There’s an old saying: “It’s better to be a warrior in a garden than a gardener in a war.” In simpler terms, being prepared gives you a significant advantage in any given situation, in this case, starting a side gig.
In our previous article, we looked into the common mistakes many side hustlers make when starting out and the reasons behind them. Building on that, this guide aims to help you avoid those mistakes from the outset. A study by Failory revealed that almost 70% of new businesses fail within the first few years. This is often due to a lack of planning, focus, and market understanding, which emphasises the need for strategic business planning.
So to give you a head start, we’ve highlighted 15 practical ways + bonus to not just avoid those common mistakes but to truly level up your side hustle.
So read on!
How To Avoid Common Mistakes Side Hustlers Make When Starting Out 2025
1. Learn how to stay focused and prioritise your main objectives.
Like any aspect of our lives, be it work, college, or business, success often comes from picking one clear direction and sticking to it. This is no different for your side hustle. Instead of constantly switching between ideas, concentrate on the main objective that matches your skills and passion.
Start by thinking about what you’re good at, what you enjoy, and what people need. Choose the idea with the most potential, then fully commit to it. Avoid the temptation to switch between different projects—you’ll make the most progress by staying focused on one.
That said, if sticking to one thing isn’t your style and you’re open to exploring multiple ideas at a given moment, then go for it (a perfect example of this is bloggers who post on broad niches of interest—fashion, wellness, beauty, and life hacks). Simply put, some individuals can thrive by managing multiple projects simultaneously.
The key is to assess yourself, know your strengths, and decide if you excel at one or a variety of things. It’s all about finding what suits you and picking the right path for your goals.
2. Treat your side hustle like a business from day one.
Now if you want your side hustle to flourish, you must approach it with a business mindset and mentality from the start. So look beyond just passion; create a business plan, set financial goals, and track every penny that comes in or goes out.
Note: While this guide doesn’t cover every possible scenario, it provides actionable tips to help you navigate common challenges you might face.
Apply these strategies based on your specific business needs, as not every point will apply to every side hustle.
Think of it this way: Would you expect any business to succeed without knowing its numbers? The answer is no! Therefore, you should always closely monitor your expenses. In fact, a study by Side Hustle Nation in 2024 highlighted that 49% of workers aged 25 to 34 started their businesses as side gigs. This shows the necessity of treating side hustles like legitimate ventures.
In other words, if you see it as a joke, it becomes one, and vice versa.
3. Conduct market research and analysis to understand your venture.
Getting into any side gig or business without proper research is like walking into a game room where you don’t know the rules or who to ask for help.
Without understanding industry trends, competitors, or your true customer base, you risk becoming overwhelmed and giving up before you even begin.
However, by doing your due diligence in finding out about your competitors and market trends, you’ll discover unique selling points and learn how to position your business effectively.
This preparation enables you to confidently establish your market position and handle unexpected developments.
4. Get Yourself Organised and Learn to Schedule
Now that we’ve discussed the importance of research and understanding your side hustle from the start, it’s time to focus on organisation and time management. In any side hustle, your most valuable resource is time.
So, no matter how motivated you are, poor time management can slow your progress and overwhelm you.
A simple way to correct poor time management is to get yourself organised. You can start by figuring out where your time is going and setting clear, easy-to-follow goals for your side hustle. Using tools like Google Keep or Todoist can help you make checklists, set reminders, and keep track of your tasks in one place.
Even basic things, like writing your plans down in a notebook or using sticky notes, can help keep you organized. You don’t need complicated systems—sometimes the simple stuff works best.
Overall, setting daily or weekly schedules will help you remain on track, reduce stress, and make sure you have adequate time for your side hustle and other duties.
5. Set Value-Based Prices for Your Services
There’s a common trap in pricing where people focus solely on what customers can afford. But when we do that, we overlook an essential factor: value. So, before you fall into the trap of pricing too low, thinking it will attract more clients, take a moment to understand what your work is truly worth. Freelancers, consultants, and personal trainers, who are often side jobs or hustles, face such challenges.
