Find your calling as an entrepreneur or begin a great side hustle to make some extra money with one of these 20 home-based businesses you can start today!
There has always been something seductive about the work-from-home lifestyle. The ability to have complete freedom and control of your own financial destiny is something that is understandably appealing to many.
For some, the idea of making a little extra cash via a side hustle to supplement the household income is a match made in heaven. For others, nothing less than the unbridled freedom of working for themselves as a true entrepreneur will do. However, landing a steady paying home-based opportunity isn’t exactly a walk in the park.
The good news is that whether you fancy yourself a “Side Hustler” or a full-fledged home-based Entrepreneur, there are a variety of paths to go down that can lead to opportunities to work remotely. You can start your own business, network and market yourself as a freelancer, or pick up specialized gigs that harness your skills and availability.
In nearly all cases, how you market yourself, how much effort you’re willing to put in, and your level of experience matters, so doing your homework is definitely important. But before you dive into study, you should have a good idea of what you want to do. To help you figure that out, we have dissected 20 great home-based business opportunities that could be solid choices whether you are a side gig hustler or eager entrepreneur.
1. Freelance Writer
Type: Full Career
Average Rate Per Hour: $24.70
Average Annual Earning by experience:
$40K (Entry Level, 0-5 years)
$53K (Mid Career, 5-10 years)
$68K (Experienced, 10-20 years)
$96K (Late Career, >20 years)
Content creation is a huge industry with thousands upon thousands of businesses needing content written right now. However, few companies actually have the budget for a full time staff writer. This gap has provided the perfect opportunity for Freelance Writers to provide writing as a service, allowing companies the flexibility to produce email campaigns, blogs, social media, product descriptions, etc.
Why Full Career
Although it is possible to get paid to write a piece here and there to make some extra cash, we classified Freelance Writer as a Full Career due to the high earning potential and positive trend in salary that is possible the more experience you have under your belt.
Who Is This For
People who are passionate about writing and have a knack for creating engaging content.
Where to start
As we mentioned before, there are thousands of companies out there who could use writing services. Many are going to look for a certain level of experience, or maybe even a portfolio of your own work. If you can’t land a client very easy because you don’t have a lot of your own published pieces already out there, you can always start your own blog and create some pieces to get started. Alternatively, there are always writers mills out there that you can set up your own profile and bid on gigs to cut your teeth on. Here are a few freelance writing job boards you can check to help you get started…
Resources: Upwork.com, Freelancer.com, Fiverr.com
2. Website Manager
Type: Full Career
Average Annual Earning by experience:
$41K (Entry Level, 0-5 years)
$54K (Mid Career, 5-10 years)
$70K (Experienced, 10-20 years)
$60K (Late Career, >20 years)
Nearly every business today needs a web presence. This means they’ll need someone to update and manage their website with new products, promotions and content. Luckily for those who interested in this type of work, almost all websites are built on platforms, or software designed as an interface to allow you to control and manage the website. Thanks to these platforms, you typically don’t need to be an expert in writing code in order to manage a site (though it can be helpful to learn some basic coding languages like HTML and CSS, which you will probably pick up along the way).
Why Full Career
This isn’t the kind of gig you typically do part time. To be successful, you will need to be mindful of how your visitors are responding to your content, keep things fresh and engaging, stay on top of software updates, perform occasional domain renewals and more to make sure your site stays live and functional. The good news is, this Full Career tends to come with a decent salary and the lessons you learn can easily be transferred to running your own website one day, where your earning potential could be limitless.
Who Is This For
This type of career is for individuals who enjoy learning new things and fancy themselves a bit of a techy.
Where to start
Fortunately, many web platforms allow you to build and manage a basic website for free. Being able to say you have experience managing a website on a platform that a company uses gives you a big head start in landing a long term gig with that company. You can also get an edge on your competition by studying Google Analytics and learning how to interpret data regarding traffic activity on your site. The great thing about this industry is that virtually anything you need to know you can learn from tutorials, videos or free online resources.
Resources:
Google Analytics Academy – Get Google Analytics certifications.
FreeCodeCamp.com – Learn basic coding languages for free.
WordPress.org – Start your own website for free.
