Tag: side hustle

Key Things to Check in Your Employment Contract

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Starting a new job can be exciting and worrying at the same time, and sometimes it’s just a relief to finally find a job that you want. Before you rush into signing on the dotted line to make it official, it’s important to consider some of the things that you might find in your contract or agreement. Firstly, you should check if you have a proper contract. A contract should be in writing, with a proper start and end date. Without one, you won’t have many protections when it comes to keeping your job. When you look over your contract, here are some of the things you can look for.

The Length of the Contract

When you’re given a contract for a new job, it will have a set term when it will end. This is the first thing you need to know, but you also need to know what will happen when the date is reached. Some contracts will have provisions for auto-renewal, which could be one-way or joint renewal. If your contract renews automatically, you should make sure that any renegotiating that you want to do takes place before the renewal. You contract might also come to an end, unless your employer arranges to renew it.

What You’ll Be Paid

Of course, what most employees want to know is how they’re going to get paid. Your basic pay is usually pretty straight forward, whether you’re paid by the hour or have a salary. There are sometimes other things to consider too, such as commission or signing bonuses, which makes what and how you get paid a little more complicated. It’s important to understand what you’re guaranteed to be paid and what you could be earning on top of that. Make sure you check the pay structure, as well as any benefits you might receive.

Non-compete Clauses

Some companies want to make sure that they’re not going to be competing against you when you no longer work for them. This might include going to work for a competitor or even working as a freelancer. It’s important to know your employee rights in this area and what might happen if your former employer feels you’ve broken your non-compete clause. Every state is different, with some not allowing non-compete clauses at all and others imposing limits on how they can be enforced. You will want to think carefully before signing a non-compete clause.

Restrictions on Other Work

Another way your work could be restricted by an employer is if you want to do some extra work on the side. Many people have a side hustle or extra part-time job to top up their wages, but not all employers are happy about this. While an employer won’t necessarily say that you can’t do any extra work at all, they might specify that you can’t do anything that conflicts with your work with them.

Before signing a contract for a new job, look it over to check that you know what you’re agreeing to. It’s better to know now than when it’s too late.

The Affiliate Marketing Techniques That Can Boost Your Income

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Affiliate marketing is one of the most lucrative ways to make money as an online entrepreneur. If you think about the ways that top bloggers or influencers make their money, and break it down into the different ways that things are done, then one of the main reasons for their incomes is because of affiliate marketing. If you have a blog, a website, or an influencer on social media channels, then really looking at what to do with affiliate marketing can make a massive difference to your income streams. Successful affiliate marketing shouldn’t just be thought of as churning out blog posts or images on Instagram; it really does take some hard work and planning to help make it work.

So here are some of the affiliate marketing tactics that could help you to boost your income, whether you blog full-time or just want to make more money online as a side-hustle.

Build Trust

Building trust is such an important part of affiliate marketing or working as an online influencer. People aren’t going to be bothered about what you are showing to them and sharing an affiliate link with them, if they find you a little untrustworthy or don’t really have trust in what you are doing. Building trust can definitely take dedication to make it work, as well as making sure that you are working in trustworthy ways (such as declaring when things are or aren’t an affiliate product). Take it seriously and it will make a difference to how you work. You don’t want to ever fall in the trap of making quick money at the cost of having an audience that doesn’t trust you.

Because this whole thing can take time, then you could consider looking into being part of an affiliate marketing program, where there are products there for you to promote, with very little cost to you, if any. One of those things is Legendary Marketer, which is a company founded by a previous MLM entrepreneur. It could be worth looking at something like a Legendary Marketer review just so you know what you’re getting yourself into. It could work for you so good to check if it is an option for you, if you’re looking to get things set up sooner rather than later.

Monetize Popular Web Content

If you have a website, then one thing to do is to head over to your Google Analytics, because then you can list out all the posts and the content that is popular and driving a lot of traffic to your site. Then you just need to plan and think what products could be promoted in that post. If you find an affiliate product that relates to a post on your blog, then you can just make sure that you head over to it and add it into the post. When you include the affiliate link naturally in the posts, then it can be useful to people, as well as helping to provide some relevant information for your readers.

