Lessons from Covid19 — Everyone Needs a Side Hustle according to Dorie Clark

In the course of writing my book Entrepreneurial You, I discovered a few principles any of us can use to develop a side income stream — in small and manageable ways, over time.

First, even if you don’t know what your area of expertise is, others do. Almost everyone has friends come to them for certain favors: taking photos, helping them coordinate wardrobes, improving their résumé or LinkedIn profiles. They’re seeking you out because they recognize you have unusual skills, and now it’s time for you to take note.

Second, test the concept. No one wants to pay you for something you’ve never done before. But — if your offering is desirable — many people might raise their hands to become a free “beta tester.” It’s low risk for them: Even if the dinner you cater isn’t up to Julia Child standards, it’s still a (presumably decent) free dinner. And it’s a way for you to validate the idea, since it’s bad news indeed if no one wants your product or service, even if it’s free.

Finally, it’s time to get paid. You probably won’t land top rates at first. But drawing on referrals from your original beta testers, you should now be able to earn a bit of money from your side gig. And over time, as you hone your skills and confidence — and accumulate happy customers — your ability to charge a premium will grow.

— The Lesson of COVID-19? Everyone Needs a Side Hustle

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