You’ve had enough settling with your current income. Your boss isn’t willing to give you a raise and you don’t have enough time to drive back and forth to multiple jobs.
Having extra income would allow you to pay off debt faster, enjoy a longer vacation, or quit your soul-sucking job. Afterall, life is too short.
But how could you earn additional income and fit it around your busy schedule?
In today’s online world, you have the ability to earn money working from your laptop. There are hundreds of income-generating opportunities but it boils down to choosing one that’s the most appealing to you.
The problem is, choosing your ideal “side-job” is only half the battle. You’ll have to understand how to market your service, build your reputation and treat your side-job as a business if you hope to succeed.
Most importantly, you’ll need to have the right mindset.
1. Set clear goals to be successful
By this point you already know that you want to start a side-job, but before you start you need to know your “why”.
The going will get tough and you’ll need to be clear on why you started in the first place if you hope to succeed. Start by asking the following questions:
- Do I love my current job?
- Am I content with my work/life balance?
- What will I use the extra money I earn from my side-job for?
Write these questions down somewhere you’ll constantly see them to be reminded on why you’ve started in the first place.
Goals without deadlines rarely get accomplished. Don’t believe me?
If you were like most people back in high school you procrastinated until the last minute before you started working on your essay. Now imagine if there wasn’t a deadline. Your essay would take longer to get completed.
It will be challenging when you’re first starting off to know how long different tasks will take to finish, but you’ll need to set an end date.
Start by breaking down your goal into smaller tasks, and use journals to help you review your daily progress.
2. Set clear expectations from the start
“Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the ax” – Abraham Lincoln
Before you start working on your side-job, you need to understand what to expect. Here are the most important key things to consider:
Build patience
Once you’ve chosen your idea, it’ll be easy to find others who are succeeding.
This is where most people run into trouble because they’ll believe they can reach similar success in a short period of time.
Your side-job can take a few months or even years for it to take off. Most people won’t tell you this because it’s not sexy to hear.
If you plan to succeed in building your side-job you’ll need to have patience. Instead of chasing the money, chase the journey.
Choose a side-job you love, so when the going gets tough it’ll be easier to stay committed.
Make time in your busy schedule
Make time to fit your side-job around your busy schedule. This means waking up earlier and staying up late to build your side-job.
Build systems to maintain consistency. Use tools like Google Calendar to block out time throughout your week and follow them with the same importance you do with your current job’s schedule.
Don’t be afraid to fail
It’s tempting to look at other successful people and assume they knew which job they were going to enjoy working with the most.
The reality is that most failed with their initial ideas before they landed in one they loved. So what’s my point?
Stop overthinking which side-job to start with and allow yourself to fail.
Take Jim Carey for example, he was booed off stage in a comedy club in Toronto and failed to land a part in Saturday Night Live. Nevertheless, he didn’t give up and be eventually became the star we know today.
It boils down to this, pick a job you’re curious about and start working. If you realize that this job isn’t for you, move on to your next idea. Eventually, you’ll find a job that you enjoy working with the most.
3. Increase your odds at being successful
There are no shortcuts to success, but you can avoid wasting time. In certain circumstances, it’s worth spending money to save you time and unnecessary headaches.
You can always get by with the “free” route, but be prepared to spend more time and make more mistakes. Through trial and error, I’ve discovered which types of resources are worth investing in the early stages of your side-job.
These resources include:
Website
Nowadays, if you’re running a side-job, you’ll need a website to showcase your skills and build credibility.
With a simple Google search, you’ll easily find dozens of free website alternatives. The problem with this route is that your domain won’t feel professional (i.e. example.wordpress.com), and you’ll need to understand basic HTML to make your website look professional.
Instead, purchase a unqiue domain name, and build your website with a professional WordPress theme .
You’ll still have to invest some time in building your website with the paid route, but you’ll have access to premium themes that are easy to install.
Be prepared to invest 1 to 2 weeks to build your professional looking website. Don’t aim for perfection, and focus on your main objective.
Mentors
The best way to learn is from those who are already in the position you’d hope to be in one day.
This is why mentors are a valuable resource to have as you’re building your side-job. They’ve already learned from their mistakes and know how to overcome the obstacles you’re currently facing.
But where can you find mentors? Mentors come in different forms. You can access them by reading books, listening to podcasts, joining paid masterminds, or paying for one on one coaching.
Start by reading books on your chosen field and gradually work your way up to purchasing your mentor’s premium resources.
Take a look at this guide if you want to learn about how to pick a good mentor for yourself:
A Good Mentor Is Hard to Find: What to Look for in a Mentor
Premium courses
When you’re looking to learn specific skills or overcome a specific struggle, courses are a great option. Why? Because they’re often cheaper than hiring a mentor, and still provide tailored guidance on how to reach a specific goal.
