3 min read Startup Growth

The Complete Guide: How to Start a Side-Business

Starting a side-business can be tricky.

We struggle knowing how to go about it, what to focus on and how to find the time.

This guide focuses on the most important aspects of what it takes to create a side-hustle. Bookmark this page for future reference as more are resources are continuously added.

Chapter 1: Define Your Current Status

Before jumping into the fun stuff, let’s define what your status quo is.  If you don’t know how to deliver value – the rest of the process will be difficult.

Where can you add value? What do people thank you for?

Chapter 2: Decide What Side-Business to Create

The next step is to decide on where to start. It does not have to be – nor should it be – big. Just a first step towards a concept, or an idea.

Here are articles to help you get your ideas flowing.

Chapter 3: Be Ruthless With Your Precious Time

One of the most common excuses reasons to not start a side-hustle is that of time. Before committing to a project though, it is important to check how you spend your time.

Why?

You will need to put hours into your business. The first step is to figure out how and where to carve out those hours. It’s just about priorities.

Chapter 4: Supportive environments and effective habits

Can the person you are today, do the work you wish to do?

The truth might be: maybe not.

On any growth endeavour, we must trust to put one foot in front of the other.

Skills, support, practice, courage…. these grow with us as we take these steps.

For a long time, I was curious about online businesses. I knew no one. Today, I have joined several online communities and find support in a mastermind group. I’ve made friends – around the world – with similar values as myself. It has changed everything.

Start looking for these people, today.

“You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.”

Chapter 5: Getting your first customer (Explore and Iterate)

Before anything else:

Get your first customer.

Don’t spend three months building a site before knowing what value you provide. Instead, trial and error on small projects.

When I fell in love with coaching, I had coaching clients before setting up a website. I offered to coach for free, and eventually started charging. As I got clients results, I could charge according to the value I provided.

Revisit this question:

What do people thank you for?

Specific advice, Facebook ads or explaining difficult concepts? Let’s look at how to get your first customer.

Chapter 6: Should I Go Full-time? (Case Studies & Inspiration)

Here are a collection of stories of people who have done the switch from side-hustling to full-time gig. They are hand-picked for your inspiration, and modelling.

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