HOW THIS COMMUNITY CAN BE YOUR SECRET WEAPON AS A SIDE HUSTLER

As we all celebrate the first 100 days of 2018 (can you believe it?) I'm feeling as community-focused as ever. I took the big leap on the 22nd of March 2018 to move my side hustle to my main hustle and amongst documenting my first 90 days, I am also learning so much about the power of community and tribe.

Since leaving my employer I'm often asked how I'm feeling about working from my home office and if I miss the buzzing metropolis of office life. This is where I start to realise that whilst I'm alone in my perfect entrepreneur bubble, I'm not at all feeling lonely. Here's why...

At the start of the year, I felt a calling to create an online group of career driven individuals who also had side hustles - those who got me and I got them. I had at this point had several conversations with my everyday connections to know that it was a 'thing' but I didn't know at the time how big this 'thing' was. That night, I created my INNER CIRCLE group and invited exactly 45 individuals who I thought might get some value from it. This online community was brought together to have "side hustley" conversations like balance, how to speak to employers, getting over the fear of failure, money blockers, finding a business idea, getting funding, etc. The group launched and it was perfect. I started to share my journey intimately with the members, I spoke about my fears, my hopes, my dreams. I spoke to them exclusively before I spoke to my employer or even some of my best friends who weren't in the side hustle mindset. It was truly a place to confide, bounce off one another and grow.

Something amazing happened...in just under 100 days, the community has grown to 500+ members. This 'thing' is now an oasis of like-minded individuals who nickname this community their 'safe place'.

The power of this community is soul-level good. Every day as I'm writing about my big lessons, I'm flooded with messages like "Thank you for creating this special place",

and...

"Looking forward to learning more + invigorating my side-hustle ideas and bringing them to life. I’m here to soak up and share some knowledge + exchange stories and experiences with some like-minded new friends. Very excited to look back in a few months and see what goals I’ve kicked. Pretty nervous too ??",

and...

"I feel inspired to branch out and reinvent myself. So far I’m loving the vibe here!",

and...

"I see this group as a daily reminder to own my career and never settle for anything less."

My heart expands with resonance and recognition of each other's motivations and 'why'. With a truckload of scrutiny out there about side hustlers and the misconception that we're out to screw over our employers, this community bands together to help the world understand who we really are.

I am still asked several times a week to explain the definition of a side-hustler. Every individual has different motivations, but for this community, we largely represent a certain type of side-hustler. Whilst we're all about creating choice in our careers, most of us actually... wait for it... like our jobs. We're not starting hustles to flip the bird at our employers, in fact, we are a grateful bunch who fully realise that employers are no longer expected to fill every single part of our desires - we have side hustles to help with that. We create for ourselves side hustles to fill in the gap that our employers quite often can't and that's OK. That should be a relief for both parties.

HIGHLIGHTING EVERYDAY SIDE HUSTLERS MAKING EXTRAORDINARY CHOICES

Earlier this month I decided it was time to shine a spotlight on the amazing, mountain moving side hustlers in the group, naming the segment "Side Hustle Hot Seat". I was having hundreds of conversations with my individual clients thinking gosh, the community really needs to hear this. Utilising Facebook live stream, my INNER CIRCLE members get to see me talk endlessly about the future of work and how some of our brightest minds of this generation are seeking more from their careers. Hundreds tune into the Side Hustle Hot Seat where I interview everyday individuals doing extraordinary things with their time and career. One example is the conversation I had with Emily McQualter where we dove into the importance of balancing side hustles, executive-level careers and kids.

The conversations in Side Hustle Hot Seat are lit with passion, excitement and fire and the community is lapping it up! With each guest in the hot seat, we highlight their success stories, fuck ups and often the amazing realisations as they bravely launch their sideline business. My favourite part is when we realise that we're all in this crazy, mad journey together.

One member commented on the latest Side Hustle Hot Seat with Josh Farr. "WOW, this conversation had me transfixed. SO much value, so many truth bombs, so many insights that I can't wait to turn into action. Bouncing off each other (while never talking over each other) for a whole 40 minutes. Please grace us with your combined presence again. LOVE YOUR WORK. "

LET THE NUMBERS DO THE TALKING

It's honestly my favourite time of the week as I get to sit down with these amazing beings creating something so special for themselves. Since starting the INNER CIRCLE, engagement has skyrocketed to +45% and the growth of the group is now at +123% in the past 28 days alone.

We now have 500+ career-focused individuals > side hustlers > main hustlers. I am humbled every day to be amongst the future. What began as a humble dream and an idea to start a community of side hustlers has bloomed into a global reality. We have members from Australia, Canada, Argentina, UK and all over Asia just to name a few. How could one ever feel lonely in their hustles when they have a community like this one?

Some of our hottest, most popular posts include the ceremonial welcome of new members (every week we're seeing on average 30-40 new hustlers join us), how to deal with trolls, how to be unapologetic about who we are and how to use social media for personal branding.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE LIGHT AND YOU CAN'T TURN AWAY

I had a giggle when one of the community members remarked that the INNER CIRCLE is like that light you can't look away from. Once you see it you're mesmerised and you're so magnetically pulled towards it.

"I don't have a side hustle (yet) but I need to find out more about myself to make me more resilient in my career."

It is not at all uncommon to attract pre side hustlers or those who have just stumbled on the idea of starting one. Those who are curious of mind and unsure how it could work for them, those who want to simply try it on for size. I wish a group like this existed when I first thought about starting a side hustle. There are many who come in, learn and realise that a side hustle isn't for them and that's ok. Whilst others come in and find the ignition they needed to get their ideas going.

"... you have no idea how pumped I am about everything. After you told me to just go for it...even if I'm not ready... I already got 2 partners for my side hustle and we are working on the right name before we go ahead and get the domain. I've also decided I'm an expert in the lessons I've learnt through my career so made a huge list of content topics I want to start talking about on LinkedIn. You've really kicked my life up to the next level. Thank you so much for what you do."

My purpose is to help thousands #owntheirhustle and make energy-aligned decisions on what they are put on this earth to do. It's as clear as day to me when the resonance of energy is within you to create, build, launch.

My hopes for this community is to continue to grow out a safe place, cultivate an empowering group of individuals who can own their hustles and pave out a fast lane to finding a career to love. Side hustles are a huge part of the future of work and I'm on a mission to show the world how it's done in balance with the employers your love.

Want in? Click here and tell me your story - there's a wonderful world of supportive hustlers waiting on the other side. Have a wonderful week and remember you can absolutely #ownyourhustle.

JOIN THE INNER CIRCLE