Get Started With a Side Hustle

Follow These Steps to Find Your Dream Side Hustle

Graphic Designer

Let Your Design Skills Shine

Start an Amigurumi Business

Are you someone who loves ❤️ to knit or crochet? Are you looking for products you can make in a short period of time, that are profitable and easy to ship? If so, starting an amigurumi business might be something that's fun and profitable that you can do in your spare time as a side hustle.

Market Overview:

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Website Designer

A Unique Opportunity

Freelance Writer

The Sky is the Limit

If you like writing, use your subject matter expertise to write for various brands. This could be a great way to turn your skills into extra or full time income! Write content for a variety of online and offline businesses. 

You can work for others to help them write stories, articles, books, product descriptions and more. You can also become an author and write content that you sell to others.

Quickstart Guide: Check out the article titled, Discover the Freelance Writing Goldmine for Aspiring Entrepreneurs.

Market Overview:

• The global freelance market was valued at $3.39 billion in 2022 and continues to grow as businesses increasingly outsource content creation. Writing is among the most in-demand freelance skills.
• Content marketing has become a $400 billion industry, with 82% of marketers actively investing in content like blogs, articles, and eBooks.
  

Transcriber

Get Paid to Type

Transcribers listen to audio and video files and converting them into written content. If you're a good listener, and you're fast and accurate typist, transcription could be an excellent way to start an online business. All you need for transcription is a computer, and a reliable internet connection. This is a side hustle that can be done from most any location.

Gaming Coach

Give Gamers the Winning Edge

Are you a pro at the latest video games? Share your love of popular games and the latest tools and gear. Share success hacks, apps and tools that can be used to get the edge.  Coach those playing in gaming tournaments, competitions, and championships.

Quickstart Guide: Check out the article, Work from Home Ideas for Gamers. 

• Market Overview:
  • The global gaming industry is expected to reach $300 billion by 2026, with significant growth in esports, live streaming, and content creation.
  • Esports (competitive gaming) alone generated over $1.4 billion in revenue in 2023 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 10% by 2030.
  • Key revenue streams include sponsorships, advertising, streaming platforms, coaching, affiliate marketing, and merchandise.
• Target Markets:
  • Casual Gamers: Players seeking tips, hacks, and reviews of games, apps, and gear.
  • Aspiring Esports Players: Gamers competing in tournaments who need coaching and guidance.
  • Gaming Content Consumers: Viewers of gaming content on platforms like Twitch, YouTube, and TikTok.
  • Brands/Companies: Businesses seeking gaming influencers for promotion.
• Trends:
  • Streaming and Content Creation: Platforms like Twitch and YouTube Gaming dominate; live streaming accounts for a major share of gaming content revenue.
  • Esports Growth: Esports tournaments are attracting millions of viewers and substantial sponsorships.
  • Metaverse Expansion: Games like Roblox and Fortnite are building metaverse ecosystems where players can monetize digital goods.
  • Gaming Coaching: Gamers are paying for personalized training from pro players through platforms like GamerSensei.
• Income Potential:
  • Streaming Revenue: $3–$10 per 1,000 viewers, plus ad revenue, tips, and subscriptions.
  • Gaming Coaching: $20–$100/hour depending on the game and expertise.
  • Affiliate Marketing: Earnings depend on traffic driven to gaming products and platforms.
  • Esports Competitions: Prize pools can range from $1,000 to millions for top players.
• Challenges to Address:
  • Building a dedicated audience takes time and consistent engagement.
  • Competition among content creators and esports players is fierce.
  • Staying relevant requires keeping up with the latest games and trends.

Bargain Shopper

Help Families Save Money

If you’re someone who lives for finding deals, saving money, and sharing tips with others, why not turn your passion into a profitable home-based business? There’s a growing demand for thrifty-minded entrepreneurs who can help others save time, money, and resources. In this guide, we’ll explore several business ideas that leverage your bargain-hunting skills to make a difference, all while working from the comfort of your home.

Industries to Explore:

1. Coupon Consulting and Deal-Finding Services:Use your expertise to help families, small businesses, or organizations save on everyday expenses. Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube are great for showcasing your savings hacks or promoting affiliate links.

2. Affiliate Marketing or Blogging:Create a blog or YouTube channel that highlights the best deals, discounts, and savings strategies for specific audiences, such as parents, college students, or business owners. Affiliate programs like Amazon Associates, Rakuten, or niche-specific retailers can help you earn commissions.

3. Personal Shopping or Budget Coaching:Help clients find the best prices on products or services they need while staying within their budget. Personal shopping can be combined with virtual coaching sessions for maximizing savings.

4. Resale or Arbitrage Business:Use your skills to buy discounted products and resell them online through platforms like eBay, Poshmark, or Facebook Marketplace. Retail arbitrage is perfect for deal-lovers who frequent thrift stores, clearance sales, or outlet stores.

5. DIY Savings Workshops:Host online workshops or create courses teaching others how to find deals, use coupons effectively, or even negotiate prices. This is a great fit for those who enjoy educating and connecting with an audience.

You'll need several pieces of equipment that will vary based on your goals. Take a look at our equipment list for more information.

Personalized DIY Craft Kits

This is the perfect side hustle for creative entrepreneurs who would curate and assemble materials and instructions for specific projects, packaging them and selling them as ready to make kits. 

Sell your kits on platforms like Etsy, or sell them on your Shopify or WooCommerce store. 

Equipment: To start a website design business you'll need several pieces of equipment that will vary based on your goals. Take a look at our equipment list for more information.

Shop Owner

Sell Stuff Online

There are a number of online marketplaces that will enable you to sell items you make or products made by other people. 

Sites like Etsy, eBay, Facebook Marketplace will allow you to sell items you've created or items created by others. These sites have built in traffic, all you need is to get your products in front of one of their existing audiences.

You can also sell  products in a shop you own and control.

Resources: Here's an article that shows you how to start a print on demand business and a course that shows you how to build a conversion focused site that includes  an eCommerce store that you can use to sell your products. You can also get started with affiliate marketing as a way to earn passive income selling products made by other people. 

Industry Data: According to current industry data, the global eCommerce market is projected to reach around $6 trillion in 2024, with a significant portion of this coming from the United States and China, and is expected to grow further to reach nearly $8 trillion by 2028, driven by increasing mobile commerce adoption and the continued shift towards online shopping spurred by the pandemic.  

Equipment: To create a shop, you'll need several pieces of equipment that will vary based on your goals. Take a look at our equipment list for more information.  Use the links below to learn how to get started on the respective platforms. 

Blogger

A Great Way to Earn Passive Income

Blogging is a popular way to work online. It's a way to create content about your favorite subject matter, including written, video and audio content that tells people about what you do and how you can help them.

There are many ways to earn from a blog, including selling digital  and physical products, teaching courses and launching a podcast. 

Resources: Here's an article with ideas (and a video) you can use to make digital products that you can sell in your own shop. We also have a course that shows you how to build a blog and online shop that not only looks great, but one that will help you convert more visitors into leads and more leads into customers.

To learn how to start making money as a blogger here's an article and video that provides you with 10 ways to make money with a blog.  If you're not sure what it means to make passive income, here's an article and video that explains it. 

Industry Data: 

The blogging industry takes up a third of the web, and WordPress powers over 43% of all websites. This shows that people are still writing posts and that WordPress is still the best blogging platform.

Wellness Coach

Share Your Love of Fitness and Weight Loss

Are you someone who loves to exercise, eat a healthy diet, and live a healthy lifestyle? People are looking for support in losing weight, getting in shape, finding fitness equipment and gear as well as living healthier.

Share your experiences, your workout routines, products you use, your cooking style and diet plans with an audience of weight loss and fitness fans.If you're interested in starting a side hustle, the good news is that you can learn a healthy way to shed those excess pounds and inches, AND earn extra money in the process, by using affiliate and referral marketing systems. Learn more. 

Quickstart Guide: Use Your Interest in Fitness and Weight Loss to Start a Wellness BusinessIndustry Data: The global weight loss services market is expected to grow from $15.59 billion in 2023 to $16.97 billion in 2024, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.9%.

Some Wellness Trends for 2024 Include:

• Wearable biometric rings and continuous glucose monitors 
• An emphasis on mental health, stress management, and mindfulness 
• Telemedicine and lifestyle spending accounts 
• Climate-adaptive wellness, including rooftop gardens, green spaces, and heat-reflective paint  

Print on Demand Designer

Use Your Knack for Design and Color to Earn Money

Print on Demand is a business model where products are created and shipped only after a customer places an order. 

This eliminates the need for businesses to hold inventory or invest upfront in large quantities of products. Instead, designs are printed or applied to items (such as t-shirts, mugs, books, and home decor) on an as-needed basis.

• The global POD market was valued at $4.9 billion in 2022 and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 26.2% from 2023 to 2030.
• Demand Drivers:
  • Rise of eCommerce platforms like Etsy, Shopify, and Amazon Merch.
  • Consumer demand for unique, personalized products.
  • Low upfront costs for creators, attracting entrepreneurs with limited capital.

