Introduction
According to Gallup, 48% of the American workforce is actively looking for other opportunities. Maybe you are one of them. But maybe you are wondering what to do while you look for another job. It’s possible you just want to earn some extra income. But maybe you can start a side hustle while you look or one that will replace your current job.
You are not alone. Employees are quitting in droves — 3.6 million in May 2021 — in what pundits term “The Great Resignation”.
Whether you are looking to leave your current job or just earn extra income, The “Great Resignation” is about breaking free from the rhetoric of work and building a more fulfilling life.
As workers become disenchanted with their work environment they are looking at other options. The pandemic and lockdown have forced those of us who thought we couldn’t live without our jobs to reexamine our priorities.
But whether or not you desire to walk away from your current job, a side hustle could be the ticket to creating income while doing more satisfactory work.
Whatever your thought process is regarding making extra income, a side hustle may be the perfect fit for your situation.
Side hustle might have gotten a bad rap but all it is just a way of making extra income.
Disclosure: Some links in this blog post are affiliate links. This means that if you make a purchase after clicking one of the links you make a small commission with no additional cost to you. Thanks.
The side hustle solution is a way to earn a living that is fulfilling, that can bring you closer to family and friends. It’s a way to ensure that you have time to pursue your passions, and just as importantly, a way to earn a living.
Finding a side hustle that has the potential to replace your income one day is helpful to finding your freedom and balancing your time. And if you are tired of being a pawn in the corporate game, a side hustle is an ideal way to sharpen your entrepreneurial chops.
So, while a side hustle may be a great way to beat back the doldrums of having an unsatisfactory job while putting extra money in your budget. It can be the tool you need to launch a new career or start a full-time business.
Working from home has changed how employees look at work/life balance.
Thanks to the pandemic, working from home is now a household term. And lockdown has caused many moms, especially solo moms, to dream of staying home with their kids while they earn an income.
Being their own boss while working from home is a solo mom’s dream come true. What could be better than seeing your kids off to school, before you step into your home office and start calling the shots?
Also, you no longer have to ask for permission to take your child to the doctor. Or to go on vacation.
But while the kids are back to school. You miss them and realize you really liked working from home. But where to begin to start and grow a business so you can work from home?
While working from home and being your own boss brings its own set of challenges. It can be the best way to carve out your own path while raising your children and engaging in the work you love.
So I did some digging because I’m always looking for interesting ways we can make extra income.
The below is not an all-inclusive list. But if you are dreading going back to work after lockdown. You may be able to garner some good ideas to start your own business from the list below. Most of these businesses can be started with little or no money, especially in the short term.
1. Teach others what you know
Language, music, cooking, meal prep, etc.
Almost any skill can be taught. From teaching yoga to braiding hair, you could carve out a niche for yourself by teaching others what you know. You could further leverage small groups or one-on-one training by creating instructional materials, ebooks, and online courses. This not only allows you to bolster your income but can also allow you to build multiple streams of income.
Where is the first place you look when you want to learn something new? Google or YouTube right? You can teach guitar or piano via YouTube.
Also, websites like Teachable.com allow you to create and sell your courses on their platforms.
SoloMoms! Talk Podcast guest, Evette Davis who was a teacher, reads her children’s books to her audience on YouTube.
Stephanie Perry teaches women how to take a sabbatical and travel the world. She even teaches you how to save money by housesitting while you travel.
2. Coach others
Health, life, spiritual coach
Coaching is big business. If you don’t believe me ask Tony Robbins. You can coach others to improve their lives to be a better version of themselves.
Coach one-on-one or you do group coaching. In-person or virtually. If your superpower is empathy, you can leverage your skills to show others how to improve their lives.
But coaching isn’t just for life coaches. You can coach someone to lose weight or develop a diet that’s best for them.
Additionally, you can leverage coaching with creating online content and merchandise to establish multiple streams of income.
My podcast guest, Queen Michele coaches empty nest solo moms who want to move to Mexico, how to make the transition.
Another podcast guest, Dana Malstaff uses her 50,000 member Boss-Mom Facebook to leverage a coaching business for momprenuers.
3. Sales
Real estate, insurance, e-commerce, affiliate, etc.
Almost 45% of life insurance salespeople are women. I can remember that life insurance sales allowed me to keep my kids home from daycare while making a decent income. Most companies will hire you as an independent agent once you get your license. Even as a captive (employee) agent, you can still work from home most of the time except for when you have to see clients.
After working in the life and health insurance industry for over 20 years, I can confirm that insurance companies treat female employees, especially mothers very well.
But sales isn’t limited to insurance. Many women become real estate agents to stay independent while making an exceptional living. Even better, the collapse of the financial industry exposed many opportunities in real estate that don’t include becoming a licensed real estate agent.
For example, wholesaling real estate has become a big business for those who are not afraid to pick up the phone and negotiate with property owners.
Also, if real estate excites you and you have the space in your home, you can make extra money by becoming an Airbnb host.
Your sales skills can be parlayed into almost any type of business. One lucrative way many online marketers and bloggers make money is through e-commerce and affiliate marketing. Both require you to sell products and services. And can be set up fairly quickly and inexpensively.