3. Rent Out Your Property
Type: Side Hustle
Average earnings: varies depending on unit and location (average listing prices in major cities in the U.S. and abroad range between $135 and $175/night)
Do you have a place with a spare room, or maybe even an entirely separate living unit that isn’t occupied? Thanks to AirBnB and sites like it, you can turn that empty space into a quaint little money maker. This may not be the start of a new carrier, but it can certainly help pay your bills while you work on adding other income options to your portfolio. This can also be a great way to network and meet new people. You never know when you’ll meet your next client or big opportunity.
If you do end up deciding hospitality is something that really turns your crank, than this could be the start of something beautiful AND a great way to get some experience. Saving up money and investing in property that you rent out can be a great way to get out of the rat race and start earning continuous, passive income.
Why Side Hustle
Unless you have a sizable amount of money to invest in property, you are probably looking at renting out an extra room of your home, or your whole place while you are away. This makes renting your property a solid side hustle to start.
Who Is This For
People who are open to earning some extra cash by accommodating new acquaintances in their home.
Where to start
The first thing to do is make your place clean and marketable as possible. Continuing to make your place ready for the next guest is something you should be prepared for as well. If you are renting out your property as a side hustle because you are out of town and want to collect some extra cash with your home while you’re away, you should find a good house cleaning business to partner with.
You should also determine what the rules are for your place to determine who your target market is. Will you be allowing pets? Do you want to charge a cleanup fee? Will you be strict or flexible about refunds or check in/checkout times? Will you have a minimum number of days your guests can check out your place? Deciding what the rules are and what kind of experience you want to provide for your guests is important. You probably will want to do some of your own research or even talk with someone who has rented out their own property for a while to learn what the pain points are that you want to avoid as well as some tips on how to make your place more desirable for guests. Learning from someone else’s successes and mistakes is the best way to avoid making the same ones yourself and could save you some headaches and bad reviews down the road.
Resources:
AirBnB.com
VRBO.com
TripAdvisor.com/Rentals
4. Photographer
Type: Side Hustle OR Full Career
Average Annual Earning by experience:
$34K (Entry Level, 0-5 years)
$41K (Mid Career, 5-10 years)
$46K (Experienced, 10-20 years)
$50K (Late Career, >20 years)
Why Side Hustle
It is true that many businesses need image content and are willing to pay for it, but not all of them require professional level photography. As camera phones get better, stock images become cheaper, and social media lowers content standards, it can be tough to land a steady gig. However, there will always be clients that want professional family photos, wedding photography, sporting event photos or even high quality product images. If you have the interest and talent to work in some of these niche areas, you could make a decent Side Hustle blossom into a thriving Full Career.
Who Is This For
Someone with an artistic eye who enjoys capturing moments or settings.
Where to start
First thing to do is pick out your camera. Read reviews and decide which one is best for the kind of photography you are looking to get into. Once you get your camera, make sure you learn how to use every function. With a digital camera, you should be able to practice until you are confident in your mastery of your device. Now you need to put together your portfolio by taking photos within the types of industries you are wanting to serve. When you feel like you have a solid set that you are willing to share with potential clients, it is time to hit the streets to land your first paying gig.
Resources: Gigmasters.com, GigSalad.com
5. Bookkeeper
Type: Full Career
Average Hourly Earnings: $16.26
Average Annual Earning by experience:
$32K (Entry Level, 0-5 years)
$37K (Mid Career, 5-10 years)
$40K (Experienced, 10-20 years)
$41K (Late Career, >20 years)
Bookkeeping may not sound glamorous, but it does come with all of the freedom to work from home. Plus, if you discover it is something you love, then there are a lot of opportunities to grow in the field. This is also a fantastic skill to have for your own personal finances and for running your own freelance business. Additionally, the need for this type of work for small businesses tends to be pretty high since it is rare that small business owners get into running their own company because of their love for doing math.
Why Full Career
The positive trend on salary earnings as well as the opportunity to advance to more complex and higher earning career paths (Accountant, Full Charge Bookkeeper, Corporate Controller, etc.) make Bookkeeping a strong choice as a Full Career.
Who Is This For
Process minded individuals who don’t shy away from numbers and can bring order to chaos when the situation calls for it.
