How did you find your side hustle?
October 1, 2018 1:51 PM Subscribe
I want something to do outside my normal job, but everyone I know with a side hustle employs skills that they already have developed. My job (HR, yay!) and my past times (Learning new hobbies, drinking coffee, watching netflix) don't seem like things I could turn into money. But I know I'm not the first person who has felt this way! I'm looking for inspiring stories from YOU about how you figured you needed to find a side hustle, and eventually you got there.
Response by poster: Those are both good ideas, but just a note - I'm more interested in the process other people followed, the stories, than I am interested in ideas for myself at this point. Thanks!
posted by rebent at 2:03 PM on October 1, 2018
posted by rebent at 2:03 PM on October 1, 2018
I decided to put my skills (journalism, fundraising, bid management, engineering services) into developing a makerspace six months ago. Last week I took keys for the first 1,000 square feet. Today, four people became month to month members. It took a lot of foot pounding work, several meetings, some disagreements, and a lot of compromise. I have always had an idea of what I really want to do: give my community access to equipment for making, mending and doing; and, help self-employed people and small businesses access opportunities, collaborate, find new markets and talent, and give back. I still have a full time job as a salesman in the engineering industry. That probably won't change for a while. However, having a staging space where other people can rise into leaders and take charge is very important to me. It all started because a friend with mental health issues reached out to me with an idea for a day centre. Even though I didn't fully know how to help him, I worked on the idea for a year without getting anywhere. Only when I stopped focusing on one possible avenue of work was I able to look clearly at the big picture. That lead me to look at makerspaces in the UK and around the world and form a member offer. This is a side hustle that could turn into my job in future. That is very exciting to me. I could not do it alone. I can't do it alone. That is probably the most important lesson: team work makes the dream work. Message me if you want more!
posted by parmanparman at 2:09 PM on October 1, 2018 [12 favorites]
posted by parmanparman at 2:09 PM on October 1, 2018 [12 favorites]
I'm still working out what my side hustle will be, but you might find Chris Guillebeau's Side Hustle School Podcast/Website of interest...
posted by sarajane at 2:19 PM on October 1, 2018 [6 favorites]
posted by sarajane at 2:19 PM on October 1, 2018 [6 favorites]
I was always volunteering to help my friends and family with their taxes or FAFSA paperwork. It was not complicated stuff, just the standard forms and deciphering the instructions. Then I found out you can volunteer to help seniors and people with a low income file their taxes for free. We get yearly training in tax law and using the software. If I wanted to turn this into a side hustle, I could go to one of the Big Box tax prep places and take their yearly course. So really, I think identifying something you like to help others accomplish is key to finding a side hustle that you can enjoy and succeed in.
posted by soelo at 2:51 PM on October 1, 2018 [5 favorites]
posted by soelo at 2:51 PM on October 1, 2018 [5 favorites]
My side hustle is no way related to my day job. Sewing is a hobby of mine. I would occasionally do hemming and minor alterations for extra money but I only offered this service if a conversation came up organically. Then I would get referrals by word of mouth. My current side hustle came about when a niche clothing retailer needed shop assistants and I parlayed my fabric and fit experience to get this part time job.
posted by tipsyBumblebee at 3:20 PM on October 1, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by tipsyBumblebee at 3:20 PM on October 1, 2018 [1 favorite]
So, I'm a knitter. A little over a decade ago, hand-dyed yarns started becoming a thing - you know, all that artisanal shit was just getting going. I wanted to give it a try, because dyeing up my own yarn in the colours I wanted really appealed to me. Dyes weren't all that hard to get, but I was having a lot of trouble finding undyed yarn... it's not a thing that yarn stores carry much of, as most knitters are into yarn in beautiful colours, not plain stuff. It started to piss me off - like, why did it have to be so difficult to get natural, uncoloured yarn? Eventually I found a spinning mill that'd sell it to me, but of course only in (what I thought were) ridiculously large wholesale amounts. It'd already occurred to me that if I was having trouble finding undyed yarns, obviously other folks were too, and maybe I could just keep a bit and sell off the excess to finance my own yarn-dyeing hobby? just as a little side hustle? LOL brilliant plan, right? So I set up a tiny online yarn shop.
It kinda snowballed from there, as it turned out that yeah, other folks did want undyed yarns. They wanted lots of different kinds of undyed yarns, and they wanted lots of them. And then of course they wanted the dyes to go with. Oh, and perhaps knitting needles too? books & DVDs? some accessories? seriously, it all started getting out of hand. I already had a real job with shiftwork and overtime, and this stupid online yarn store was taking up all my days off. It was eating my life, I was starting to hate it.
