612: 10 Ways to Make Your Side Hustle Feel “Real”

AI transcript
0:00:00 Hey, real quick, this week only is the annual BC Stack Bundle sale.
0:00:05 It’s a chance to get over 60 products related to growing your business for less than $1 each.
0:00:10 The theme this year is growing your income, how to get more traffic, viewers, listeners,
0:00:14 customers, and sales, and it’s a chance to get my new Get Gigs course for half off, plus
0:00:20 you get access to the 60 plus other BC Stack products as a bonus.
0:00:24 If you want to look at it that way, Get Gigs highlights 11 of my favorite customer acquisition
0:00:28 strategies picked up over the last 11 years, over the last 600 episodes of the Side Hustle
0:00:33 Show.
0:00:34 It’s all about breaking through those no-like and trust barriers as quickly and as authentically
0:00:39 as possible so you can get more customers to pay you because after all getting another
0:00:44 person or another business to pay you for something you already know how to do is probably
0:00:48 the fastest way to increase your income.
0:00:50 But in addition to that, there are resources on email marketing, social media, video, paid
0:00:55 ads, SEO, digital products, and tons more.
0:00:58 I end up ordering this thing every year, I always pick up a few new ideas to test out.
0:01:02 Make sure to order today through my referral link at SideHustleNation.com/BCStack and that’s
0:01:09 important because doing so makes your purchase 100% refundable through the Side Hustle Nation
0:01:14 satisfaction guarantee if you don’t find $49 worth of value in the stack.
0:01:19 Again, that is SideHustleNation.com/BCStack for a great bundle of products on how to grow
0:01:26 your business.
0:01:27 But gotta hurry because this offer ends June 16th, midnight central.
0:01:31 Check it out today, SideHustleNation.com/BCStack and now on to the show.
0:01:38 Ten ways to make your Side Hustle feel more real.
0:01:42 What’s up?
0:01:43 What’s up?
0:01:44 Nick Loper here.
0:01:45 Welcome to the Side Hustle Show.
0:01:46 We’re part of the Entrepreneur Podcast Network because your 9-5 may make you a living but
0:01:50 your 5-9 makes you alive.
0:01:52 I got a pop quiz for you.
0:01:53 What’s the difference between an amateur and a professional?
0:01:56 I mean, you might say training, you might say practice or experience, but the real difference
0:02:01 is that the professional gets paid.
0:02:03 Today, I want to share 10 ways to make your Side Hustle feel more legit, feel more official,
0:02:07 to make it feel more real, but before we get into any of those, you got to know this.
0:02:12 None of them are a substitute for actually getting paid.
0:02:15 Once you hit that money milestone, it’s really official.
0:02:18 You’ve made the leap from amateur to professional and there’s no looking back.
0:02:22 That first income, no matter how small, that’s an empowering moment.
0:02:26 And that’s why I always try and remember to ask, well, how did you get your first customers?
0:02:29 Remember your first sale?
0:02:30 How did you get the initial traction for your business?
0:02:32 It’s probably due for an update since it’s literally 10 years old at this point, but
0:02:36 I did a whole episode describing how I got my first sale in six different businesses.
0:02:41 Later on, we had a fun roundup with another 25 members of the Side Hustle Nation community
0:02:45 sharing their first sale moments in another episode.
0:02:48 I can link both those up in the show notes, but I also understand that a lot of people,
0:02:54 myself included, often want some level of “establishment” before they feel comfortable
0:03:00 saying they’re open for business.
0:03:02 It’s actually a really common question I get.
0:03:04 Do I need to register my business before I start creating or marketing my thing?
0:03:09 So I wanted to create this episode to address that and nine other relatively quick and inexpensive
0:03:14 actions you can take to make your Side Hustle feel more official in your mind and maybe in
0:03:20 the minds of your customers as well.
0:03:22 My only caution is not to use this list as an excuse to procrastinate but to use it as
0:03:27 a checklist to build some positive momentum and keep going.
0:03:31 Number one won’t cost you anything, and that’s to simply make time for your business.