Where to start
The best place to start is by managing your own finances as diligently as possible. It is also a good idea to use industry standard tools that businesses typically use so you can gain some experience. The most common of these is usually Quickbooks. Although there is no standard or requirement for a formal education or license to be a bookkeeper, you might consider working towards getting yourself certified and practiced in certain aspects of bookkeeping to help you gain knowledge and credibility. Check out some of these educational resources as well as the links to some job boards to help you get started.
Resources:
CertifiedPublicBookkeeper.org
Quickbooks ProAdvisor – Increase Credibility & Earning Potential
TryPARO.com
Upwork.com
6. Personal Trainer
Type: Full Career
Estimated Rate Per Hour: $18-$19
Average Annual Earning by Experience:
$35K (Entry Level, 0-5 years)
$48K (Mid Career, 5-10 years)
$55K (Experienced, 10-20 years)
$60K (Late Career, >20 years)
Why Full Career
For fitness enthusiasts who have a decent amount of spare time on their hands, it is possible to manage one or two clients and have this be a solid Side Hustle. However, we have rated this work from home opportunity as a Full Career because of the above average earning potential and the lifestyle commitment that goes with being a Personal Trainer.
Who Is This For
This type of career is perfect for someone with a high level of energy. You need to be able to keep positive and help motivate your clients regularly. You should love keeping a routine and enjoy being constantly active and social.
Where to start
Although it is possible to get clients and start making money without having any formal training, it is important to consider some forms of certifications depending on what you plan on specializing in. There is a lot of value you can get from studying the industry and putting at least some general fitness certifications behind your name. This can go a long way to earning you credibility when trying to market to future clients.
There are a few paths you can take to getting certifications:
- College/University
- Employment Through a Gym
- Health & Fitness Expo Certification Courses
- Online Certification Courses
- Diet and Food Courses
Resources:
ExpertRating.com – Get Certified
Fitnesstrainer.com – Start marketing yourself and landing clients
7. Pet Sitting
Type: Side Hustle
Average Hourly Earnings: $12.69
Average Annual Earning by experience:
$24K (Entry Level, 0-5 years)
$31K (Mid Career, 5-10 years)
$31K (Experienced, 10-20 years)
$32K (Late Career, >20 years)
Why Side Hustle
Although we have rated Pet Sitting as a side hustle due to the limited reported earning potential that pet sitters typically experience, this is still a perfect way for animal lovers to earn extra cash while spending time with some of their favorite furry friends. This business is limited to the clients who are within reasonable proximity to you that have pets and who travel or have some reason for needing to have a sitter. There is also a market for people who are visiting your area, have brought their pets with them, but still need somewhere for them to stay. Fortunately, there is little to no training necessary, there are marketplace sites for you to sign up and collect clients and you can take this money making side hustle with you wherever you decide to call home.
Who Is This For
Anyone who loves pets and has a highly flexible schedule.
Where To Get Started
The first place you could start would be with friends and family who own pets and need the help. If you build a reputation, you can have your connections begin spreading the word. Beyond your own network, there are a few very easy to use marketplace sites that are a great place to get connected to potential clients in your area.
Pet sitting job listing sites you could tap into today
Rover.com
Care.com
Petsitting.com
8. Pet Grooming
Type: Side Hustle OR Full Career
Median Hourly Earnings: $11.43
Average Annual Earning by experience:
$24K (Entry Level, 0-5 years)
$30K (Mid Career, 5-10 years)
$33K (Experienced, 10-20 years)
$44K (Late Career, >20 years)
Why Side Hustle OR Full Career
Pet Groomers who work from their home have the flexibility to be mobile and visit clients, or set up shop in their own home location. When you combine the low costs required to run the business once you own your tools with a wide access to clients and positive earnings trend, it is easy to see why Pet Grooming could be a good fit for people looking for a Side Hustle or for motivated entrepreneurs looking to start a Full Career.
Who Is This For
Pet lovers who have a desire to mix a touch of artistic talent with their passion for pet care.
