Expert tips on starting a side hustle

With the cost of living climbing, more of us are looking for ways to boost our income, and side hustles have never been more popular.

In fact, research by Sage shows that nearly half of Brits now have a side hustle alongside their main job, and 7 in 10 young people are juggling multiple streams of income.

Side hustles can be anything, from selling second-hand clothes online to writing quiz questions or designing novelty tea towels.

The more creative your idea, the better, as these 20 quirkiest side hustles show.

If you’re thinking about starting your own side hustle, or want to grow an existing one, you’re in the right place.

We spoke to two career experts to give you a helping hand.

Why side hustles work

Richard Alderson, founder of Careershifters, explains how side hustles can be a great option for people looking to change career.

“We’ve seen hundreds of clients use them to test an idea while they still have the financial security of a day job, and then go full-time on their business once they’re confident in the income it can provide them.”

Here are Richard’s top tips to help you succeed:

• Prioritise getting a paying customer, not a logo. This will be the best way you can quickly validate your idea. Don’t waste too much time initially on setting up the infrastructure for the business (e.g. website, branding, materials, company structure) - that can all come after you’ve proved initial traction.
• Be willing to experiment. It’s unlikely you’ll hit on the exact ‘product-market’ fit first time round. Be ready to iterate multiple times, and get input directly from your customers at each stage.
• Be laser-focused. As a side hustle, time will always be in short supply. Once you’ve found some initial traction, focus initially on one target market, one channel to reach them and one product.
• Know your ‘leap’ number. Work out the minimum monthly income that lets you leave your job safely, and don’t quit your day job until you’ve hit it consistently. 

The stats behind the side hustle boom

Enterprise Nation’s most recent Small Business Barometer shows 43% of SMEs originally started as side hustles, with women leading the trend at 48%.

Aaron Asadi, CEO of Enterprise Nation, a membership community for small businesses, said that because the costs of starting a business have dramatically come down and technology has made everything more accessible, you can start a business while holding on to the day job or caring or parental responsibilities.

But he warns: “The clock starts ticking the moment you quit your job. If you can't afford to pay your bills and keep the lights on, the business will close, so holding onto the day job is key. 

“Doing it this way also means you can test the business idea and avoid taking on board expensive finance until you’re ready to go." 

Aaron shared his expert tips on getting started:

• Join a supportive community to find free advice. Look out for meet-ups that work around your day job and provide an opportunity to learn. Enterprise Nation runs over 40 events a year. 
• Tell your employer what you're doing if possible. Check to see whether your contract has any restrictions in it. 
• Use a drag-and-drop website editor that charges a monthly fee, rather than paying a developer. 
• Use online accounting software that saves time and allows you to launch without an accountant.  
• Work from your kitchen table, a café or a pay-as-you-go hot-desking. 
• Think about using a marketplace to sell your products or services. 
• Take a DIY approach to PR and building your social media audience. 

Want more side hustle inspiration? Have a read of how this best-friend duo built their own T-shirt brand while juggling kids, dogs and day jobs.