0:03:36 If it’s a priority for you, you’re going to find the time to dedicate to it, even if it’s
0:03:40 just half an hour a day.
0:03:41 Block it off on your calendar, take it seriously, even if you’re pre-revenue because you’re
0:03:46 never going to get to revenue if you don’t invest the time to get it off the ground.
0:03:49 So you got to find those cracks in your day, the bookends of your days, first thing in
0:03:53 the morning, last thing before bed, your lunch breaks, your weekends.
0:03:57 But consistency is key to building some positive momentum.
0:04:01 In our subscriber survey earlier this year, I asked people, “Well, how much are you making
0:04:05 from your Side Hustle?”
0:04:06 And then the next question was, “How much time are you spending on it each week?”
0:04:10 And not surprisingly, there was almost a direct correlation to the people who were making very
0:04:14 little with the people who were spending very little time.
0:04:17 So that’s the first thing you got to do to make your Side Hustle feel more official is
0:04:20 to simply commit to dedicating time to it.
0:04:22 It doesn’t have to be a lot, but it does need to be something.
0:04:25 Otherwise, not going to happen.
0:04:26 It’s kind of like me expecting my golf game to improve, despite never practicing.
0:04:30 So that’s number one.
0:04:32 Number two is to register a business name or DBA doing business as name.
0:04:36 So even if you’re not ready to tell your friends and family about your business, perhaps telling
0:04:40 the government is going to make it feel a little bit more official in your mind.
0:04:44 DBAs or fictitious business names, they’re not anything shady.
0:04:48 It’s just a way to separate your name from the businesses, usually for marketing purposes.
0:04:52 It’s a reason why it’s called Side Hustle Nation and not Nick Loper.
0:04:56 It’s registered.
0:04:57 These DBAs doing business as names are registered at the state level, sometimes the county level.
0:05:02 Usually not with the federal government.
0:05:04 You don’t need to incorporate or create any other legal entity right now.
0:05:08 The filing fees for DBAs are usually next to nothing, usually very affordable.
0:05:13 For example, in Washington state, I think it’s like $5 and that comes in handy.
0:05:16 If you need to pivot, if you need to change it later, in most cases, you could also run
0:05:20 a search to make sure that nobody else is using the name that you have in mind.
0:05:24 It could be something like Bob Smith Photography, Side Hustle Nation, NJL Enterprises, which
0:05:29 was actually the name of my first company.
0:05:31 So that’s number two.
0:05:32 Register your business name or you’re doing business as name.
0:05:35 Number three is to incorporate, if necessary, and get your necessary insurance and licensing.
0:05:42 And the incorporate, if necessary, that’s a big if for most side hustlers starting out.
0:05:46 Because for most listeners, your entity selection is going to be an LLC, a limited liability
0:05:51 company.
0:05:52 But with that comes additional registration fees with your state, which can be significant
0:05:57 in California.
0:05:58 It was like a minimum of $800 a year on top of having additional paperwork filing requirements.
0:06:04 And I need to caveat this with #NotLegalAdvice, #NotTaxAdvice, please consult the professional,
0:06:09 all those disclaimers.
0:06:10 But you have to ask yourself, what liability do I realistically have in this side hustle?
0:06:16 After all, that’s the primary purpose of a limited liability company is to limit your
0:06:20 personal liability.
0:06:21 And if you’re doing tutoring or freelance writing or photography or creating YouTube
0:06:27 content, I’m going to argue that your liability is probably pretty low.
0:06:32 And it might not be worth the additional costs and paperwork headache of incorporating at
0:06:37 this stage.
0:06:38 Now, if your business has more liability built in, maybe you’re doing mobile car detailing
0:06:44 where somebody could claim hypothetically that you damaged their car.
0:06:47 And then it probably makes sense to form that entity earlier rather than later.
0:06:51 And in addition to that, it probably makes sense to layer on a business insurance policy.
0:06:55 And these are typically pretty affordable.