 

3 Great Ways To Supplement Your Income

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Whether or not you are happy with what you earn from your job, you should agree that it is always worthwhile trying to find ways to supplement that income, so that you can live as securely and as happily as possible. We all know that finding secondary forms of constant income is a good idea, but there is a huge gulf between that and actually knowing how to make it happen. Fortunately, anyone can do so, provided that they approach it in the right way and with a positive attitude. In this post, we are going to take a look at some of the best ways that you might decide to start supplementing your income, so that you can feel much more financially secure in your everyday life – and hopefully start building for the future that you really want.

Investment

If you have even just a little cash spare, you will find that putting into some form of investment is definitely a good way to go. Of course, investing itself is not necessarily easy, but as long as you are aware of what you need to do you will find that you should be able to get the ball rolling soon enough. One of the first things to decide is what you are actually going to invest in. Whether it is something relatively certain like precious metals or something more volatile – but potentially more profitable – such as property or even the Forex markets, you need to make your decision. You will then also need to find a platform you can use, at the very least so that you can keep a close eye on your incomings and outgoings, and make sure that you are actually turning a profit. Take a look at this Ally Invest review for an example of the kind of characteristics a good investment platform should have.

Side Business

If you have a particular skill or interest, there is a good chance that you might be able to turn it into a fully-fledged side business, and that doing so could be all you need to do in order to make a sufficient profit on the side of your regular income. This side business could be absolutely anything you want, so long as you are going to enjoy it enough to actually see it through, and as long as you think it has a good chance of being profitable. It might be selling something you have made, providing some kind of a specialist service, or whatever else you like. Done right, and approached properly, it could help to really maximize your bank account easily and swiftly.

Selling On

Finally, bear in mind that there is little use in holding on to old belongings which you don’t use or need, and that they could well be sold for a little profit here and there. You might not be doing this merely because you are not convinced that you will be able to make a lot of money this way- but even if you only make a small amount, it will still be worth it. Take a look and see what you have that you might be able to sell – as well as helping you financially, you might find that you enjoy having less in the way of belongings tying you down.

Earning While You’re Learning

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If there is one thing that all students can relate to it is the financial struggle they experience while they go about getting the qualifications they require for their dream job. No matter whether you are going to university or you are doing a one-off course, you can still earn while you learn. Here are some of the options available to you…

Choose a course that involves some form of payment

There are lots of different options available for people who want to get an education or learn skills while they are earning at the same time. You can get paid while training for CDL, for instance. You can also take one of the many apprenticeships that are available. You don’t have to go to university to get the qualifications you need! Other options can mean qualifications and income in one.

Become a nanny

Another way to earn while you learn is to become a nanny. A lot of students decide to become a live-in nanny, which means they can take a training course and then during the rest of the time they can help a family and earn some money in the process. Of course, this is better designed for older students, as you will need to have some expertise regarding working with children.

When applying to join a nanny agency there are several things that you need to be aware of in order to give yourself the best possible chance of being accepted as part of the agency’s team. First and foremost, you need to recognize that whilst work experience and qualifications are usually the be all and end all when applying for jobs, being a nanny revolves around so much more. It is your personality that is likely to be judged more than anything because your employers will trust you with their children and allow you to live in their home. Make sure that you appear friendly and don’t be afraid to let your personality shine through – this is encouraged.

It is also important to show all sides of you. If you have certification or qualifications which are unrelated to childcare then still include them. The more you have to offer, the better, because it shows that you have many depths to you. You may think the fact that you took a six-week art course is irrelevant, but the family may see that it means you are a creative person, that you are independent, that you have character and that you can help their child with their art homework or entertain them with drawing together. In addition to this, useful skills – such as having a clean driver’s license or being trained in first aid – make a wealth of difference and so it is recommended that you attain these if you have not already.

Earn money online

Another option for people that want to earn some money while they learn is to make money online. There are a number of different ways you can go about this. You could, for example, sign up to paid survey websites. This won’t make you rich but it can boost your monthly income.

