An instant Google search of Side Hustling generates hundreds of results advising viewers on ideas to form a lucrative job on the side of their studies or job, connoting ideas of becoming a self-made billionaire overnight. Yet is it really this simple and why are so many people attracted to this new phenomenon?
A study by OnePoll, found that one third (32%) of side business owners hope to grow their venture in the future. A further report showed one in five have two side projects. Therefore, the popularity of such ventures is clearly evident. Those aged 25 to 34 are thought to be most likely to be involved, with 37% thought to run a side-line of some kind, yet the popularity of Side Hustling amongst students is also growing rapidly.
Impact features spoke to Fred Carr, director of the website Side Gig Junction, to see what he had to add about the topic of Side Hustling. Fred Carr is a law graduate who has participated in Side Hustling for 15 years and he set up Side Gig Junction in 2019 to help other side hustlers get up and running with their ventures.
Lauren McGaun: What does your website, Side Gig junction, set out to achieve?
Side Gig Junction provides completely transparent and realistic insights into each side hustle idea
Fred Carr: At Side Gig Junction, we help people from all walks of life set up sustainable side hustles to generate an income either as an addition to their main job or in a student’s case, their studies. We achieve this by offering our users over 50 proven side hustle ideas with instructions on how to get started with each one. Side Gig Junction provides completely transparent and realistic insights into each side hustle idea so that our users are fully informed and know what to expect when starting out with their new venture.
LM: Why do you think side hustling is so appealing to students?
FC: At a time when tuition fees are at their highest ever level, it is a necessity for most students to earn money while they study. However, most of these students choose to take a regular job in which they are paid by the hour. This, of course, provides a safe and steady income, but it is literally trading time for money and therefore, the student can only make money while they are working. In addition to this, many students may choose a job which is unrelated to what they hope to do when they graduate, and so often, there is little opportunity to develop essential skills applicable to their field of study in addition to other valuable skills such as enterprise and entrepreneurship.
LM: Do you think side hustling enables people to explore their extracurricular interests more?
FC: Absolutely. When people browse through our side hustle ideas, they will often find a number of ideas that they would never have previously considered, or even knew existed in the first place. Take matched betting for example. Many people are immediately put off by the term “betting” as it conjures up images of high street betting shops and people racking up huge debts as a result of gambling addiction which is a serious issue. However, when they realise that this is simply not the case and that actually it is the UK’s most popular side hustle, they fully embrace it and very often choose it as their side hustle.
LM: Do you think side hustling will encourage students to eventually go on to forming their own businesses?
The experience of starting something from scratch and turning it into a profitable venture is enormously rewarding
FC: I believe that whether or not a student intends to turn their side hustle into their own business someday, the experience of starting something from scratch and turning it into a profitable venture is enormously rewarding. The lessons they learn and the experiences they will have will be invaluable to their career as either an employee or an entrepreneur. A lot of people dream of running their own business one day and I would like to think that by having a side hustle from a young age at university would be the springboard into life as an entrepreneur for many.
LM: What advice do you have for students looking into side hustling if they have no experience of doing this before?
The first bit of advice I would give to a newbie side hustler is to choose a side hustle that is right for them
FC: The first bit of advice I would give to a newbie side hustler is to choose a side hustle that is right for them. It must fit in with what they want to achieve and also their lifestyle. A side hustle should be something they do on the side, it should not interfere with other priorities, especially their studies.
Secondly, I would advise anyone looking to start a side hustle to treat any opportunity that they see online with caution. Anyone who has googled the topics of side hustle or small business ideas will find that their Facebook news feeds are often full to the brim with adverts offering all sorts of “business” opportunities. Facebook have improved the way that they vet adverts in recent years, but it is no secret that scams do still pass through the net. At Side Gig Junction we only list legitimate and sustainable side hustle ideas with a strict “no” policy on “money making schemes”. Essentially, if there is something that you find that looks too good to be true and it is not listed on Side Gig Junction, then it probably is too good to be true.
LM: Can anyone side hustle or do you think you need expertise in a certain field?
Absolutely anyone can have a side hustle and I believe very strongly that everyone should have one
FC: Absolutely anyone can have a side hustle and I believe very strongly that everyone should have one. With the emergence of online learning platforms such as ‘Skillshare’ and ‘Udemy’ anyone can learn how to do whichever side hustle they like even if they have no prior experience with it. We are very fortunate to be in an age where all of this information is easily accessible.
For students who are interested in starting their first side hustle, I would like to invite them to gain free access to Side Gig Junctions Side Hustle Starter Kit which can be found at www.sidegigjunction.com. All of our side hustle ideas are free to browse and our courses are also free to enrol on for 2 months through our partnership with Skillshare.
Lauren McGaun
Featured image courtesy of GotCredit via Flickr. No changes made to this image. Image license found here.
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