This is where value-based pricing comes into play. Consider this example. If your social media management helps a client boost their sales by $5,500 (£4,235) monthly, charging $500 (£385) reflects your real value, even if you only spend 10 hours doing it. It’s not just about the hours you invest. It’s about quality and expertise.
Whether you’re charging per project or per hour, it’s worthwhile to conduct market research and consider everything before you invest. This includes time, effort, and resources. Make sure your pricing accurately reflects your value. Avoid copying competitors or downplaying your expertise.
When you set prices that represent your true worth, you’re building a side hustle that’s both sustainable and rewarding.
6. Invest in yourself and your business.
As we discussed earlier, managing your time effectively and knowing your value are key to building a successful side hustle. These concepts tie directly into investing in yourself and your business. When you manage your time well, you understand how much effort goes into your work. This helps you avoid underpricing your services. Similarly, investing in your skills, tools, and branding further increases your side hustle value.
Branding plays a significant role in how customers perceive your business. Studies show that companies with strong, consistent branding build greater trust with their audience. According to a report from HubSpot, 71% of consumers are more likely to buy from a brand they trust.
Thus, branding and marketing help your business stand out and connect with customers on a more personal level. This trust, built through clear communication and a strong brand identity, helps your customers understand what your business is all about and why they should patronise you.
7. Don’t Quit Your Main Job Too Soon
One of the mistakes people often make when starting a side gig or business is quitting their full-time or part-time job too quickly. It’s natural to get excited when your side gig starts showing promising returns. Although this feeling is understandable, you should keep in mind that your main job is still your most stable source of income. It helps you cover your daily expenses and provides the capital you need to grow your side hustle.
Having said that, the smarter way to approach this is to continue working while your side gig develops. Use weekends, evenings, or any free time to focus on your hustle. If things get busy, you can talk to your employer about taking time off or adjusting your hours, if that’s possible. This lets you balance both without feeling overwhelmed or risking your main means of income.
In short, don’t rush. Build your side hustle slowly until it is able to sustain you. Only then should you consider leaving your regular job. This careful planning will help you avoid stress and ensure a smooth transition.
8. Prioritise Your Well-Being to Avoid Burnout
Yes, there comes a time when your body says, “Enough is enough!” And yes, this is often due to stress, which can lead to burnout, which is a serious risk when juggling multiple commitments. It creeps in slowly, and if you don’t recognise the signs early, it can have long-term consequences.
As a matter of fact, the World Health Organisation (WHO) defines burnout as a syndrome resulting from chronic workplace stress that hasn’t been successfully managed. What happens is that most people, when facing burnout, ignore the symptoms, thinking they will get better with time.
However, that’s rarely the case. Take, for instance, Arianna Huffington, who collapsed from sleep deprivation and exhaustion two years into starting the Huffington Post. This was a result of her ignoring obvious symptoms, such as becoming more irritable, more reactive, and less present.
However, she turned this painful event into an opportunity to raise awareness and advocate for steps to solve the problem. This experience prompted her to establish Thrive Global as a platform to address burnout and balance issues. She learnt firsthand how essential it is to prioritise sleep and mindfulness and set boundaries to prevent overwork.
Setting clear boundaries and defining work hours are other effective ways to strike a balance between your personal life and your side gig. Prioritise rest, practice mindfulness, and, most importantly, listen to your body’s signals before it’s too late. This will not only protect your health but also ensure that your side hustle and main job stay productive.
9. Embrace progress over perfection.
While aiming for perfection seems admirable, it often leads to procrastination and hinders progress. Instead, adopting a “progress over perfection” mindset is key to moving forward, especially inside hustles. With this kind of mindset, you can launch and refine your product or service as you go.
Additionally, there is a term usually associated with such an approach called Minimum Viable Product (MVP). It involves introducing a product with minimal features and adjusting it as needed based on user feedback. Dropbox is a classic example of a successful MVP.