0:06:58 For example, we’ve seen examples from the mobile notary side hustle where it’s, I want
0:07:03 to say under $200 a year for errors in emissions insurance.
0:07:06 My wife carries a general liability policy for her photography business that would basically
0:07:11 pay to restage to redo an entire wedding if, for some covered reason, the pictures were
0:07:17 unusable.
0:07:18 I don’t know.
0:07:19 Our partner cover wallet can provide additional guidance on the type of insurance that would
0:07:23 be best suited to your business and the cost estimates associated with that.
0:07:28 And insurance could be a good idea whether you incorporate or not, again, depending on
0:07:32 your realistic liability risk.
0:07:34 And if you do choose not to incorporate, by default, your side hustle income is going
0:07:39 to flow through to your personal tax return anyway, like it would with an LLC as a sole
0:07:43 proprietor.
0:07:44 And even as a sole proprietor, the world of available business tax deductions still opens
0:07:49 up to you.
0:07:50 Remember, the tax code by and large is written by business owners, four business owners,
0:07:54 and they really incentivize this stuff.
0:07:56 So lots of new write-offs open up to you.
0:07:58 And as we mentioned on the show, there may be a potential tax savings on your self-employment
0:08:03 tax at certain revenue levels.
0:08:05 If you incorporate as an LLC with an S-Corp tax selection, that’s beyond the scope of
0:08:09 this episode.
0:08:10 Talk to your tax professional.
0:08:11 I would say minimum 50 grand revenue before looking at that option.
0:08:15 So for most side hustles, you may not need to go the entity registration route starting
0:08:20 out.
0:08:21 But another scenario where it might make sense is if it’s a mental block for you.
0:08:24 I opened my first LLC while I was still in college, really had no idea what I needed
0:08:29 it for.
0:08:30 I really didn’t need it for anything, but it felt good.
0:08:33 And if I’m being honest, it made me feel smart and maybe more important than I was.
0:08:38 Look, I’m a business owner.
0:08:39 I don’t have any revenue, didn’t have any customers.
0:08:42 But when those eventually came, I felt like I was ready for it.
0:08:45 The next question that comes up is, well, do you need a business license?
0:08:50 And it was completely dependent on your local city and state, sometimes county requirements
0:08:56 and type of business that you’re in.
0:08:58 So for example, I even had to apply for a quote unquote home use permit and register
0:09:03 my business with the city of Livermore when we were in California.
0:09:06 They wanted to make sure that I was operating a legal home business like it is entirely
0:09:10 online.
0:09:11 Nobody’s coming to my house.
0:09:12 And on top of that, I had to pay a fee that was based on top line revenue.
0:09:17 It just always annoys me when different government entities do this, like they tax on the top
0:09:22 line revenue instead of bottom line profit, super frustrating.
0:09:25 But that’s how they did.
0:09:26 And it was relatively small percentage.
0:09:28 But the reason for this, governments want to know what kinds of businesses are running
0:09:31 within their jurisdictions and they’ve got regulations in place, depending on what type
0:09:35 of business that you have.
0:09:37 And of course, they want their license fees too to pay for services.
0:09:40 So be sure to research your local laws, find out what’s required.
0:09:43 But if you’re just starting out as a side hustler, I wouldn’t worry about this in most
0:09:46 cases until you’ve got some revenue.
0:09:48 So that was number three, incorporate if necessary, or if that’s a mental block for
0:09:53 you, maybe leave the entity name a little broad, remember NJL Enterprises.
0:09:57 It could be anything or a little open-ended so you don’t have to redo it if you end up
0:10:00 pivoting your business in a few months.
0:10:02 Hey, this idea didn’t work out.
0:10:03 I’m going to try something else.
0:10:04 But I can keep the incorporation name the same, get your insurance if you need it, and get
0:10:09 your local licenses in order if those are required, especially once your business is
0:10:13 showing some revenue.
0:10:14 I’ve got more ways to make your side hustle feel more real right after this.
0:10:18 Are you struggling to close deals?
