Turn Someday into Today

As I've been talking with folks about what I do at Find Your Frolic, I've heard a common theme. May people want to do their own thing "someday" but are unsure where to start. I had actually been practicing for "someday" for at least a decade before the opportunity of "someday" presented itself.

I've always had a desire for more. My creative entrepreneurial spirit was hungry to make my own money doing my own thing. Over the years, I tried on several different side hustles while I was working a full-time job. Side hustles are an excellent test bed. In just a few hours a week, without impacting your primary career that makes you money today, you can experiment with being your own boss.

With each side hustle, I learned something different. I gained a skill. I grew. I failed a lot, but I did it at a micro-level with low risk. I'm so grateful I did because the experiments gave me experience. Once I made the decision to start my own business for real, I was better prepared for what to expect.

Here are some of the side hustles I've tried over the years. Some stuck and some didn't but each one gave me experience and sharpened my skills.

• I co-owned a consignment shop with a friend. She ran the day-to-day and I did all the back-office work...from a different state! We were in business for four years before she relocated to a different state herself. I learned about state taxes, K1 partnerships, 1099's and a whole host of other nerdy things I didn't know before this adventure. We also laughed a lot and had a blast decorating the shop together. The experience solidified our friendship for a lifetime.
• I handmade decorative pillows and sold them on consignment and on Etsy. Each pillow took hours to make. I made pennies on the dollar. I remember being so excited when a friend bought a pillow that I rushed to their house to deliver it immediately. I ended up spoiling a birthday surprise in the process! Needless to say, that adventure didn't last long.
• I offered workshops at retreats on a process to unlock the creative power of journaling called Smashbooking. I usually did this for free in exchange for a discount on the retreat. It was a great experience to lead a workshop at an event for 2 hours before jumping in to lead a full retreat myself. I gained experience and got to share a practice I use every day that has helped me tremendously.
• Next month I will celebrate my 10th anniversary with Rodan + Fields. Over the last decade I've watched the company grow and change rapidly. I've been there through countless product launches, incentive programs and new comp plans. Of all my side hustles this one has taught me the most. It was also my safety net when it became my primary source of income after I quit my corporate job. I'm grateful every day for this opportunity.
• I am the property manager of our vacation rental in Key West. This one is a labor of love. We adore Key West and were lucky to scoop up a townhouse in the Key West Golf Club right off the pool in 2013 when prices were low. Initially we rented it out for the first 6 years to a full-time tenant. He was great, always paid on time, but we could never use it. After realizing our hotel bill for a long weekend was more than our monthly expenses on the house, we took it back and turned it into a vacation rental. Our rental income allowed us to fully renovate the house last year without the need to dip into savings.

My experience has ranged from retail sales to network marketing to real estate. There are so many opportunities to explore side projects and learn. I'd even say that my side hustles made me a better employee. It's easier to enable a sales team on a new product launch when you have your own experience selling. It's easier to relate to a CEO when you've been one yourself even if on a micro scale.

So, if you have a dream in your heart to run your own business someday, I encourage you to explore a side hustled today. You may find entrepreneurship is not for you, or you may fall in love. Either way, you will learn a ton and the extra paycheck doesn't hurt either.

Be well and frolic on!

A note about network marketing. Do your research before you jump in. What is the comp plan like? Does it incent the right behavior? Will you be rewarded for building customer loyalty? Do you have to carry inventory or does the company ship product directly to customers? Is the product something you use and truly love? I'm happy to share my experience over the last decade in more detail if of interest.

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