The company launched with a simple video demonstrating its file-sharing capabilities, which attracted significant interest and allowed them to gather valuable feedback before developing a full-fledged product.
This approach enabled Dropbox to refine their service and scale effectively based on real user needs.
Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn, famously said, “If you’re not embarrassed by the first version of your product, you’ve launched too late.” This emphasises the significance of starting early and learning as you go. The MVP strategy encourages side hustlers to accept progress rather than waiting for everything to be perfect.
How do you put this into practice?
- First, set realistic standards by aiming for excellence, not perfection.
- Next, focus on launching, gathering feedback, and continuously improving.
- Don’t be afraid of imperfections—they offer opportunities for growth.
Accepting flaws helps you learn from mistakes, as even top companies constantly refine their products. For instance, when Times Merit Influencer (TMi) launched, our initial homepage was not visually appealing, but it conveyed our values. Over time, we tweaked and improved it, acknowledging that progress, not perfection, drives success.
The key is to start.
10. Cultivate Meaningful Relationships by Building a Strong Network
Networking! One of the most overlooked elements in building a successful side hustle or business. Why? Because it’s easy to assume you can handle everything on your own. However, the truth is, no matter how skilled or resourceful you are, there will come a time when you need support. That’s where a solid network becomes invaluable.
So in this context, what is a network? For beginners, a network is a group of individuals or organisations connected by professional or personal relationships. For side hustlers, your network could include collaborators, mentors, or peers who share insights, resources, advice, and opportunities for you to grow and succeed. It’s the difference between working hard and working smart.
While tools like AI and online platforms might help you get started, they can only take you so far. No algorithm can replace the value of human relationships—the mentorship, feedback, and unexpected opportunities that come from real connections.
A prime example of how networking is essential to elevating your side hustle is Pat Flynn, the founder of Smart Passive Income. After losing his job in 2008, Flynn started blogging about his journey to creating passive income streams. His breakthrough came when he actively engaged with other bloggers and entrepreneurs in his niche.
Flynn’s networking efforts led to guest posting opportunities, podcast interviews, and collaborations with established names in the online business world. These connections not only expanded his reach but also provided valuable insights and mentorship.
As a result, his side hustle grew into a multimillion-dollar business, demonstrating the power of building meaningful relationships on a side hustle.
Ultimately, a solid network connects you to people who understand your goals and can help you navigate challenges, refine your skills, and find opportunities.
However, keep in mind that when building ideal relationships, it takes time, and the connections you make today will benefit you in the future.
11. Develop a clear strategy to understand your targeted audience.
Time and time again, many side hustlers struggle to understand their audience, often relying on assumptions rather than concrete facts. This gap can limit growth and create a mismatch between what you offer and what your customers actually want. A HubSpot study highlights that 82% of marketers see high-quality audience data as essential to success, yet many lack the right tools or strategies to gather these insights.
To tackle this, you need the right tools and resources. Here are some essentials to get started:
Start with personal surveys to get a ground-level understanding of your audience. This doesn’t mean formal questionnaires—it’s about observing and engaging. For example,
- Engage Directly: Join online communities or forums related to your niche. Pay attention to what people ask for, complain about, or praise.
- Read Comments: Dive into the comment sections of similar blogs, posts, or competitors’ platforms to spot recurring questions or unmet needs.
- Ask questions: Reach out to potential customers directly. Whether through social media or casual chats, get their opinions on what they want or are missing from current options.
Once you’ve completed the groundwork, transition to data-driven tools to broaden your scope:
- SEO and Keyword Tools: Platforms like Google SEO, SEMrush, or Ubersuggest help identify what people search for and market gaps.
- Social Media Analytics: Use tools like Facebook Insights or Instagram Analytics to see how your audience engages with your content.
- Monitoring Tools: Explore tools like BuzzSumo or AnswerThePublic to monitor emerging interests and keep your side hustle relevant.