You can also do freelance jobs. There are many different websites whereby you can apply for freelance jobs that are available, for example, People Per Hour is a popular choice. From writing and translation to software development and admin, there are many different types of freelancing jobs. If you have a skill that can be delivered over the web, this is definitely worth considering.

Giving Your E-Commerce Startup The Best Chance

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E-commerce is expanding and evolving at a fast pace; customers are choosing to shop online, instead of visiting a physical store, at a higher rate every year. However, for many online retailers, maintaining a steady flow of consumer traffic is becoming more of a challenge due to new brands being launched, and tempting in customers, every day. For your business to stand out, and to effectively convert traffic into sales; you’ll need to implement as many practical and efficient processes as possible. Whether you’re turning your side-hustle into a dream full-time job, or you’ve taken the plunge, and invested in your new business wholeheartedly; it’s worth taking some time to polish up those crucial areas so that you can flourish as a company online. The following are some areas to consider if your business needs time and investment to give your sales a boost.

Straightforward Processes

You need to focus your attention on how smoothly and efficiently your business is running. Saving time and unnecessary effort on everyday tasks will save you cash in the long run and ensure that your processes run smoothly. Therefore, it’s vital that you implement technology and software to help your company wherever you’re able; it could save you the cost of hiring another member of staff to complete tasks, which will add up to thousands of dollars annually.  Looking into sales funnel templates is a great place to start; you’ll help to ensure that each area of your website is working hard for your visitors, which will turn them into customers.

Having a fast and reliable system to sort out your payment transactions and invoice processes will increase visibility and help your business get ahead of the rest. By improving on the time it would take a human to sort through data and paperwork, you’re online retail company will be able to focus on the customer and the quality of the service you’re providing. Substantial improvements to behind the scenes of your company will always have a direct and visible effect on how things come across at the front end of your brand and website, so choose your tech wisely.

Maintaining the level of social media quality and consistency that was discussed earlier, can also be a laborious task. Therefore it might be worth considering using a social media management platform to help you run your online empire and spread the word about your brand. Utilizing the technology that’s available on your tablet and smartphone is another business savvy way to boost your productivity and sales. There are a variety of apps available that can do everything from tracking your expenses and stock control, to planning your schedule and meetings; downloading them and seeing what works for you might be a smart choice for those who don’t want to spend money on a PA.

Make Sure That Your Audience Is Engaged

Knowing exactly who your products or services are going to sell to is vital to the success and longevity of your business. Therefore, you need to invest in some market research and find out exactly what your key audience want and expect from your brand. Ensuring that you supply everything a potential patron is after when they arrive on your site, is the only way to make and increase sales. Figure out how and where your customers are engaging online, and become a regular part of their conversations and what they see on social media. Your Facebook posts and Tweets don’t have to all “sell sell sell,” but they should be relevant to your brand identity and spark and interest with your future brand ambassadors.

So, if you’re a serious professional service, you’ll want to post content that will attract and engage your audience in the correct manner. However, if you are a young and vibrant brand; make sure that your content reflects your personality by using humor and pop-culture references to grab their attention. You can filter in information about your products and special offers to ensure they click through to your website and start shopping. Maybe you want to tempt a more mature generation of shoppers onto your site; you could use a printed marketing campaign and ensure that your brand is popping up in relevant newspapers and magazines so that consumers will visit you. Many consumers now prefer to shop online, so you have a massive market to reach and tap into; just make sure you head down the right avenues for people to see you.

You’re Ready To Take That Side-Hustle Full-Time

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If there’s one thing that bonds people in the modern-day it’s the side-hustle. Everyone seems to have a side-hustle these days. From Etsy shops to art stores, web design to freelance copywriting, sustainable swimming trunks to children’s books – side-hustles are now more common than colds. In fact, a recent study shows that just over half of all millennials are busy with some kind of side hustle, and two of the most standout reasons for this is a) to keep pushing a long-held passion or b) to boost their income.

