GETTING STARTED: PICKING YOUR SIDE GIG
If you ask someone who’s twice your age they may not agree with you, but there is a lot of positive things to be said about the new technology age we have landed ourselves in. No more are you dependent on one income alone, at one profession, working from 9 AM until 5 PM with an hour for lunch. (Or, maybe you still do if the breadwinner in your family is making enough that you can afford to stay at home with the kids and help them with their homework. But that is an entirely different scenario.)
No, these days two incomes and then some are required, but not always at the expense that people associate with: “Oh, man, you know that I work three jobs and have a dog and still have my rent to pay per month, right?” Because your three jobs could very easily be your one major profession, your side photography business where you charge people a hefty amount for you to photograph their weddings and birthday parties and holiday events, and your passive income based ebook that you wrote explaining how to start your own side photography business.
The rent and the dog, unfortunately, will take a good amount of this pay away, but the point is that side businesses 1) does not have to mean that you are schlepping to three different part-time jobs in order to make ends meet like they used to; and 2) can have a sizeable second income to make sure that you are living your best life. Like, ever.
There are a good amount of side-businesses that you can experiment with. Among a million and one different options, there are a few blanket choices, such as:
- OWNING A BUSINESS → these days, it can extend from personal speaking to teaching others how to participate in public speaking, to your own photography business, to a clothing or swimsuit line, to an online personal trainer, to a professional dog walker.
- WRITING → writing is definitely underrated in the age of podcasts and YouTube, but there are still good writing options, such as: writing your own blog, freelancing and writing for someone else’s publication, or writing online books.
- ACTING → be in a few commercials! Get commission!
- COMMISSION SALES → you see this a lot through social media, typically where a woman is showing you her new skincare products or a fitness junky is telling you why their supplements are the best. Oh, and don’t forget to use their coupon code for 10% off your order! Every time you use their link, though, that influencer gets a commission rate based upon how much you purchased. All that’s required of them is a certain amount of sales posts per week in order to keep business drumming.
FINDING YOUR NICHE
With so many options, though, how do you know which side hustle is for you?!
In this case, like nearly most every other choice you make in your lifetime, make sure that you are actually passionate about the thing you are choosing for your second income. Because remember, this may actually begin to surpass your big professional income if you keep at it enough, and wouldn’t you want that new income to be more fun for you? Of course, you do!
So sit down and really think about your passions. Write them down if you have to — actually, do write a list. Write a list of the things you are passionate about and that you wish you could do per day, whether that’s photography, fitness, makeup, writing, whatever it is. Write it down. Now, pick one of those passions — at a time, at least — and try to brainstorm how you can make a good second income from it.
For example, I love writing, science, personal fitness, and nutrition. I love it to the point where I will other people to ask me questions about it or start talking about it themselves so I can interject my two cents because it means that much to me. But what meets at the corner of health, nutrition, and writing? Well, writing articles sure counts. Hence, freelancing.
So what are you passionate about?
SET YOURSELF UP AS A FREELANCER
There are two major ways you can go about freelancing. You can either:
- Apply directly for small jobs, such as online blogs and other publications, that may be one-time gigs or small continuous jobs
- Send in the example works to major publications, such as print magazines and newspapers, and hopefully be re-hired for their next publication
There are also two different ways that you can go about beginning either of these choices. Typically, those who are just starting out as a freelancer would opt for the first choice, just because they don’t have enough example work to land them a space in a major publication. Not that they will never get to that spot, though, it’s just going to take a little more time.
The second option is for those who either have been writing independently for a good long while and have a sizeable portfolio, or those who had been employed by a magazine or newspaper for a while and decided to venture off by themselves.
So which is better? Neither, really. Each is just dependent on your skill set. But for the purposes of now, let’s say that you are just starting out. You have a lot of downtime after your 9 AM to 5 PM job and you used to write for your college newspaper, so you have some experience. Plus, you really enjoy typing and have a pretty good WPM (words per minute), so why not give freelancing a shot?
Now, we’ve already discovered your niche. Remember that list of things that you are passionate about? Here’s where they come out to play. While I enjoy writing about science, fitness, and nutrition, maybe you are really passionate about proper care of animals, or your favorite beauty and makeup products, or maybe you love going out to eat and have a lot to say about it. Find that love, hone in on it, and apply for a position in that field.
