Simple Biz: Everyday I'm Side Hustling
Disclaimer: This post does not contain any “get rich quick” schemes or secrets to earning money fast. This post is in response to a question I was asked by a youtube viewer about what type of work I do from home.
Can't knock the side hustle.
I love 90s music. One of my favorite songs is “Get Money” by Junior M.A.F.I.A. featuring Notorious BIG and Lil Kim. Basically, the song details many illicit and illegal ways to get money. I don’t promote illegal activity, but the song definitely inspires a hustle spirit and by hustle I mean industrious and innovative for a cause whether it’s to pay your light bill or build an empire.
Below, I have detailed seven ways to make money in addition to or in spite of a full-time, permanent job. I don’t work full-time for any employer and I haven’t since 2013. I have done most of these to make money at some point in life.
There is a popular notion in the entrepreneur community to “fake it ‘til you make it” and portray an image in which you appear more successful than you are until the time comes when the reality matches the ideal.
I personally cannot get behind this although I have been tempted to over the course of my journey. It’s too much of a burden to maintain something that is not completely accurate, even if it can help build trust and sales, those gains are based on a lie at the end of the day. This list is real, not glamorous, and based on things I have done and some I continue to do.
- Part-time, temporary work, online + offline
- Handmade business
- Coaching
- Selling your stuff
- Babysitting
- Using your tax refund
- Renting your home
Part-time, temporary work, online + offline
This is work done for an employer. When I left my last full-time job as an Academic Advisor in March 2013, I knew I would never work full-time for anyone else ever again. Since then I have worked part-time as a Customer Service Rep through my local temp agency, online as an Professional Scorer evaluating standardized tests for an education company, and currently I’m a Site Coordinator for an after school program.
Temp agencies offer many flexible work assignments if you want to work part-time and temporary. Working from home and online for the education company, I was able to set my own hours and days as long as I met the minimum requirements.
Check out:
Staff.com
Pearson
The Muse
Handmade Business
If you’re creative, you can use your talents to make physical products or design digital products, this could be a great side hustle. It’s the perfect outlet for your creative energy and you can make some extra cash.
I earned a little over $1000 from my jewelry business, YVA Designs last year. I sold through Etsy and offline, but there are other e-commerce sites such as Ebay, Amazon Homemade, Shopify, and Big Cartel. I am planning to open a second shop with digital downloads this year.
Your design business may require some start up cash for materials and tools, just make sure you will earn back what you have invested and make a profit.
Coaching
It seems like everyone and their mother is some type of coach these days and that’s ok because there is room for everyone. We are all unique and have different skill sets and this includes you. Coaching is something that really excites me because I love helping people. I started informally coaching in 2013 and trained with Tim Brownson in 2014.
Even though it seems like everyone is doing it, it doesn’t mean everyone should. The coaching industry is not regulated and anyone can theoretically call themselves a coach without any experience or training. Don’t be one of those people.
Seriously consider your desire to work with people one-on-one, your ability to inspire and influence people for their own good, your skill and knowledge base, and your dedication and integrity.
I coached pro-bono for one year before I trained with Tim and then I started paid coaching. If you have the skills, training, and above all, a true desire to help others, coaching may be something to consider.
Many things can be coached or consulted on. It could be something you do at your day job that you would like to teach in a different format or setting. Do a thorough evaluation to determine how you can be most effective and helpful.
Sell Your Stuff
If you’re in the process of decluttering, this could be very lucrative. The reality is that most of your stuff may only be able to be donated, recycled, or trashed, but if you have appliances, clothing, electronics, and furniture in new or good condition, you can sell them. You can have a yard sale, take them to a local consignment shop, or sell them online via sites like Thread Up, Poshmark, Craigslist, and your local Swap N Sell group on Facebook.
Babysit
If you like children and don’t mind spending several hours with them, you could be a parent’s savior. Having previous experience caring for children or working with young people in some type of educational setting is a must.
