

There's always talk about creating a side hustle and having multiple streams of income, but what happens when you're already super-occupied, booked, blessed, and busy with the 9-to-5 you have on top of other responsibilities like managing a household, pursuing higher education, or loving on bae? Well, one of the best ways to leverage a great side hustle opportunity is to look into monetizing things you already do as hobbies.
There are several ways you can turn a hobby into a lucrative business. Try these steps to get started:
First, make sure your hobby is something you actually want to be obligated to do for money.
Listen, as much as I love putting together a good wig or two for myself (and can spend hours on YouTube watching videos about hair care and wig-making) I certainly am not interested in making them for others. There's that obligation-to-a-customer factor that deters me. I like doing it for the love and outlet, not for paying customers who will demand more and more.
If your hobby is something you do solely for your own self-care or as a method to facilitate mental and physical wellness, you might want to think twice about monetizing it.
Be sure the hobby you choose to monetize is something that you love offering to others and that you're committed to consistently doing, on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis, for an actual profit. If you can't see yourself, for example, creating artwork for multiple patrons or clients and only draw or paint when you feel the urge, creating a whole business (or even a side hustle) around that is probably not the best move.
Showcase your hobby on social and use it as free marketing.
Listen, if you're great at scrapbooking, making T-shirts, doing nails, launching events, or cooking, and you want to start doing these things for money, a great place to start getting potential customers via social. Start posting great videos and images about your process or product and going Live on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, or LinkedIn. (Yes, there's an option there, and to be honest, that's where there are probably more paying customers and investors than you'd think.) Slowly and consistently (i.e. at least 3 times per week) introduce your followers to your hobby and don't assume people just knew you could do it so well.
Then start to market after connecting with both your current and your new audience (or "followers"). Start letting them know what you offer, having a call-to-action (such as "Connect with me on my website for my cooking services" or "Visit my Facebook page to find out about the next event") in order to draw people in and grab your first paying clients or customers.
Morsa Images/Getty Images
Start small, then scale bigger.
Oftentimes when people think about starting a business or side hustle, they have these grand visions of what that actually looks like. (Trust me, I've consulted small business owners and founders for years, and this is a common occurrence.) With any new process or endeavor, you can think big but start small.
For example, if you love making jewelry, instead of trying to make a whole line of rings, necklaces and bracelets, stick to one item at first, cultivate a community, track the growth of your customer base, create a good marketing plan, and then launch more when the time is right (i.e. you've actually gained traction in the market, are making a profit, or can see things working or not working when it comes to actually making money from doing so). Once you're able to see success and build up a cult following, for say, custom necklaces, you can then launch a new or related line of other jewelry.
(This is what's meant by scaling. It helps you to avoid burnout and can oftentimes save you the disastrous occurrence of either totally flopping early with your product or service or not being able to accommodate a surge of customers due to sudden popularity, a viral video, or news coverage that put your brand on the map.)
Test out your product or skill among your network.
And no, I'm not talking about family and friends because, sadly, sometimes they're the last to actually buy anything or pay an invoice for services. I'm talking about your college alumni association, your co-workers, your former employers, or your church.
Your true potential customer is your neighbor, your hair salon tribe, folk you meet at conferences, or the women who are quick to book those group trips. I'm talking about the folk who actually like and comment on your Instagram Reels or TikTok videos showcasing your skills or work.
You might want to test out your hobby at a low cost (or even for free) and ask for feedback via Google Forms or another method. Get real and honest feedback about what you're offering and find ways to leverage that to not only improve your method, product, service, or process but to make that person (or organization) your next paying customer.
Lighthouse Films/Getty Images
Book a session with a consultant.
If you find yourself overwhelmed with all the steps it might take to turn your hobby into a business, hire someone to help you. There are many qualified, amazing coaches and consultants who can not only guide you through the process but help you create plans to manage your time so that you can accomplish your goal of doing something you love and making a profit.
Tap into all the resources afforded to you online or in-person in order to turn a passion into a lucrative business. Hey, you never know: That hobby might someday be the thing you were destined to do to serve and slay all along, profit or not.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for daily love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Featured image by blackCAT/Getty Images
- Here Are Three Money Moves You Can Make During The Self ... ›
- This Six-Figure YouTuber Educates Women On How To Make ... ›
'Sistas' Star Skyh Black On The Power Of Hypnotherapy & Emotional Vulnerability For Men
In this insightful episode of the xoMAN podcast, host Kiara Walker talked with Sistas star Skyh Black, as he opened up about his journey of emotional growth, resilience, and self-discovery. The episode touches on emotional availability, self-worth, masculinity, and the importance of therapy in overcoming personal struggles.
