In this final episode of season 2, I give a much needed breakdown of some of the lessons I've discussed from episodes 1-9. I also have a special and encouraging message at the end of this episode.
One of the trickiest things is to do is to decide if and when you should leave your job and pursue your side hustle as a full time business. Most people dream of this moment but lack the understanding and preparation required to successfully make this move. If you are lucky enough to get to this point in your side hustle, then this episode is for you. Having been here before, these are the topics that I explore in this episode:
After making your first sale or atleast attempting to, your side hustle may not be all that you thought it would be. Most side hustles don't immediately become money making machines and require changes to be made. Sometimes, they need to be abandoned altogether. In this episode I cover these 3 main topics:
Making your first sale is the biggest and scariest step. But it is necessary and does not have to be an obstacle. When you view this step as getting paid for all of your hard work, then it seems much less daunting. The key to making your first sale is to start by pointing out the benefits of what you are selling. Nobody buys features without knowing how the thing will make their lives better. Here's what you can look forward to:
Marketing to your ideal customer is the step right before making your first sale. Here the focus is on reaching and engaging with your customer on social media because this is where the greatest reach can be achieved with the least amount of effort upfront. Some of the key points I'll be discussing are:
Episode 5 is about your competitors. We naturally tend to view our competitors as the enemy but in the early startup stages they are a very useful resource. Among other key points I cover the 3 topics below to help you fast-track your research and get closer to starting your side hustle in record time:
1. Competitors proving an addressable market exists
2. Competitors nurturing your addressable market
3. Competitors setting benchmarks for you
Episode 4 is about your business plan. Business plans are a minefield for many would-be side hustlers and entrepreneurs alike. Should yours be 5 pages? Maybe 10? Should you even write a business plan? I address the 1 page business plan and how to structure it so that you can get it out of the way and get started with making money as quickly as possible in 2 easy steps.
Step 1: Pricing structure & your target income
Step 2: Answering the Who, What, Where, When, Why, How.
Episode 3 is about your side hustle idea. Often we get stuck in trying to come up with an idea that we love but is actually flawed, or is a weak idea, when tested against a checklist. I explore a checklist that I call the 3 P's which will help you to pre-validate your idea before you can take action and start making money.
The 3 P's are:
1. Profit
2. Passion
3. Practical
Episode 2 is all about how failing does not need to cripple our abilities to get started. I scratch a little under the surface to discuss how fear evolves with us as we grow up and how to overcome the fear of failure in 3 practical and easy to execute options.
The outlined steps are:
1. Talking to people
2. Writing things down
3. Taking it step by step
Season 2 is a monologue-style podcast that is more punchy and all about teaching lessons so you receive more actionable advice and steps to help you prepare for a successful side hustle life. In this episode I discuss 5 main factors pertaining to the mindset and getting to know yourself better because any successful journey needs you to be at your best. The topics that I discuss are:
1. Excuses
2. Time
3. Lifestyle
4. Emotions
5. Stress
In this episode, host Vusi Ravele gives a much needed breakdown of some of the lessons learnt from episodes 1-9. He highlights why side hustles matter to the economy of South Africa and clarifies the mission of the Sneaky Side Hustle.
Fourways based Lesli Gaugain is a Teaching Assistant by day and resells products on Takealot in her off time. Although she does not make these products herself, she is mastering the art of arbitrage trading. That is, buying low and selling high. Lesli enjoys being a trader in this cut-throat environment where pricing is everything. Her entrepreneurial enthusiasm makes her well suited to this as she is resilient and a problem solver at heart. Let's hear more from the lady herself...
Pretoria based Zintle Jitane is a Fiduciary Administrator in corporate by day and her side hustle is being a fashion designer and maker of clothes for plus sized women in her off time. Zintle keeps things simple. Her brand, Zonke Ezintle Apparel (everything beautiful) is quirky and appropriate as she only makes beautiful clothing to meet her customer's exact need. She is methodical and has created a side hustle that solves her own problem as well as her customer's problem all in one. Let's hear more from the lady herself...
Empangeni based Sindi Thusi is a teacher of Agricultural Science by day and in her off time farms right in her backyard. Sindi is passionate about agriculture and has 2 degrees to back this up. She is an inspiration to her learners and her community as she believes that everyone should farm in order to survive and to thrive. Her hard working nature is unparalleled as under her brand, Grace Agric farming, she is involved in crop farming, fish, chicken, and nursery farming. Listen now to find out more from the lady herself...
Boksburg based Lerato Masha is a Supply Chain Director at Unilever by day and in his off time he is a passionate art dealer. Lerato is master networker and has managed to connect the dots between artists in SA and first time art buyers as his side hustle. His focus is on educating people on the economics of art by creating in-person experiences through his brand, Jeleni and phindi. This strategy has already led to a number of early stage successful art purchases. Listen now to find out more from the man himself...
Linden based Karen Kelly is a full-time mom who works in an I.T. corporate job by day and sells dollhouses in her off time. Her expertise are in marketing products online as she also owns and runs a blog about everything pretty. Her most current brand, The Tiny Dollhouse SA, is about all things home decor except it's on a teeny tiny miniature scale. Listen now to learn more about how she's done it all.
Soweto based Godfrey Tshabalala is a humble packaging sales person by day and a stokvel ninja in his off time. He is involved in several stokvels that have generated enough income to help build his first home. After losing his father at a young age, Godfrey observed the power of rotational savings schemes from his mom and has used this discipline to overcome the curse of poverty. Today he contributes circa R7000pm to his stokvels and has accumulated a wealth of information on this topic. Listen to learn more about how he's done it all.
Sipho Kings is a former Mail & Guardian Acting Editor In Chief who co-founded a digital newspaper for Whatsapp. The idea for The Continent newspaper was born out of fear and uncertainty about his job security during the first Covid-19 lockdown in SA. Sipho and his co-founder then went about compiling and sharing the digital newspaper while working their full time jobs. Today they have over 17,000 weekly subscribers and cover stories from Africa for Africa.
Sipho is a laid back intellectual with a unique perspective on the way things work. His career and awards are a reflection of his enthusiasm for good journalism and an appetite to genuinely do good while serving others through his talent of story telling through writing. Listen in as he shares his pearls of wisdom.