I rarely do this anymore, but from middle school to college, I made decent money caring for other people’s children.
use your Tax Refund
This is based on the money you’ve already made and depending on your life situation and tax bracket, you may not even receive a refund. If you do get one, make sure you’re getting all your credits and deductions. This lump sum of cash can be powerful towards starting your own business, paying off debt, investing, or putting it in savings. No matter what type of job you have or if you receive a refund, you should be paying yourself anyway by saving.
Rent Your Home
This is the one thing I haven’t done, but I have friends who have and I’ve utilized this service. Airbnb is probably the most popular home sharing site. It helps if you live in or near a major metropolitan area or some other type of tourist destination. I used Airbnb when I traveled to Mexico and the person I rented from in Mexico City actually made it her full time income. If you don’t mind strangers in your home for temporary periods of time, this can also be lucrative.
Bottom Line
You will need to get creative and be proactive to make extra money. If you’re trying to retire your full-time job and live the life you want, this applies to you doubly. Evaluate your skills and surroundings and see how you can be of service to others and get paid for it.
Creativepreneurs: Brittany Anderson-El
Creativepreneurs: Brittany Anderson-El
I met Brittany about five years ago when we both worked as academic advisors. We've both since moved on from that work (blessings!) and I'm happy to present Brittany's entrepreneurial story to you. She is the owner and creator of Nola's Blossom "where beauty & healing dwell".
What is your creative work and what inspired you to start?
My entire life is my creative project, however the one piece of work I am currently indulged in is Nola's Blossom. It is a business venture dedicated to an organic approach to hair and body care maintenance. I started to develop my own hair care products in 2011 and over time began to make products for my close friends and family. As the demand grew so did my desire to build my brand.
The inspiration was actually triggered by my relationship that ended the spring of 2015. My recovery was going terribly and I needed something to pour myself into. My mother saw how badly the break up was affecting me and encouraged me even more than before to start the groundwork for my business. So with a sweet mix of passion and anxiety, I conjured up the nerve and I went for it. Nola's Blossom launched on August 3rd of 2015.
How do you access your creativity and prepare to do your work?
When I need to be inspired, I have to be in complete silence not just as it relates to Nola's Blossom but anything. Writing, working, dreaming, it all has to be done in the confines of my solitude with no distractions. It is there that my creativity feasters. I also need cleanliness. To focus and prepare orders, or organize my online shop, or brainstorm on new ideas, my entire workspace has to be spotless. This may seem minuscule but it's one of the most important parts of my process. I find that if my work environment isn't welcoming and neat then my creativity won't flow.
What do you hope to inspire or accomplish?
I want to inspire women not only to return their hair back to its natural state but also invest in quality products that will nourish and provide sustenance for their hair as well. Also I want to help women transition from using skin products filled with alcohol and sulfates to products that are made with ingredients from the earth that complement their chemical makeup.
What if any surprises or challenges have you encountered?
I can't say that this was a surprise or a challenge more so than it was a realization. And that is the amount of money it took to start Nola's Blossom. I was so detailed in what I envisioned for my brand, and that meant purchasing high quality ingredients, paying for professional photographs, buying the expensive appliances that were best suited for what I wanted to create. There was no room for cutting corners. Was it worth it? Absolutely, but my goodness it cost me.
How do you practice self-care and recharge?
Besides being a business owner I am also an Advanced Reiki Practitioner. Reiki is a Japanese form of touch therapy. It promotes inner healing and self awareness. So I'm big on meditation and silencing the mind. When I need to get away and gather myself it is through reiki healing and sitting with myself in silence. And as random as it may seem, recharging sometimes involves the maintenance of my hair. Putting in a deep conditioner or moisturizing my scalp is so relaxing, lol and it truly helps me unwind.
What advice do you have for women considering entrepreneurship?
