Written by Kimberly Palmer, NerdWallet
Kathy Kristof, founder of the website SideHusl.com, says that when you decide to start a side hustle after years of working experience, you have a choice: start your own business or use an existing side hustle platform that matches you with talent. It is said that it is either to participate in the. With opportunity.
The former may be more risky, but can bring satisfaction. The latter, on the other hand, allows you to take advantage of the many existing websites that offer side hustle options such as short-term contract jobs, hourly jobs, and focus group jobs.
“Today, there are thousands of sideline companies offering every type of job imaginable, so you can land a lucrative career from anywhere in the world,” Kristof says. Her website reviews hundreds of side hustle websites to help you find the best fit.
Workers with suitable experience can usually command higher wages. “If you’re in a mid-career, you can get a high-end side job that pays $50 to $100 an hour,” she says. That could include consulting work, tutoring, or freelance work.
For side hustlers who choose to start their own business, Kristof warns that pouring too much money into start-up costs can jeopardize your financial stability. She says side hustles, especially those in their 30s, 40s and 50s, need to protect their future retirement plans.
Here are more lessons learned from a side hustler who started his own business after working for more than a decade.
embrace your passion
Douglas Frazier, a New York City magician (and full-time employee in the business world), finds it easy to get so focused on making extra money that he forgets why he started his side hustle in the first place. That’s what I say. 1st place.
For him, it was a love of magic that started in childhood. He researched all the books about magic he could find in the public library and created a 30-minute show for his family and birthday parties. “Word of mouth spread,” he says, recalling the business cards he handed out when he was 12 years old. “I was young, talented and financially able.”
He currently performs under the name “Douglas Frazier the Brand Magi” at corporate events, primarily for Fortune 500 companies. He cautions against letting the pursuit of making extra money dampen your enjoyment of the experience.
“You have to focus on the markets and audiences you’re interested in, otherwise it won’t be emotionally sustainable,” he says.
Take advantage of your life experience
Gail Sullivan started her career in journalism, but after giving birth to her first child in 2015, she was ready for a more flexible change. Along the way, she began helping friends develop home organizational systems based on methods she herself had used at work. home in Los Angeles.
“I loved creating systems around the house to make life run more smoothly, and friends started asking me to help them with organizational projects. Sullivan said. Soon, she started a side job as an assistant to a professional organizer.
Eventually, that side business became Sullivan’s own company, Calm Space LA, which Sullivan continues to run today.
invest in marketing
Unless you primarily rely on an existing side hustle platform, it’s up to you to get your information out to potential customers. “Make sure your side hustle focuses on the business side. You’ll be spending as much time marketing and selling your services as you are doing them,” says Frazier.
Local stations, radio shows, and event guides can all help spread the word. It’s not always easy to get a producer’s attention, but sending a message through their posted contact information can help you receive valuable coverage.
Sullivan also suggests relying on word of mouth and social media. “There are a lot of mom groups on Facebook, and a lot of my clients come from referrals from there,” she says.
Highlight what makes you unique
Sullivan says she was initially drawn to designing a home organization system to help herself because she has attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and her system helps manage it. . “I needed to get my environment in order,” she says.
For example, she creates a meal planning schedule with visual reminders to help you plan your grocery shopping and other tasks on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. Visual checklists help you stay on task.
Now, many of her clients also have ADHD, which is how she stands out in the crowded field of home organizing. “When I see my clients’ faces, I see what a difference it makes,” she says.
Kimberly Palmer writes for NerdWallet. Email: kpalmer@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: @kimberlypalmer.
The article 4 Tips for Starting a Side Hustle at Any Age originally appeared on NerdWallet.
First Published: January 23, 2025 at 2:15pm EST