Where To Get Started
Although you can start learning to groom with your own pets on your own time, getting some professional training in this area can make you a more efficient and effective groomer which your clients will notice, making it well worth the investment. We recommend taking one of 2 routes: (1.) Apprenticeship: On the job training at a facility like PetSmart or a local groomer that needs help and is willing to teach you, OR (2) Formal Education: Training through an institution to get hands on experience and support towards earning a certification. If you are just getting started in your career as a pet groomer, it may be hard to decide which path is right for you. According to an interview with International Certified Master Groomer, Linda Easton, “What is most effective is to go through school and then go out and apprentice, even for just a few days a week until you start a business.”
Pet Grooming job listing sites you could tap into today
In addition to the marketplace sites listed for Pet Sitting above, which provide networking opportunities for multiple pet care services (including pet grooming), there is also PetGroomingFinder.com which can be a great resource for you to market your new pet grooming business on and start growing your client base.
Resources:
homeguide.com/dog-grooming
angieslist.com
9. Online Teacher & Tutor
Type: Side Hustle OR Full Career
Estimated Rate Per Hour: $17+
Average Annual Earning by experience:
$31K (Entry Level, 0-5 years)
$42K (Mid Career, 5-10 years)
$51K (Experienced, 10-20 years)
$54K (Late Career, >20 years)
Why Side Hustle OR Full Career
After you get your college degree, it isn’t always a direct path to the career of your dreams. With online tutoring, you can immediately take advantage of that degree and start earning some extra cash to pay down those student loans or take some pressure off your bills until that job you’ve been waiting for comes along. On the other hand, maybe teaching was your dream all along or you have come to discover a passion for tutoring that you want to pursue. With the earning potential combined with a high level of flexibility, being an online Tutor makes for a great fit as a Side Hustle OR Full Career.
Who Is This For
Typically, this is for college graduates. However, it is not always required that you tutor in the subject you received your degree in. If you have a flexible schedule and want to make some extra money on the side, this can be your perfect Side Hustle.
Where to start
For this Side Hustle/Full Career, you have already gone through your college degree. All that is left now is deciding what topic you are interested in tutoring/have the knowledge to teach, signing up on a job site, and accessing a market of potential clients who are ready and willing to pay for your Tutoring. Check out some of the marketplaces that are out there in our list of resources below.
Resources:
Chegg.com
Eduwizards.com
HomeworkTutoring.com
10. Rideshare Driver
Type: Side Hustle
Estimated Rate: Pay depends on location, peak rates & total drive time
National Average Yearly Salary: $30K
Why Side Hustle
While Uber once touted that their drivers make over $90k with 40 hours of work per week, that number is realistically much lower these days. The pay for Rideshare Drivers (Uber and Lyft are currently the most popular) has shifted downward since the beginning of their rise to prominence. Now, prices and wages are set to a more consistent rate that riders and drivers can depend on, but seldom live on realistically. This capped earning potential generally comes in at a rate that makes being a Rideshare Driver better as a Side Hustle than it is as a Full Career.
Who Is This For
Individuals 21 and older with access to a qualifying 4 door vehicle that meets manufacture year requirements that is registered and passes inspection. It also helps to have a flexible schedule to go along with the necessary smartphone that allows you to operate the app.
Where To Start
Starting as a Rideshare Driver is pretty straight forward. First you need to make sure you meet all of the requirements before following through with the online Signup process. Since you will have to read through each of these steps in detail when you are setting yourself up to become a driver, we have listed links to the Requirements and Signup pages below.
Resources:
Uber Requirements Page
Signup With Uber
Drive with Lyft
11. Sell Goods Online
Type: Side Hustle OR Full Career
Estimated Earnings: Dependent on many factors
Why Side Hustle OR Full Career
When it comes to selling goods online, the sky is the limit on your earning potential, but competition is fierce. Unless you are selling something truly unique, it can be a tough battle for the consumer’s dollar. With these factors in mind, we have decided that Selling Goods Online falls under Side Hustle OR Full Career.
Who Is This For
Innovators and creators interested in selling their own product, entrepreneurs looking to get into eCommerce, or anyone striving to make a few bucks selling some of their own stuff.