APPLYING FOR YOUR FIRST JOB: PORTFOLIO
Okay, so far so good. You have established the niche that you want to partake in. (For the purposes of this example, let’s say that you have decided to write about science, personal exercise, and nutrition. It’s a great field, you will love it.) Now, the next step is to generate a portfolio.
Most times, you will only think of artists needing a portfolio. And isn’t a portfolio just that big envelope type thing that most artists use to carry around their artwork in, anyway? Not necessarily. In fact, most professions need a portfolio in one way or another. For example:
- ACTORS / ACTRESSES need headshots and some example work, either in film or in-person
- WRITERS need example work, either in the form of articles, a short story, or biographical work
- ARCHITECTS need example work. Would you trust someone to build your bridge if they have never built a two-story?
- FASHION DESIGNERS need a collection of design ideas
- ARTISTS need a collection of past work to make sure that they are credible for their next project
- DOG WALKERS / ANIMAL DAYCARE WORKERS need proof of working with animals in the past before they will ever be allowed near your precious puppy
And so on and so forth. They may call it something different, sure, but you need your portfolio. In this case, you need a couple of sample articles within your field (unless otherwise specified) to make sure that you write well and are as credible as you claim to be.
Depending on the job, you may only need one or two articles. Some basic and rudimentary jobs may not require it at all — take these jobs. They will be fast, easy, pay low, and yet help to build your portfolio. Every single job you do helps to build your portfolio, remember that.
Sending an article into a major print or online publication may require a few more articles, and may also ask that they be from an accredited source. Hence why you need to take a few “Man, these are so below the pay and credit that I deserve” jobs before you can take the big fish jobs.
APPLYING FOR YOUR FIRST JOB: LANDING THE GIG
Remember, we are just starting out here. Applying for Men’s Health or GQ is our long term goal — and those are great to have, too, so do not knock having aspirations in a side hustle — but right now we are tackling online blog writing with so much ferocity that you would think that single blog article is putting food on your table. (And maybe it is!)
Applying for a lesser-known online publication should be taken just as seriously as a large magazine or newspaper. Imagine that you are applying to Men’s Health or GQ when you send your application in for an online blog.
But wait, how did we find these online jobs?
Now, again, there are several options. You can start your own blog and gain traction that way, and use your large platform to win over the editors at Men’s Health. This route takes serious dedication and consistency, however, so if you’re looking to get started sooner rather than later, then writing for someone else’s blog may be the route you take. Or, you can do both at the same time and build your portfolio even more.
But let’s say that you opted to write for someone else for the time being. In that case, there are several online sources you can look at for a job, such as:
- UPWORK
- FREELANCE.COM
- INDEED
- GURU
- FIVERR
And by simply Googling “online freelance jobs for health and wellness” and seeing what comes up. (Just mind the more sketchy ads and the ones that will definitely not pay you a decent amount for the work you would be doing.)
From those sites, the picking process becomes easier. Each of these freelance websites has the option to build your own personal portfolio, where you can list your credentials, past and present work experiences, upload your resume, and include any awards, certifications, and honorary anything that will help you land a job. You will want to do this because, while claiming one thing on an application is great, more than likely your potential employers will also check your profile to see if you left anything out of your application. And if you are too lazy or uninterested to write a small bio, how are you going to write their blog posts?!
What else setting up a profile will help with is having jobs sent to you. Based upon either your credentials in your profile or based upon past search results for job positions, the company will send you jobs based on your interests. You can get work without even working for it. Talk about passive income!
KEEPING YOUR JOB
Okay, I know that you’re thinking that this next section is common sense. And it may be for most people. However, there are some that will abuse the fact that you suddenly become the boss of your own time, and can work whenever you have an hour or two to spare. Some people just aren’t good with time management.
So, a word to the wise. While landing a freelance job is great, it’s even better when you can count on that job for several weeks, months, and sometimes even years. Like your big professional job, you want to do well by the people who employed you. This can include:
- Answering them within three hours if they have contacted you
- Asking for due dates if they fail to provide one
- Sending an article in by, or even before, said due date
- Proofreading your own work so that they don’t have to
- Being pleasurable and a gem to work with
- Asking for clarifications when you are unsure instead of just guessing (because this wastes everyone’s time)
- Asking questions in general
And, above all else, just be a good human
THE TAKEAWAY
Starting your own side business can be very rewarding, even if you are still technically working underneath someone else. Freelancing gives you the ability to work on your own time and at your own pace while still cranking out work that you are passionate about. Just remember to build your portfolio, apply within your means, and be a good human being to your higher up and you are all set to rock the online writing world.