For businesses, giving resources and time to side projects has proven over and over to be worth it. Slack, everyone’s favorite communication hub, started life as a simple tool for a group of game developers. Instagram was founded when the creators of Burbn, a location-based app for whiskey lovers, realized their users were sharing photos of more than just their cocktails. And Twitter, of course, was a silly little project spawned out of podcasting platform Odeo.
But what about for you? I’m sure you have some big, crazy ideas that have been sitting in the back of your mental closet for months, if not years. What if these side project ideas aren’t so “crazy” after all?
Side projects help us uncover new interests, promote divergent thinking (one of the building blocks of creativity), and can potentially take your life in an unexpected direction. However, thats also what makes them scary. They require time and money—and more importantly, youll need enough motivation from the meaning the side project brings to keep going when its tough.
So what makes a personal side project successful? After reading the stories of 10 creators, from a programmer-turned-author to a college kid who just inked a book deal based on his dog rating side project, I found these 7 common “ingredients” for starting, building, and launching a successful personal side project.
Launching a side project can help you pursue a passion, make extra money or expand your skills. But it takes strategy and effort to turn a hobby into a thriving endeavor. Follow these tips to create a fruitful side hustle.
Research Your Idea Thoroughly
Don’t commit time and resources to a whim. Do diligent research upfront to validate your idea:
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Size the market – Search for data on customer demand for this type of offer. A niche may be too small to sustain.
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Study the competition – Scope out potential rivals, gaps in offerings, and competitive advantages you can leverage.
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Talk to target customers – Interview people in your audience to understand needs and challenges. Get feedback on your concept.
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Define goals – Outline financial and personal goals so you can measure success. This will shape project direction.
Homework gives you immense clarity before diving in
Make a Skills Inventory
Next, take stock of your abilities to judge if you have the right toolkit to execute well:
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List technical expertise needed like web development or writing.
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Identify soft skills critical for the project like marketing or customer service.
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Assess gaps and consider hiring help or taking courses to fill them.
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Leverage skills you already have so it’s feasible to handle after work hours.
Playing to your strengths boosts your chances of excelling and enjoying the process.
Consider Your Location
Some types of side projects work well from anywhere, but for many, location matters.
Working on-site somewhere part-time can provide equipment or facilities you lack at home. Local access to customers and resources may also enable some ideas more than others.
Factor geography into planning to ensure it supports the endeavor.
Get Feedback from Trusted Colleagues
Before diving in, share your idea with professionals you respect to collect constructive input:
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Ask for their take on the concept’s strengths and weaknesses.
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Inquire if they know others working on similar businesses you could learn from.
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Request help spreading the word when you launch.
Feedback and advice from those with experience in your industry will prove invaluable for building something sustainable.
Map Out Action Steps
With research done, create a roadmap for bringing your idea to life:
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** outline all tasks and steps needed, from inception through launch and operations.
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Put items in logical order with reasonable timeframes.
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Tie steps to goals so you stay aligned with your vision.
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Build in review points to evaluate progress and make changes.
Having a plan provides structure and keeps you on track as you juggle a side project with your day job.
Determine Necessary Technology
Many side hustles need some technology powering the product or service delivery.
Decide early what you require – website, software, subscriptions, equipment, etc. – so you can budget properly.
Look into options for getting quality tech affordably like open source tools or used equipment. This limits startup costs.
Create a Reasonable Budget
Beyond technology, tally all potential expenses accurate to get a total budget:
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Research costs for any supplies, materials, or contractors.
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Estimate taxes, insurance, and legal fees you may incur.
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Build in some cushion for unexpected expenses.
This gives you a realistic spending framework for ramp up and initial operations. You can revise once up and running.
Manage Your Time Wisely
With only evenings and weekends to work on it, time management is critical.
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Block your calendar for consistent project work sessions with set priorities.
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Limit it to realistic hours per week so you don’t burn out.
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Take advantage of pockets of time like early mornings or commute time.
Budgeting your side project hours protects your full-time job and personal life.
Start Creating an Audience Early
To establish interest, share your plans and progress along the way through:
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Email lists, social media, and networking events
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Content like blog posts and videos introducing your project
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Surveys asking ideal customers for input on your idea
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Free samples or previews that potential buyers can try
This builds excitement and gets valuable feedback to guide development.