Of course, that’s not the only reason people are running a sideshow. From our experience, another majorly massive motivator is all to do with people wanting out of their 9-5. One of the most desirable things for people these days is to leave the grind behind and start working for themselves doing something they are genuinely interested in. Most people know that it’s not easy and that there needs to be a serious investment made into their side-hustle, but knowing they might be able to eventually make it their full-time gig is enough to keep pushing on with it. The trick is knowing when you’re ready? Knowing when you’ve got far enough to turn your side hustle into your full-time money-maker, and with confidence.

That’s what we’re going to delve into.

Having recently sat down with a few entrepreneurs who made a success of their side-hustles, we learned what it took to finally take the plunge. So, without further ado, here’s how to know you’re ready to drop your mindless career and run with your passion-project:

  1. Your Financials Look Good

Like we said at the beginning, there are a million types of side-hustles in a thousand different industries. But one of the things that joins them all together on the hunt for success is, no matter what side-hustle you have taken up, your financials need to be ready before you can take the leap. The problem is: no one makes a bunch of cash right from the get-go and, for some, it’s an investment or a loan that really gets things going. That said, your aim should be to have at least a few months rent in your bank account, a good credit score and some savings you can fall back on. Once you have this, you can confidently take the plunge knowing that you have some cash behind you to keep pushing your side-hustle in the right direction.

  1. You’re Getting Attention

For almost every freelancer, grabbing the spotlight and shining it on your work is a battle like no other. You know you need to gain some attention for the work you have completed on different projects, putting your collaborations up on Instagram and putting up spec work online. The issue with this is, it’s you forcing people to look. It’s necessary, but it’s not enough to make you take the leap. What you want to know is that your side hustle work is starting to gain attention. You want to see your passion projects start to become a talking point where people contact you about this or that, or your work starts to get online likes. That’s where the Instagram and Facebook thing can really help. There are so many examples of people that have put stuff out on Instagram, kept up at it, learned how to market themselves through these channels and turned their passion into a full-time gig. That’s what you need to do. You need to sell your passion. Then, when you start noticing that these passion projects are turning into paydays of some kind – job offers, commissioned pieces, repeat clients etc – the feedback on your customer satisfaction tool is a great read and your online following is growing, you can rest easy in the knowledge your side-hustle is ready to become full-time.

  1. You Motivate Yourself

Going from an employed person that has to be somewhere at a certain time to a freelancer that relies on your own get-up and go is one of the toughest transitions anyone can make. All of a sudden, once you start working for yourself, you become the only person responsible for your success. There’s no team, no support, no backroom staff – nothing but you. That means you have to become a super-self-starter that’s proactive, you need to know how to best motivate yourself, when you work best, what sort of routines keep you grounded and moving forward and what sort of rewards keep you focused. And only once you have all this sussed out will you if you’re ready to go full-time with your side-hustle. Ask any entrepreneur that’s made it on their own and they’ll tell you the same thing: sure, talent and creative ideas are essential, but they’re nothing if you don’t have self-discipline or that motivation to succeed. As such, nailing this side of the game is so important before you try and take it full-time.

  1. You Have Business Acumen

Let’s get one thing straight: If you don’t know how to run a business, success is going to be a whole lot harder for you because, after all, you’re trying to start a business. That means getting clued up on all the mistakes and pitfalls out there, knowing what your overheads are, how to keep costs down, the art of pricing your products and services, who your target audience is, having a well-thought-out growth plan, knowing how to market yourself in the big bad world, and what trends are currently taking off. All of this stuff falls under the banner of “business know-how” and the better you can get clued up on it (and that means your market as a whole), the easier the whole full-time transition will become. It will be less knowing if you’re ready and more, “wow, I’ve done it!”

Taking a side-hustle and making it your full-time gig is no easy feat. But it is easier than ever before as proved by the number of people doing it. The trick is having the confidence to know when the time is ready. That’s all.

When To Turn Your Side Hustle Full Time

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Are you someone with some very clear business ideas? Maybe you took one of them and turned it into your bit on the side, making money whenever you’ve got the time to work 5 to 9? Well, if you managed to succeed with that side hustle plan, the one you were promised would bulk out your bank account beyond belief, now’s the time to get more serious about it.

