How Do You Know Which Side Hustle is Right for You? Start with This Checklist

I don’t exactly hide that I’ve tried out dozens of side hustles, from online tutoring and consulting, to website development and social media management. I’ve tried dropshipping, faceless YouTube channels, obviously, freelance writing, and just about everything in-between. I am a staunch believer that trying out numerous side hustles is part of the process if you want to land one or two that really work for you.

But how do you identify the ones that do work for you, and which ones should you start with?

This is the checklist I’ve developed over the last 10-years in the gig economy that helps me weed out side hustles that are going to be a waste of time for me. However, remember that not every side hustle is meant for you. If you find Amazon FBA to be a ‘scam,’ that doesn’t mean it’s a scam to someone else. I see way too many people immediately calling side hustles ‘pyramid schemes’ simply because it doesn’t jive with their natural workflow.

Here are the questions to be asking yourself before you dive into your first, or additional, side hustle.

My Side Hustle Question Checklist

Question #1: How much money do you need to put down to get started?

I personally opt for side hustles that require zero dollars down. When I say zero, I mean it. I ended up loving freelance writing because I had to spend nothing on it. Fiverr was (and is) free, I already had Word Document downloaded to my laptop, and I had access to WiFi. I figured: what’s the risk? I work best when I don’t have instant debt, and I have spent decent time learning that about myself.

The first question you want to ask yourself is ‘what is the monetary risk involved here?’ Side hustles that require ads to drive traffic, like dropshipping and affiliate marketing, aren’t really for me, therefore. But that might not be the case for you!

Question #2: How much do I need to show my image for the side hustle to succeed?

It’s no secret I am not afraid to post my thoughts, ideas, or photos to social media. It doesn’t bother me. That’s why many of my side hustles, like influencing, sponsorships, and writing this newsletter are related to my online brand I have built. I like building brands and prefer it to spending thousands on ads to drive traffic. If you’d rather be totally anonymous, something like affiliate marketing, faceless YouTube videos, writing Amazon reviews, etc. might be more up your alley. It’s OK if you don’t want to have your picture everywhere – there are options for everyone.

Question #3: How much time needs to go into this side hustle in the first 6-months?

Anyone who tells you a side hustle can be successful if you only spend 30-minutes per day on it during the first few months is lying. The more time you put into the side hustle, the more likely it’s going to be successful. But there are varying time demands across the side hustle spectrum. Fiverr, for example, has the potential to be a 14-hour day if you want it to be. It can also be a 2-hour day if you only want to part-time commit to a few thousand dollars per month. Something like online course sales take time to make initially – but then become entirely passive. Sit down and identify how much time you can dedicate to the side hustle now, 6-months from now, and one-year from now. You can’t half-ass an online side hustle and expect to make millions from it.

Nothing Compares to Personal Experience

At the end of the day, you can theorize your potential side hustle all you want – launching and managing the business is an entirely different story. You must take off the training wheels and ride the business bike. Whatever fear is stopping you, whether it’s money down or showing your face, now you know you can pick side hustles that are tailored to what you are/are not comfortable doing. No more excuses!

Since I am a crazy person who has tried 15+ side hustles, I did make a course about it. I will link to it here if you are interested.

What’s currently stopping you from side hustling?