Where to start
Because there are so many different avenues to sell goods online, determining where to start can be difficult and depends on what you are selling and what you want your business model to look like. For example, if you are selling homemade goods, Etsy.com would be a great marketplace for you to set up shop and connect with interested customers. If you are selling personal items that you want to make a few bucks on, then Ebay.com may be a better choice. Looking to turn a more reliable profit and sell goods as an eRetailer? Then you’re probably better off setting up a shop on Amazon or even selling directly through your own website. Check out the list of resources below to get a feel for the differences between each platform and marketplace to decide which is the best fit for your business of selling goods online.
Resources:
Marketplaces to sell on
Amazon Seller Services
Sell On Ebay
Etsy.com
Build your own eCommerce website
Squarespace.com
Shopify.com
Bigcommerce.com
12. At Home Child Care
Type: Side Hustle
Average Hourly Earnings: $9.53
Average Annual Earning by experience:
$19K (Entry Level: 1-5 years)
$21K (Mid Career: 5-10 years)
$22K (Experienced: 10-20 years)
$23K (Senior Level: 20+ years)
Why Side Hustle
Child care, or “babysitting” is a great way to earn some extra pocket change while balancing going to school or working another job. Minimal experience is required and you can usually do this as a part time gig since parents usually only need certain hours covered while both parents are away. Given the low earning potential and variable need for this kind of service, we rate Child Care as a Side Hustle rather than a Full Career opportunity. However, if you can gather enough clients and develop your home into a type of daycare, then there is opportunity to make this a career.
Who Is This For
Anyone who enjoys kids and is good with following guidelines given by their clients entrusting their children to a sitter.
Where to start
Start by taking care of a friend or family member’s child. If you find you have a knack for entertaining and taking care of children, consider offering this as a service to more of your connections. If you want to take it a bit more seriously, see about starting your own childcare business and get listed on directories.
Resources:
Become a listed childcare provider on Care.com, Urbansitter.com, SitterCity.com
13. Start Your Own Blog
Type: Side Hustle
Estimated Earnings: Dependent on audience and Revenue Model
Why Side Hustle
When you decide you want to create your own blog, the focus can be on anything that tickles your fancy. Maybe you like to go on rants or write reviews on video games or T.V. shows. Perhaps you like to show off pictures from your travels or food that you’ve cooked. In the end, what truly matters is that you are able to build an audience who is engaged and reading your content. Once you do this, you should be able to work on ways to convert this audience and generate some revenue.
A few ways you can turn readers into dollars are by setting up advertising, hosting affiliate links or getting your blog set up with a Patreon account and encouraging your readers to support the content they’ve grown to love and giving them premium content in return. One successful example that uses the Patreon model is a blog called WaitButWhy.com which has reached their original goal and are now earning over $12,000 per month from pledges. However, because of how long it takes to assemble a regular blog that generates a steady and healthy income we decided that starting your own blog is best classified as a Side Hustle.
Who Is This For
People who have a hobby or interest they would like to share and have some level or writing or photography skills.
Where to start
You should first start by identifying what type of content you would like to be producing. Who is the content for? What do you want the voice of the writer to sound like? What would be a good name for your blog? Once you have some of these figured out, you need to get yourself the domain name for the blog you will be launching and decide what platform you want to be writing on. There are plenty of great blogging platforms out there that are cheap or free to publish on. To help you out, we have listed some below.
Resources:
Buy Your Domain
Godaddy.com
Choose Your Blogging Platform
WordPress.org
Blogger
Tumblr
14. Web Search Evaluator
Type: Side Hustle
Average Hourly Earnings: $12+/hour
Why Side Hustle
Search engines are populated by algorithms, or calculations done by machines that are attempting to provide the results of what we are searching for. Unfortunately, computers have not quite managed to provide perfect results every time. Because of this, a human touch to review the results can be needed to assess where there may be issues that need to be fixed. This is what a Web Search Evaluator does. By looking through a certain set of search results, the evaluator determines the accuracy of the results and reports on the findings. Because this type of work tends to be part time and not always a steady set of hours, we have decided to classify Web Search Evaluator as a Side Hustle.
Who Is This For
People who are internet savvy, culturally aware, highly proficient in their native language and looking for a way to earn some extra cash on the side.
