daemyra, the realm's delight's Reviews > Side Hustle: From Idea to Income in 27 Days

It says something about Chris Guillebeau’s Side Hustle (and the readers of Side Hustle) that I was recommended to check it out at the library. Guillebeau believes side hustles are the new job security and everyone should have a side hustle. It's a pretty safe thing to say that no single employer deserves your lifelong loyalty, and you should continually learn and add to your skill set in order to be considered employable. AI is coming, people, and it is transforming industries. Depending on your goal, you may read Side Hustle to learn how to make a few extra bucks outside of your day job for a nice trip now and then, to significantly increase your savings while keeping your day job or to turn your side hustle into your new day job. Whatever your goal is, Guillebeau defines the side hustle as something small that you can grow to be big if you want, and it is something that makes you money, not costs it, in a short amount of time.

There are three factors that matter in determining if an idea is a true side hustle that will generate money:

1. Feasibility - How easy is it for you to turn the idea into action in a short amount of time?
2. Profitability - How quick will it take for you to make money in a short amount of time?
3. Persuasion - Why will your clients and customers want this now?

I found the two additional questions to ask yourself the most useful:

1. How quickly can this be executed?
2. How excited are you about this idea?

The idea of the side hustle and that of the passive income stream is becoming more and more popular. Not only are people turning their hobbies into freelance gigs, but there are more digital entrepreneurs making a living online. Beyond social media influencers, there are people who make a nice chunk of change by selling a resume template online.

Money Magazine ran an article in their December issue about digital entrepreneurs making thousands a month simply by printing t-shirts online. Julia Glum asks in her article, “Ask Me How I’m Getting Rich Selling T-Shirts Online” whether this is a gold mine or a pipe dream. Side Hustle is an interesting read because many of the side hustles do appear to be get-rich-quick schemes that suggest anyone can have a side hustle.

The truth is, a lot of the side hustles are boring and seem to be found by luck. Most case studies were of people who didn't believe they would make money, found out that they did, and were pleasantly surprised. The End. Or, they were of people who were able to sell their hobby. For example, a person who missed her dog made sure her dog-walking profile was properly filled out and was able to generate a few extra bucks and also hang out with dogs. One photographer sold their photographs on stock sites online, and by chance a rep from Pottery Barn contacted her and bought one of them. Another photographer started to take wedding gigs. Another wrote fish tank reviews and was sent cheques for his referral links. Another person purchased items online at a low price to sell them again at a higher price.

Side Hustle is a book that could only have been written in the late-stage capitalism we are now in, where the gig economy is driven by economic necessity. It is interesting to explore the popularity of side hustles not just for those making ends meet but those that want to retire early. The FIRE (financial independence, retire early) movement relies, in part, on generating passive income streams. A recent article in Hollywood Reporter, "Hollywood's Drifter Class", describes industry workers choosing to live in their vehicles, mostly as a result of LA's high rents, but one industry worker they found to speak to them hoped to make a down payment on a rental home as a passive income. His plan was to retire 5-10 years ahead of schedule. The dream of financial independence and the promise of finding fulfilment in your work when you are your own boss are great taglines to sell the freelance lifestyle, but Guillebeau never romanticizes the side hustle. It's not about being an entrepreneur, having a grand vision. In fact, Guillebeau suggests the opposite - pursue whatever it is that makes you extra money. Write those fish tank reviews!

Side Hustle is a gimmicky book written by a true salesperson/marketer that could have been released as a free e-book, in my opinion, but it does offer good advice, at a high-level, about the type of questions you should ask yourself before committing to a side hustle, especially when you have a day job.