The first time I attempted to make a whipped shea butter I failed horribly and had to throw it away. However, I kept at it and I knew I wanted to be an Alchemist of some sort. So I tried again and again and again until I got it down to a science. When something tugs at your spirit, you are required to respond. The universe will guide you, so let it. Your passions, your skill sets, your visions, take them with you everywhere you go. Allow them to enter all of your conversations. Write them down over and over again. Become obsessed until you can no longer stand your visions not being manifested. And then,…. just fucking go for it.
What are your other dreams and goals?
I aspire to become a Master Teacher in the field of Reiki. I am currently a vegetarian and I am striving to be a raw food vegan. I have an obsession with interior design and one day I desire to be a consultant for the design of homes and small businesses. I'm currently working on a chapbook which will be a collection of my poetry from 2014 until now, it is my hope that it will be published late next year. It is my goal to one day be a wholesale distributor for raw and organic ingredients. I also want to be a certified Doula focusing on prenatal and postpartum care. And yes, the cliche dream of having a family, in whatever package that comes in, I want that too.
What are you most proud of with your business?
That I have full creative control over every product that is in my shop and that the decisions I make regarding Nola's Blossom are done with integrity.
Where can we learn more about you?
Instagram: Nola.Darling
Snapchat: Nola.Darling
Facebook: Nola's Blossom
And of course, to purchase items for yourself or someone you know Nola's Blossom is available on Etsy at www.etsy.com/shop/NolasBlossom
Learn about other creativepreneurs.
Simple Life: Bullet Journal
Bullet Journal: The last planner (agenda, journal, notebook, calendar, etc.) you will ever need.
I say this with confidence. For the last five months, this is what I’ve used to organize and envision my life.
I’m a lover of notebooks, journals, planners, agendas, and most paper products in general. I love to write and sketch and plan, but on my minimalist journey, I realized I was a bit of a hoarder when it came to these objects.
Having multiple notebooks and planners was not helping me live simply or stay organized. I even designed my own planner, but it still wasn’t simple enough for my needs.
So I went pinteresting for all-in-one planners. I came across the popular Day Designer and I was tempted to purchase the Passion Planner, but I felt there was something even simpler that could meet my needs and that’s when I found the bullet journal.
The bullet journal is simply a series of lists. You can add more to it, but at it’s core the bullet journal is all about lists.
I’m going to outline the main pages of the bullet journal and I have included pictures of my journal below.
Main Components of a Bullet Journal
Key
Index
Future Log
Monthly Log
Monthly To-Do
Daily Log
Special Pages
Key
The key tells you about each type of entry on your various lists. Some types of entries you may have are tasks, notes, events/appointments, transactions. You can further notate these entries to show priority, favorites, research needed, complete, migrated, scheduled or questions. This is the key I use, but you can create your own type of entries and notations to suit your needs.
Sidenote: After using the journal for a few months, I realized I only use a few of the entry types and notations consistently. These are the ones most intuitive and integral to my thought process and I will only include those in the key of my next journal.
Index
This is probably self explanatory, but this is where you will list your pages and page numbers.
Tip: If you write a lot like me and notice you’re running out of space on the index page, you can leave the back page blank or make an entry for index #2 at the bottom of the first index page.
Future Log
This section allows you to do an at-a-glance look at your next six months. It is not meant to be super detailed, but to note any major events you're aware of and goals you want to achieve in the next six months.
Monthly Log
The monthly log is your calendar in list form. I enter the first letter of the day and the date on each line. Here you will fill in events and tasks for that month. Once you’ve completed your monthly to-do page (next section), you can go back and fill in more events and tasks. You can do the monthly to-do before the monthly log, but either way, I recommend having the pages facing each other.
Monthly To-Do
On the monthly to-do page you will list everything that needs to get done that month.
Daily Log
This is where you note what needs to get done on a daily basis. You will use the monthly log and to-do lists to schedule your days. The bullet journal website recommends completing daily logs no more than 1-2 days in advance and I agree.
Focusing on a few important things that need to be completed that day will help you be more productive and remain present. It allows you to give each day it’s space and reflect.