0:10:20 B2B selling is tougher than ever.
0:10:22 And that’s why I’m excited to partner with LinkedIn Sales Navigator for this episode.
0:10:27 LinkedIn’s Sales Navigator is a sales intelligence platform that helps professionals effectively
0:10:33 prospect and engage high-value customers, drive higher revenue, and increase sales performance.
0:10:38 Sales Navigator helps you target the right buyers, surface key signals such as job changes
0:10:43 or which accounts you should prioritize, and shows you hidden allies so you can find those
0:10:48 buyers that are most likely to convert.
0:10:51 Fueled by LinkedIn’s billion-member platform, billion with a B, Sales Navigator gives you
0:10:56 the most up-to-date first-party data, enabling you to unlock conversations with the people
0:11:01 that matter most.
0:11:02 Right now, Side Hustle Show listeners can try LinkedIn Sales Navigator free for 60 days
0:11:07 at LinkedIn.com/SideHustleShow that’s LinkedIn.com/SideHustleShow for a 60-day free trial.
0:11:15 Let LinkedIn Sales Navigator help you sell like a superstar today.
0:11:19 Just go to LinkedIn.com/SideHustleShow to get started.
0:11:24 This edition of the Side Hustle Show is sponsored by Squarespace.
0:11:28 One of the biggest obstacles I hear from Side Hustle Show listeners is simply dealing
0:11:32 with the technical frustrations of getting a site online and making it look the way
0:11:36 you want.
0:11:37 If that sounds familiar, I want to invite you to try Squarespace’s new AI-guided design
0:11:42 system called Squarespace Blueprint.
0:11:44 You can choose from professionally curated layout and styling options to build a unique
0:11:49 online presence from the ground up and then tailor it to your brand or business and optimize
0:11:53 it for every device.
0:11:54 It makes it easy to launch your website and get discovered fast with integrated optimized
0:11:59 SEO tools so you show up more often to more people and grow the way you want.
0:12:04 Whether you sell physical or digital products or provide a service to clients, Squarespace
0:12:08 makes it easy to start selling online and you can make it check out seamless for your
0:12:12 customers by accepting credit cards, PayPal and Apple Pay and even offer customers the
0:12:17 option to buy now and pay later.
0:12:19 Head on over to Squarespace.com for a free trial and when you’re ready to launch, go
0:12:24 to Squarespace.com/sidehustle to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.
0:12:31 That’s Squarespace.com/sidehustle.
0:12:34 The fourth way to make your side hustle feel more real is to apply for an EIN.
0:12:39 An EIN is an employer identification number.
0:12:43 It’s like the social security number for your business and they’re given out exclusively
0:12:47 by the federal government, by the IRS.
0:12:49 You might be thinking, “Employer, I just want to be my own boss.
0:12:53 I don’t plan on having any employees, especially right away.”
0:12:56 But an EIN is usually required for opening a business bank account.
0:13:01 That’s probably the most important reason to get it early on and having a business bank
0:13:05 account, that’s important to keep your finances straight come tax time.
0:13:09 IRS.gov, you can get an EIN for free.
0:13:11 Number five on this list is to get that business bank account, again, so you can easily separate
0:13:16 your business and personal finances.
0:13:18 It gives you a dedicated account to deposit any revenue from the business and from which
0:13:22 to pay your expenses.
0:13:24 Even if you’re operating as a sole proprietor maintaining separate accounts, it’s a smart
0:13:29 habit to get into.
0:13:30 It’s going to make your life a lot simpler to come tax time.
0:13:32 How it worked for me, I just went into the same branch where I had my personal checking
0:13:35 account, asked if I could open a business account.
0:13:37 They said, “Sure, it was simple.
0:13:39 The account was free, hopefully yours will be too.”
0:13:42 That’s number five, get that business bank account.
0:13:44 Number six is to get a business credit card.
0:13:46 Again, along these lines of separating your business and personal expenses, easy way to
0:13:51 do that is put the business expenses on the business credit card.
0:13:55 On top of that, you have the advantage of earning credit card rewards, sign up bonuses.
