3. MY STORY
• While looking for journo job, began
working with clients (2010)
• Took day job at U.S. News (2010)
enter the side hustle
• Left day job (2011)
side hustle becomes full-time job
4. WHY BOTHER?
• Build your network
• Learn new skills
• Make extra money
• Move toward the
career & life you want
• It’s FUN!
alexisgrant.com
5. WHY ON THE SIDE?
Enjoy financial stability of
full-time job
Build in a safe
environment
Less pressure = more
enjoyable
Time to experiment and
figure out what works for
you
alexisgrant.com
6. WHAT YOU
REALLY NEED TO
GET STARTED
• Online home (doesn’t
have to be a website)
• An offer
• Recommendations
• Support
• Confidence
alexisgrant.com
7. The big question…
How will you know
when you’re ready?
alexisgrant.com
8. If you’re asking
whether you’re
ready…
you probably are.
alexisgrant.com
9. ONE BIG KEY TO SUCCESS…
ONE BIG KEY TO SUCCESS
START BEFORE
YOU’RE READY
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10. CHALLENGES OF THE SIDE GIG
Conflict with day job
Is your job 9-to-5?
Expect to work evenings
& weekends
Don’t keep it a secret
Time management
Focus & drive
Work toward mini-goals
What if you have multiple
interests?
Umbrella of YOU
alexisgrant.com
11. USING YOUR WEBSITE TO
LAND CLIENTS
The Obvious: About or Services page
Help people come to you (SEO)
Prove your expertise with new content
Showcase your work via
recommendations,
portfolio
Make a name for
yourself (branding)
Show your personality!
alexisgrant.com
12. OTHER TIPS FOR GETTING CLIENTS
Let your network know what you offer,
both professional contacts and friends
Attend in-person events (meetup.com)
Work for free – but only once
Connect online – probably a given for
most of you
alexisgrant.com
13. HOW MUCH TO CHARGE?
• Look around at what others are
charging
– Don’t reinvent the wheel
• Depends on:
– Your experience
– Your goal income
– What your clients will pay
• You’re worth what you say you’re
worth!
– (so long as people will pay it)
alexisgrant.com
14. YOUR FINANCES
• Find YOUR system
– Separate biz money
– Tools like Freshbooks
• Taxes
• Hire accountant?
• Need an LLC or DBA?
15. WHEN TO GO FULL TIME?
• Salary is *almost* where it needs to
be
• Core client strategy
• You can’t climb to next level
without devoting full attention
• Something pushes you over the
edge (before you’re ready = can be
a good thing)
16. HOW TO GET STARTED?
START DOING WHATEVER
YOU WANT TO OFFER
(Don’t wait to be asked!)
alexisgrant.com
17. SURROUND YOURSELF WITH
GO-GETTERS
http://www.facebook.com/
groups/rockinthesidegig/
alexisgrant.com
Mention chat box, ask questions at the end, takes notes if you want but will offer as recording and slideshare… Lots of webinars are truly sales pitches… Those of you who have attended my webinars before know… Give GIVE AWAY much helpful information as possible – Want to share what has worked for me and to help you succeed. Helps me connect with community, let you connect with
125 ppl signed up… know it’s a topic you care about. Was joking with a reader who’s on the webinar tonight about how… To get a a sense for who’s with us tonight… Anybody already have a side hustle? Or thinkigng seriously about it?
So that’s just one story, MY story of how my side gig became my full-tiem job. But today we’re going to take a few steps back…
I remember when I had my first request for an invoice, and I didn’t even know how to create one. This is ESPECIALLY TRUE if you want to make a career change. The best way to transition to a new career is by practicing the skills you’ll use…
Why not simply start doing this as a full-time job?
Jump BEFORE you’re ready… I wasn’t ready to give this webinar when I promised it…. Could you deliver if you absolutely had to? If the answer is yes, you’re ready. SHARE LINK get where you want to be faster
Goal of this webinar is to help you FEEL like you’re ready.
Wrote posts about both – have to put in the time on weekends and evenings, and umbrella of you… have carrie share them? TWO LINKS HERE
LINK on making clients come to you – through SEO, through good advice, through recs The truth is, we all want to work with someone we click with.
This is something I say again and again.
Don’t stress over this. Don’t use it as an excuse not to get started. LINK FOR HOW MUCH SM SHOULD CHARGE AS SM CONSULTANTS
Taxes… you need to make more than you think LINK HERE – also, don’t forget to pay estimated taxes Working on ebook on this topic
From Seth Godin? – because NO ONE IS GOING TO ASK YOU. You have to choose yourself. No one told me it was OK to start this webinar series.
Put yourself in a place where doing cool things like this feels NORMAL. GIVE LINK TO CARRIE