Put The Hustle Back In 'Side Hustle' With These Essential Tips
With the cost of living on a steady incline and Sallie Mae swallowing up earnings before they are even realized, it's no wonder that everybody who is somebody is on the quest for more income. Regardless of profession, millennials everywhere are diving into extra ways to make dividends. We've coined this way of life "the side hustle."
From where most of us stand, starting a side hustle is a no-brainer, yet realistically, successfully adding new responsibilities to an already busy lifestyle takes strategy and commitment. If you are looking to get off the sidelines and into the game, here are 6 tips that will position you to win.
Research
Most side hustles never take flight because we fail to do adequate research. Research teaches business owners the tools necessary to succeed. Without some understanding of how to run a business in your industry, it is difficult to maximize revenue. To get started, do a simple Google search related to the side hustle you have in mind. Learn all you can learn from blog posts, YouTube, seminars, and courses. Use this information to compile takeaways, things to consider, and action steps.
After you've done your homework, it is always a great idea to share your findings with a trusted resource who has a proven history of succeeding in the area of your side hustle. Rather than "picking their brain," ask them to validate whether or not you are on the right track. Add the feedback you receive to your repertoire of learnings.
Plan
Even side hustles need a business plan. A business plan is a written document that details the goals of the business, a plan for accomplishing the goals, a time frame for accomplishing the goals, and measurements of success. You can find templates for business plans online. The Small Business Development Center in your city is also a great resource for assistance. These offices provide services at little or no cost to you and are also a great way to prepare for financing and grants if necessary.
Ultimately, your business plan serves as the blueprint of your side hustle.
It will guide budgeting, expansion, and everything in between so it is important that you put true effort into drafting it. As your business evolves, you should consistently update this plan to reflect changes in direction or new goals.
Implement Systems and Habits
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Having a business plan means nothing unless you implement systems and habits necessary to be successful in the day-to-day operation of the business. As such, you should start by brainstorming ways you can increase productivity and decrease disorganization or inconsistency.
Let's say you are interested in being a freelance writer while still maintaining your full-time job. Implementing systems and habits might look like batching all pitches for the week each Sunday, committing one hour each evening to writing approved stories, and blocking off Saturday mornings for final edits and story submissions.
Regardless of the side hustle, systems and habits are a must for managing it all. There are few overarching themes amongst side hustlers everywhere that can serve as a starting point for your systems and habits.
Most side hustlers are weekend warriors who sacrifice lounging or connecting with friends in exchange for working. They are earlier risers or late owls who maximize hours outside of their 9-5 to grow their business. You can also find these entrepreneurs utilizing their 30-minute or 1-hour lunch break to tackle important tasks for their side hustle, such as clearing out emails, taking consultations, or attending conference calls.
Develop a Marketing Plan
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Branding is key to selling. If you want customers to do business with you, look like a top-tier business. Create a website that includes services, products, contact information, and even blog posts. Revamp your social media pages so that they relay a clear marketing message that draws customers in. Avoid posting things that take away from this marketing message and get intentional about posting regularly to at least two social media platforms. A good post will keep your services at the forefront of your customer's mind and entice them to purchase from you. Be authentic, informative, and credible in your approach. This trifecta will enhance your sales.
Network
Sometimes it isn't about what you know so much as it is about who you know. Even with the best products or services, you have to position yourself around the right people. Put yourself out there so that others know what you are offering and why it is valuable to them or the people around them.
Go to meetups and functions that give you the opportunity to connect with a crowd you can learn from. You should also use your Rolodex of friends, family, and acquaintances to assist you in areas that may require outsourcing. One example might be pitching a graphic design student to create your company website in exchange for building her portfolio, class credit, or tickets to an upcoming concert. These situations are often a win-win for both parties so don't hesitate to ask.
