Isn’t it everyone’s dream to be able to work a side business and generate a full time income? In today’s gig economy, it is easier than ever to start your very own virtual business with very low start up costs, and start earning money fast. These side hustle ideas are easy to start and can give you a full time income very quickly.
Are you tired of working your nine to five job? I mean it would be sooo much easier to just roll out of bed and sit at your computer in your jammies all day and make money, right? You’ve probably even heard people say, “I make money while I’m sleeping…”
And maybe they do. But that doesn’t just happen overnight. So, I want to set your expectations from the beginning. This isn’t a get-rich-quick scheme. These side hustles take time, energy, and effort. But the potential that comes with these opportunities is great. While they may start out as side hustles, they can easily turn into a full-time career.
Side hustle ideas: Where do you start?
So maybe you are set on starting your own business, but don’t know what you want to do… there are a few factors to consider: 1) What are your interests? 2) What need does your business satisfy for people? 3) What type of investment are you looking to make with your time and money?
While the answer to these questions are different for everyone, we are only going to look at a few business options that can be started with very little initial start-up costs.
Start your own photography business
if you own a nice camera and love to capture beautiful moments, then starting your own photography business is a great option. Even as you are building a portfolio, you can make some money by offering less expensive photo sessions to families, weddings, senior pictures, etc.
Not only can you be a traditional photographer, but there is a huge market for making and photographing food or crafts and selling the photographs to bloggers for use on their blogs.
Start a blog
In this day and age of the internet, it is quite easy to start your own blog and write about whatever your favorite topic is, and get paid for it. Of course, just because you have a blog doesn’t mean that you will be raking in the dough immediately. But you can write and build your portfolio and following and then you can pitch to larger websites and get paid to write for them, place ads on your blog, write sponsored content, or even incorporate affiliate links into your posts. Find out how easy it is to start your own blog here, in my step-by-step guide to starting your own blog.
Open your own online store
There are several platforms that offer you the ability to just create an account and then pay a fee when you list an items or when that item sells, or to create an online storefront for your very own products or brand. Unlike the Amazon FBA, you are responsible for shipping and your own customer service policies, such as returns, etc. Here are a few platforms that you might want to look into if you have some items to sell:
- Ebay—new or used goods, can sell almost anything: electronics, books, clothing, jewelry, video games, toys…
- Poshmark—new or used women’s clothing and accessories
- Etsy—handmade or vintage goods
- Shopify—online, social media options, and in-store
- Spreadshirt—online t-shirt shop
Start your own virtual franchise
So what is a virtual franchise, and how is it different than an online store? Well, both a virtual franchise and an online store are e-commerce platforms, meaning the majority of sales happen online. The difference that the franchise offers you is to be part of a business that is already established, so you have your own online store front to sell products from a particular company. You typically don’t have to worry about shipping out products, buying or holding inventory, or customer service—because the company does that for you. But the nice thing about the franchise aspect is that you actually do own a little piece of the business for yourself—you are building your own business and creating your own asset! And the part that I love about this the most, is the asset that is built can be passed along to your children (or whomever you want) someday. So not only can you create a stream of income for yourself in the present—and into the future for retirement—but you can pass it along to your kids and they can continue to grow the business and generate the income! Once I figured this out, I partnered with two companies and now have virtual franchises that are generating current income and building my own assets to pass along to my kids someday—and I have the freedom of being a work-at-home mom, rather than punching the clock for someone else! I literally researched several companies and found these two that aligned with my goals (because, after all, you have to believe in the company and products that you are partnering with):
- Juice Plus+ —this company is one which offers whole food supplements from dehydrated fruits and vegetables, in capsule form and chewable form (so even kids can take them—and that’s a big deal in our house because my youngest son literally only eats pizza and corn dogs, and the occasional banana—and now I can at least feel like he is getting some good nutrition in…) The whole food aspect was important to me because I have always been interested in eating healthy and taking supplements and protein shakes, but many of the “health” products that I tried in the past, gave me headaches because the vitamins and minerals were lab-created, not naturally occurring. I always wondered why something “healthy” for me gave me headaches and made me feel terrible… what I didn’t realize was the difference it would make to get the vitamins and minerals straight from the source—fruits and vegetables! Within a few months of taking these products, I felt better and noticed changes in my body (I have been migraine-free for over one year now and have noticed other positive changes too), so when you find something that is good, good for you, and has no side effects because it is literally the same as eating fruits and vegetables, that’s a company that I know I can feel confident about partnering with. Click here to find out more about starting your own Juice Plus+ Virtual Franchise.
- Rodan+Fields—I had been looking for a good skincare regimen for quite a few years now… you know how those fine lines start to appear in your 30’s, well, I was on a mission to find something to slow that aging process… and it took a while, but I found it with Rodan+Fields. I had tried several skincare products and many of them caused me to break out or even caused those little white bumps around my eye area. So when I tried Rodan+Fields and didn’t break out and was able to use an eye cream without experiencing the little white dots, I was very excited! Not only did their products not have a negative effect on my skin, but I saw a great improvement! Does anyone else find it really frustrating to spend money on skincare that is supposed to be helping, and in fact, the only result more issues?? So when you find products that work, you want to stick with them! Because I am most concerned with diminishing fine lines and facial redness, I use the Soothe and Redefine regimens… fine lines are fading away, any puffiness around my eyes are gone, my skin has a much more even tone—and the best result—I no longer wear foundation! Of course, they have more lines of skincare to help with sun damage and even acne and post-acne scarring, which I personally have friends that have seen tremendous results using those regimens. Again, a company that I saw and felt the benefits of the products and could confidently partner with… Click here to find out more about starting your own online skincare business with Rodan+Fields.
What to expect when starting a side business
There are a few things that you need to keep in mind when starting a side hustle:
- It’s a marathon, not a sprint. It’s going to take time. Sure, you could luck out and be the exception to the rule, but don’t expect that. Understand that you are building a business—an asset—and it will take some time. Give yourself a few years to grow your side hustle.
- Set goals. Give yourself a road map of goals. Think about what you are going to do each day, each month, and each year to reach your goals. Remember, what you do daily to reach your goals with what is going to matter in the end…
- You must believe in your business. Starting a side hustle needs to be an extension of you—it must be a passion of yours. Something that you truly believe in. Don’t set a goal to write a book if you hate writing and struggle to put a few sentences together on a loved one’s birthday card… sounds obvious, right?
Are you looking to work from home or start a side business?
What are you waiting for?
Take the leap…
Good ideas!