[Tweet “Opportunities don’t just knock on any door, but on the doors of value you’ve created.”]
Do you want to make money on the side, without having to quit your job? It’s easier than you might think! All you have to do is find a side hustle that fits your interests and lifestyle.
Although, leaving a 9 to 4 job to pursue your entrepreneurial dream can be so difficult, but that doesn’t mean you should forget about it altogether.
Related: Want to start your business? 4 Bitter truths no one will tell you.
This article gives you 12 ideas on side hustle you can start now, but first, why should you start a side hustle?
Why Start a Side Hustle?
Here are 5 key reasons to consider starting a side hustle today.
It helps bring your passion to Life
Your side hustle is not only a way to make extra income, it is also the best way to pursue your passion. We all have what we’re passionate about and that’s what makes us unique.
Also Read: How to discover your passion in 5 easy steps
Brainstorm all of your hobbies and passions and figure out if there’s a way to make some money off them. Do you like to make crafts? You can sell them online via Etsy.
If you’re into photography, try selling your images on Shutterstock. If you’re not sure that your passion can bring you some extra dough, think about your skills.
If you have expertise on a certain subject, you can sell your skills, expertise, and make money on Fiverr by accepting projects on a case-by-case basis.
Your side hustle is the new job security
A side hustle is more than just another stream of income, it’s also the new job security. What you do need is an idea, some time, and the determination to see your dream through to the end.
If you can make it work, the financial rewards can be well worth your time.
It could be your best investment.
What if the answer to your financial problems can’t come from your boss, but only from within? What if your best investment is a side hustle?
There are many entrepreneurs out there who have quit their jobs because the side hustle they started some times back now pays way more than their job does.
Not only that, investing your time and effort into something you truly believe in could be your best investment. For example, Mark Zuckerberg – Facebook’s CEO said it took him just 5 minutes to decide whether to leave Harvard or quit his startup.
He left Harvard and as it turns out, his side hustle was his best investment. He’s the 5th richest person in the world.
Your Side Hustle is Better Than a Part-time Job
But, why not just get a part-time job? Why build a side hustle you have to visualize and nurture on your own?
A side hustle isn’t a part-time job. You have to rise above the thinking of just trading time for money. You have to build your side hustle like an asset that provides the potential for passive income.
Also read: What the outgoing generation did wrong – why you should start a business immediately
Something Miraculous can happen
[Tweet “Opportunities don’t just knock on any door, but on the doors of value you’ve created.”]
Some people start side hustles that take on a life of their own, and they end up in some pretty spectacular circumstances where their lives are truly changed.
Makinde Azeez, the CEO of Naijaloaded was offered about a Million dollars some years back simply because he created Naijaloaded.com, but he didn’t sell it and guess what, his business is worth more than that today.
Take note, once you go down this road of nurturing your side hustle as a business, you never know what’s going to happen.”
But, none of that can happen with a part-time job because the potential for growth just isn’t there. Plus, you’re still under someone else’s control and your income will always be dictated by them.
Which Side Hustles Should You Try?
Some side hustlers teach piano, guiter, violin lessons. Others design stuffs and sell on freelance websites. Some start photography businesses, while others start consulting businesses using skills from their day jobs.
My advice?
[Tweet “No matter which side hustle you choose, leverage the power of the internet to grow it and profit”]
Computer Tutoring
Some of the computer skills we take for granted are still lacking for portions of the population. If you can find them and sell them on the necessity of technical skills for their careers, there might be a business opportunity here.
The best part is you can start in your home or a small space, even with a single PC. All you need to do is to let your neighbors know about it.
Also read: What you should know about computer training business
Graphic Design Service
Quality graphic design is always in-demand, and never before have there been so many outlets on which to sell your skills.
The most popular design-focused site is 99designs, but you can also check out other freelancing websites like Elance, Odesk, Fiverr, Upwork and more. You just have to be sure about getting your withdrawals.
Drive for Uber
I’m not sure about how Uber goes about recruiting its staffs but I’m sure one of the most widely-available ways for making money is to drive for Uber. The sharing economy has quite literally exploded.
Manage social media for small businesses
I know quite a number of people who have tons of friends on Facebook and thousands of twitter followers but they’ve never seen what they possess as an asset.
Many small businesses need a social media manager and simply don’t have the time nor the expertise to be constantly posting on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, SnapChat or Twitter.
Take it upon yourself to contact local businesses and offer up your services for a contracted monthly fee. This is an easy way to make money no matter where you live.
Start a blog
Okay, so you won’t make money that fasts with a blog. But, if you start a blog and deliver enormous amounts of value, you’re in for some massive profit!
Guess what? I’ve created a comprehensive 6 step guide on how to start a blog all by yourself, check it out, and start your blog today.
At oasdom.com we’ve launched our free blogging course to give you the very basics of starting and running your own blog.
Guess what? To speed up making money on your blog even from day one, our Power blogging course takes you step by step as we show you what we do to make money on our blog.
Blogging is something you can easily build on the side with just a few hours of work per week, but you need to stay consistent and post great contents.
Dog training, grooming, boarding
Anyone can start a dog business. Well, almost anyone. I have a friend, Gabriel by name and he owns a small dog business K9 King. He sells different dogs breeds, offers dog training and also walk dogs. You can reach him via Lilagablex@gmail.com
If you live in a dog-filled neighborhood, create a few flyers on your computer and give your community members. Identify yourself as a dog walker, trainer etc. and pitch your price. Build up a steady stream of clients and your dog-walking service will grow over time.
Become a Youtube Star or Create YouTube tutorials.
Although this isn’t the quickest way you can make money with a side income, becoming a YouTube star with raving followers can translate into money for you.
The likes of Uncle Mark Angel With Emmanuella and many others make some cool cash via YouTube partnership.
Also Read: Here’s how exactly to make money on YouTube – detailed article
Creating YouTube tutorials can help you earn a respectable amount of income as long as what you deliver is engaging and keeps people interested for long enough.
If you play the piano, guitar or another instrument, consider teaching others on Youtube or in your local area. Advertise online through social media or through your personal or professional networks.
Become a freelance article writer.
Are you good at topic research? You can write articles for other people or blogs. If you have a passion for writing, you could help out other bloggers or even become a ghostwriter for a well-known author.
Many Nigerians are killing it on fiverr as they receive hundreds of 500-word article projects. You can also use sites like Freelancer, Upwork, and others to advertise your services.
Write resumes
Good at writing resumes? Use sites like LinkedIn and other professional sites to advertise your resume writing services. Do a few for free and grab some raving reviews, then watch your sales skyrocket.
If you’re good at using Excel, Chi-square or other methods to analyze data for final year students or even Msc students, you can offer your services online and reach a target audience that needs your services.
Create a smartphone app
If you have some app development skills and you’re proficient at Swift or Android-based development platforms, you could try your hand at creating a smartphone app.
Obviously, this isn’t a quick or easy way to make money but could pay off big with the right idea.
Modeling
Stock photographers are sometimes in need of subjects for their work. Strike a pose!
Tutoring
Put that education to use by helping students learn in a comfortable one-on-one setting.
Want more?
Check out my list of 42 small business ideas in Nigeria; ones you can start today.
Find this piece to be helpful? I’ll appreciate it if you consider giving a share on Facebook or Twitter. You can also use the comment box below too.