These steps give you a practical, well-rounded view of your audience—what they need, where they look, and how you can stand out.
Finally, don’t just collect data—use it. Track changes in customer preferences regularly and adjust your strategy to stay relevant.
12. Take advantage of social media to build and grow your side hustle.
Let’s face it: social media is no longer optional. It’s essential for side hustlers who want to build a loyal following and grow their business. I mean, the numbers speak for themselves: with 4.9 billion active users worldwide in 2024, the potential reach is remarkable. Yet managing an effective social media presence while balancing other responsibilities requires strategic thinking and careful planning.
Success on social media doesn’t mean being everywhere at once—it means being exactly where your target audience spends their time. Consider which platforms naturally complement your strengths and content style. Creative professionals often thrive on visual platforms like TikTok, Pinterest, and YouTube. On the other hand, industry experts and thought leaders typically find their community on LinkedIn or Twitter.
Understanding your chosen platform’s unique environment is crucial. Each has distinct algorithms and features that influence content visibility and engagement. Taking the time to learn these details helps ensure your content reaches and resonates with the right audience.
So, in summary, how do you go about this?
- Research and select platforms that align with your target audience.
- Get familiar with each platform’s unique algorithms and features.
- Create platform-specific content that resonates with users.
- Maintain consistent engagement through comments and community interaction.
- Stay current with emerging trends and adapt your strategy accordingly.
And look! Building a loyal following takes sustained effort and patience. Hence, if it calls for it, try different approaches, learn what works (and what doesn’t), and don’t be afraid to experiment.
One last tip: don’t forget to have fun! People respond to genuine enthusiasm and passion, so don’t be afraid to let your enthusiasm show.
13. Balancing AI and automation with personalisation.
Quick question – have you ever visited a website and tried to get help through a chatbot, only to be met with generic responses that didn’t quite address your question? The relief you felt when you finally had the option to speak with a real agent is a testament to the importance of balancing artificial intelligence (AI) and automation with a personal touch.
While these technologies can significantly enhance your work by streamlining tasks like collecting emails, managing bookings, brainstorming content ideas, and crafting video scripts, it’s crucial to remember that they should complement—not overshadow—your unique voice or perspective.
Let AI handle routine tasks and brainstorm, but make sure you’re shaping the final message. Share your personal experiences, insights, and stories to keep your content authentic and relatable. For instance, when writing, you can use AI to check for grammatical errors but tweak the output to ensure it still feels human.
Kevin Kelly, a renowned tech strategist, notes in his book “The Inevitable” that we need to find a balance between embracing technology and staying true to our human uniqueness. Our audience connects with the person behind the work, not just the polished output. So, how do you strike this balance?
Create content that resonates with you and your audience—one that sets you apart in a crowded digital landscape.
14. Ensure You’re Legally Covered When Starting a Side Gig
Ensure You’re Legally Covered When Starting a Side Gig Having a side gig can feel like stepping into something entirely your own. It’s exciting and full of potential, but it also comes with its fair share of responsibilities. However, as you progress, it may reveal another side that many of us tend to ignore—the legal aspects. What are we talking about here? We’re talking about taxes, setting up the right business structure, insurance, and other legal considerations that come with starting a business. It’s important to be aware of the laws that apply to your side hustle and ensure that you’re properly covered.
After all, nobody wants to face fines or, worse, have their business shut down because of overlooked legal obligations.
Let’s break it down, starting with your business structure. This choice shapes how your side gig operates. A sole proprietorship is easy to set up, but it links your personal and business finances—so if something goes wrong, your personal assets could be at risk. On the other hand, a Limited Liability Company (LLC) separates your personal and business holdings, providing a safety net in case of legal or financial issues. Consider the risks, benefits, and what aligns best with your goals before deciding.
