So you want to start a side hustle? Do these 4 things first.

One of the most common things I hear from my readers is they desperately want to start a side hustle. But there's a big problem: "I don't know where to start!"

I've had hundreds of coaching calls and exchanges with aspiring entrepreneurs. Across the board, starting is the hardest part for almost everyone.

Today I'm going to share four basic principles for preparing to launch a side hustle. Even if you've already started, you may have missed some of these important tactics.

What Most Side Hustlers Miss

Before we dive in, it's important to note some common mistakes people make without a good starting plan:

• They go down the "tools and tech" rabbit hole.
• They find reasons to procrastinate (legal, website, fonts, business cards)
• They focus on unimportant things (What time should I post content?)
• They want to focus on two completely unrelated things

These mistakes are normal. I made every single one of them at the beginning of my journey. But I've learned a lot since then, and I'd like to help you avoid these pitfalls.

Here's my short list of top priorities to focus on when you're preparing to launch your side hustle.

Priority 1: What specific problem do you solve?

A successful side hustle doesn't solve a problem that's too broad or vague.

While "helping people live better lives" may be a noble goal, it lacks the specificity you need to target and serve a particular audience.

Instead, narrow it down to something like "helping moms in tech achieve work-life balance."

To hone in on the right challenge, identify a specific, tangible problem that you can actually solve for your ideal client. Ask yourself:

• What pain points does my ideal client face?
• What challenges keep them up at night?
• What obstacles stand in the way of their success?

When you focus on a clear, well-defined problem, you can develop a solution that resonates with your ideal customers and sets your side hustle apart.

Priority 2: Who, exactly, are you solving it for?

You need to figure out who, specifically, your ideal customer is. This is where psychographic traits come in. You want to know your target audience inside and out.

What are their main interests? What do they value? What do they want to achieve, and why? What attitudes and personality types are relevant to the specific problem you solve?

Let's define some psychographic traits for moms in tech who want to achieve work-life balance:

• Lifestyle: They work long hours but struggle to find time for family activities and self-care.
• Personality: They are overachievers who feel overwhelmed trying to balance career and parenting, often leading to burnout.
• Values: They love their career and care about getting promoted, but equally love being present for their children.
• Interests: They're drawn to productivity apps at work, and quick, healthy meal prep techniques at home. Efficiency is the name of the game.
• Attitudes: They're frustrated because the tech workplace culture doesn't offer enough flexibility for working mothers.

Obviously, I’m just spitballing here.

What are your hypotheses about *your* ideal customer? Start writing!

Paint a vivid picture of your ideal customer. This will guide your messaging, content, and offerings.

Don't be afraid to niche down. It's better to intimately serve a small group than to cast too wide a net and fail to connect with anyone.

Priority 3: Why should that person choose you?

Next, you'll need to differentiate yourself in a crowded market. How can you communicate your unique value?

Try these tactics to differentiate yourself:

• Tap into your unique background and expertise: Maybe you’ve successfully navigated the challenge of leading a tech team at a fast-growing startup while raising twin toddlers at home. (If so, you deserve all the trophies.) Now, you can share personal stories and insights about your struggles and learnings, and talk about strategies that helped you along the way.
• Develop a framework or methodology: Create a step-by-step system that addresses the pain points your target customers face. You might create an interactive "Self-Care Schedule” or a "Work-Life Integration Roadmap."
• Offer a unique combination of services: Instead of just providing one-on-one coaching, you might consider a group coaching offering, hosting online courses, or leading an online community. Start with one small idea, learn what else your ideal customers are looking for, and expand your offerings over time.
• Constantly highlight your specific approach: Maybe your offer incorporates stuff like mindfulness techniques, productivity hacks, or boundary-setting strategies that are particularly effective for moms in tech. Remind people of your unique approach anywhere and everywhere you show up online. You want to become known for your unique approach.

Use your background, skills, and experiences to build a compelling story that showcases why you are the best choice for your ideal customer.

Priority 4: How can you get some attention?

Now it's time to start generating attention for your side hustle. Here are some simple social media tactics you might employ:

• First, redesign your social media profiles: Those psychographic exercises I talked about earlier will come in handy when you’re creating your banner images, tagline, about section, etc. The gold is in the details here. When your ideal customer comes across your profile, they should quickly be able to identify that you’re someone who makes them feel seen and understood, and that you might be the person to solve their problem.
• Find your ideal customers in online communities: Join Facebook groups, LinkedIn groups, and Reddit threads where women in tech or working moms are discussing their challenges and looking for support. There’s an opportunity here to share helpful advice and resources without being promotional. You just want to start building your reputation as a helpful resource.
• Test the power of video content: Create short, inspiring videos that offer solutions to specific struggles your audience is facing. People love that kind of stuff. Share your videos on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts. Then you can repurpose that content on X, LinkedIn, and beyond.

Remember, you're not on social media to copy "big creators" or get the most impressions. Focus on providing genuinely helpful information that demonstrates your expertise and builds trust.

This isn't an overnight success plan. It takes time, persistence, and patience. But consistently showing up and delivering high-quality help will gain visibility, establish credibility, and attract the right people.

In Conclusion

If you've always wanted to build a side business but struggle to take action, focus on these four priorities:

1. Identify a specific problem you can solve.
2. Understand your target audience inside and out.
3. Clarify your unique value proposition.
4. Strategically build awareness around your brand and message.

When you focus on these priorities, you'll increase the chance your side hustle succeeds. And when a side hustle succeeds, it can eventually become your main hustle.

Take action today and stay focused. Attack these priorities one step at a time, and before you know it, you can have a thriving business that makes a real impact.

If you want more help like this, consider enrolling in my flagship course, The Creator MBA. It includes 100+ lessons crafted in a logical, step-by-step fashion to help you build the side hustle you've always wanted.

Join 4,000+ online entrepreneurs here.