0:13:59 I try to put all my business expenses, website, hosting, software expenses, office equipment,
0:14:05 advertising, different agencies that I hire on business credit cards, rack up the points
0:14:09 for that.
0:14:10 The glory it has is when I was really running a ton of advertising through my original side
0:14:14 hustle, it’s like, “Oh, I could spend five, six, 700 bucks a day on advertising, rack
0:14:19 up a ton of miles.
0:14:20 It was fly for free.”
0:14:21 It was fantastic.
0:14:22 I’m going to link up some of the best current business credit card offers in the show notes
0:14:26 for this episode.
0:14:27 All you have to do is follow the link in the episode description and I’ll get you right
0:14:30 over there.
0:14:32 The question that comes up is, “Well, does my side hustle even qualify for a business
0:14:36 credit card?
0:14:37 What if I haven’t made any money yet?”
0:14:39 The cool thing is banks understand that businesses typically have some startup costs before they
0:14:43 see revenue and they’re happy to lend you that money, usually at some pretty high interest
0:14:48 rates.
0:14:49 If you’re not careful about that, don’t spend more than you can afford.
0:14:52 If your business is going to have some of those startup expenses or ongoing costs, it
0:14:56 might as well recoup some of those in the form of credit card rewards or sign up bonuses
0:15:01 and get in the habit of separating your business and personal finances at the same time.
0:15:06 That’s number six on this list.
0:15:07 Get yourself that business credit card.
0:15:09 I’ll link up some of the best current business card offers in the show notes for this episode.
0:15:15 Number seven is to set up your website or at least, at the very least, secure your domain
0:15:20 name.
0:15:21 Building a website doesn’t have to be expensive, doesn’t have to be complicated, but it’s
0:15:24 important to have an online home base to explain what you do, to showcase your work, to give
0:15:30 people a way to contact you.
0:15:31 Now, this is easier than it’s ever been.
0:15:33 You can use tools like our sponsor Squarespace, Side Hustle Nation for the sake of references
0:15:37 built on WordPress, which has thousands of free or very affordable themes that you can
0:15:41 customize.
0:15:43 At the very least, like I said, I recommend registering your domain name for your business.
0:15:48 That’s the name people type into their browser bar to reach your website, SideHustleNation.com,
0:15:52 for example, Nicloper.com.
0:15:55 The reason is you want to claim that.
0:15:56 You want to stake your claim to that piece of digital real estate before anybody else
0:15:59 does because you don’t want somebody else building a business around your name or the
0:16:03 name that you want.
0:16:04 Now, a lot of hosts will give you that domain name for free or the first year of it for
0:16:08 free when you sign up for a hosting plan.
0:16:10 Now, my tinfoil hat conspiracy theory is don’t go searching GoDaddy for domain availability
0:16:17 unless you’re committed to buying it right then because I’ve heard from more people than
0:16:22 would just be coincidence that they searched it, it was available only to come back a day
0:16:26 or two later and find that somebody else had already registered it.
0:16:30 Most domains for the sake of reference are going to cost $10 to $30 a year, really low
0:16:36 start-up cost type of thing depending on what extension you get, .com, .co, .us, .io, stuff
0:16:41 like that.
0:16:42 That’s number seven.
0:16:43 Set up your website even if it’s just a portfolio site, just a placeholder site.
0:16:47 Claim that piece of digital real estate, I think that’s important.
0:16:50 Number eight is to get a logo and I don’t want not having a logo to stand in the way
0:16:57 of you doing the actual work, if that makes sense.
0:16:59 You might find that getting a logo helps your business feel more official just like everything
0:17:03 else on this list.
0:17:04 It might help potential customers see it that way too.
0:17:08 For logo design, you got lots of options including doing it yourself.
0:17:12 You could use Canva, you could use our sponsor Taylor Brands, you could hire a dedicated
0:17:16 graphic designer.
0:17:17 The important thing to remember is it doesn’t have to be perfect, probably not that many
