Have you ever wanted to start a small business or a side hustle but you don’t know where or how to start?
Some of us live from salary to mouth, month to month and have little to nothing going on for ourselves on the side.
How about we draw inspiration from accomplished hustler turned businesswoman who ended up making a living out of their side hustles. A very simple Q&A to motivate us on how to start our side hustles. We speak to Zanele Shwane, a local entrepreneur who started from selling food, reselling branded products, being a brand ambassador to a couple of products to owning her own range of products and beauty salons.
Q. How can one start a small side hustle?
A. Your attitude determines the start of the side hustle, your mindset has to be about making profit. Know why you are starting the hustle, whether to pay your debts, school fees, transport etc.. Starting a side hustle is not some fashionable trend that you do because other people are doing it. It’s about meeting a goal.
Q. Is a business the same as a side hustle?
I personally don’t see it as the same, business is long term and a side hustle is about meeting your short term goals. Although it starts small it doesn’t mean it will end at that, you can grow it into a registered business.
Q. Do you need a lot of money to start one?
A. You don’t need a lot of money to start, check first what people need the most. It could be chicken feet, reselling perfumes to selling snacks, depending on how much returns you want, but it can start from as little as R100.
Q. When will I know that the side hustle is not working?
A. There are seasonal hustles, for example, selling ice cream because it’s summer and enjoyable for every age group, that’s a seasonal hustle. Any side hustle has to make profits, so that you can meet your goals and if it doesn’t then you move on to the next one.
Q. How best to promote your side hustle?
A. Social media is a way to go and costs next to nothing for marketing, don’t expect likes or shares, post so that people know about you and can also reference you. If you don’t use social media to promote your colleagues, neighbors, if you commute everyday using a public transport, a friendly smile and a subtle approach about your side hustle to other commuters will help you sell your products .
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