I run www.gitara1.com as a side gig, I get like 200$ monthly but growing!
Rajkoof AL12:01PM September 19, 2011
I started a side business as a Landscape Consultant a year before I lost my job of 20 1/2 years. Despite the fact I am a certified Master Gardener since May of 2006 and my extensive sudies in gardening I have been unable to generate little to no work after 2008. I offer garden design, gardening 101, landscape evaluations and landscape staging ( for homes for sale ). The drought, excessive heat and economy here in Texas has been a big problem. I have even reached out to many real estate professionals and local garden centers but have yet to receive any leads... I am struggling and need as much advice/guidance as I can muster while I continue my search for a full time job...
D. S. I.of TX9:59PM August 16, 2011
I want to share my "two cents" here after reading your above article.
I do agree that it is not easy to have a side business while working full time as I am going through the challenge
for the past 8 months.
With two young children at home, I wanted to stay at home to watch them grow.But I also needed to work inorder to supplement the household income.
I jumped into having a side business and have learned alot on how to do business online.Now I am earning USD200 per day on average with approximately one hour of work. One of the most important factors contributing to my success is learning and practising the online business through the free videos found in the website. www.growingasset/dailyreflections/teachmehow
As I do not any technical knowledge, I need simple ways to learn and these simple videos have helped me alot.
Now,my target is to reach USD 500 per day on average and I will quit my full time job to stay at home and spend quality time with my kids. I am aiming to reach the target by December this year.
Who wouldn't like to earn USD500 per day with maximum 1 to 1.5hrs per day? I am looking forward to the day.
So entrepreneurs out there trying to make it, don't give up. Be positive and remember that it takes time to build up the side business.
As mentioned in the artcle, having a goal with effective time management & prioratization skills are vital to your success.
I have learned these through my 8 months of online business journey.
The world is your oyster. Opportunities are there to be seized. It is all in your positive mindset and how much effort exerted to get it.
Not only is this not a new phenomenon but I would dare say that it's going to become more common and mainstream as people seek additional sources of income to meet their needs yet also look for outlets to channel their interests/talents outside of their day jobs.
As a matter of fact, a friend and I developed a blog to support this community - www.9to5entrepreneur.com. We wanted to provide resources to the entrepreneur who is still working full time yet has a part time business - people who are often short on time and resources. As business owners of our own companies (social media event planning and youth entrepreneurship programs), we understand first hand the challenges of scheduling client meetings during regular office hours and juggling multiple client demands while juggling a full time schedule at work.
If I could offer three specific tips that we've used to help us grow and expand our business while keeping our day job a priority:
1. Zero Inbox - A system we promote to help 9to5 Entrepreneurs organize their email and to-do list. We emphasize using folders and using your inbox as a to-do list thus encouraging people to maintain zero emails in their inbox.
2. The importance of scheduling tools – Others to include in the earlier list - Hootsuite, Mint and Evernote. This way you spend less time getting organized.
3. Learn how to maximize your down time (ie lines at the supermarket or purposefully blocking out a few hours at a Starbucks). We are big fans of writing down ideas for when we have a few hours to block out time or learning to use wait times to knock out small tasks.
As a final thought, it's important to be consistent and persistent when you first start as you'll encounter many bumps. But victory can be yours if you keep figuring out better ways to manage your work and solve customer problems.
Malla Haridatof NY4:52PM June 21, 2011
Mr. Kedrosky may believe this is "a brand-new phenomenon," but I don't. For most of the past 30 years, I have worked as a full-time reporter and editor for major media organizations, and in all of that time I also managed my own creative services business, Mercurial Editorial, which provides a range of writing, editing, project development and outsource management to other media companies. When my kids asked why they rarely saw me, I would say it was my job to "turn the lights on in the morning and out at night." I worked at my freelance assignments in my home office nights and weekends, jugging family time as best I could. Many of the suggestions offered in the article are valid, but beneath it all you need to be personally committed (or compelled) to following through to make your sideline - whatever it is - succeed. Today, social media is a big help to entrepreneurs, but in my day it was just "networking." Setting goals is another way to say "be realistic" in your expectations and in the time you need to fulfill freelance obligations. Outsourcing is a valuable strategy; you need a trusted network of capable people who can shoulder some of the work when it comes pouring in. Despite the double work, I have found this career path to be very fulfilling, and one that continues to energize me. As one editor said to me when I was starting out, "If you're not doing something on the side, you're not working hard enough."
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Rajko of AL 12:01PM September 19, 2011
D. S. I. of TX 9:59PM August 16, 2011
Harris Begum 11:40AM August 15, 2011
Malla Haridat of NY 4:52PM June 21, 2011
Michael Morris of NY 9:26AM April 02, 2011