0:17:21 people are going to see it right away and you can always change it later and it’s not
0:17:25 likely to be a deal breaker for any serious customer.
0:17:28 How many times have you been contemplating a purchase decision and you’re almost all
0:17:32 the way to the finish line and then you’re like, “Yeah, it’s the product I want, it’s
0:17:36 the price I want, it’s the company I want.”
0:17:38 But that logo, I don’t know, it’s just ugly, man.
0:17:40 I don’t think that happens, don’t overthink it.
0:17:42 With that being said, I think a logo can be a small trust-building factor to show customers,
0:17:47 “Hey, I’ll put some thought into the small details.”
0:17:50 It sends a positive signal that you’re taking the business seriously.
0:17:53 Number nine, this is going to sound old-fashioned, but get business cards.
0:17:57 If you’re going to be doing any in-person networking, business cards are still a must-have.
0:18:01 In my book, and even if you don’t plan on schmoozing your way to new clients, you would
0:18:05 be surprised how often the topic of, “Well, what do you do?” comes up in conversation.
0:18:10 Keep in a handful of business cards in your wallet.
0:18:12 It’s an easy way to be prepared when that opportunity arises.
0:18:16 For example, I’m talking with other parents at the park after school, “Well, what do you
0:18:20 do?
0:18:21 Oh, I have this podcast.”
0:18:22 Oh, that sounds interesting.
0:18:23 I’d like to check that out.
0:18:24 The odds of them remembering what it was called, finding it on their phone, listening to an
0:18:28 episode, those are pretty low.
0:18:30 If I can hand them the business card that has the cover art QR code on the back that
0:18:34 they can scan, instantly opens up whatever their preferred podcast app is, I’ve got to
0:18:39 think that the odds go up.
0:18:41 Having business cards, really low expense, really easy thing to do, just keep a couple
0:18:46 on you.
0:18:47 You never know when it’s going to come in handy.
0:18:48 It gives you something a tangible leave behind.
0:18:50 It makes a better impression than just, “Oh, well, let me remember.
0:18:53 What was that guy’s business again?”
0:18:54 Number nine, get business cards.
0:18:56 Number 10 is to claim your free business profiles.
0:19:00 This is where we start to build out a little bit of our web presence, our online footprint,
0:19:05 our online foundation beyond just our own website.
0:19:08 What I mean by this is by creating a Facebook page for your business, creating a Google
0:19:14 business profile page for your business.
0:19:16 Maybe a LinkedIn page or a Yelp page if you’re doing business locally.
0:19:19 Maybe you set up an Instagram account.
0:19:21 Maybe there are some other relevant directories you can add your information to.
0:19:24 Is it going to drive sales?
0:19:27 Probably not or at least probably not right away, but you’re starting to get more visible
0:19:31 and with each profile you create.
0:19:33 Again, it’s another signal to yourself and to customers that, “Yes, this is an official
0:19:37 business.
0:19:38 Yes, we’re treating it seriously.”
0:19:39 Plus, all of those can link back to your website.
0:19:41 You’re starting to build that SEO foundation to hopefully make you more discoverable down
0:19:45 the road.
0:19:47 It would totally be fair to say that a lot of these ideas, in the wrong hands, of course,
0:19:51 could be considered a positive procrastination.
0:19:55 Just made that term up.
0:19:56 Positive procrastination.
0:19:57 It feels good to check these items off.
0:19:59 Maybe some are more important than others, but if you’re doing them at the expense of
0:20:03 doing the actual revenue-generating work, then it becomes a problem.
0:20:08 While we’ve been discussing ways to make your business feel more official, I can promise
0:20:12 nothing is going to make it be more official than actually doing the real work and getting
0:20:16 paid.
0:20:17 That’s the bottom line.
0:20:18 Just because you have a business bank account doesn’t mean you have a business yet, but
0:20:21 if crossing these items off your list gives you the confidence to move forward with your
0:20:25 side hustle to start spreading the word, then let’s get them out of the way and get down
0:20:28 to business.
0:20:29 What do you think?