Maintain Solid Work Ethic
No matter the success story, the work came first. There is no amount of bright ideas or planning that can substitute for actually doing the work. At the end of the day, being successful takes commitment, consistency, and sacrifice. It won't matter that you have a bomb accountability partner or an amazing list of action plans if you allow yourself to get lazy. Dedicate yourself to going the extra mile and the results will speak for themselves. It takes a certain amount of "want to" to work your dream. Evaluate your "want to" often, being determined to show up for yourself no matter what and you will succeed.
Featured image by Getty Images.
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Kandice Guice is a lifestyle and beauty writer who doubles as an attorney and entrepreneur. She prides herself on helping multidimensional women discover personal and professional fulfillment by encouraging them to live with ambition, sass, and a whole lot of pizzazz. When Kandice isn't closing corporate transactions or writing blog posts, she is usually cheering on her husband as a football coach or looking for new travel adventures with friends and family. Check her out at kandiceguice.com and follow her on all things social @kandiceguice.
Exclusive: Kelly Rowland Dishes On The Key To A Healthy Marriage And Her Skincare "Game-Changers"
Kelly Rowland is like a bottle of the Earth’s finest wine; she only gets better with time. Even in her early forties, the Destiny’s Child member and singer has somehow found a way to age backwards, with a level of grace and class that we could only dream of. And she does so while juggling multiple hats and roles at once. In addition to giving us hits like “Motivation,” the multi-hyphenate is also a wife, actress, executive producer, and, her greatest role of all, a mother.
Always proudly doting on her two sons, Titan and Noah, Rowland shares how teaming up with WaterWipes for their Hallowclean campaign and kickoff event in New York City on October 21 was an easy choice for her—as the brand is one that she keeps stocked regularly.
“WaterWipes has been in my household for I don’t know how long. We don’t just use them for Noah; I keep them in the car and my makeup bag, too,” Rowland shares in an exclusive interview with xoNecole. “I also like the fact that they are natural. I’ll definitely have them in my fanny pack for trick-or-treating. This is Noah’s second Halloween, and I know he’s going to be excited and digging in his pail to try the different candy, and his little fingers will be messy. He’s going to want to get dirty. So, I love that WaterWipes is putting up ten Hallowclean stations across the country for parents to use; it’s such a great idea. I just love Halloween, and I really love Halloween with my kids, so I thought this campaign was a really great idea.”
Kelly Rowland and son Noah at the WaterWipes Hallowclean Machine in Brooklyn, NY.
Photo courtesy of WaterWipes.
She and her youngest son, Noah, attended the event, where the two enjoyed a day of family-friendly activities while he sported the most adorable astronaut costume. But the Spooky Szn fun doesn’t stop there for the Merry Liddle Christmas actress and executive producer.
We recently caught up with Kelly Rowland over Zoom to learn more about her Halloween (and holiday) plans, her keys to a healthy marriage, and she even dropped her go-to cold-weather skin routine—finally.
xoNecole: What are your family’s upcoming trick-or-treat plans? Will you do a fun group costume, or is everyone going to do their own thing this year?
Kelly Rowland: I’m preparing for tour, so I’ve been in rehearsals and pre-production. And my husband's schedule has picked up, too. But the kids are going trick-or-treating; we usually go with people we know, so mommy and daddy will definitely be home to take them. We’re actually letting the kids dress us up this year, which means my costume will be a complete surprise to me. I told Noah he could paint my face or even go to the costume store and pick something out—it’s literally up to them. So, I don’t know what that will be. And, right after, I’ll be back to rehearsals.
xoN: Speaking of holidays, what do you look forward to most during the season?
KR: We love having people over, especially during the holidays. It looks like we will be home this year—thank God— just enjoying each other and spending quality time together. I like to decorate the house and go completely ham; it always looks like Christmas threw up in my house. From the stairwells to the exterior of the house and the lights—everything. We go so crazy. I also love the smells, it’s one of my greatest memories with my mom, God rest her soul. So I love to play all of that up.
