By: Laura Walton AFC®
Pretty much everyone has one – it’s the thing you do on the side –the thing you’re interested in outside of work. It could be your hobby, it might even be your passion. And it could be lucrative.
You’ve heard the expression, “don’t quit your day job.” Well, Killer Mike and George Clinton didn’t.
The stories of Killer Mike, a 42-year old Atlanta rapper, and George Clinton, 75, founder of the Funkadelics in the 60’s – share a common thread. They both own barbershops. Barbershops? I heard the story recently on NPR’s Morning Edition and it caught my attention. Here’s two creative guys who viewed their side hustle, music, as just that. Their day jobs, barbershops, allowed them the financial stability to focus on music. Turns out, they both made it big.
Killer Mike: “The thing this shop has allowed me to do, and the other shops (he owns three), is to make a base salary that takes care of my wife and children. Now I can say whatever I want to say (no surprise, he’s a rapper with strong opinions)…because [rather you like me or not,] sooner or later, kids are gonna need a haircut.”
We talk about finding your passion but the truth of the matter is that your passion isn’t always the best day job. Sometimes it’s better left to your side hustle.
Or, maybe your work is your passion and your side hustle is simply a way to make extra money to meet a financial goal – paying off debt or taking the big travel adventure.
The concept opens up a whole host of creative opportunities. The website, Side Hustle Nation, has a list of “99 Side Hustle Business Ideas You Can Start Today.” How about brand ambassador, Craigslist arbitrager, dropshipping, gigwalking, mystery shopping, selling on Teespring? Full disclosure, I’m not even sure what some of these hustles are.
The point is to have fun, be creative, make extra money, and don’t necessarily rely on your day job to provide the spark in your work life. Instead, let it fund your side hustle – you never know where it may lead.