0:20:30 Is there anything that you’ve done to make your side hustle feel more legit?
0:20:33 Was there anything that you wanted to have in place before you started doing any marketing
0:20:37 for your business?
0:20:38 Anything you’d add to the list?
0:20:39 Let me know.
0:20:40 We’d love to hear from you.
0:20:41 If you’re new to the show, welcome.
0:20:43 Thank you for joining me to make your listening experience a little smoother, a little more
0:20:47 curated.
0:20:48 I built a little playlist generator quiz.
0:20:51 You can find it at hustle.show.
0:20:54 There are a few short multiple choice questions, and it’ll build you a personalized playlist
0:20:58 of side hustle show episodes based on your answers that will be most relevant for you.
0:21:02 Then you can add those to your device, you can tune in when you get the chance, you can
0:21:06 learn what works, and you can go make some more money.
0:21:08 Again, that’s hustle.show to claim your personalized playlist.
0:21:12 Thousands of listeners have already gotten theirs, and I want to invite you to be next.
0:21:16 Go grab yours, hustle.show.
0:21:18 That’s it for me.
0:21:19 Thank you so much for tuning in.
0:21:20 Until next time, let’s go out there and make something happen.
0:21:23 I’ll catch you in the next edition of the Side Hustle Show, hustle on.
0:21:28 This edition of the Side Hustle Show is sponsored by Squarespace.
0:21:33 One of the biggest obstacles I hear from Side Hustle Show listeners is simply dealing with
0:21:37 the technical frustrations of getting a site online and making it look the way you want.
0:21:42 If that sounds familiar, I want to invite you to try Squarespace’s new AI guided design
0:21:46 system called Squarespace Blueprint.
0:21:49 You can choose from professionally curated layout and styling options to build a unique
0:21:53 online presence from the ground up and then tailor it to your brand or business and optimize
0:21:58 it for every device.
0:21:59 It makes it easy to launch your website and get discovered fast with integrated, optimized
0:22:03 SEO tools so you show up more often to more people and grow the way you want.
0:22:08 Whether you sell physical or digital products or provide a service to clients, Squarespace
0:22:13 makes it easy to start selling online, and you can make a checkout seamless for your customers
0:22:17 by accepting credit cards, PayPal and Apple Pay, and even offer customers the option to
0:22:22 buy now and pay later.
0:22:24 Head on over to Squarespace.com for a free trial, and when you’re ready to launch, go
0:22:29 to Squarespace.com/SideHustle to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.
0:22:35 That’s Squarespace.com/SideHustle.

Before we begin, I should note that the single BEST way to make your side hustle feel official is to get paid.

As soon as you’ve got your side hustle idea, go sell something.

Seriously.

That first income — no matter how small — is an empowering moment.

In fact, I did a whole episode describing how I got my first sale in 6 different businesses, and later another 25 members of Side Hustle Nation shared their story in this fun round-up episode.

But I also understand that many people — myself include — often want some level of “establishment” before they feel comfortable saying they’re open for business.

I opened my first LLC while I was still in college and really had no idea what I needed it for. But it felt good, and if I’m being honest, made me feel smart and important too.

And later I got plenty of use out of it.

And that’s what this post is about. Even though in the early days of your side hustle, you’re better off focusing on getting customers, sometimes you need a little foundation before you’re mentally ready to focus on getting customers.

My only caution is not to use this list as fodder for procrastination, but to use it as a checklist to build positive momentum and keep going.

Again, before you pull my hustle card, know that you don’t need any of these to get started. But you will need to do most of these eventually, and if you’re the person who likes to get everything in order first, let’s get that excuse out of the way.

Ready? Let’s do it.

Full Show Notes: 10 Ways to Make Your Side Hustle Feel More Official

New to the Show? Get your personalized money-making playlist here!

Sponsors:

Leave a Comment