Your side hustle was one of the best business decisions you ever made, and now you want to be sure it goes on making you money – and having that confidence in mind is a surefire sign that it’s time to take your side revenue to the next level! But if you’re feeling a little ambivalent over this plan, here’s a couple more of the most prominent signs you’re ready to go full term with your side hustle, and never look back.

You’ve Got Everything Saved Up

Your side hustle was a way to bulk out your main revenue, and give you a bit more spending or rent money when your real job just wasn’t paying out well. But if you’ve noticed, more times than not, that your side hustle pays better, this might be the time for you to move on to full time.

Of course, you’re going to need savings in place to cover the first few months where you’re not likely to bring in much of a full time profit. So make sure you’ve got at least a 3 or 4 months rent in the bank before you make your move – you’re going to lose a portion of your yearly income, and that could set you back massively.

You’re Looking into Your Legal Options

When you’ve got a side hustle on the go, and you’re looking to turn it into a full time business, you’re probably researching every law, rule, and regulation to make sure you’re operating on the right side of the legal circle. And that means you’re already planning to take your side hustle to bigger and better heights, so why not get it going as soon as possible?

Sure, you’ve already got your tax issues down to an art, but you’re going to need to look into every facet of the law that could apply to you. And that takes some time and effort, so the sooner you start, the earlier you could turn your hustle into a thriving company. For example, when you’ve got plans to buy up a small fleet of vehicles, you’ll need to look into areas like that of https://www.grayandwhitelaw.com/practice_areas/kentucky-truck-wreck-attorney.cfm – starting your own courier or fleet service means you’re at a higher risk of accidents at work, and that’s got to be on your mind from the get go.

There’s been a lot of success stories surrounding entrepreneurs who took their hustles full time, and you could be another one of them! Just make sure you’re ready.

What Does It Take to Set up a Successful Side Hustle?

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Everyone should have a side hustle. An extra source of income, something you can do in your spare time to generate money. Whether you want to save, get out of debt or have a backup option for if you ever lose your job, a good side hustle is accessible as well as being fun. But what do you need to make it a success? Here are a few ideas.

A good idea

First of all, you’ll need to decide what is it you’ll be doing to earn money. If you already have an established blog, why not look into ways to monetize? Having a new template and header installed and working on boosting your domain authority will help. Go through old posts and replace pictures that look shoddy or out of date with beautiful free ones online. Sites like Kaboom Pics have plenty on offer and will improve the aesthetic of your blog. You could do some work on a freelancing site, or you could set up your very own business. Theres are plenty of things you can do from home which don’t require that much money to begin. Just have someone design your website and then use Internet marketing services to promote and you’re halfway there. Perhaps you will sell things you’ve made and utilize a hobby, or maybe you’ll buy and sell items for a profit.

Self motivation

With a side hustle you don’t have a boss breathing down your neck, meaning you need enough self motivation and discipline to be able to get things done. While you don’t have a manager or boss in the usual sense, when you work for yourself you do have clients and each project you take on will come with a deadline that needs to be met. Start messing clients or customers around and you damage your reputation and massively hurt your chances of success. The best thing you can do is to choose a side hustle based on your skills and things that interest you. That way, it doesn’t so much feel like work and it makes it much easier to get motivated. Side hustles are exactly that- on the side of your other commitments. This is something you’ll be doing around a full time job, childcare or other things in your life. So it takes a fair amount of self motivation to grind down and make it work.

A place to work

You can improve your chances of success by giving yourself a proper place to work. If you have a spare room in your home, turn this into your own office. It helps to keep work and life separate, and gets you into a good frame of mind for work which is good for productivity. Have your desk and computer, the right storage and everything you need in the room so that when it’s time to get down to business you can do exactly that.

Limit Your Leap Of Faith: Developing A Career Change When You’re Already In One

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In life, we are all looking for the next challenge. If you feel that your current job is not providing that fulfilment it once was, it’s now time to think about transitioning from one career to another. However, it’s not that easy, it’s something that takes time, effort, and the necessary qualifications. Time is the biggest factor, especially when you are working a full-time job. And while it’s foolish to give up your current job to take this leap of faith into a new career, especially when you don’t know what it’s going to be like, what can you do to develop a career change while you are already in one?