Long term planning is necessary, but what you focus on day-to-day will ultimately determine if you’re successful in those long term goals.
Special Pages
Special pages can be anything you want. My special pages include a savings tracker, sales tracker, journaling, blog post drafts, checklists, and lots of other content that don’t fall into the categories above.
Your life made simple.
It’s so simple. All you need is a notebook. You can use plain, lined, or graphing paper. I created my own notebook with leftover graphing paper I had and used the cardboard backing to create covers. I purchased metal utility wire for $1 to create the notebook rings. I also bought a small notebook for $1 I only use for my day job. You can also buy the official bullet journal, but it’s not necessary.
What I love about the bullet journal is it keeps you focused on the moment and what’s going on in your life currently. You create it as you go along and you only ever have the one day before you. For me, it makes me feel my day and life in general, are conquerable and mine to control. You can personalize it. Do a search of “bullet journals” and you can see how creative some people are with their journals, but regardless, it is yours to shape, just like your life.
What is one organizational tool you cannot live without?
Creativepreneurs: Tepsii
Creativepreneurs: Tepsii
Yolanda's note: This interview is dear to me because Tepsii is one of my good friends. We met offline many years ago and we reconnected a few years ago as we were both starting this crazy entrepreneurial journey. Now Tepsii is a kick-ass, boss copywriter who lives in her home country of South Africa.
What is your creative work and what inspired you to start?
I'm a lifelong writer who took a turn as a Life Coach because of encouragement from you, (my dear friend) Yolanda. I've always been someone people come to for advice. It just felt like a natural fit for me to coach because - to be truthful - I ask a lot of questions. Coaching is about helping clients uncover their own truth by simply asking powerful questions.
While trying to amp up my coaching biz I was planning a summit for beginner businesswomen who were interested in bridging the gap between life and business. As I was interviewing guests for my summit I was lucky enough to be "discovered" by a well-known copywriter in the online space. (p.s. I don’t really believe in luck - it’s really about being ready to seize an opportunity and having the know-how to run with your passion).
As the well-known copywriter and I got to know one another, she realized I was a lifelong writer in my corporate career. She said she had a feeling about me so she decided to take a random chance on me and send me my first ever client since her calendar was full. That client was super happy and so it began, a chain of happy clients + referrals.
And just like that my business grew rapidly through word of mouth.
How do you access your creativity and prepare to do your work?
To kick off a project with a client we do a 2 hour VIP intensive session. I have to get to know them intimately so I coach them through a series of questions to truly understand them and their biz.
I see clients one on one via Skype. When I first started out I was incredibly booked and I started to break down a bit. I put my soul into my work and I connect with my clients very deeply. I had never done work like this, it was nothing like my corporate writing gig.
So I developed a little routine. I embrace silence, color, and relax for a few minutes before I see clients. I also ground myself (Kind of like centering myself) and then I put a fresh cup of water in front of me before the call starts. The water is there to absorb energy, and it makes it so that I don't end up exhausted after a session. My VIP intensifies go deep and before I adopted these practices I was carrying people’s marital problems, money stress, and other emotional issues they shared. My methods sound a bit woo-woo, and I don't really understand the how behind everything I do. What I know is that it works!
What do you hope to inspire or accomplish?
1) Leave my day job. (I did that May 13, 2015)
2) Retire my husband from his legal career for the Feds (We celebrated this on July 8, 2015)
3) Move to South Africa. (Moved in early August 2015)
4) Launch a course to teach entrepreneurs how to write. (Launched late July 2015)
5) Inspire other aspiring entrepreneurs, especially women to do what I've done and also to show my daughters that anything is possible. And that they don't need a man to accomplish it! (I’m trying to do this every day)
6) Open a school and a non-profit. (This is my 5 year plan)
7) Publish books and become a best-seller + speaker on the topic of copywriting as well as motivation and entrepreneurship. (In the works!)
8) Launch a business building program for aspiring writers. (March 2016)
What if any surprises or challenges have you encountered?