Where to start
Since this is not the type of job where you need any real in-depth training, you can get started right away by applying as a contractor to an online employer. For your convenience we have listed a couple below.
Resources:
Leapforce
TheSmartCrowd.com
15. Transcriptionist
Type: Side Hustle OR Full Career
Estimated Hourly Earnings: $10 – $25+
Why Side Hustle OR Full Career
When it comes to transcription, you are essentially just listening to an audio file and typing what you hear. Most companies or marketplaces allow you to set your own schedule and pay can often be related to the level of experience you have transcribing in a particular field, such as medical, technical or legal. Because of the flexibility as well as the livable wage, we have rated Transcriptionists as a Side Hustle OR a Full Career.
Who Is This For
Someone interested in high flexibility, low stress work with little to no experience necessary to get started. Being able to type quickly helps too.
Where to start
Those who are completely new to transcription should check out some of the transcription mills that offer low cost work online to clients while offering contract work to aspiring transcriptionists. Check out the resources below for some examples of where you can apply and get started today.
Resources:
TranscribeAnywhere.com
TranscribeMe.com
Quicktate.com
SpeakWrite
e-typist.com
16. House Cleaner
Type: Side Hustle OR Full Career
Estimated Hourly Earnings: $25-$35+
Why Side Hustle OR Full Career
Starting a house cleaning business can put you on a good path towards financial freedom. With low overhead costs and no technical training required, putting together a solid list of regular clients is all that stands in the way of earning a strong 5 figure salary, making this a great candidate for a Full Career move. However, due to the low entry level requirements, you can easily supplement your income with just a few clients and make this a steady Side Hustle as well.
Who Is This For
Anyone who doesn’t mind getting dirty or taking care of other people’s messes.
Where to start
A good place to start creating your client base would be to reach out to people who live closest to you that you don’t mind doing business with. Once you have the hang of the process of providing services and collecting your fees, you should consider listing your services online.
Resources:
List Your Services On HomeAdvisor.com, Care.com, Angieslist.com
17. Micro Jobs
Type: Side Hustle
Earnings: Dependent on project
Why Side Hustle
Thanks to the age of apps and a surge of interest in connecting people with all types of work opportunities, getting access to small jobs that pay is easier than ever. Because flexibility with these odd-jobs is so high, it doesn’t usually make sense to try to put together an annual salary from work like this which is why we decided to classify Micro Jobs as a Side Hustle.
Who Is This For
Anyone looking to scrape together some extra cash as quickly as possible.
Where to start + Resources
Check out this short list of online opportunities where you can earn some cash doing odd jobs:
- Mechanical Turk: Work through a list of HITS ‘human intelligence tasks’ to earn cash.
- TaskRabbit.com: Run errands, go shopping, deliver, help move or provide general handyman tasks that you can hire yourself out for.
- EasyShiftApp.com: Confirm that manufacturers product is properly displayed in stores by acting as an on-demand secret shopper. You’ll get paid between $3 and $8 each time you complete a confirmation (“shift”) with a manufacturer which will be remitted to your PayPal account.
- Field Agent: Get hired by people in your local area to do odd jobs in under two hours and get paid cash.
- Mobee: Earn some coin by making some quick reviews of things inside stores while you’re out shopping.
18. Web Developer
Type: Full Career
Average Annual Earning by experience:
$51K (Entry Level, 0-5 years)
$64K (Mid Career, 5-10 years)
$70K (Experienced, 10-20 years)
$82K (Late Career, >20 years)
Why Full Career
The biggest difference between a Website Manager and a true Web Developer is that a Web Developer has the skills required actually write and manipulate code in order to completely control the look, feel and function of a website. This level of expertise enables the Web Developer to add customization not available through the website platform software alone. Because of these advanced skills, Web Developers are able to earn a higher salary than a Website Manager and are usually more sought after.
Who Is This For
Tech savvy individuals who enjoy working with code and aren’t afraid of learning new things as the industry evolves.