Skyh Black on Emotional Availability & Love
On Emotional Availability & Vulnerability
“My wife and I wouldn't be where we are today if both of us weren't emotionally available,” he shared about his wife and Sistas co-star KJ Smith, highlighting the value of vulnerability and emotional openness in a relationship. His approach to masculinity stands in contrast to the traditional, stoic ideals. Skyh is not afraid to embrace softness as part of his emotional expression.
On Overcoming Self-Doubt & Worthiness Issues
Skyh reflected on the self-doubt and worthiness issues that he struggled with, especially early in his career. He opens up about his time in Los Angeles, living what he calls the “LA struggle story”—in a one-bedroom with three roommates—and being homeless three times over the span of 16 years. “I always had this self-sabotaging thought process,” Skyh said. “For me, I feel therapy is essential, period. I have a regular therapist and I go to a hypnotherapist.”
How Therapy Helped Him Heal From Self-Doubt
On Hypnotherapy & Empowering Self-Acceptance
Skyh’s journey is a testament to the power of tapping into self-development despite life’s struggles and being open to growth. “I had to submit to the fact that God was doing good in my life, and that I'm worthy of it. I had a worthiness issue and I did not realize that. So, that’s what the hypnotherapy did. It brought me back to the core. What is wrong so that I can fix it?”
Watch the full podcast episode below:
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Featured image by
Quinta Brunson Gets Real About Divorce, Boundaries & Becoming
Quinta Brunson is the woman who chooses herself, even when the world is watching. And in her June 30 cover story for Bustle, she gives us a rare glimpse into the soft, centered place she's navigating her life from now. From leading one of television's most beloved series in the last decade to quietly moving through life shifts, the creator of Abbott Elementary is walking through a personal evolution and doing so with intention, grace, and a firm grip on her boundaries.
Back in March, the 35-year-old filed for divorce from Kevin Jay Anik after nearly three years of marriage, citing "irreconcilable differences." The news hit the headlines of news outlets fast, but Quinta hadn't planned to announce their dissolution to the public so quickly.
Quinta Brunson On Divorce, Public Scrutiny & Sacred Boundaries
"I remember seeing people be like, ‘She announced her divorce,’" she told Bustle. “I didn’t announce anything. I think people have this idea that people in the public eye want the public to know their every move. None of us do. I promise you. No one wants [everyone] to know when you buy a house, when you move, when a major change happens in your personal life. It’s just that that’s public record information."
In regards to her private moves becoming tabloid fodder, Quinta continued, "I hated that. I hate all of it."
"I Am An Artist First": Quinta On Cutting Her Hair & Reclaiming Herself
Still, the diminutive phenom holds her crown high in the face of change and is returning to the essence of who she is, especially as an artist. "Cutting my hair reminded me that I am an artist first. I want to feel things. I want to make choices. I want to be a person, and not just stuck in having to be a certain way for business." It's giving sacred rebirth. It's giving self-liberation. It's especially giving main character energy.
And while the headlines keep spinning their narratives, the one that Quinta is focused on is her own. For her, slowing down and nourishing herself in ways that feed her is what matters. "It’s a transitional time. I think it’s true for me and my personal life, and it’s how I feel about myself, my career, and the world," Quinta shared with Bustle. “I feel very serious about focusing on watering my own gardens, taking care of myself and the people around me who I actually interact with day-to-day."
That includes indulging in simple rituals that ground her like "making myself a meal" which has become "really, really important to me."
That spirit of agency doesn't stop at the personal. In her professional world, as the creator, executive producer, and lead actress of the critically-acclaimed Abbott Elementary, Quinta understands the weight her choices carry, both on- and off-screen. She revealed to Bustle, "People used to tell me at the beginning of this that the No. 1 on the call sheet sets the tone, and the producer sets the tone — and I’m both of those roles."
She continued, "I understand now, after doing this for four years, how important it was that I set the tone that I did when we first started."
Quinta doesn't just lead, she understands the importance of curating the energy of any space she enters. Even amid a season of shifts and shedding, her power speaks loudly. Sometimes that power looks like quiet resistance. Sometimes that power is soft leadership.
And sometimes that power looks like cutting your hair and taking back your name in rooms that have forgotten you were an artist long before you were a brand.
Read Quinta's cover story on Bustle here to witness the fullness of Quinta's becoming.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Featured image by Zach Hilty/BFA.com/Shutterstock