I had referrals and clients practically begging to work with me pretty early on in the beginning. When it came time to find new clients, I was a bit... Lost! I had to learn how to prospect for new business and also how to hold discovery calls to "close the sale." It felt unnatural and scary at first. But, to succeed I had to do it!
Another hurdle was self-promotion with paid ads. That felt so out of my sphere! I resisted it and actually had to work through it with my coach before I could go all in. But I did it and the rewards have been huge!
How do you practice self-care and recharge?
Leaving the day job and not sitting in traffic was step number one! Step number two has been moving closer to family so that my husband and I have help with our kids. It's allowed me time to take long leisurely baths, take weekends off and enjoy family time at the park.
Going on little mini vacations to the "bush" so we can do the safari thing is also key for me. Nature is so soothing and I get a lot of healing during my time outdoors. Oh, and I started indulging in 2 hour Thai massages each week when we moved... It's simply glorious to be able to do that for myself.
Each day I color in lieu of meditation. Coloring is very calming for me. After coloring I do a gratitude practice to thank God for my abundance. The other thing I do throughout the day is read motivational books to renew my spirit!
What advice do have for women considering entrepreneurship?
I once did a periscope (www.Periscope.Tv/Tepsii) about failure! I called it “Secrets of Success from a Complete Failure.”
I got so much positive feedback on it. Because so often people share successes but birther failure or vulnerability.
My point was that success is not a linear path. There are times when we will fall on our faces. That's ok! I've been wanting to explore entrepreneurship since I was 18, but I never cracked the code to success till I was on the eve of my 31st birthday. My failures made me stronger, I have tried to start so many businesses it would make you dizzy if you were to count! But, here I am now... I finally found the sweet spot between my passion and making a profit!
My advice is that you should never, ever give up and don't take no for an answer. Also, guard your biz with your life. If you tell too many people and seek too much outside advice from people who aren't knowledgeable about what you are doing they will discourage you. Emotionally and mentally that will make space for self doubt and reduce your confidence!
What are your other dreams and goals?
I’d love to travel/relax for 6 months out of the year and my husband and I are planning to have vacation homes that we can visit and rent out in Cape Town, South Africa and Vermont, USA. Those are my biggest short term goals.
What are you most proud of with your business?
FREEDOM! I am in the driver’s seat and I do what I want when I want!
I'm also proud that my biz puts food on the table, pays for my girls’ private school tuition, allowed me to retire my hubby, and financed the move to South Africa.
How do you define the good life?
The good life is slow, easy, and flowing. It is relaxing mornings drinking tea and admiring the view, time to really raise my kids the way I want and be there for them whenever they need (without begging a boss).
The good life means safari drives to reconnect with nature and renew my spirit.
The good life is mountains, beaches, or the open savannah.
It's eating well, 100% organic and GMO free. It's cooking from scratch and enjoying food with my best friends and most cherished family members.
It's a “less is more attitude.” Less obligations, less stuff, less stress!
To be honest after all these years I’m certain that I’ve finally found the key to living the good life. I was always scared I’d have to wait until retirement to live on my own terms. I pinch myself because this is our reality.
Where can we learn more about you?
My website is where you should go if you want to read and know more about me, or work together. www.Tepsii.com
My facebook group, #CopyBosses is where you need to be if you want to know how to write killer copy. My #CopyBesties and I also share actionable advice help to grow your own online business. Our group is growing fast and I love watching the members make friends, create partnerships, and get new clients in there. I can't wait to see you over there!
www.Facebook.com/groups/copybosses
BONUS: Get Tepsii's Brilliantly BounceProof- your fail-proof template for creating highly converting landing pages! Click below.
Yolanda's note: I hope you took a lot away from this interview and what it means to be about your business. I'm so inspired by Tepsii and it is encouraging to see someone I know from real life having so much success. Even though we are far apart these days, I still treasure our conversations, time spent together, and her support.