Where to start
Luckily, this career is in such a fast moving industry that a college degree is not always required (and honestly not necessarily even recommended). This should save you thousands of dollars in tuition, but requires some dedication on your part to learn the trade by either attending a coding boot camp, a series of classes, or self-study through low-no cost resources you can find online. FreeCodeCamp.com is a resource we recommended for being a Website Manager, but is perhaps even more relevant when you are looking to become a Web Developer. As a Web Developer, you will need to know a minimum of HTML and CSS, but it is recommended that you also know JavaScript as well. Once you have fine-tuned these skills, it is time to hunt for a company worthy of your talents and submit your application.
Resources:
47 of The Best Places to Learn to Code For Free
Codecademy: Learn to code
CodeCombat – Learn how to code by playing a game
19. eBook Author
Earnings: Dependent on quality, consumer interest and marketing
Why Side Hustle OR Full Career
If you are a lover of words and have always imagined that one day you would write a book, becoming an eBook publisher can be a great way to earn some money while fulfilling your dream. Unfortunately, it is too hard to predict how much you will earn on this since some authors are able to make smash hits like 50 Shades of Grey or this author who made $450K in a year by self-publishing on Amazon, while other authors struggle to break even on the cost it took them to write their books in the first place. Because of the high level of instability, we decided being an eBook Author could easily be a Side Hustle OR a Full Career.
Who Is This For
People who are passionate about writing and who love to take on larger projects.
Where to Start
The place you should start is by getting on your laptop right now and start writing. The most important thing any aspiring writer can do is to just keep writing. Once you have built a habit out of this and made it a part of your regular routine, you will be surprised at the results in just a few months. The next most important thing to do is be sure to market your book and try to generate a fan base over time that will eventually be proud owners of your future novel.
Resources:
Kindle Publishing Platform
Lulu
Good Reads
IngramSpark.com
20. Graphic Designer
Type: Full Career
Average Annual Earning by experience:
$38K (Entry Level, 0-5 years)
$43K (Mid Career, 5-10 years)
$46K (Experienced, 10-20 years)
$48K (Late Career, >20 years)
Why Full Career
Graphic Designers are in constant high demand from companies in virtually every industry: whether your site needs a new banner to promote your weekend sale, an email image to show off your new product or a social media graphic to engage your audience. When you combine the market demand with the technical training that goes into learning this skilled trade, Graphic Designers are able to produce a livable wage, making this a perfect candidate for a Full Career.
Who Is This For
Creative, tech savvy individuals who are interested in having an artistic outlet they can get paid for.
Where to Start
Although tools and trends change a bit over time, getting some formal training in graphic design on industry standard tools like Photoshop and InDesign can be a valuable first step to launching your Graphic Design Career. However, if you are a strong self-starter, you can find just about anything you need to learn about graphic design through free, online resources as well. Check out this article on 55 Hand-Picked Resources to Help You Learn Graphic Design Quickly for a good example of tips you can use right away. Once you feel like you have mastered some of the basics, have a good understanding of how to use the tools of the trade and have put together some pieces to get your portfolio started, take a look at some of the job boards below and pick out some opportunities you feel confident enough to tackle.
Resources:
Fiverr – Use Add-On Options to Make More Money
99Designs.com
Krop Job Board
Coroflot Job Board
Plan For Home-Based Business Success
Whether you are looking to supplement your current income with a Side Hustle or go all out for a Full Career, it is important to keep an open mind when pursuing any work from home opportunities. You never know when your freelance work can explode into a successful business venture.
If your business does take off and begin to flourish into something bigger than you can handle on your own, you will want to a strong support system in place to help you share the workload. Before investing too much thought into how much money your business will need to make to support hiring an employee, consider using a reliable and professional phone answering service to take care of your inbound calls while you run your home-based business. Partnering with a live answering service allows you to stay focused on what earns money while maintaining that flexible schedule. Going this route can save you time and money down the road and is affordable enough to start using at almost any stage of your business.
It is true that many of these home-based businesses can be starter with little to no prior training. However, it is still important that you do your homework and get a more complete understanding of what the pros and cons are for each. Once you’ve settled on one or more of your favorites you feel are a good fit for your future, it’s time to roll up your sleeves and get to work.
Sources
Hourly Earnings and estimated salaries provided by PayScale.com, SalaryExpert.com, Glassdoor.com
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Why an Answering Service is a Smart Investment for a Startup Business
