How to Grow Your Side Hustle While Keeping Your 9-5 Job

by Erika Driscoll

You work hard, we know it. You’re giving it your all at work, putting positive energy into your personal life, and maybe you even have a side hustle to bring in some additional cash. You really are doing it all. The way we see it as long as you put your mind to it, you can tackle as many jobs as you like. Blogging, baking, photography, tutoring, Ubering, event planning, selling on Etsy – there are so many avenues for side-hustling.

And more and more women are exploring this avenue, proving it’s possible to have a passion hustle while still keeping your 9-5 job. In fact, a recent survey from Bankrate showed that more than 44 million Americans have a side hustle. The majority are Millennials — adults aged 18 to 34. You read that right. The coolest part? You are the #BOSS, and you have the freedom to be creative, pick your hours, and manage all the marketing.

“The extra cash isn’t the only reason we’re pursuing side-hustles. Side hustles help expand our skill set,” says Ellevest CEO Sallie Krawcheck in her new book, ‘Own It.’ “I’m hearing more and more women talking about their ‘side hustle,’ that is, a part-time job separate from their full-time job; and for many, it can be not just a way to earning extra income, but also a means of learning and expanding their skill set and earning more,” says Krawcheck. “We’re also reaching out more for mentoring, and getting better at keeping up with the latest trends in businesses.”

The good news is we can all do it. And it all starts with figuring out our own fears of getting something off the ground.

Click through for five goals to focus on in order to grow your side hustle from idea to income.

Choose a Realistic Idea

Choose something that you love to do, but also make sure that you can make a reasonable profit. Think, what is going to make people not stop raving, and coming back for more. Before you set your heart on an idea, make sure you do your due diligence of research on statistics, marketing tactics, and previous success of similar business models. All the work you put into the business model and prep will help you run your business effectively.

Build Your Vision

Keep your eye on the prize—no matter how busy your schedule gets. Plus, create a “vision board” with magazine cutouts, inspirational words, charts, and goals to focus. Every time you glance at this board, it will keep you on track and remind you of the business’s missions and goals.

Go Automatic

You’ll quickly notice that some tasks become redundant, and take up your precious time. When possible, try and automate business processes. This can be used anywhere from e-mail responses, blog posts, social media posts, or scheduling reminders. A few favorite sights and applications include WordPress, Promapp, Buffer, and CoSchedule. Our favorite though is Honeybook, your all-in-one project, invoicing and payments management tool. When you use Honeybook, you can manage your business all in one place. Plus, Style Salute readers get 50% off their first multi-month plan. Thanks to technology, this will lift a huge weight off your shoulders.

Use Social Media

Today, its all about branding yourself over social media. It’s important to keep your website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, or any other media outlet buzzing with your side hustle’s latest and greatest offers and news. With our phones always at our hips, this goal is second nature. During your lunch break, Tweet about the daily deal. Having an active presence on these outlets will help you find new customers, and it will keep consumers engaged.

Nurture & Love

Like your very own baby, your side hustle needs plenty of love and attention. We totally get that some days you come home from work, and just want to Netflix and chill. But setting aside at least four hours a week in the early development of your side hustle is essential. This is when your baby is taking its first footsteps and needs to have a solid foundation (ideas, business plan, team, profit model, etc.). Once you’re on the market, you’ll have a better idea of how much time you need to dedicate each week. Just remember, it’s all about working efficiently in the small amount of extra time you have on your hands. Following a schedule week to week will be super helpful in keeping you on target.