I like to bake something every day, I like to make sure there is something for the kids to do or make each day, we watch Christmas movies, and we even do a wine tasting sometimes. It’s just all really sweet and cozy.
Kelly Rowland and son Noah at the WaterWipes Hallowclean Machine in Brooklyn, NY.
Photo courtesy of WaterWipes.
xoN: We love that family is so important to you, and it always shows in your posts, especially those with your husband. What would you say has been that “key” to a healthy marriage as partners and spouses for you two?
KR: I would say, each of us doing the self-work. I have not seen marriages last long in my lifetime. I haven’t been given the tools to “make it last forever.” We just try to do the work on ourselves and not sweat the small stuff.
Communication is key for us, too. We communicate everything. Whether I’m upset or I’m not sure about something, I communicate it. I also just like being around him, he’s fun. He’s a really great person and makes me laugh. We can literally sit together and watch a game and not say anything. We understand what true intimacy is, and now we’re almost ten years into our marriage.
xoN: Now, Kelly, we have to ask. Skincare. What is your cold-weather routine and the products you’re reaching for as temperatures drop?
KR: Right now, I’m all about moisture. I will wash my face morning and night, I do not skip. I’m obsessed with this 111SKIN toner. It smells good, but it also feels good on my skin. There’s also this product from Vanessa Lee of The Things We Do. They are these coconut eye patches with these little beads. I place them under my eyes and around the corners of my mouth—talk about a game changer. I like to put them on at night and then rub in the extra serum all over my face. Between that and this lactic acid by Shani Darden, they are both game-changers for me this season.
xoN: So, since you’ve found the key to aging backwards, should we be on the lookout for the Kelly Rowland skincare line anytime soon?
KR: Honestly, that market is so saturated. I wanted to do it a while back, but I have to really think about what I want to bring to the marketplace to really impact culture. It’s not just about a product for me. I love the way Selena Gomez has created a community. I want to be able to create a community as well. When it’s not just about skincare, it turns into a space for people to be their most authentic selves. And that’s what I love.
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Feature image by Natasha Campos/Getty Images for Tres Generaciones
Who Is Keith Lee? What To Know About The Popular TikTok Food Critic
TikTok’s most adored food critic, Keith Lee, has given us an inside look at his personal restaurant experiences. Lee reviews food from a variety of restaurants in his car on a scale from 1-10 and does so in a way that feels honest and relatable. His videos have amassed millions of views over the years and have amplified several local businesses to prime success.
Most recently, Lee visited a taco food truck named Tacos 2 Tierras; after his satisfactory experience, Lee decided to share it with his online community of over 14 million followers. The local food truck's social media page gained thousands of followers nearly overnight.
Lee continuously makes his online community aware of the best and not-so-great restaurants. However, we still wonder, “Who is Keith Lee?” Here are a few facts about the relatively private food critic that has every restaurant owner on the edge of their seat.
1.Family Is His Number One Priority
@keith_lee125 Family Vlog taste test 💕 would you soend the day with us ? 💕 #foodcritic
Besides being married to the food scene, Keith Lee is also committed to his family. He and his wife, Ronnie Lee, have been together since college and tied the knot in 2020. The couple share two children, Karter and Riley. Keith began filming his TikToks when his wife was pregnant with their first child. At the time, he would make videos of his wife’s cravings. He has often shared his runs to the grocery store and restaurants. His devotion to his wife's food cravings eventually led to an incredible career as a food critic.
2.He’s A Trained Fighter
@ufc You heard him, TUNE IN! #keithlee #ufc #mma
Keith Lee and his brother have been professional fighters since the TikToker was 18. During his senior year of high school, Lee and his family moved to Las Vegas to pursue his fighting career. Lee opened up to Today during an interview, saying, “They [his parents] came to me and was like, ‘We leave for Vegas tomorrow.’ And I was like, alright, so we packed our stuff and left.”