Understand The Commitments Of The New Career

Of course, a new beginning looks great on paper, but when you sign up for the relevant courses, it is at this point you might realize what you got yourself into. Nowadays, it’s easier than ever to gain a relevant qualification, because of online degrees, so if you were to complete an online BSW (Bachelor of Social Work) or an MBA (Masters in Business Administration), it’s vital for you to know how much of a commitment these courses are. Luckily, a lot of distance learning can be done part-time. This gives you a lot of breathing space as far as your current job is concerned.

Maintain A Work-Life Balance

And while courses can be done part-time, it’s still important for you to ensure you have a healthy work-life balance. You could be working from 9 to 5, and then coming home and doing coursework, and if you are someone with a family, you can feel the pressures. And while it’s easier said than done, it’s important for you to maintain a work-life balance by structuring everything to the finest point. Look at your duties in life, and plan a structure so you can complete your course, do your job, but also, still enjoy life.

Don’t Let Your Dream Career Interfere With Your Current One

While it’s exciting to jump ship from your current job, as you prepare your career transition, you don’t want to ignore your current responsibilities. Lots of people stop caring when they know they are about to leave. But you still need a good reference, especially if you’ve been with the company for a long time. It’s these people who will recommend to your future employer what you’re like to work with, and they know very well how you work because you’ve been with them for so long. And while it’s easy to mentally “check out”, don’t burn your bridges.

It’s an exciting transition in life, and when you’ve decided on your new career, taking the positive steps can feel like you are reclaiming your life. But developing a new career is something that is almost like developing a side hustle; you have to do a little bit, as much as you can, until your part-time endeavors get to the point where you can’t balance both anymore. And while it can be a challenge to maintain both, in this modern world it’s necessary for you to be practical while pursuing your dream job.

Taking Your Graphic Design Career To The Next Level

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There’s no doubt that you have to love what you do to become a graphic designer. Aside from the technology and digital knowledge, you’ll need to succeed; you must have an understanding of all things visual, and how things appear to an audience or the mass market. You’ll have a skill of providing information clearly, and ensuring that a brand or company’s values are represented through type and forms across the board. It may have started in your sketchbook at school when you were constantly drawing lettering, cartoons, or characters. And, thankfully; you’re now living in an age where you can take those initial sketchbook ideas and create something visually pleasing on a large scale, across a plethora of platforms.

Graphic design surrounds everyone, even those who don’t realize what it is; it will be impacting their thoughts, feelings, and choices in everyday life. Therefore, a graphic designer needs to keep their creativity alive, while designing something that will influence the masses, and also ensure that their clients like what they do, which is no easy feat. These tasks and duties reiterate that you need constant passion and drive if you’re heading into design, and ready to develop and evolve, as technology and demand do. The following are some ideas and inspiration for designers who want to take their career to the next level but feel a little unsure of where to turn next.

New Ways To Communicate

If you’ve been working on 2D graphics for the web or for print; you might be looking to expand your horizons and see where your design skills can take you next. A great form communication through design and one that’s growing in popularity in a digital age is motion graphics and animation. Therefore, it’s worth doing your research, learning Adobe After Effects, and getting to grips with bringing your graphics to life. You’ll need to develop your understanding of how music and motion can create impact, and look into designers who are paving the way for young creatives. Those who understand and utilize motion graphics can often head into directing, and becoming the lead creative in a number of different fields. So, it’s well worth making that typeface do something more exciting than just sitting on the screen.

Have A Side Hustle

Every creative needs an outlet where they’re able to experiment. However, it can be challenging when you’ve got a traditional 9-5 job, and your clients want you to work within set boundaries. You’ll never develop or evolve if you’re not using your free time to create things that excite you. Use your lunch hour to hop on Behance, or set yourself an imaginary project to complete in your evenings and at the weekend. Polish a personal online portfolio so that others can see what you’re capable of; who knows who might get in touch for a collaboration or potential side project. Never stop learning or seeing what others are doing; graphic design is a career that continues to evolve at lightning speed, so it’s vital that you try your best to keep up.