Books To Kick Start Your Side Hustle

Side hustling truly is FI’s secret weapon. Working your day job can help build security into your life, and of course--perks like health insurance, a 401k match, and a reliable paycheck. As great as that security is, it can be deflating to realize you may be locked into a pay grade for some time, and you won’t be able to grow your income as fast as you’d like. Side hustling is a great way to experiment with entrepreneurialism in your off hours to build in extra income, acquire more skills and, of course, sock away as much extra cash as you can to put towards early retirement. Here are my recommendations on some great books to get inspired, motivated and fired-up to side hustle smarter:

Being Boss by Emily Thompson and Kathleen Shannon

If your desired side hustle involves a bit of creativity or booking clients, this book is absolutely excellent in framing up your pursuit and defining your “why.” While it’s great to learn the tactics of finding clients, booking, and billing--avoiding burnout and staying competitive is also key to your long term success. The authors are both creative entrepreneurs who have launched successful businesses in design and consulting. They have added a highly successful blog and podcast, as well. You will learn actionable tips to build in effective workflow, build boundaries, and establish measurable goals.

Side Hustle & The $100 Startup by Chris Guillebeau

Chris Guillebeau is a slightly more approachable version of Seth Godin and really hones in on the demographics of people that don’t want to start the next Apple or Shipt, but instead, build a path to self-employment or a small business with little or no capital. Chris blogs and writes most of his content for the solopreneur who is simply working to supplement or reproduce their income by starting a side project that can be scaled to whatever level helps them get to their goals, especially without the need for investors, overhead, or a ton of risk. Both of these books are great to get thinking and see practical applications of people who have created profitable side hustles, with little to no capital and in a short amount of time.

What If It Does Work Out: How A Side Hustle Can Change Your Life by Susie Moore

Susie crafted this book to help you get from a passion or hobby to a side hustle that’s successful on your own terms. She provides guidance to help you earn an extra source of income by doing something you love--whether it’s selling necklaces in an Etsy Store or picking up consulting work with skills you picked up in your day job. Her style is very approachable and she takes you through all of the planning stages and potential obstacles, creating a mindset for success and how to create multiple revenue streams to ensure you’re focusing on the right things as you grow.

Entrepreneurial You by Dorie Clark

If you recognize the fastest path to FI is to earn extra side hustle money but struggle to see yourself as someone who is an entrepreneur, or how you can fit an extra project into your already busy life, this is a great book. Dorie dives into the mindset of a successful entrepreneur to help you see yourself beyond simply being a worker, to someone who can monetize their expertise and use it to create alternative income sources beyond a traditional 9-5 job. Related: How Estimated Quarterly Taxes Work

Vlog Like A Boss by Amy Schmittauer

Amy has built a successful YouTube channel and knows her way around social influence platforms. While many books on blogging (and in this case, vlogging) are a bit dated at this point--Amy released this book in 2017 to help you make money on the internet as an influencer. If you’re thinking of doing a blog or vlog as a side hustle, this is a great book to pick up!

Freelance To Freedom by Vincent Pugliese

Vincent and his wife Elizabeth started a photography business to earn extra cash as they were starting to grow their family and because Vincent’s day job wasn’t helping him scale his income or get paid what he felt he was worth. In just a few years, they grew their photography business enough to help them pay off their debt, including their mortgage and were able to work for themselves. If you’re looking for a roadmap to do the same, check out this book. These books are just a tip in the right direction, with so many to choose from. What are some of your favorite books on side hustle success? Related Articles

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