But, as it turns out, my secure well-paying union job wasn't so much secure as I thought, and it went the way of the dodo a couple years after the financial crash of 2008. And my little side hustle is now my bread & butter, because once the factories are all closed, who wants to hire a 50-something woman with no office skills and too rude of an attitude for working in a coffee shop? I'm happy, I'm having fun, I'm my own CEO and making enough money to keep the old retired man as my own personal boy-toy. Only thing is, sadly, I've lost my enthusiasm for knitting. Too much thinking about yarn all the time I guess.
posted by Mary Ellen Carter at 3:51 PM on October 1, 2018 [46 favorites]
It kinda snowballed from there, as it turned out that yeah, other folks did want undyed yarns. They wanted lots of different kinds of undyed yarns, and they wanted lots of them. And then of course they wanted the dyes to go with. Oh, and perhaps knitting needles too? books & DVDs? some accessories? seriously, it all started getting out of hand. I already had a real job with shiftwork and overtime, and this stupid online yarn store was taking up all my days off. It was eating my life, I was starting to hate it.
But, as it turns out, my secure well-paying union job wasn't so much secure as I thought, and it went the way of the dodo a couple years after the financial crash of 2008. And my little side hustle is now my bread & butter, because once the factories are all closed, who wants to hire a 50-something woman with no office skills and too rude of an attitude for working in a coffee shop? I'm happy, I'm having fun, I'm my own CEO and making enough money to keep the old retired man as my own personal boy-toy. Only thing is, sadly, I've lost my enthusiasm for knitting. Too much thinking about yarn all the time I guess.
posted by Mary Ellen Carter at 3:51 PM on October 1, 2018 [46 favorites]
I like dogs. I have a small dog but miss having big dogs. I decided to see if anyone in my neighborhood needed day or night care for their dogs. I first decided what my needs were: non aggressive dogs, not more than 60 lbs, sane owners. I started looking on the Nextdoor App and came across a post from someone looking for doggy day care. When I started this I was home during the day so it was possible for me to do this. We talked on the phone at length about her dog, my dog, her needs, my needs. Her dog came for a four hour free visit to see how the dogs would get along. They got along. I charge half of what a professional day care place charges. As we both got more comfortable with each other I gave them a key so they can just pop him in if I'm not home. It has worked out very well. We also swap dog sitting.
When we started this I was not working. Now I work 20 hours a week. My neighbor is unemployed. She also likes dogs. I hired her to come and get the dogs at lunch for a break in her yard. It is a win-win-win. We are all happy and occasionally I look for an additional dog, but having a peaceful home is the number one priority for me. Adding another dog could wreck the whole thing.
I found for myself having a clear vision about what I wanted and what I was willing to do not and not do was essential. Also communicating clearly with everyone involved prevents problems. Good luck with your quest.
posted by cairnoflore at 4:02 PM on October 1, 2018 [4 favorites]
When we started this I was not working. Now I work 20 hours a week. My neighbor is unemployed. She also likes dogs. I hired her to come and get the dogs at lunch for a break in her yard. It is a win-win-win. We are all happy and occasionally I look for an additional dog, but having a peaceful home is the number one priority for me. Adding another dog could wreck the whole thing.
I found for myself having a clear vision about what I wanted and what I was willing to do not and not do was essential. Also communicating clearly with everyone involved prevents problems. Good luck with your quest.
posted by cairnoflore at 4:02 PM on October 1, 2018 [4 favorites]
I bought a Lovecraftian shirt with a woodcut image of Shub-Niggurath on it. The shirt started to fray and rather than track down a new one, I was like "I WILL JUST MAKE MY OWN."
Flash forward 5 years later and I have a self-sustaining side hustle of carving images of medieval UFO abductions, Lovecraftian horrors, and other occult oddities. I sell my stuff online, at events, and have retail space at a few local shops. It's getting to the point where I need a few extra days in the week to keep up.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 4:17 PM on October 1, 2018 [9 favorites]
Flash forward 5 years later and I have a self-sustaining side hustle of carving images of medieval UFO abductions, Lovecraftian horrors, and other occult oddities. I sell my stuff online, at events, and have retail space at a few local shops. It's getting to the point where I need a few extra days in the week to keep up.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 4:17 PM on October 1, 2018 [9 favorites]
I'm retired from my side hustle now as my full-time job changed and took away my free weekends, but I was a brand ambassador for various companies. I was in-between jobs, wanted a flexible schedule, and something that wasn't too emotionally draining as I was burned out from my last healthcare job. I had a friend who represented alcohol/cigars/things like that, so she gave me the idea.
My first gig was handing out samples for a fruit/nut bar company at the Bay to Breakers expo, and from there I got a few more gigs representing them and other organic food companies. It really has nothing to do with my real life skills, but I did parlay some of what I learned talking health food babble to take a part-time job teaching nutrition classes, and also a part-time job packing fruits/veg at a CSA. It sort of kaleidoscoped into a totally different hustle over time.
