How To Start A Side Hustle

Posted on June 02, 2012 by Kevin Williams, One of Thousands of Career Coaches on Noomii.

There is an old Saturday Night Live skit that poked fun of Jamaicans and our propensity to hold down several jobs at one time. The skit was funny then and still makes me laugh when thinking about it today. The show was aired in the mid to late nineties when the level of fear and economic uncertainty was nowhere near where it is today. Here we are in 2012 and a topic that provided comedic relief in the nineties has become a reality for many today. A side hustle is any venture or undertaking that produces additional streams of income and or serves as a testing ground for a new idea or business. Do you have a hobby or idea that you are considering turning into a business? Turn it into your side hustle and test the waters before you take the plunge.  A side hustle can also serve as a great back up plan just in case you lose your corporate job.

Here are a few side hustles that either I have implemented or I have seen clients and friends implement over the years:

Website Design
Graphic Design
Editing/Writing
Window Washing
Consulting
Coaching
Independent Sales Rep
Catering
Handyman Services
Physical Therapy
Personal Trainer
Massage Therapy

In order for a side hustle to be considered viable it must have at least the following five characteristics:

1. You enjoy the work (If you hate doing the work, don’t waste your time.)
2. There is a market demand
3. You are good at the work (If you struggle at completing the work properly, don’t waste your time or more importantly the customer’s time.)
4. You can generate income in a short period of time
5. The activity is legal (Stealing equipment from your employer and then repositioning them on eBay is a bad choice.

There are limitless opportunities for starting a side hustle. Take some time today and jot down some ideas that you can get rolling right away.