{"id":7167,"date":"2021-03-29T10:00:23","date_gmt":"2021-03-29T09:00:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/?p=7167"},"modified":"2026-01-07T13:55:13","modified_gmt":"2026-01-07T13:55:13","slug":"started-side-hustles-what-we-learned","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/started-side-hustles-what-we-learned\/","title":{"rendered":"How we started our side hustles and what we\u2019ve learned"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tHow we started our side hustles and what we\u2019ve learned\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t

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\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\tSabuhi Gard<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Almost a quarter of people in full-time employment have already turned their hobby into a side hustle alongside their career, while a further 56% aspire to, according to a study by Vistaprint<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, those with a side hustle top up their income with an average of \u00a36,604.80 (\u20ac7,722) per year post-tax, while 15% of side hustlers even make \u00a312,000 (\u20ac14,030) annually,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vistaprint\u2019s Charlotte Holmes-Darby said: \u201cTo grow your side business, you need to think and act like a full-time entrepreneur.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat also means you should be prepared to seize any opportunities that come your way and enable you to take your side hustle to the next level.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Got a skill or passion that you\u2019d like to turn into a business?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Been made redundant and are looking to create an income?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Want to make some more money alongside your job?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whatever your circumstance, now might be the time to set up your own side hustle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this article, three side hustlers share their stories of their businesses and offer some tips to help you along the way if you\u2019re thinking of setting up your own side hustle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Download your free side hustle toolkit, comprising a side hustle guide, business plan template and cash flow forecast template<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Cooking up a sumptuous side hustle<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Deepak Shukla, CEO at digital marketing agency Pearl Lemon<\/a>, recently co-founded Plant Sumo<\/a>, a vegan\/plant-based kitchen in London that delivers gourmet and healthy meals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shukla started Plant Sumo with his friend Wadah, a food industry specialist, due to his passion for ethically sourced vegan food.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He says: \u201cI\u2019ve always had a love for healthy eating and never enjoyed eating heavily processed food. While I was growing up as part of an Indian family, my mum always cooked with fresh, organic ingredients, and so does my partner, who is Italian [so I took inspiration from them].\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although Shukla has just launched Plant Sumo, they now have a regular chef, a kitchen and weekly orders. You can also find the business on Just Eat, Uber Eats and Deliveroo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Juggling existing work commitments is tough when you have an additional business, so Shukla believes it\u2019s important to set aside enough time in the working day to do both.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finding the right people who share his passion and have the right skill set has been an additional challenge for Shukla.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Deepak
Deepak Shukla started vegan\/plant-based kitchen Planet Sumo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Top tip: A business plan is key<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to business planning, Shukla\u2019s advice is clear: you need a business plan<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He says: \u201cYou need a clear trajectory for growth, however modest. What\u2019s your product, what\u2019s your market, what\u2019s your budget? [Understanding] all of these things will help give you clarity and purpose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMost of us haven\u2019t got a lot of time to devote to our side hustle at first, so it\u2019s important that you make the hours you do have count.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Getting crafty<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Hannah Turlington is a full-time special educational needs (SEN) teacher for children, but for the past six years she has turned her attention to textile design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her side hustle, Hannah Turlington Designs<\/a>, started off as a stall on a village market, with her selling hand-printed cards, art and textiles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She has intentionally grown her business into four strands: fine art, surface pattern design products (such as homeware and stationery), workshops (that encourage people to connect with their creativity), and commissions for bespoke artwork and designs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turlington says: \u201cI had always wanted to be a surface pattern and textile designer, live a creative life. I had got to the point in my life where I felt that something was missing as my work was all encompassing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI needed to feed my creativity and unearth the dreams I had as an 18-year-old of creating things that told the story of nature and life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy work has now developed into telling the story of some challenging life issues and emotions in my exhibition pieces.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Hannah
Hannah Turlington\u2019s side hustle started off as a stall on a village market<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Top tip: Get practical<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to offering advice to fellow side hustlers, Turlington\u2019s advice is practical.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She says: \u201cGet an accountant<\/a>. Get some training with PR and marketing. Have a strategic plan. Make connections with others. Do something that you love.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Download your free side hustle toolkit, comprising a side hustle guide, business plan template and cash flow forecast template<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Taking the plunge and writing crime fiction<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Cathy Hayward runs a PR agency<\/a> specialising in the built environment, and she\u2019s also a historical novelist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her debut novel, The Girl in the Maze<\/a>, is due for release in October 2021, and she\u2019s just finished her second book, The Fortune Teller\u2019s Promise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She became a historical novelist as she always wanted to write a book, but her day job and her family life meant \u201cI never had quite the time to devote to it\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hayward adds: \u201cWhen I turned 40, I felt that it was really now or never. So, I took a two-year, part-time creative writing course in the evenings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTowards the end of that, I realised that what I was writing was not separate pieces but part of a greater whole \u2013 the beginning of what became The Girl in the Maze.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hayward\u2019s side hustle is going \u201creally well\u201d, and she\u2019s benefited from time during the national coronavirus lockdowns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She says: \u201cWhen the first lockdown hit, I kept getting up early as I had done for commuting to London but instead wrote for a couple of hours before my day job began and the rest of my family got up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBy June, I\u2019d finished the second draft and then submitted it to a writing competition<\/a>, which I went on to win. The publisher who ran the competition then offered me a publishing deal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the second lockdown, I started my second book, The Fortune Teller\u2019s Promise. I\u2019ve just sent it off to my editor. I\u2019m now thinking about ideas for my third book.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think lockdown gave me both the time, but also the mental space, to write.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Cathy
Cathy Hayward (front, holding the \u2018a\u2019) runs a PR agency and has turned her hand to writing novels<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Top tip: Make time<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One of the greatest challenges Hayward faces is time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She says: \u201cSometimes I\u2019m really into a section of the book but then 8am comes and I need to stop and get ready for the day and start my day job. It would be lovely to do the side hustle all day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLockdown has been good for me but I\u2019m going to find it hard to go back to my old life as I will have less time for the side hustle. Or maybe I just need to be more creative in my use of time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her advice to fellow side hustlers is: \u201cBuild up [your side hustle] slowly and wait to see if it can fly.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hayward is yet to generate an income from her side hustle debut, as it\u2019s not released until later on in the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, she has taken a few practical steps in order to prepare for when the moment arises: \u201cI\u2019ve set up a limited company but plan to do the accounts myself as they\u2019ll be pretty straightforward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAgain, admin isn\u2019t a problem. I use a writer\u2019s software package called Scrivener which takes care of all my research and stores everything tidily. I use Excel for everything else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI used to be a PA and as a mum of three, I have to be pretty organised.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Final thoughts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Business planning, getting practical and making time are just three of the tips that our side hustlers have to offer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to start your own side hustle (or are well on the way and are looking to turn it into a full-time gig), then it\u2019s worth thinking about and working on your business processes as well as your idea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Having both work in tandem will give your business a great grounding to flourish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Side hustle toolkit<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
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Get your free guide, business plan template and cash flow forecast template to help you boss your side hustle and achieve your goals.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDownload your free toolkit<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n

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Join 1.5 million subscribers and get the best business admin strategies and tactics, as well as actionable advice to help your company thrive, in your inbox every month.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubscribe now<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Want to start a side hustle? Three side hustlers share their business startup stories and offer some top tips to help you on your way.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":333,"featured_media":7168,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_sage_video":false,"post_featured_image_hide":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[162,165],"tags":[132],"business_type":[5],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[],"persona":[232],"imagine_tag":[230,234],"coauthors":[414],"class_list":["post-7167","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-growth-customers","category-strategy-legal-operations","tag-start-business","business_type-small-business"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-ie","author_name":"Sabuhi Gard","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/03\/HTD_Spring2020_IMG_1026.jpg","imagine_tags":{"230":"Small business","234":"Start-up business"}},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Sage Advice Ireland","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7167","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/333"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7167"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7167\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/7168"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7167"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7167"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7167"},{"taxonomy":"business_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/business_type?post=7167"},{"taxonomy":"lilypad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/lilypad?post=7167"},{"taxonomy":"context","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/context?post=7167"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=7167"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=7167"},{"taxonomy":"imagine_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/imagine_tag?post=7167"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=7167"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}