Quickstart Guide: Industry Data: 

• Problem: Reliance on outside print partners will limit your control over product quality. Some vendors have long shipping times which frustrates customers.
• Problem: No way to build a list on Etsy, who stopped providing information on customers when they purchase from you.
• Solutions:
  • Test products (have something printed and shipped to you) before listing to ensure quality.
  • Provide tips on managing customer expectations and offering clear shipping policies.
  • Promote the importance of working with reputable POD providers with global fulfillment networks.

Target Demographics:

• Age: 25–45 years (primarily millennials and Gen Z entrepreneurs).
• Location: Global, but concentrated in markets with strong eCommerce adoption (e.g., U.S., Europe, Australia, and Canada).
• Income Level: Varies; often individuals seeking side hustle income or small-business scalability.
• Education Level: Often self-taught or with creative/design backgrounds.

• Equipment:

  To create your own products and have total control over pricing and quality, without relying on outside printing companies, you will need to figure out what kinds of products you want to sell.
  
  Then select equipment that will allow you to make your products. For example, if you want to make t-shirts, you might want to purchase a sublimation printer, if you want to create engraved products, you might want to purchase a laser engraver.
  
  Check out this article, Create Your Own Products with Vinyl Printers and Cutters and Other Professional-Grade Equipment to learn about the different types of equipment available and what they can do to help you build a thriving business. 
  
  You have the option to never touch a product or maintain inventory when you use outside print partners who will print and ship your products, enabling you to focus on the design and selling aspect of the business. 

Data Entry Specialist

Put Your Typing Skills to Good Use

This is another side hustle you can do if you have great typing skills. Data entry jobs are flexible, and you can decide how much you work. Every online business owner needs to have data entered, whether it's new data or maintaining and updating data that has already been entered.

Quickstart Guide: 

Industry Data: 

Equipment: 

Affiliate Marketer

Promote Other People's Stuff

There are many ways to earn when you promote other people's products and services. It's best to promote products and services you have experience with. Major brands will pay you a commission on a one time or recurring basis.

Quickstart Guide: Here are a few items about affiliate marketing. Learn all about affiliate marketing and resources to get you started, here. 

Industry Data: 

Equipment: 

Customer Service Agent

A Service Every Business Needs

This is a service every business can use to handle service, questions and issues via email, chat and phone. If you have experience handling complaints, helping customers find products and check out,   and dealing with the public, this could be a great side hustle for you.

Quickstart Guide

Industry Data: 

Equipment: 

Cooking Classes and Meal Prep

Who Doesn't Want a Quick, Great Tasting Meal?

Everyone on the planet eats, but some of us are kitchen challenged for one reason or another. Do you frequently receive kudos and compliments on your cooking? Do you love to make special dishes for your family? Take your cooking skills and knowledge and turn it into a side hustle. 

Show people how to spend less time in the kitchen by blocking out time to prep meals. Show them your knack for make great tasting meals on a budget, and tips for cooking gourmet or vegan meals with dishes that can be whipped up quickly and easily. 

Quickstart Guide: Here's an article with ideas you can use to get started, and a video demonstration with ideas you can use to make your cooking school, recipe website or digital product business a reality!

Industry Data: 

Market Size: The global meal prep industry is booming, with the meal kit delivery services market expected to grow at a CAGR of 13% from 2023 to 2030, driven by increasing consumer demand for convenience and healthier options.

Key Demographics

• Busy professionals, parents, and college students who want to save time.
• Health-conscious individuals seeking vegan, keto, or allergy-friendly options.
• People on a budget who want to cook restaurant-quality meals at home.

• Trends:
  • Rise in digital recipe subscriptions, online cooking classes, and downloadable guides.
  • Popularity of short-form cooking content on platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube.
  • Increased demand for meal prep that focuses on sustainability (e.g., minimal waste, reusable containers).
• Pain Points to Address:
  • Lack of time to cook fresh meals daily.
  • Overwhelm from planning balanced, affordable meals.
  • Intimidation or lack of confidence in cooking techniques.
• Equipment:
  

For someone starting a cooking and meal prep business, having the right tools is key to efficiency, professionalism, and scalability. See the article with ideas for a complete summary.

Sell Digital Products

Are you a solution oriented entrepreneur who is looking for an enjoyable, yet profitable business that can be started with a minimum upfront investment? If so, this is a must read.

Discover the many benefits of selling digital products as a way to earn full or part time income from home. You'll learn about the types of digital products that can be used as stand alone products as well as those that can be added on to existing products to increase your earning potential. 

Virtual Assistant

Do You Have Administrative Skills?

If you're organized and skilled in performing office tasks, this is the side hustle for you. Working for offline and online clients, a virtual assistant handles one or more aspects of the tasks that range from general office work and customer service to accounting, marketing, event planning, email marketing, proofreading and editing and more.  

Quickstart Guide: 

Industry Data: 

Equipment:

Digital Illustrator

Are You An Amazing Graphic Designer?

If so, that means you can assist business owners in creating images like scalable vector graphics (SVGs), portable network graphics (PNGs) as well as hand drawn graphics, signs, portraits, comics and caricatures.

Use your love of drawing and typography and an online platform to showcase your portfolio and work with clients.

Quickstart Guide: Here's an article that has ideas you can use to start a graphic design business, selling physical products with your designs on them (print on demand) as well as courses and digital products that you can sell in online marketplaces as well as on a site and shop you own and control.  

Industry Data: 

Equipment: 

Photographer

Do You Love to Take Pictures?

Photography is a service that individuals and businesses need.  There is a wide selection of niches you can serve to build a profitable side hustle. To brush up or improve your skills, an online class can provide valuable techniques. Check out the article on work from home ideas for photographers to learn more about how to get started.

Quickstart Guide Here's a comprehensive article that covers work from home side hustle ideas for photographers. 

Industry Data: 

Equipment:

Financial Consultant

Have a Passion for Numbers?

Are you good at balancing your budget each month? If so helping individuals and companies balancing the books might be a great side hustle. Creating budgets, and demonstrations on how to use financial calculators and tools that will help them improve and organize financial data.

Quickstart Guide: 

Industry Data: 

Equipment:

Translator

As Businesses Expand to Other Countries

If you can speak and understand another language at least at the intermediate level, you can provide translation services. There is no teaching involved, you work during in person and online meetings to act as an intermediary between at least two people who need to have a conversation. Translators also work in customer service roles. Translators also work with companies to translate their documents, website content and marketing materials.

Designing, Crafting and Art

Making the Essentials Everyone Uses

Are you a crafter, designer or artist? Do you have a cutting machine? Cricut is a popular brand but there are others as well. If you have one (or one is in your future), there are lots of opportunities available to earn by making things that other people can use.

Making things as simple as apparel, labels, stickers and home decor. If you have a blog, you can earn by promoting crafting supplies and products. Earn by helping others by creating demos and tutorials that help others create their own works of art.

Weekend Traveler

Chronicle Your Trips

Imagine earning while you travel! Giving readers a first hand view of those places that most people dream of visiting can be a way to earn while pursuing your love of travel.  Become a virtual tour guide giving your followers travel tips, the best places to stay, the best restaurants, and deals that can help them save money.  Start a blog and promote items related to your niche, including luxury travel, city tours, and travel accessories. Start on a full or part time basis!

Narrate Audiobooks

Use Your Voice to Add Personality to Books

There is a company that will allow you to earn by narrating audiobooks. The company is called ACX. Get started by choosing the books you want to audition for!

You can find an unlimited number of potential acting gigs, and the audiobooks you produce will be available on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. Head over to their site, sign up, and choose how you'd like to get paid for your narration work.

Resources: Here are the details on getting started with audiobook narration. 

Online ESL Tutor

Help People Learn English as a Second Language

Don’t dismiss an online tutoring job just because you don’t have a teaching certificate. Many online companies, especially those in the English as a second language (ESL) industry, don’t require a certificate or teaching experience.

A lot of times, an online tutor just video chats with someone in a foreign land, helping them learn conversational English. However, to make the most money, you will need a certification or degree. To learn more about getting a TEFL certification visit the TEFL Institute.

Resources: Here is a resource page that teachers and online tutors can use to turn their teaching skills into an online business. It includes a video that has ideas for a website you can use to promote your new business!

Network Marketer

Build Teams That Help You Meet Your Sales Goals

Though it's gotten a bad rap over the years, from a few bad actors, network marketing is a growing a viable way to grow your income. There are many great companies, (some household names) that use this business model to start and grow businesses in niches from A to Z.  

Teachers and Course Creators

Get That Know How Out of Your Head and Onto the Internet

Are you an existing teacher who's looking for a flexible schedule? There are remote opportunities for classroom teachers, instructors and course creators that will enable them to share their knowledge to help others learn something new.

It's just a matter of pulling all the "know how" out of their heads, getting it into an online format, organizing it and sharing it with others.

Whether you're a classroom teacher or a cook that receives rave reviews, you have knowledge to share. And believe it or not, the knowledge or experience you have puts you in a great place, thanks to the internet.