What is a Side Hustle?
For many freelancers, the art of the side hustle is a lifesaver, especially when starting out. A side hustle is basically just a way to earn supplemental income on the side (obviously). As a personal assistant whose boss is the kindest, most supportive person in the world and genuinely wants my business to succeed, the side hustle has become my way of life. 85-ish percent of my business is as a personal assistant slash office assistant for my main "client". All my other clients (and there are quite a few) only account for about 15% of my income.
*Side note: I have two big secret projects coming up in addition to a brand launch, so this will not be the case for long.
So why is a side hustle desirable?
Well, for one, just that little bit of extra money can go a long way for anyone, let alone for those of us with student loans trying to start a business. According to Student Loan Hero, the Class of 2016 has an average debt of about $37,000. That's a pretty solid chunk o' change. That's a brand new Acura RDX.
Secondly, a side hustle is a great way to feel out what you want to actually be doing. For instance, when I started as a personal assistant, I knew that I loved designing/formatting documents and messing around on the internet. Once my bosses took notice that I was kind of good at these things, I took over as the marketing coordinator for my office. BOOM, side hustle. Then I realized that this is something I could totally make a career out of, and that led to opening ACRW.
Thirdly, a side hustle can bring some fulfillment to those who are not satisfied with their regular job. Even being a personal assistant was my side hustle when I was slicing meat at a grocery store full time. Don't get me wrong, I love some cold cuts. However, after spending four years and hundreds of thousands of dollars on a private education, it wasn't something I saw myself doing forever and I didn't exactly feel challenged. Plus I really missed being in an office. The point is, even working part time doing something you look forward to can make you a little happier.
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