Thanks to the internet and social media marketing, you can make money in side hustle businesses despite what is going on in the world. Remember, there will be winners on the other side of this pandemic, and it could be you.
Before you go into business, please become a legit business. People can sue, and you want to protect your personal assets. Form an LLC so that you are a legal business. Register with the IRS to get an EIN Number, which will enable you to open a business bank account. Don’t commingle personal and business funds. Get yourself some business insurance, which is pretty cheap. Try the company where you currently have your homeowners or renter’s insurance. And figure out how you’ll accept payment and provide receipts. Square, PayPal, CashApp, or Venmo all work. Square and PayPal allow you to create invoices and receipts, which will be helpful come tax time.
Here are a few ideas about 20 top side hustle businesses to start in these uncertain times.
20 Side Hustle Businesses to Start Now
After you have the basics set up, it’s time to decide what your business will be. Which of these side hustle businesses best utilizes your skills and experience?
1. Resume Writer
With 26+ million folks out of work in the U.S., helping people develop their personal marketing resume to secure employment is greatly needed. Most people are not great writers when it comes to bragging about their accomplishments. Job candidates are being advised to create 3-4 different versions of their resume, so there is a lot of opportunities.
2. Virtual Assistant
With so many people having to do more for themselves these days, virtual assistants are in high demand. If you are highly organized, with strong project management skills and computer savvy, this could be a great new business to start.
3. Tutoring Online (Reading, Math, SAT, ACT, GMAT, LSAC Prep)
All these parents homeschooling and supervising online schooling with their children need help. Kids need extra support in subjects like reading and math. Tutoring companies are hiring tutors at $15.00 an hour, or you can set up your own tutoring program at $35-$75 at hour on Zoom. Use social media to promote your new business. Be specific about the target audience you are going to tutor. Consider selling a block of hours at one time. How could you package 10-hours of tutoring?
4. Social Media Trainer
LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram are all social media platforms that people need to learn to make money online. If you know how to teach others how to use them to find a job or sell something, people will pay.
5. Personal Coaching/Counseling Services
Personal, business coaching, and mental health counseling can all take place online or by phone. You can use a secure conference call line, or Zoom calls for face-to-face interaction. You want to use a professional service so that you can record the call to send it to your client or transcribe for your medical notes.
6. LinkedIn Sales Training
People who are in business need sales leads. One of the best places to find leads in this marketplace is on LinkedIn. The platform even has its own sales tool, LinkedIn Sales Navigator. If you know how to use this tool, and have experience generating results, you could have customers overnight. There are free tutorials on YouTube that can teach you how to use Sales Navigator.
7. Uber, Lift, Grub Hub, Door Dash
So many people have made side hustle businesses as delivery drivers. If you have a car, current insurance, and a mask, you can drive for a living for all the sites that help people get around or do food deliveries. This will not earn you a lot of money, but it’s a quick cash flow opportunity.
8. Mask Making
If you sew, you can make a mint right now, making custom masks and coverings for people. At $10-$35 per mask, depending on the embroidery, this could be a great business opportunity.
9. Write an Ebook
Do you know something you could sell? Consider ideas such as how to start a home garden, how to pass the CPA exam, or how to start a business in 30 days. These are all things people want to know and are willing to pay for the knowledge. If you have 3,000 – 10,000 words to share, write it up, have someone edit it, then hire a graphic designer to lay It out for you. If you plan to sell it on Amazon, there’s a specific format they require, so hire a graphic designer with experience with that format. It’s best to have a website or landing page to drive traffic to your ebook.
10. Sell Unused Clothes & Household Items
We all have stuff we bought on late-night TV that we have never used or clothes hanging in the closet that still have tags on them or shoes that have never been worn. Get rid of them and turn them into cash using eBay, Poshmark, or if you have luxury handbags or wallets in good condition, look for luxury consignment websites like Real, Real.
11. Sell Creative Services Online
If you have creative skills in graphic design, social media management, website design, book covers, etc. you can set up a website to sell your services, but then you’ll need to drive traffic to that site. An easier route that many have taken is to set up side hustle businesses on services like Fivrr.com, Upwork.com or Freelancer.com
12. Sales Research
Small businesses that sell B2B need sales support. If someone gave you a list of target companies, could you find out exactly who the contact would be to pitch for a contract? If someone had a CRM that needed to be updated, could you do that? If someone wants competitive analysis done, can you do that? If you have a track record of doing it, you can sell that skill.
13. Create an Online Course
Do you have the ability to teach people how to do something? How about a make-up course, sign language course, how to be better with online ads, or how to power wash your house? You can offer anything from a 30-minute webinar up to a 6-week online course. You’ll need a landing page with a course description, class agenda, and the learning objectives for attendees. You’ll also need a learning management system to deliver your course if it’s more than a one-time thing. Try services such as udemy.com, teachable.com, or kajabi.com to deliver your course.
14. Freelance Writing
There is a need for quality content. Companies big and small are willing to pay for blog articles and website copy. There are people who need help with book projects as well. If you are an exceptional writer or copy editor, this could be one of the best side hustle businesses for you.
15. Become a Personal Chef or Baker
Everyone is tired of cooking. If you can make healthy and delicious meals or sweets, people are willing to pay for, you could create one of those side hustle businesses that are incredibly popular right now. Create a menu and use social media to get the word out. But handle business first and be sure to check with your local township about the rules for using your personal kitchen for commercial purposes.
16. Mobile Hair/Nail/Barber Service
We are all in need of hair and barber services. Going back to the salon might not work for a while, but if you are willing to travel to your customers, you can charge a premium, and there’s plenty of work to do. Reach out to your database with an email blast or hit FB will your mobile rates and let people book appointments.
17. Answer Questions on JustAnswer.com
Many people with professional expertise, such as being a doctor, veterinarian, lawyer, mechanic, or plumber, etc., are earning cash with side hustle businesses. Once you are accepted as an expert, you can leverage your professional credentials to answer people’s questions and then let the money start rolling in.
18. Create Tutorials on YouTube
Just like developing an online course, you can also create a video series to teach people new skills on YouTube. It really doesn’t matter what you want to teach as long as there’s a market for it: how to become a stand-up comedian, how to be better with online ads, or how to become a certified project manager, for example.
19. Mobile Pet Grooming Service
Just like people need haircuts, so do their pets. A mobile pet grooming service can provide a needed service for families who are already managing a lot of variables with homeschooling and want their fur baby to smell fresh and camera-ready for Instagram pictures.
20. Personal Trainer/Fitness Coaching
When you are trying to lose weight or just maintain muscle tone, sometimes you need help to stay accountable to a regular workout routine. There are many personal trainers doing coaching sessions online via Zoom or within private Facebook groups. If you are a yoga, dance, or karate instructor, you need to keep your students engaged, so consider a Zoom option for private or group lessons. My niece even has a softball pitching coach who works with her on Zoom.
Hopefully, one of these side hustle businesses will match with your expertise. It’s best to establish a business in something that you already know. This is not the time to become a personal trainer or graphic designer if you have no track record or portfolio to share. Don’t forget to do the paperwork to become a real business and establish a separate business bank account, so that you don’t comingle funds. These are tough times, but tough times build strong people. Go get your side hustle on.