I’ve heard from so many people in my community that this pause has allowed them to step back and look at their lives in a new way. Dave Hollis shared a quote the other week that said, “In the rush to return to normal, use this time to consider which parts of normal are worth rushing back to.” I’ve sat with this sentiment and maybe you’ve felt some stirring, too, to not rush back to things that leave you feeling empty or unfulfilled. Maybe you’ve felt inclined to finally ditch a bad habit, or to start the side hustle you’ve been dreaming about for months or years.
I honestly think that we are ALL made to pursue the passions knit into our very beings. If you’re ready to stop living a halfway full life or working at a job that sucks the energy right out of you, then maybe it’s a good thing to use this time to begin going for whatever that deep-seeded desire is that you’ve toyed with for ages. I want to give you the actual, tangible steps to finally jumping in head first and yelling COWABUNGA along the way toward that passion project or side hustle you’re ready to pursue.
6 steps to start the side hustle you’ve been dreaming about
Sometimes big dreams feel overwhelming, and it helps me to break it down into smaller, doable steps that you can knock out one at a time. Here’s how I’d recommend getting started with your side hustle.
01. Start an email list.
Yep, step number 1 is to get that list up and running! The reason? An email list is the clearest, most direct way to communicate with your (future) audience. You can show up in their inboxes rather than hoping they’ll slide past a social post, pause, read, and click through to your offer. Plus, an email list is way more intimate than social media. It’s like you’re having a one-on-one convo with each person, rather than trying to capture someone’s (anyone’s) attention in the big old world of social media.
Here are some of my favorite resources we’ve made for starting your list:
- This FREE weeklong course that walks you through the tech of starting your list and how to go from 0 subscribers to 250+ in a month!
- Want a readable resource? Head to this blog post with 3 steps to starting your list.
- Multitask your learning and listen to this podcast episode all about what you really need to know about starting an email list.
02. Talk about your journey.
Before launching anything or even firming up your offer, begin sharing about your journey on your social channels (and with that email list you started!) Share what you’re learning and what you’re digging into in order to bring your offer to the world. Show the behind-the-scenes of what it’s like to pursue your passions… The real feelings that come with going for something exciting and new.
By sharing what your starting point looks like, you’re laying the foundation for your followers to be in the know when you do eventually launch and throw an offer out there. It’ll be organic to begin sharing your project because you’ve already been sharing this process and lead up. Those who are interested in it will already have an idea for what you’re about and your heart behind this pursuit and will be more inclined to keep following along.
03. Create just one offer.
I know this part probably freaks you out but a side hustle means you’ve got to have something for sale. It’s officially time to firm up your offer! And just start with ONE thing — no matter if you’re getting into the product or service or online business space. Starting with one thing will allow you to pour your energy and efforts into making that offer exceptional, and then once you have a handle you can build on it from there.
This might look like: setting up an Etsy shop to sell your product, creating a simple website to house your offer, or finding a shareable calendar to use for people to book coaching or consulting sessions with you. This episode of the podcast is all about the steps it takes to create the BEST offer for your audience and launching it with ease. If you’re not sure where to start with turning your idea with an offer, give this ep a listen.
04. Share the offer — and then share again.
And again, and again, and again — in different formats and ways! I think so many times we put all this effort and time into creating something we’re SO excited about, and then when it comes time to get it out there, we push the offer once and then drop it. Maybe you didn’t get the traction you wanted the first time around, or people didn’t reciprocate your enthusiasm. Let me tell you, that is completely normal!
You are becoming an expert in this new area, and so people need reminders, and then more reminders, about what you can do for them. This is often the scariest part of starting a side hustle — the sharing — but also the most rewarding. Believe so fully in your offer that you can’t help but shout it from the rooftops! Get creative in how you talk about it. Tell stories, share the why behind it, paint the picture of what opportunities it can create. You’re your own PR person, so make every word count!
05. Remove barriers to entry.
Sometimes when new products or services are introduced to us, this inner skeptic comes out that says, Oh it’s not worth the money or, Oh it’ll never work for me. Nix that problem in the bud by getting yourself some automatic social proof. Can you share your service at a discounted rate (or even free?) for the first few people interested? Can you give a discount code for the first 20 people who buy your product?
When first starting out, the main goal is just getting people in the door so that they can see just how amazing your stuff is. After that, you can go back to normal pricing, and ask and encourage your first clients to share, write reviews, leave testimonials, etc. so others can see just how exceptional your things really are.
06. Add a value ladder.
Have you heard of value ladders? I know it sounds like this hoity-toity technical term, but I promise it’s simple. This blog post really breaks them down in detail, but essentially, it’s just creating different offers at different price points so that anyone interested in your business can have access. For example, a business coach could offer some sort of helpful resource or PDF guide for $55, team coaching for $150, and one-on-one coaching for $475. See how there’s access for anyone, and the more valuable, exclusive offers are the highest priced?
After you have your one offer out there and it’s doing well, you’re sharing and re-sharing it, and you’ve gotten social proof that it works, start working on a few more offers to add to the mix. This will not only diversify your income, but it also can create passive income for you and immensely grow your reach over time. You always want to think about what the next step for your client or customer is.
See? Starting your side hustle can totally be done in a few simple steps and you can begin making money from home with the passions you’re already interested in pursuing. And it doesn’t need to take a year of planning and over-analyzing every little thing. You are capable of creating a business and a life you adore, and I am so excited to root for you as you go!
Ready to start your email list?
Join the free one-week challenge where I’ll teach you how to start (and grow!) your list.
