Finding a Balance: Tips & Tricks for the Side-Hustler

Being a side-hustler is more than just a job (or two), it’s a lifestyle. But just as with any other lifestyle, although you are driven by a desire to live it, it takes time to perfect. Since I have been working on my own side-hustle for a couple of years now, I wanted to share some of my tips:

1. Asana
Forget saving the best for last, this is the tip that inspired me to write this blog post. About a year ago, my entrepreneur extraordinaire sister told me about Asana, an app that helps me get organized and stay organized every day. It is a to-do list with a calendar but so much more. You can organize tasks by assigning each with different color-coded projects and then tags. It even has a separate section for personal tasks. It is primarily a web app but also has a pretty comprehensive mobile app. I love using this tool to keep track of all of the things I need to do and all of my ideas so that everything feels less overwhelming. My favorite things to do with Asana are checking off my completed tasks and rearranging other tasks by dragging and dropping them between days in the calendar. There are so many more features on this app that I haven’t even explored yet. But the very best part is that it is absolutely free!

2. Google Drive & Apps
Staying in the techie vein, next on the list is Google. Yes, we all have used or at least have a general idea about Google drive and all of the applications that accompany this Microsoft Office-like tool. The primary reason that I find it useful is that I can access it on all of my devices, especially when I’m on the run. This is great for people like me who have Apple and Android products because they work seamlessly on both platforms. So whether you are at your day job, at home, or traveling, you always have access to your documents and projects. This is clutch because it allows you to utilize your limited side-hustle hours more efficiently.

3. Know Your Brand
The key to being a side-hustler is knowing your brand. This is an important component of having a business in general but when you work a traditional shift and have to use the rest of the hours in your day to work on your side-hustle, it makes things simpler when you know exactly what you and your brand stand for. Knowing how to speak about your brand in a concise way allows you to promote yourself quickly when the opportunity arises. First, create your elevator pitch. An elevator pitch is a two to three sentence description that sparks interest in your brand. It can go something like this, “I’m Patricia Martin and I am a writer and editor. I am the proud owner of The Glam Femme, which is a blog and brand that centers the voices of queer femmes, with a focus on social awareness, self-care, and creative expression. You can follow me on all social media at…” Second, it is extremely important to have consistent social media handles and short, but descriptive social media bios. When you have all of these things in place, you can spread the word about your business seamlessly as you go about your day like the savvy entrepreneur you are.

4. Have Confidence
Another essential thing you need to be a successful side-hustler is confidence in yourself and your business. The minute you tell people about your “little side project” some of them will side-eye you and say things that may make you question yourself and your ability to succeed. What’s worse, looking at all the other people who are self-starters, successful or not, may cause that little voice in your head to materialize and tell you that you aren’t good enough to make it. Despite these discouraging feelings and the people around you that tell you that you’re silly for being so ambitious, know that you do have what it takes. Remember, if you have the passion for something, the ideas behind it, and the drive to even attempt to make your dreams come true, you are fully capable. The only person who needs to believe this is you. Don’t worry about anybody else — they aren’t the ones putting in the work.

5. Write Everything Down
When I first started The Glam Femme the most valuable thing I did was write down every idea that popped into my head, no matter how small or seemingly ridiculous. I accomplished this by using the Color Notes app. Of course, you can use any notes app or even a good old notepad if you prefer writing things down. Some people find that voice notes are the best bet for them. The most important thing is when you are on the run or have some downtime at your 9-5, you need to utilize the handiest way of recording your thoughts. Ideas can happen anytime, anywhere so don’t miss the opportunity when creativity hits!6. Be Persistent and Consistent
Whatever you do, don’t give up. As we all know, but have difficulty reconciling with sometimes, success doesn’t happen overnight. You will feel disheartened some days but if you quit, you won’t ever experience the benefits that come from staying on task, no matter how hard it gets. Staying on task also means being consistent with your efforts. As you start to build a following or gain customers, they will be looking for content or products from you so don’t let them down or they will lose interest. An inactive brand loses momentum quickly and can be a death sentence for your business. For me, because of time constraints (I have a 9-5 and technically three side hustles), it has been difficult to write blog posts as consistently as I should. But because I know that huge gaps in content can be detrimental for a growing business in a very fast-paced, social media-driven climate, I make a point to keep my Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook active on a daily basis. This takes time. You have to find your groove. Two things that help me are scheduling my posts ahead of time and auto-reposting content to all my platforms. Find a schedule that is doable for you (it doesn’t have to be daily) and stick to it.

7. Keep Reworking Your Brand
Constantly rework different iterations of your brand. This doesn’t mean change your audience or your purpose but think of new ways to reach new followers and new methods of getting the word out about your business or your ideas. If your brand is very niche, this may be more difficult but there’s always a way to get a fresh take on what you represent. Try making a tree or a diagram of the different aspects of the focus of your brand and your related passions and then play around with it. Think about the ways these parts can be expressed to your audience. Here is where writing down all your random thoughts comes in handy. Also, do some research on what new things are on the cutting edge of your interest area. This type of constant brainstorming is key to staying relevant and engaging.

8. Take Advice
When you enter the world of entrepreneurship, all the information that you receive can be overwhelming. Be sure to talk to people who have been there before and know exactly what you’re going through. Don’t worry about finding a mentor-type person who is in the exact same field that you are. Instead, take bits and pieces of advice you receive and figure out what is most valuable to you. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. You’d be surprised at how many people are willing to share their knowledge. Sometimes the best advice has nothing to do with your craft and more to do with learning skills to help you be the best you can be and in turn, put out the best product and content you can.

9. Go to Events
If you don’t remember anything else, don’t forget to network, network, network. Not only can this assist you with tip #8, it can teach you practical skills and allow you to meet many people who can help you get to where you need to be, even inadvertently. We all have heard the saying, “It’s who you know, not what you know.” While this is true, why not have both? One of the best ways to learn more is to get to know more people at events. And I am not just talking about networking events, I am also talking about events that cater to your interest area like panel discussions, conventions, and seminars where you can meet other self-starters on the fast track to success like yourself.

10. Constantly Remind Yourself WHY You’re Side-hustling
As a certified side-hustler, you have to constantly be your own coach. Every now and then, or even on a daily basis, you need to remind yourself of your purpose. It’s not that difficult to keep your eye on your passion but recognizing your purpose can be a process. If you don’t tell yourself why you have chosen to take on the arduous task of a side-hustle while being committed to a full-time job, you may quit your day job prematurely or stay at it for too long and lose sight of your passion. Part of deciding your purpose is setting deadlines and goals so that you can stay the course. For example, maybe you are working your full-time job so that you can save enough money to make your side-gig your permanent gig. So on days when you are exhausted and you can’t figure out why you are torturing yourself with these long days, you can remind yourself of that specific goal and tell yourself, “You can do it – you only have six months/$xxx left!” Lastly, the reason you are side-hustling should be because you are passionate about your side-gig. If you’re doing it simply to become rich and famous, it probably isn’t a great choice of a side-hustle for you. Make sure your purpose and passion align because that creates just the right amount of motivation to succeed!

No matter what kind of business you are striving towards, at the end of the day, being an expert side-hustler is about being organized, finding balance, believing in yourself, and remembering to do what works for you.