employers are happy to give their employees the green light when it comes to outside projects. However, it’s essential to make sure that your side hustle activities don’t represent a conflict of interest. Most employers have a non-compete clause, which means you are not allowed to create a side gig that could potentially steer customers away from the company. 

#3. Understand how to schedule your complicated work life

How can you make a full-time job and a side gig work when your day has only 24 hours? The first thing you need to learn is that it’s not going to be easy. But impossible, it’s not. You can give yourself some extra time by waking up earlier and getting organized to make sure you’re not missing deadlines. Managing a busy schedule means making sacrifices. You might have to wave goodbye to your entertainment night for the benefit of your side gig. 

#4. Market virtually for free

You don’t need to spend a ton of money on marketing when you’re freelancing. Smart promotional activities and a visible side hustle presence can go a long way. You can harvest your social media profiles to share about your side gig work and let your followers know about your services. Most online directories are free or low-cost and can promote your business. 

#5. Be patient

The hardest thing when you’ve decided to build a side hustle presence is time. It takes a lot of time to see the first results. When you work hard and tirelessly, you expect your efforts to be repaid. They will be, but it will not be immediate. The truth is that your side gig will not become a success overnight. If you are ready to accept this, you are prepared to start in the side hustle economy. 

Side gigs are a smart way to make ends meet or to boost your income. Some side hustles can grow into a full-size business while others remain side gigs. It doesn’t matter how it will evolve. Starting is the most challenging part of the journey. Are you ready to make your side gig work?