Next is paperwork. Depending on where you are based, you may need to register your business name or obtain specific licenses or permits. Start by researching your local government’s website—such as GOV.UK or your country’s equivalent—to ensure you’re following the right steps. This upfront effort helps you avoid legal complications and lets you focus on running your business.
Taxes and data protection are equally crucial. Keeping detailed records of income and expenses ensures you’re prepared for tax obligations, whether you’re paying annually or making quarterly estimates.
And when it comes to data, following laws like GDPR (Europe) or CCPA (California) is a must. Handling customer data responsibly ensures compliance and builds trust in your business.
Finally, seek professional advice. Whether it’s consulting affordable platforms like LegalZoom (US) or local small business advisors, expert help can prevent costly mistakes and set you up for long-term success.
Covering these bases requires effort, but it’s an investment in the sustainability of your side gig; this also gives you the freedom to focus on what really matters.
15. Don’t Give Up Too Soon
We’ve covered a lot about avoiding common mistakes in side hustles, from staying focused to treating your side hustle like a real business and even knowing when to use social media and legal protections. But, no matter how much you plan, there will likely come a time when doubts creep in. You might have worked for months, or even years, without seeing major results, and it’s natural to wonder if it’s worth it. You could be experiencing these moments right now, and it’s easy to get pulled away from your goals when success seems elusive.
Think of it like building a fitness affiliate website. In the first year, it’s all about laying the groundwork—learning the industry language, studying fitness trends, and getting to know what your audience really values. It can feel slow and even disheartening. By year two, you deepen those connections, focusing on brand awareness and building a loyal following. And then in the third year, you’re finally ready to monetise, leveraging affiliate partnerships, sponsored content, and other revenue streams.
This gradual build-up shows the importance of patience and the value of each stage, even though each side hustler’s path may be different.
So in essence, stick with it. Building something meaningful and innovative doesn’t happen overnight. If you feel stuck, take a step back, reassess your approach, and be adaptable.
BONUS!
16. Diversify your skills and ideas.
Yes, I know we discussed the importance of staying committed to your hustle, but there’s another angle worth considering: diversifying your skills and ideas. While focus is essential, successful side hustlers know when to explore new areas. In reality, life has its ups and downs, and when things feel stuck, branching into related areas can help you adapt and develop. This doesn’t mean giving up on your main hustle; it’s about strengthening it by finding opportunities that naturally fit with what you’re already doing.
Take, for instance, companies like Canva. They started as a simple graphic design tool. Over time, they added team collaboration features, educational resources, and printing services. This allowed them to reach freelancers, small businesses, and marketing teams—all without losing sight of their main goal: making design accessible to everyone.
Similarly, Notion began as a basic note-taking app but grew by listening to user feedback. It expanded into a flexible tool for project management, team collaboration, and personal organisation, plus integration with AI. This smart diversification helped Notion become popular among remote workers, small teams, and creators who needed a versatile platform.
So, as you can see, the best opportunities come when you balance dedication with being open to new possibilities. All this can be done, and you’ll still achieve the main goal you set for in the first place, which could be wealth, luxury, security, financial freedom, or simply peace of mind.
Now, where do you go from here?
Like every story, this one has to come to an end. But that doesn’t mean your journey stops here.
As we mentioned earlier, this guide doesn’t cover everything; instead, it’s crafted to offer you a foundation to build upon. It is only when you remain curious, keep learning, and adapt along the way that you will experience real growth. That said, the purpose of this article is to equip you with adaptable strategies for your unique side hustle.
Explore the above insights, try them out, and shape your own path. In time, you’ll start to notice how even the smallest adjustments can bring about meaningful change. It doesn’t matter if you’re baking cakes, crafting blogs, or sharing your expertise; every side gig calls for patience and unwavering commitment.
The truth remains: provided you put genuine effort and purpose into what you do, it transforms from a mere hustle into something lasting.
All in all, we hope these tips were helpful, and don’t hesitate to reach out to share your progress; you know, let us know how things are going.Cheers!!