Learn more about creativeprenuers.
Simple Biz: Why I Left WordPress for Squarespace
Source: CreateHer Stock
Simple Biz is a series where I share a behind-the-scenes look at my business and tips for simplifying your business.
Simple Biz: Why I left WordPress for Squarespace
I broke up with WordPress on Valentine’s Day. I know, it’s savage, but it was time to let go. As a minimalist, I value things that are simple and efficient. WordPress became a time drain and source of frustration for me, i.e. the bane of my existence. Ok, I’m being dramatic, but it was working my nerves too often.
Squarespace vs. WordPress
When I was starting my first site in 2014, my top two choices were between Squarespace (SS) and WordPress (WP). I read all the reviews and posts I could find on each one separately and those comparing them. My selection points were ease of set-up, design, functionality, maintenance, and security. Ultimately, Squarespace seemed the better option for me.
Why I switched to WordPress
Even though things were going well with SS, I was convinced that I was missing something. I was told that I would never be found on search engines, SS could fold at any moment and because it’s an all-in-one service, I would lose everything, and that I didn’t own my own content. Now, I knew the last one was untrue because that was one the specific things I researched about SS, but the others made me nervous.
While SS is relatively new, it has gained a lot of popularity in the past few years, and it’s actually a decade old. Still, WP is the most trusted platform and has the greatest percentage of sites built on it worldwide. You also have greater control in customizing and protecting your site with WP. There are thousands of themes and plugins as opposed to a few dozen templates with SS.
The thing that stuck in my mind most was the SEO factor. SS states that it’s sites are optimized, but you still have to understand SEO and know where and how to use the relevant information. My SS site was not getting a lot of traffic for two reasons. I didn’t fully understand SEO and I was a new blog with no focus. I thought going over to WP would help me get a better understanding of optimization.
It definitely did help me get seen more, but at what expense and what other factors influenced my growth? The growth wasn’t staggering but it did increase. While switching to WP, I was able to hone in on my niche, which I think also positively influenced the quality of my content and helped with being found. I also learned about ftp, php, and css.
Why I switched back to Squarespace
The greatest expense working with WP was my time and emotional well-being. This is the reason I switched back to SS. There was no such thing as a simple update or quick change with WP. Adding something took a lot of research and I had to make sure I wouldn’t screw any code up and my site along with it.
I decided this was one area of business that needed to be simplified in 2016. Plus, I kept seeing all these dope SS sites, tempting me to come back to SS. I took what I learned from working in WP and went to get that old thing back, my boo, SS. After spending about five weekends updating my site in WP (and still not being 100% satisfied), I was able to transfer and update my site in SS in just one weekend.
Below I have listed my personal pros and cons of each platform. These ideas are based on my experience of being in a relationship with each one for a year.
Pros
WordPress
trusted platform
infinite customization options
thousands of themes + plugins
Yoast SEO plugin
lots of tutorials, forums, + information available
inexpensive to get started
Squarespace
easy set-up
intuitive, "drag + drop" design
all-in-one service
mobile responsive
sleek, minimal, + professional templates
can change templates easily + demo a different template without affecting your live site
DIY friendly
Cons
WordPress
DIY learning curve
plugin conflicts
can be more expensive down the line (premium themes, premium plugins, hiring a web design pro)
not all themes are mobile responsive
difficult to make changes + preview without going into maintenance mode
Squarespace
limited templates
limited customization
can seem expensive upfront
still a relatively new platform
Choose the right platform for your business.
SS has improved and has many more features since I last used it. There are more SS designers and folks like Megan Minns will teach you how to put together a SS site in a weekend. You can’t beat that.
I think WP is a great platform and will continue to lead in this industry, but SS can no longer be ignored. The stress and time SS has saved me is priceless and that’s why it’s the best decision for me.
If you’re on this simple living journey and thinking about starting a business or switching platforms, I urge you to consider SS, but do what's right for you. You have to consider your budget, skill level, and time when making a decision.