Refine as You Go
Check in regularly once launched to review what’s working well and where you’re struggling. Identify needed tweaks like:
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Modifying your offer based on customer feedback and demand
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Trying new marketing tactics if leads are slow
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Streamlining operations or processes to run more efficiently
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Expanding your skills to improve the product
Continuous small improvements keep your side business evolving with lessons learned.
Maintain Momentum
Make consistent progress by:
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Setting aside dedicated weekly hours to devote
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Tracking metrics like new leads to meet goals
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Celebrating small wins that keep you motivated
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Sharing your journey publicly to hold yourself accountable
With regular time invested, you can grow your startup idea into a fruitful endeavor.
By assessing the opportunity carefully, leveraging your abilities fully, and iterating based on market response, you can create a side project that thrives. With strategic planning and consistent execution, you’ll see your business idea come to life successfully.
Charge For Your Work
Selling seems antithetical to creation. One is pure, unadulterated originality, the other simply squeezing hard-earned dollars and cents out of another person. But if you want your side project to be a success (and it’s something you plan on selling), this is the wrong way to think about it.
Successful side project creators don’t think about price, they think about value. If you value the work you’re doing, and you’re creating something that has meaning to you, then there should be someone else out there who feels the same way.
As a full-time marketing director, Noah Kagan was no stranger to the art of sales. Yet, when he launched his side project, AppSumo, he still fell into the trap of feeling guilty about asking for money:
To get over this awkwardness about pricing, Noah reminds himself of a few simple facts every time he launches a new side project:
- Whatever you’re doing, you’re creating value for someone else.
- People pay for time. If you make something that helps them save time, they’ll feel good about paying for it.
- It’s human nature to feel better about things we pay for. Going the free route isn’t always the best way if you want people to take your side project seriously.
“What happens when your friends give you their ‘great’ advice?” asks Noah. “Even if their advice is really, really good…most of us (including myself) don’t listen to it. Instead, most of us value what we pay for over what we get for free.”
If you want people to care about your side project, you need to show them that it’s valuable. And one of the easiest ways to do that is to start charging. Even just $1 is enough to change your mindset from “no one cares about what I’m doing” to “I have actual paying customers”—and that’s a powerful switch.
This doesn’t mean you have to charge for what you’re making. Instead, it comes down to how you measure success. If you’re working on your side project to learn new skills or be a part of a community you enjoy, then success might come from simply sharing what you’re doing. If, however, success to you means starting a new career or building your own business, then charging is crucial to achieving your goals.
Find Something That Sits Between “Things You Enjoy” and “Skills You Want to Build”
It’s no surprise that side projects should be something you enjoy and find meaning in as well as can help you professionally. As Julie Zhou, product design VP at Facebook and avid side project champion explains, “Side projects work best when they live at the interaction of ‘Things you enjoy’ and ‘Things that help you practice a marketable skill.’”
While this is simple in theory, it can quickly get murky. Start a side project solely because it will help you get ahead in your own job and you run the risk of that project becoming just an extension of your work. Rather than feeling motivated to spend time on it, youll approach it just like another task on your work to-do list.
However, if your project doesn’t help you build a skill you can use in other parts of your life, you’re just having fun. Which is fine, of course. But won’t necessarily bring in a level of meaning to your life.
The goal then, as Zhou explains, is to find that sweet spot in the middle.
10 Tips For Starting & Creating Side Projects
How do I create a successful side project?
Consider following these steps to create a successful side project: 1. Research a side project idea Once you have an idea for a side project, research it. Try to identify a problem with a potential solution that you can offer, and then, decide if people would pay for your expertise.
Why should you start a side project?
For example, you may have web design experience and want to launch a side project that focuses on creating websites for non-profit businesses in your spare time. Successful side projects may focus on things you’re passionate about and be a great source of self-fulfillment.
Should you start a new side project?
Starting a new side project always seems like a good idea. So you buy the materials, or you register the domain name, or you tell your friends and family that you’re booked every Sunday from now until eternity for practice sessions. And then, just a few weeks in, you start to resent the project you were once so passionate about.
Are side projects a good idea for digital creatives?
For digital creatives, side projects can also be a great opportunity to strengthen your existing skills, learn new ones, and boost your resume when it makes sense. In this article, we’ll explore 10 great side project ideas that will not only supercharge your creativity, but also open new doors to places you never imagined.