I think the biggest thing for me was just letting go of my perception of what a "job I would do" was, and thinking about things I liked that weren't necessarily "marketable" in my usual work. I love eating, being outside, and small chit-chat conversations. I LOVE being the expert in something. So brand ambassadoring hit all those things, but without the burden of actually being responsible for anything important. I just handed out samples and gave basic, repetitive info.
posted by assenav at 4:29 PM on October 1, 2018 [1 favorite]
My first gig was handing out samples for a fruit/nut bar company at the Bay to Breakers expo, and from there I got a few more gigs representing them and other organic food companies. It really has nothing to do with my real life skills, but I did parlay some of what I learned talking health food babble to take a part-time job teaching nutrition classes, and also a part-time job packing fruits/veg at a CSA. It sort of kaleidoscoped into a totally different hustle over time.
I think the biggest thing for me was just letting go of my perception of what a "job I would do" was, and thinking about things I liked that weren't necessarily "marketable" in my usual work. I love eating, being outside, and small chit-chat conversations. I LOVE being the expert in something. So brand ambassadoring hit all those things, but without the burden of actually being responsible for anything important. I just handed out samples and gave basic, repetitive info.
posted by assenav at 4:29 PM on October 1, 2018 [1 favorite]
I’ve turned my English teaching career into a nice little boutique copyediting side gig. Working for a school is great but talking to teenagers all day left me craving actual adult to adult conversation!
It’s pretty micro-scale right now. I only take interesting work from people I like and I charge comparatively little, but while it takes up about 2-3% of my at-work-mentally time (an hour a week, maybe), it brings in about 5% of my income these days. I love the confidence it gives me!
posted by mdonley at 12:36 AM on October 2, 2018 [3 favorites]
It’s pretty micro-scale right now. I only take interesting work from people I like and I charge comparatively little, but while it takes up about 2-3% of my at-work-mentally time (an hour a week, maybe), it brings in about 5% of my income these days. I love the confidence it gives me!
posted by mdonley at 12:36 AM on October 2, 2018 [3 favorites]
I’m a web developer by trade anyway, so i built a website to satisfy a personal itch, added some SEO love for the googles, then added ads and affiliate links. Apparently that makes me an affiliate marketer now. It’s not entirely passive income though, as i constantly have to update the site and get quite a bit of email.
On my phone so no links, but the book ‘Buy Buttons’ by Nick Loper or the podcast ‘Side Hustle School’ by Chris Guillebeau are also good resources for a ton of ideas. I prefer the podcast, but there over 500 back episodes to go through, so YMMV.
posted by cgg at 5:58 AM on October 2, 2018 [1 favorite]
On my phone so no links, but the book ‘Buy Buttons’ by Nick Loper or the podcast ‘Side Hustle School’ by Chris Guillebeau are also good resources for a ton of ideas. I prefer the podcast, but there over 500 back episodes to go through, so YMMV.
posted by cgg at 5:58 AM on October 2, 2018 [1 favorite]
I know someone who was working as a roofer, and had a real love for shoes, he ended up fixing his own leather boots when a pair he ordered had a tear, a few people he showed told him he had a gift, he took a shoemaking course and now mostly works in leather but still does roofing jobs to pay the bills as it's pretty lucrative in the warmer months, but he gets to work in his shop the rest of the time.
Another friend does birth photography, born out of her having many children and being very into birth. She is also a doula. She has a family member who started making natural baby products and balms and that has turned into full-time because she created one very popular product that is selling really well, she also does consulting to help others build their small business.
Where I live there are a lot of people who have turned their love of baking and making into legit side hustles or actual full-time gigs, they started out working after work or on weekends and either got pushed due to layoffs or made the leap to focusing on it. Artisanal foods, baked goods, leather goods, clay. I think most of them either live very frugally or have a partner or family helping them bridge the gap between their earnings and expenses.
posted by lafemma at 8:11 AM on October 2, 2018 [1 favorite]
Another friend does birth photography, born out of her having many children and being very into birth. She is also a doula. She has a family member who started making natural baby products and balms and that has turned into full-time because she created one very popular product that is selling really well, she also does consulting to help others build their small business.
Where I live there are a lot of people who have turned their love of baking and making into legit side hustles or actual full-time gigs, they started out working after work or on weekends and either got pushed due to layoffs or made the leap to focusing on it. Artisanal foods, baked goods, leather goods, clay. I think most of them either live very frugally or have a partner or family helping them bridge the gap between their earnings and expenses.
posted by lafemma at 8:11 AM on October 2, 2018 [1 favorite]
I'm no longer doing it, but 10 years ago (what no that can't be right) I started a blog to share stupid photos I'd found. I wanted a particular friend of mine to see them but didn't want to bother her at work, so I tossed them onto a website she could read at her leisure, and then on a whim shared that as a Project. It got to be pretty popular and I was making about $1,000 a month off it at its peak.
posted by The corpse in the library at 11:25 AM on October 3, 2018
posted by The corpse in the library at 11:25 AM on October 3, 2018
This thread is closed to new comments.
Alternatively: if you do HR, can you review / edit resumes and cover letters as your side hustle? At $15 a pop or so, that could add up quickly.
posted by suncages at 1:56 PM on October 1, 2018 [3 favorites]