Turning your side hustle into a fully fledged business can very quickly feel all too chicken and egg:

↗️ You need more time before you can sell more

↘️ You need to sell more before you can have more time

Or so we think.

Actually, time is rarely the issue.

I say this from experience! I work fewer hours now in my business than I did in my first side hustle that I started pre-kids and literally poured every spare moment into it (a side hustle that never made it full time).

In the context of the society we live in, it’s not surprising that when things aren’t going to plan in our side hustle, we naturally ask what we need to do more of. We look to bigger, more established brands and try to replicate what’s working for them. And frustratingly, that doesn’t work for us either.

What we actually need is a super simple plan that we can stick to.

One that not only makes the best use of the time you do have, but also frees up some precious headspace too. When we’re constantly trying to add in more things To-Do, it’s not just the time spent doing the things, it’s then trying to keep track of them, and warding off that nagging voice that berates you for not being consistent.

Familiar?

Learning this way of working is not just beneficial now, it also pays dividends in the long run when your business is well established. Then, you may not have the commitments of a day job, but you will have more hours spent with clients, or actually enjoying the freedom and flexibility that you worked so hard to achieve!

So here are the five things that I recommend to help you work smarter, not longer:

1. A simple plan you can stick to

I would go so far as to say it should be one that feels too simple. One that you know you can stick to, even when the kids get sick or the dog needs to go to the vet.

2. Getting to know the people already in your world

Rather than focussing on building your audience or getting more followers, speak to the people who are already there. Drop them a message or check out their stuff and say hi.

3. Sharing why your work matters

I love to hear the story behind a business, and I suspect you do too? Share with people why you started out and why you are so passionate about what you do.

4. Articulating the value of what you sell

No-one really cares so much about the features of your service, for example how long the calls are or how often they are. What they do care about is what they will get out of it. What is it that you’re promising will be different on the other side of working with you?

5. Telling people how they can buy from you

Be your own mystery shopper. Take a look at your social media bio or your website and assess how easy it is to actually buy from you.

I’d love to know what you think. Which one of these do you feel excited to take action on?

If you want to take your side hustle full time, but feel stuck with how to make it happen, I’m developing a new freebie that will help. Drop me a message on Instagram @debbieleeco and I’ll make sure you’re one of the first to get your eyes on it.