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A_side_hustle_doesnt_work_without_the_hustle_Leading_On_Purpose_Newsletter-d811aa74 A side hustle doesn't work without the hustle.

A side hustle doesn't work without the hustle.

17 July 2024

I have noticed a common misconception when it comes to entrepreneurship: people often think that you can achieve quick money without putting in the necessary effort. They don't realize all the hard work going on behind the scenes.

You can pursue various avenues to make money and only talk about what excites you, but that's not the whole picture. Hustling requires commitment and dedication beyond the glamorized highlights.

The first year we bought Nature Adventures, I was speaking with a college student working for us. He was moping around, working slowly. We had a chat about hustle and finding things to do when a customer isn't directly in front of you. He said, "Well, you hustle 'cause you own it." This was just a month into owning this business. My response...

"No, I hustled and therefore I own it."

My Entrepreneurship Journey

Since July 2011, when I founded On Purpose Adventures, I've had to do various side hustles to generate income. These jobs were often gig-based and typically paid in cash, providing the flexibility I needed. I cast my net wide, letting people know I was available for odd jobs. Here are some of the side hustles I did:

  • Worked for a crawl space company doing the dirty jobs of cleaning (without formal training for the work).
  • Did demolition for a handyman/general contractor.
  • Contracted sales for an Italian ice company.
  • Worked promotional events for marketing companies to get surveys completed.
  • Bartended/barbacked for a bartending service.
  • Ran my mother's dog kennel for six weeks in early 2013 while she took a vacation.
  • Worked as an off premises consultant that book tourists into presentations for travel clubs. I was paid cash for booking them. As a motivational tool, I would park in a cash-only parking garage and I would have to close a deal to be able to get home at night.
  • Started with Nature Adventures part-time as a ramp assistant in April 2013, despite having only three hours of kayaking experience prior.

This job with Nature Adventures eventually became a very flexible, full-time part-time job. I had the option to work as much or as little as I wanted. If you haven't already figured this out, I hustle. That summer, I worked 127 days straight between Nature Adventures and the few events that On Purpose Adventures actually booked.

In June 2015, I added Bubble Soccer for adults, and in January 2016, I introduced Bubble Soccer for youth. In 2017, my wife, Dana Toy, and I bought Nature Adventures. By 2018, we had added Combat Archery and, in December of that year, closed Bubble Soccer. (Click here to check out the blog post on knowing when to pivot to learn why I decided it was time to shutter the doors on Bubble Soccer.)

Decision Making with Purpose

Now, I have shifted my focus. I say no to events that aren't experiences designed to challenge people to grow. Except for rare occasions (those being groups with a healthy budget), we don't do bachelor(ette) or birthday parties unless they are scavenger hunts, games, combat archery, or paddling-related. We are organizational/group-focused with the goal of impacting the people who impact the company.

If you are currently in the side hustle stage of life looking at successful entrepreneurs online, you might feel jealous of their success. But remember, people only show the highlights on social media. Many individuals, influencers and online entrepreneurs, have another form of income. Try looking them up on LinkedIn. They might sell insurance, work a part-time job from home, or freelance. Maybe their partner keeps a steady job with benefits so they can pursue their dreams. You have no idea what's happening behind the social media persona.

In today's world, we see lots of people making lots of quick money. But, it's better to be a candle than a firecracker. The firecracker makes a big spectacle then burns out quick. All of the businesses that last take time. You have to learn the business and work hard day after day. A lot of these individuals who become famous overnight through the help of social media will unfortunately only have 15 minutes of success. They don't have the business skills and acumen or the dedication and ability to work hard to pivot their overnight fame into a long lasting, successful business.

Hustle, Then Hustle Some More

All you can do is focus on yourself and your hustle. Maybe you have big dreams and a family who depends on you. Maybe you are a 20-year-old with rent due but you know you're meant for entrepreneurship. No one said it would be easy. It takes a lot of hard work, time management, and dedication to pursue big dreams.

Did you know the youngest self-made female billionaire in the US started her business as a side hustle? Sara Blakely, the founder of Spanx who still retains 100% ownership of the company, sold fax machines door-to-door. She worked at night and on weekends developing her idea for footless pantyhose.

Before Apple took off, Steve Jobs worked various gigs including as a video game designer at Atari. He also returned bottles for spare change and lived off the kindness of friends, including sleeping on their floors. (I was a homeless couch surfer for a bit between corporate work and entrepreneurship success.)

Know that while Sara Blakely, Steve Jobs, and I found success in our companies, it didn't start off that way. I want to encourage people to work hard and understand that success doesn't come easy. It's about the hustle, the effort, and the perseverance. Remember, a side hustle doesn't work without the hustle.

Pursuing your dreams is a journey that requires resilience and adaptability. Whether you're balancing multiple jobs or dedicating every free moment to your side hustle, the key is to stay focused and keep pushing forward. Your hard work today lays the foundation for your success tomorrow. So, keep hustling, stay dedicated, and never lose sight of your goals.

For more on this topic, check out these blog posts: