My Side Hustle

If I lost everything, I’d start a business I could get up and running in less than an hour.

No money, no website. Just my phone.

Here’s what I would do…

Step one. Write a list of people’s ‘pain points’. Cooking, cleaning, ironing, gardening, washing windows, cleaning gutters, walking dogs, aged care, etc.

Step two. Write a list of things I love. Cooking, animals (large and small), bay walks.

Step three. Design a business model with good repeat business so I’m not constantly looking for new work. E.g. subscriptions.

Step four. Create an awesome offer that’s risk free and difficult for prospects to say ‘no’ to.

Step five. Nail my niche.

Welcome to…Adam’s Apples!

I’d start a business that makes yummy, home cooked meals, for elderly folk (in their homes) prone to loneliness and poor nutrition. My target market would be children in their forties and fifties worried about their parents.

My introductory offer would be two FREE hours of cooking at their home from a choice of dishes.

The charge out rate thereafter would be $50/hr.

Revenue – if my average visit was 2 hrs ($100 pw) and I had 15 clients, my annual income would be circa $75k pa.

I’d then pull out my phone and start texting my contacts…

Hey Marto,
 
I’ve just started a new venture making yummy home cooked meals for elderly folk. Who do you know that would love two hours of FREE cooking to see if this service is for them?
 
I’ll also include my amazing apple slice FREE!
 
Lets chat.

Sounds simple doesn’t it.

And that’s why side hustles get their name. To make them work you have to hustle.

And that means living on a diet of rejection and disappointment until the referrals start streaming in.

But if you’re itching to start hustling, here are my three suggestions…

* Find a pain point and build a service around it.
* Don’t sell products (to begin with). They’re capital intensive and usually have an expiry date.
* Don’t invent something.

A hungry crowd will always outperform the best restaurant.

So, would I start a side hustle?

In my opinion, side hustles are for exploring.

Meaning, if you have an idea that could be bigger than you’re existing career, then pin your ears back!

However, I wouldn’t start a side hustle for some extra cash.

Starting a business is like having a child. It’s exciting but totally consuming with lots of hard lessons along the way.

For example, Adam’s Apples…

There’s nothing new about yummy, home cooked, meals. What I’m really offering is 2-3 hours of companionship each week for elderly folk while I’m prepping and cooking. And I reckon there’d be at least 15-20 children within a 10km radius who’d love that for their parents.

But my idea is just a starting point which means there would be lots of iterating until I finally have something that could fly.

And to make an idea fly, your hours will go from 9-5 to 5-9 plus weekends. Always.

And that’s where most people let go. Their hustle becomes too much of a hassle.

Put simply, if you’re willing to work 5-9 to get a side hustle going, you’d most likely go a lot further and a lot sooner if you invested the same energy into your existing career.

The apples are always greener on the other side of the fence.

Have a great weekend!

Back paddock – here’s the Apple Slice I promised you. Delic!

Ingredients
3 green apples – peeled, cored, and cut into 2-3cm cubes
2 cups of self-raising flour
1 cup sugar
125gm butter – melted
1 egg beaten
Cinnamon, cream, and ice-cream
Baking tray approx. 27x17x3cm is best.
Baking paper

Method
1. Combine apples, sugar, and flour into mixing bowl
2. Combine butter and egg together and then add to apple mix. Stir until well combined
3. Press into lined (baking paper) slice tray.
4. Bake 180 degree for 40-45min or until light golden colour
5. Sprinkle with cinnamon once baked (sugar optional)
6. Serve with cream and/or ice cream