During a time when the cost of living is constantly on the rise, side hustles seem to be more a necessity than a choice. The successful side hustler will have certain traits that definitely translate into dollars. Here are the traits to turn up the volume on when you’re trying to make your hustle work for you. People with successful side hustles are:
Ambitious
Ambition is a no-brainer. Hustlers with the most ambition often turn their side thing into their main thing. They put in so much effort and have so much vision around what they’re doing that people trust and believe in them to do even more!
Curious
How can you take the marketplace by storm if you don’t even know where you fit within it? Curiosity will keep you asking the questions to translate your business into a clear solution to a problem in the marketplace. You always want to be filling the hole that no one else saw was there.
Research-savvy
Who is your competition? Has anyone tried to do what you’re doing in the past, and did they succeed or fail? What avenues are out there to promote your product or service? Do people even want what you’re offering? This research is vital to the success of all hustles, and if you choose to skip it, you’re kind of wasting your time (and ours).
Personable
No one likes a rude hustler. No one likes an overly-aggressive hustler. No one likes a desperate hustler. Be confident, cool and be likable. You want to build a relationship that makes people feel great about your product or service, but also about you as the purveyor of said product or service. School is always in session on the charm tip!
Relentless
Even though I just said no one likes an overly-aggressive hustler, that doesn’t mean that you should be lazy or lack persistence. Taking no for an answer from one person doesn’t mean taking no for an answer in general. Stay out there and pound the proverbial (or actual) pavement, because if you have the rest of these traits, someone will eventually say yes.
Collaborative
Side hustles need collaborators. This is the two heads (or two products) are better than one theory. What product or service would complement yours? If you can link up with another hustler, you can both have access to each other’s networks and you’re doubling the amount of energy that comes from each of you. Don’t be afraid to work together with other people in your field of hustle.
Selectively social
You don’t need to be everywhere all of the time to get your point across. You’ll burn out quickly trying to show up to everything, and you’ll likely start seeing the same people anyway. This is where research really comes into play. Instead of going to 10 parties and events per week, what three events can you attend that will maximize your word of mouth? Networking is important, but the most focus should be on ensuring the quality and consistency of your product or service.
Positive
There will be times when people will tell you “no,” they will insult your product or service, they will take shots at you personally, and whether you’re perceived as a success or as a failure, they will talk down the former and talk up the latter. Remember that talk about your product or service leads to curiosity about what you have to offer. Brush the haters off and keep it pushing. Trust in your hustling instincts.
Creative
This should go without saying, but you need to be creative about your side hustle. Sometimes, especially if you work in corporate, you can sneak your side hustle into your day gig and get paid for it. Are you a graphic designer, but you work in HR? Make a mock-up of something promotional for your job and see what the creative team thinks! You might find your hustle turning into a consulting position. Never be afraid to put yourself out there.
Solution-oriented
When issues come up, don’t look at them as problems, view them as opportunities. Being solution-oriented will have you quick on your feet when something unexpected comes up. Having problems with your shipping carrier for a product that was promised on a certain date? Keep money set aside for emergency next-day mailing promised items to keep your customers happy with you. Website crashed? Keep a Mailchimp account to update your customer base about any unforeseen occurrences. If there’s an issue, you can solve it.
Agile
Hustling is a contact sport. Sometimes, you’ve gotta call an audible. If you have many hustles, their popularity will ebb and flow and you will need to quickly adjust to which one is the most poppin’ and which one needs the most attention. This is a balancing act, as you might want to grow the hustle that’s struggling, but you also want to keep the one that’s popular. In the case of multiple hustles, a huge dry erase board will help you visualize and adjust how you need to move at any given time.
So what traits do you possess? Which are you working on? Let us know in the comments below!
Want more content like this? Sign up for our daily newsletter!
