Earn money online with a side hustle.
Many Kenyans today, mostly younger than 35 have the desire to earn money online and turn it into their primary business, am one of those ambitious people. My side hustle, is creating content for both my website and my YouTube channel coming from a background of working online as a freelance editor.
With the outburst of the gig economy, millennials are looking to take their mobile phone, download an app and earn money online. But starting a side hustle requires serious groundwork, from picking the right hustle to finding the money and energy to do it.
Monetizing what you Love
Many people choose a business that takes advantage of skills they’ve developed at a 9-to-5 job.
Do your research before you settle for your desired side hustle which should help you earn money online.
Make sure the online side hustle you pick is something you love, you are also able to find enough customers and you have the right character to hack it.
The Cost to Earn Money Online
It’s all about the money. They say you need money to make money, though some business need less money to start making money. With a laptop and a phone, you are good to go. You may need to plan out your costs and build a cash cushion to fund your online side hustle. Remember to take advantage of free or low-cost resources such as WordPress.com to build a website, and use social media to build a marketing base.
If you’re selling a physical product, you may find your clientele on shopping sites, such as www.ebay.co.ke, www.jumia.co.ke or even www.masoko.com. www.ebay.co.ke is totally free and allows you to upload your shop design to put on hundreds of products. You earn money online by selling your product to the Kenyan customer already searching the internet for your products.
For less-tangible services, you’ll need to market your skills to find customers. Don’t be scared to promote yourself or your brand. Use Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and to your surprise if your service is good your followers will do the rest through retweets and likes.
Most side hustles are set up as low-cost sole proprietorships. And although many gigs cover some personal accountability, do your own research: Protection varies among platforms. Don’t forget about the Tax man, you must register your business and complete your personal tax return. You are required to report all of the income made through your side hustle.
However, if your business grows, consider consulting a lawyer to set up a limited company, which separates your personal assets from those of your online business. If you earn money online more consistent, then you can count yourself as a genuine side hustler.
