12 Steps to Finding The Perfect Side Hustle

Having a side hustle can be invaluable for both personal and business reasons. It is a great way to connect your life experience with things you are naturally good at. It also presents an opportunity to try something different from your chosen career path. 

Starting a side hustle is appealing, however, if you need help figuring out where to start, our Side Hustle Support Programme is a great way to ease yourself in, with only a 4-hour weekly commitment. Being a Black side hustler does not have to be something you do alone when you can join an ambitious and incredible community of other side hustlers. 

Although you can start a side hustle for next to nothing, you may wonder how to know which side hustle is perfect for you. Read on to discover 12 steps you can take today to find the perfect side hustle.

1. Find your why - what is your purpose for starting a side hustle? Is it to make money or solve a problem? Understanding this from the beginning will help you to stay grounded if any difficulties arise. 
2. Take an audit - get a list of things that you enjoy doing at your current job and things that you are naturally good at. Is there anything that people always ask you to help with? 
3. Identify your passions - what do you enjoy doing but don't get paid for? 
4. Idea generation - once you've completed steps 1 - 3, you now have a great starting point to begin the process of ideating. Combining your skills and passions is a great way to see how you can add to the market. 
5. Find the demand - now that you have a healthy list of ideas, it is time to put your findings together to identify any gaps in the market which you can fill with your hustle. 
6. Identify how much time you have - life is busy, and knowing exactly how much time you have available to work on your side hustle will dictate the kind of side hustle you start. 
7. Validate your idea - this is crucial to understanding if your side hustle will sink or swim. It can be done quickly and at a low cost. Although it may seem tedious, it will save you time and money. You can validate your idea by tapping into existing contacts and contacting local businesses. 
8. Plan when you will work on your hustle - to see growth in your side hustle, it is essential to set time aside to work on it. Always remember that you power this, so you will get out what you put in. 
9. Identify goals for your side hustle (often) - the best way to do this is to set a few long-term and several short-term goals. This will allow you to build momentum and remain in execution mode, which is crucial for survival. 
10. Start small - it is easy to fall into the trap of grand ideas and thinking that certain things must be done now, but take your time. Little and often is the best way forward, and as you become accustomed, you can start to think about scaling. 
11. Tell people - you'll be surprised how often first customers come from close contacts. Sending out a word of your latest project is the easiest way to acquire customers and establish initial growth. 

Be fearless - you will never feel 100% about your side hustle, but that does not matter; being proactive does! Be bold and launch quickly; a quick fall allows you to learn and adjust.