Maximize your side hustle with Nicaila Matthews Okome

How Nicaila Matthews Okome Found Success in Side Hustling

I’ve always had a side-hustle. There are two big reasons for the extra work. First, I think of it as an insurance plan. If I get laid off, I’ll have a source of income and a personal network to fall back on. (Keep in mind, I came up in media–where layoffs happened just about every year.)

It's also really important to me that my work has meaning. And, I’m always trying to explore whether a different kind of work might give me more meaning. A side hustle is a low-stakes way to test the waters. Today’s guest sums it up this way: "I side hustle to figure out if I really want to do something."

That’s Nicaila Matthews Okome. She hosts the podcast Side Hustle Pro. It features tips, advice and interviews with Black women entrepreneurs who’ve transformed their own side hustles into impressive careers. Nicaila is a force. This show is her full time gig now, but as you might guess, it didn’t start out that way.?

One thing that is particularly valuable for listeners to note: Nicaila didn’t see herself as the kind of risk-taker who would become an entrepreneur. After college, she got her start working in PR at Nickelodeon. She got her MBA at the University of Michigan, interned at Google and landed a choice position at a solid name-brand company–NPR.?These are the kind of big name brands that suggest stability and radiate success. But all the while, Nicaila was testing out whether there was something more meaningful she could build.

Today’s episode is for anyone with a side hustle. Nicaila will talk about the kind of stability that comes from being one’s own boss. She’ll help us think about what types of projects might make good businesses–vs. Hobbies or passions. She will cover how to put in smart hours rather than long hours. And much more. Check out the episode here, or listen below:

???OFFICE HOURS: Come discuss your own side hustle

Join us Wednesday at 3pm for Office Hours, our weekly coffee break. Producer Sarah Storm and I will be on hand to discuss the episode with anyone who shows up. This is a community building exercise: we believe presence is power, and when we show up for each other, we make each other stronger. So come join us, share your thoughts on side hustles, or just tell us how you're doing. You can find the link below, or send us an email at [email protected]. Thanks!