SoloMoms! Talk Podcast guest Amanda Carrasco connects foreign students with homeowners in Canada. Students gain the experience of living and attending school in a foreign country. Homeowners learn a new culture as well while earning an income.
4. Create products
Crafts, jewelry, artwork, books, and ebooks.
Good at making jewels, painting, and other crafts? Why not open an Etsy store?
This is another quick way to create and sell products while working from home and being your own boss. By creating specific items for your customers you not only give them what they want but you also provide them with a unique experience.
In addition, you can create a book or ebook and publish them on Amazon. You don’t have to stop at one ebook. Revenue in the ebook business is projected to reach $16 million in 2021 in the United States according to Stitista.com.
You can write instructions, document processes, or teach a subject matter in a 100-page ebook. If writing is not your forte, you can always hire someone on Fiverr.com to write it for you. Although services in Fiverr can start at $5 it will cost a bit more than that to create a good ebook that would be useful to your potential customer.
But it might still be worth it.
Again the products you sell do not have to be your own. You can become an affiliate for other people’s products or services. For example, you can become an Amazon affiliate and sell any product sold on Amazon. This is not the most lucrative opportunity but it could be the easiest to start.
Another option is to purchase Private Label (PLR) ebooks and customize them to your requirements.
5. Help others stay organized
Assistant, travel, project management, interior design, event planning, etc.
Virtual Assistants (VA) are in high demand. If you like to keep others organized then this is the job for you. But you can still be your own boss.
Set yourself up as a 1099 contractor and start becoming the indispensable VA.
An assistant could be an admin, personal, or executive assistant. The tasks may vary but most of your duties will be performed around keeping someone (or several people) organized. And you can do it all from the comfort of your home.
You can set yourself up as a consultant and manage projects or advise businesses.
In addition, many companies outsource their HR department. If Human Resources is your jam, make yourself stand out from the competition by handling your clients’ human resources needs.
SoloMoms! Podcast Guest Doris Brandford runs an agency that supplies businesses with VA’s. When I interviewed her, she was my social media VA.
Doris left her corporate job at the start of lockdown early 2020, to start her side hustle as a VA just after giving birth to her first child.
Click to get your Virtual Assistant Checklist & Starter Kit.
6. Help nonprofits find money
Grant writing, sponsorship, event planning, fundraising.
Nonprofits always need money. If you have the know-how you can help them acquire donations as a grant writer. You will need great research skills. Strong business connections or networks could provide the enhancement you need to leverage your grant writing and fundraising skills.
But don’t get confused. Nonprofit doesn’t equal no money.
Another way to help nonprofits raise money is through obtaining sponsorship and fundraising. Or you can help them plan events.
7. Start a podcast
Sponsorships, advertising/affiliates, memberships.
A podcast could be the bow that ties up your side hustle or it could be your ideal side business. But how do you make money from podcasting? I’m glad you ask.
When you have a podcast, you get an audience. That audience is attractive to advertisers looking to get their products in front of them.
But doesn’t it cost a lot of money to start a podcast? What about all that equipment I would have to buy?
Nope! If you have a good smartphone, you can start a podcast. It’s true that depending on the type of show you want you may have to build out a better setup.
Even if you want to interview local celebrities or authors. You can start free with Zoom or Skype. Use your smartphone headphones and microphone.
Eventually, you will need a microphone or other equipment but you don’t have to spend all your money to start a podcast.
Regardless of how you start, podcasting is one of the easiest and cheapest side hustle you can start. You just need a message.
Conclusion
Phew! There are lots of ways you can create a side hustle and be your own boss. But how do you start? There are several ways you can begin to gather information on where and how to start.
Start by checking out sites like Upwork, Fiverr, FlexJobs, or Indeed.com. On these sites, you can create a free account and browse the many work-from-home positions available. Review them so you can get an idea of what businesses are looking for. These sites also have blogs posts on making the most of using their sites if that’s the way you choose to start your side hustle.
Don’t get buried in research though. Decide what you want to do and go for it.
If you feel you do not have anything to offer check out Your Message Matters by my podcast guest, Jonathan Milligan. We all have a message that someone needs to hear.
Or if you feel you want to brush up on or learn a new skill, may the instructors at Materclass.com can help you enhance knowledge of your subject matter.
Whatever you choose you will discover ways to expand your offering and increase your income.
For instance, if you choose to become a health coach, you can also create a blog, sell products like books, ebooks, or through affiliate marketing. Maybe even a cookbook!
You can even start your own brand of products. It’s up to you how deep you want to go into your side hustle.
It would also be a good idea to create a profile on LinkedIn if you don’t already have one. If you don’t want your job or colleagues to know what you’re up to you can just create a profile without stating your intentions at the beginning.
Connect with anyone you want in your circle of influence. Get recommendations from current or former bosses. Or from a business person you have worked with.
I’m certain you will find ways to come up with an idea for a side hustle from this post. Leave a comment below and let me know if this post is helpful to you.
Resources:
Here are a few places you can go to get help if you decide you need some handholding to get your business off the ground.
Personal Brand Specialist Mary Henderson shares her tips and strategies on how to use your wisdom to start a business.
- Mark Kohler (business organization, startup, legal/accounting help)
Which one of these ideas resonates with you? Leave a comment below and share your side hustle experience with us. Thanks.
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