He and his brother continued to fight professionally in Vegas until the pandemic hit in 2020. Before then, Lee quickly rose the latter in the fighting scene and made a name for himself. He told Today, “I made it to Bellator, one of the biggest fighting promotions. I had two fights before the pandemic started.”
3.Keith Lee Is From Detroit
Although Lee now makes a living traveling to different cities and tasting different foods, there was once a time when he didn’t leave his hometown. The food critic was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, and told Today he hadn’t been anywhere besides Virginia as a child. He told the outlet, “I grew up in inner-city Detriot. I’d never even traveled outside of Detroit other than once to Virginia.”
4."God Is Amazing"
@keith_lee125 💕 Testimony 💕 God Is Amazing 🙏🏽 #foodcritic ♬ Long Journey - Rod Wave
Besides giving his honest opinion about restaurants, Keith Lee isn’t shy about his faith. He regularly praises God in his TikTok videos, and so does his family. Lee can almost always be heard saying phrases like "Good is amazing," "God is good,” or “God is the greatest” when talking about his restaurant experiences or run-ins with fans. Recently, he shared a testimony video showing the incredible moments he’s been able to experience with his family since the takeoff of his social media career. Lee captioned the video, “God is amazing!” He sure is!
5.“The Keith Lee Effect”
@cleos_southerncuisine I’m so humbled and filled with sooo much joy with the amount of support! Thank you to everyone! My Day 1’s and my @Keith Lee wave ❤️ forever grateful #keithleeeffect promise to make proud
Imagine having a strong online presence to the point you have your own slogan. This is the reality for Lee, whose presence is now known as “The Keith Lee effect.” His “cult-like” following began to give him the slogan after noticing his reviews' strong impact on local businesses. This can be seen in real-time when he reviews under-the-radar restaurants or mom-and-pop food spots and a good review results in those restaurants booming in popularity and business not too soon after he shares his experience with his audience.
Recently, Lee entered the Milk and Honey restaurant in Atlanta. He openly discussed his experience at the restaurant after noticing extreme wait times for other customers except for him due to his celebrity status, which he wasn’t very fond of. Videos then surfaced to TikTok of the once-busy restaurant being empty. The Keith Lee effect is nothing to be played with.
6.His Love For Sneakers Is Unmatched
@keith_lee125 Sneaker Wall Makeover Day 1 💕 would you try it ? 💕 #sneakerkeith #foodcritic ♬ original sound - Keith Lee
Everyone has a vice, and for Keith Lee, it’s sneakers. He hasn’t been shy about openly expressing his love for sneakers, recently showing his sneaker collection on TikTok to his supporters. The massive shoe collection was apparent in the video while Lee expressed a new milestone. Telling his audience, “It’s been two weeks since I’ve bought a pair of sneakers.” He then shared that he is in the middle of a sneaker closet makeover! We love to see it!
7.From Door-Dasher To Partnering With DoorDash
@keith_lee125 Thank you to all the Dashers for doing what you do #doordashpartner @DoorDash #foodcritic ♬ original sound - Keith Lee
Before the “Keith Lee Effect,” a young Keith Lee was pursuing his dream of becoming a professional fighter. Working as a Door Dasher in between his fighting training, Lee used the money he made to provide him with gas and lunch to keep going. Fast forward a few years later, his hard work finally paid off in a way he didn’t expect, with a DoorDash partnership. Lee openly shared his DoorDash days in a video posted to social media.
8.A Faithful Man With A Hint Of Fear
It takes a fearless person to live life loudly on the internet. However, Keith Lee’s biggest fear isn’t the internet - it’s the ocean. An intense video was shared of Lee attempting to face his challenge of entering the ocean. Lee, known for his calming spirit, can be seen screaming while trying to go in. Friends are alongside Lee, encouraging him to dive in. One of his friends can be seen going into the ocean to provide Lee with comfort.
Lee hilariously goes into the ocean while accidentally flipping his boat and friend into the water. Thankfully, the two were able to make it back into the boat safe and sound.
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Featured image by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images