1. Make an honest assessment.
Side hustles from home can easily your day job. But before you make that extra cash, contemplate what’s required. For starters, you’ll have to sacrifice some weekends, sleep, and maybe even a family gathering or two.
So, are these gigs worth that effort? Absolutely, and it starts with asking yourself a few questions.
Do you already have the skills needed to launch your idea? Or will you need to earn a degree, take an online course, or attend some type of training?
Your side job can make money. And you can quit your 9-5. There are plenty of examples of men, women, and even teenagers, who have seen their ventures take off. Basically, consider the work necessary and have the resolve to see it through.
2. Start small.
First. You want to protect your day job and all the benefits that it affords you. So, no moonlighting during nine-to-five hours. You are being paid to do only the work of your employer before 5. It’s not right to cheat them.
Second. Be patient. There are only so many hours in a day. And the bulk of it will be consumed by your current position. And that’s fine!
Remain consistent and keep the goals of your vision where you can see them daily. It will not take long to realize substantial growth.
Third. Don’t let your new grind threaten your current one. Stay focused at work. To be written up for lack of performance, or something worse, might put your extra cash at risk.
Fourth. If you provide a service, secure a few contracts. If you are selling a product, consistently hit your target numbers. Once you accomplish these smaller goals, growing becomes much easier.
3. Stick to a schedule.
So, we’ve taken a look at the first two steps to making income from home. Let’s keep going with a dive into #3.
Between work, errands, and sleep, you will have little free time. But that’s OK! If you maintain a regular schedule, that’s all you’ll need.
Don’t worry that you don’t have a typical eight hour shift to devote to your new company. With laser focus, you can maximize those moments.
Let family and friends know that you will not be available during certain hours. Be strict on this one. If this sounds too tough, just remember how a regular nine-to-five works. Can you offer multiple excuses to your boss, skip meetings, put off phone calls? No, you do not.
Turn your home into a think tank for your vision. Stay on task this weekend–you have been doing it for your employer, right? Commit that extra effort to yourself! Being disciplined and maintaining this strict plan will get you there.
4. Establish a solid base.
With enough clients, your establishment can net good money. I once turned a solopreneur dream into a thriving janitorial business. I created a strong customer base, six-figure billing, and ran it from my house.
What I loved about my maintenance company was that it was built on contracts. So, it made my job of building client relationships easier. As a result, my money grew quickly.
You can expand your company’s footprint from neighborhood to neighborhood, city to city, county to county, or even state to state. Growing your reputation and reducing your nine-to-five dependence.
Another great thing about building a solid base is your income is somewhat guaranteed. If you have a 50 client roster, and one fires you, very little changes. Simply replace them with another.
But wait there’s more. Obtaining loans is also easier with a list of regulars. Just show your lender your client list.
Consistently adding customers adds to your safety net. Making the choice of keeping your day job or going all in with your side hustle, will now be a reality.
5. Utilize freelancers when possible.
Time is crucial, and the use of independent contractors can give you more of it. And by outsourcing non-crucial task, you can focus on the crucial ones.
In the beginning, everything seems urgent when getting your shop up and running. And it is those task that bring in paying customers that are most important.
Yes, you need to need to design a great looking website and a host of other things. But is spending hours to do so wise? Carefully examine what yours is worth.
The right freelancer can take things off your plate promptly. Therefore, the success of your biz depends on your ability to delegate some tasks.
6. Explore benefit options.
This may not be necessary in the earliest stages, but determining a long-term benefits strategy is important. A startup that offers its employees excellent benefits legitimizes your business in the eyes of your employees, customers, and you too.
Top companies like Gusto have made it easy for entrepreneurs to provide health, payroll, 401k, and other options. And the first beneficiary should be you.
If you are worried about the cost (ROI), don’t be. Your employer is not providing these “great benefits” that you enjoy for free. You are paying for them with each paycheck and hour worked.
The only difference with your new CEO occupation will be committing the monies on the front end. Your employee simply took it out of your paycheck on the back end.
If you’re going to achieve your goal of replacing your full-time income with part-time work, get started with these tips, be patient, and stay consistent. Your side hustle will become more than just that.