Author, speaker and entrepreneur, Chris Guillebeau, is the host of the Side Hustle School podcast and the author of several bestselling books, including “The $100 Startup” and “Born for This.”
In his book, “Side Hustle,” Guillebeau teaches you how to get your side hustle idea out into the world and make a profit in less than 30 days.
The following excerpt is provided exclusively for StartupNation from “Side Hustle: From Idea to Income in 27 Days” Copyright © 2017 by Chris Guillebeau, Crown Business.
WEEK 1: BUILD AN ARSENAL OF IDEAS
A side hustle has many benefits, but it all starts with the right idea. This first week of hustling will teach you how to generate hustle ideas that actually work.
Day 1: Predict the future
The path from idea to income begins with your answer to an important question: Twenty-seven days from now, what will be different about your life?
Day 2: Learn how money grows on trees
Some hustle ideas are better than others. Learn the three qualities of a great idea and how to find ones with the most potential.
Day 3: Brainstorm, borrow or steal ideas
Using what you’ve learned about high-potential ideas, brainstorm, borrow or steal at least three possibilities for your hustle.
Day 4: Weigh the obstacles and opportunities of each idea
Now that you have several ideas, examine them more closely to understand their pros and cons.
Day 5: Forecast your profit on the back of a napkin
To estimate the profit of your side hustle, you don’t need a finance degree or a scientific calculator. You just need a napkin, a pen and the power of observation.
Related: 10 Steps to Start a Side Hustle (While Working a Full-Time Job)
WEEK 2: SELECT YOUR BEST IDEA
Once you have multiple ideas, you need to be able to identify the best ones. Learn how to instantly rank and compare ideas so that you’ll have confidence to proceed with the highest possible odds of success.
Day 6: Use the side hustle selector to compare ideas
Once you start thinking about side hustles, the ideas don’t stop. This tool will show you how to apply “Tinder for Hustling” logic to pick the best one at any given time.
Day 7: Become a detective
As you move forward with an idea, study what other people are doing. Then, do it better or do it differently.
Day 8: Have imaginary coffee with your ideal customer
There’s one person out there who meets your profile as the perfect customer. What can you learn from them?
Day 9: Transform your idea into an offer
Once you have a great idea and a specific idea of who it’s for, you need to transform that idea into an offer. An offer includes a promise, a pitch and a price.
Day 10: Create your origins story
Like a comic book superhero, your side hustle needs a history. Don’t just give ’em the facts; tell them a story.
WEEK 3: PREPARE FOR LIFTOFF
You’ve settled on your idea, you’ve transformed it into an offer, and you know who your ideal customer is. This week you’ll learn how to help that person understand why they can’t live without your offer, without getting bogged down in unimportant details.
Day 11: Assemble the nuts and bolts
Resourcefulness is your most valuable hustle skill. Get all the logistics out of the way so you can focus on more important things.
Day 12: Decide how to price your offer
Pricing can be a challenge even for experienced hustlers. Use the cost-plus model and follow two easy guidelines for much higher odds of success.
Day 13: Create a side hustle shopping list
Your hustle will require specific tools, resources and deliverables. Learn to find, gather or create everything you’ll need to bring your offer into the world.
Day 14: Set up a way to get paid
You’ve got a lot more than just an idea now—you’re well under way to a real-life side hustle. Before proceeding, make sure you’ve also got a real-life way to get paid for it.
Day 15: Design your first workflow
You’re almost to launch week. By listing out your next steps in an ordered fashion, you’ll prevent mishaps and feel more confident.
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BONUS STEP
Day 16: Spend 10 percent more time on the most important tasks
Many new hustlers get caught up in mundane details. Avoid that trap from the beginning, and keep your focus on just two things.
To read the remaining steps found in days 17 through 27, pick up a copy of “Side Hustle: From Idea to Income in 27 Days,” available now at fine booksellers and for purchase through StartupNation.com.
More Chris Guillebeau content from StartupNation:
- Entrepreneur Chris Guillebeau’s Formula for Creating a Side Hustle in 27 Days
- Born for This: Improve Your Skills, Increase Your Value
- Unlocking the Secrets of the $100 Startup with Chris Guillebeau