The best courses will come from your mentors. Often times they have courses in their blog or recommend ones that have helped them achieve results.
Once you’re at a mentor’s website, be on the lookout for their “products” or “resources” page.
Network with like-minded people
“Your network is your net-worth”
As you’re starting your side-job, it’s important that you surround yourself with like-minded people. You’ll benefit receiving support from others experiencing the same challenges, and continue to stay motivated.
Think of starting a side-job similar to starting a business, you’ll be marketing your product/service, handling incoming orders, managing your accounting and so on. In other words, you’re an entrepreneur running your small business.
Often times, the entrepreneurial journey is a lonely one. Even if your spouse or kids support you, they won’t fully understand what you’re experiencing. That’s why attending conferences, joining masterminds and attending local meetups can help you reach higher levels while staying motivated.
4. Be so good you can’t be ignored
By this point, you already know that starting a side-job isn’t easy.
Most people fail because they’re not prepared, but not you. You’re already equipped with setting clear goals, what to expect, and the different ways to increase your odds at succeeding.
What if you still want more guidance with choosing a stable side-job? Here are some popular side-jobs that are in demand and that may be a good fit for you:
Blogging
Blogging has become more popular these past few years.
Today roughly 6.7 million people blog on blogging sites,[1] and 23% of online time is spent on a blog or social media. This number will continue to increase as new technology makes it easier to stay connected online.
Pros:
- Easy to build
- Multiple ways to earn income (i.e. affiliate marketing, advertising, courses, etc.)
Cons:
- Slow at building income (i.e. it can take months or years before you earn sustainable income)
- Time-consuming to create content with little to no audience
Helpful resources:
Freelance writer
Freelance writing is similar to blogging except you’re strictly writing for other businesses. As blogs continue to grow in popularity, the demand for freelance writers will also rise.
Pros:
- Strong demand for freelance writers
- Ability to increase your rate as you gain more credibility
Cons:
- Challenging to find your first customers
- You may need to write for free or for a low rate when first starting off
Helpful resources:
Virtual assistant
Roughly 69% of U.S. entrepreneurs build their businesses online.[2] As online businesses continue to grow, they’ll need virtual assistants to help them manage their website, marketing, etc.
Pros:
- No experience required to start
- Gain exposure in a wide range of tasks
Cons:
- Competing with offshore workers can force you to charge low rates
- Work on many tasks you dislike until you specialize in one or more tasks
Helpful Resources:
Facebooks Ad consultant
Roughly 80% of Americans use Facebook[3] and almost 1/4 of your time online is spent on social media. That’s why more businesses are starting to invest more money in Facebook Ads.
For the businesses who don’t want to invest time to learn how to manage Facebook Ads, they’ll hire Facebook Ad consultants.
Pros:
- Many FREE resources available to learn how to manage Facebook Ads
- As low as $5 entry cost to test ads
Cons:
- Facebook’s algorithm and policy are constantly changing, making it difficult to keep up.
- It can take a few weeks or months to view ad progress
Helpful resource:
Amazon FBA
Amazon has grown into one of the largest online retailers and accounts for 43% of all online sales.
Amazon FBA (fulfillment by Amazon) allows you to resell items online without shipping to the buyers directly. You’d go to different stores to find profitable items, and ship them back to Amazon. Since Amazon ships about 1.6 million packages per day, you’ll many opportunities to earn a profit.
Pros:
- Low-cost entry barrier
- Amazon Seller App makes it easy to determine if a product is profitable
Cons:
- Pooled inventory means the product you ship may not be the one your customer receives
- Not all of your items will sell
Helpful resources:
Start earning additional income!
Imagine working from home and earning enough additional income to pay off your debt faster than ever before!
But that’s not all, you’re earning just as much income from your side-job than you are with your full-time job. You’re empowered knowing that you’re not obligated to work in a job you hate.
You’re surprised to what happens next, your relationships improve, and you’re more motivated than ever to wake up each morning.
All after working long hours, setting clear goals and investing in yourself.
Amazing isn’t it? You know you have the resources you need to build a sustainable income working from home. It won’t be easy but anything worth pursuing isn’t.
Start learning additional income and see how your life begins to change.
Featured photo credit: Pexels via pexels.com
Reference
| [1] | ^ | Nielsen: Buzz in the Blogosphere: Millions More Bloggers and Blog Readers |
| [2] | ^ | Small Business Trend: Startup statistics – the numbers you need to know |
| [3] | ^ | Word Stream: 75 Super-Useful Facebook Statistics for 2018 |
