You’re already working full time. You spend 40+ hours per week in your current profession to support yourself and those who depend on you.
For you, though, it’s still not enough. You’re on the hunt for ways to make more income, but you’re afraid that you just don’t have the time or energy to devote to another job.
I get it. And so do millions of others just like you.
In 2019, more than 13 million people in the United States alone worked more than one job. Maybe you already count yourself among this growing group. With the rise of the gig economy, more and more are working full-time hours among two or more part-time positions to fill their financial gaps.
But that doesn’t mean you have to go work for someone else to make some extra cash – why not start your very own side business?
If you’re already an entrepreneur, you know the benefits of being your own boss and setting your own terms. Now you want to realize these benefits twofold by starting something new.
Of course, you will face challenges that you might not encounter working for a traditional employer. But we’re here to tell you that it is not only possible to build a successful side business while working full time, but that its payoff can be substantial.
Your side business could become your full-time gig!
Here are some ideas that have huge potential to become your new successful side business while you’re already working full time.
Web-Based
There are more opportunities to make money online than ever before. With the ability to reach people from every corner of the world, you can quickly become a successful side hustler by applying skills you already have to something new. Plus, running an online business means you can go to work anywhere in the world – whether it’s a coffee shop in your vacation spot or the comfort of your own couch.
- Blogging: Do you have something interesting to say? Are you passionate about a particular subject? Start a blog and grow your audience with frequent and appealing posts.
- Graphic Design: The need for freelance graphic design is on the rise, and competitive online markets create a high demand for professional web content.
- Online Marketing: Help other business owners get the word out by providing online marketing services. Facebook, Instagram, and Google are three of the most prominent platforms, and SEO (search engine optimization) can be critical to a campaign’s success. If you can learn how to promote a business to the “first-page” of search results, you have acquired a highly valuable skill that companies all over the world are willing to pay for.
- Monetized YouTube Channel: Celebrities aren’t just in Hollywood anymore. Many of today’s household names in “influencers” started their journey as a humble YouTuber. Start growing your audience and soon enough you could be making extra revenue from every new video you post.
- Podcasting: This has become another big trend in the last few years – more and more people are becoming loyal followers of their favorite podcasts, and the content can range from laid-back comedian interviews to grueling true crime stories. Be heard and make money with a podcast that’s unique and intriguing.
- Virtual Assistant: Some people just can’t do it all on their own, and that’s where you come in! Virtual assistants provide technical, creative, or administrative support over the web. This can be a flexible option for a side business when you’re stuck in an office for 40 hours a week.
- Online Sales: Etsy, eBay, and Amazon are three of the biggest online marketplaces, with product selections as broad as the internet itself. You can sell something you produce yourself, or perhaps become an intermediary for wholesalers.
- Develop an App: You don’t have to create a paid app to make money. Most of the top downloaded mobile apps are free to the public, but they’re monetized with advertising or in-app purchases.
Local / Brick-and-Mortar
While online businesses give you the chance to reach markets in all corners of the world, there are also benefits to locally-run, small-scale operations – especially when you’re already working full-time.
Tastes and cultures can vary widely from place to place, so keep your neighbors in mind when starting a local side business! Take advantage of these regional differences to create a unique offer, and use your knowledge of the area to better reach your target audience.
Take a look at some of the best ways to make extra cash in your very own town.
- Housesitter
- Child/baby sitter
- Dog walking, sitting, grooming
- Property manager: Airbnb, local property owners
- Baking/catering
- Food truck/pop-up shop
- Caregiving
- Moving/packing services
Established Gigs
You don’t have to do it all on your own. There is a growing number of platforms helping people just like you make more money on the side of a full-time job. Many of these established gig sites require little more than an initial registration to get started, which means you can start making extra cash FAST with the help of these networks connecting you to paying customers.
- Fiverr: first-time freelancers
- Driver gigs: Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, PostMates, etc.
- TaskRabbit
Creative / Out of the Box
The world of entrepreneurship is always growing, and with that growth comes more out-of-the-box opportunities for people like you. Working full time and trying to make additional income can seem like an impossible task.
Fear not! You just haven’t considered all of the possibilities. Here are a few unique side business ideas that many of us wouldn’t typically think about.
- Reselling through Amazon
- Dropshipping
- Turo car rentals
- Domain name sales
- Investing your money and others’
- Local sports officiating/coaching
- Professional organizer
- Mobile services: laundry, car repair, carpet cleaning
- DJing
Instructing / Consulting
Knowledge is wealth – and you’re the expert! Share your proficiency in a particular subject and make some extra cash while you’re at it. People are willing to pay big bucks for someone who knows what they’re doing.
You might already be utilizing your expertise in your full-time job, or maybe you’re itching to share a skill that you don’t get to use every day. Either way, your prowess, and mastery can quickly turn you into a successful side business owner with these instructing and consulting gigs.
- Business consulting
- Tax consulting/preparation
- Online or in-person tutor/teacher: SAT, language, adult skills/hobbies
- Data analysis
- Fitness/yoga trainer
- Dance instructor
Niche / Unique Skills
One of the best ways to be #1 in your industry is to be the only one with your unique offer – that is, to create a niche. Once you’ve established your side business as one-of-a-kind, you can quickly become a new trend!
The ideas below can all be customized to a wide variety of specialties and individual tastes. Focus your business around what you do best, and what others haven’t done before.
- Photography
- Brew your own beer
- Translator – local or online
- Tailoring
- Computer repair/refurbishing
- Modeling
- Custom building – furniture, jewelry, clothing, etc.
- Antique refurbishing
- Event planning
- Patent your own design
Writing
Words can be powerful. They can also be valuable! Turn your words into cash by providing writing services to people who lack specific expertise or just don’t have the time to sit down and write long pieces of content. That’s where you come in! Here are just a few of the ways you can become the author of your side business success story.
- Resumes
- Blogs
- Web content
- Advertising
- Ghostwriting
- eBooks
- Proofreading/editing – college admissions
- Greeting cards
- Fanfiction
Now that you’ve read about some of the best ways to make extra cash when you’re already working full time, it’s up to you to make it happen. Whether you just want to add a little more to savings or you’re hoping to eventually grow it into your main gig, a side business can offer you the flexibility and income you’ve been searching for. It’s time to take your earnings into your own hands – and now you’ve got plenty of ideas to consider.
Take a moment to examine what you can put into (and what you want to get out of) a side business with the consideration of your current responsibilities and obligations. Create a plan that clearly outlines your goals and how you’re going to accomplish them.
Your success is up to you. Put your plans into action and start your side business off with a running start!