Side Hustles: When things Don’t Always go as Planned
We all know that taking on a little extra work on the side, also known as side hustles, can be great to earn some additional cash. It can help you weather through tough financial times, boost your savings, reduce your debt or give you a taste of entrepreneurship while still having the safety net of your regular job.
I’m a big fan of side hustles and encourage everyone to explore it. However, sometimes things can go awry. Here are some tales of side hustle mishaps that provide some valuable lessons:
1. The Foamy Dishwasher Incident:
TaskRabbit is a popular platform to find a variety of side jobs. You don’t even need specialized skills – if you can assemble furniture or do laundry, you can earn some extra income there.
Melanie, a frequent TaskRabbit user, took on a simple job to clean a man’s kitchen and run his dishwasher. Unfortunately, being unfamiliar with dishwashers, she accidentally used normal dish soap instead of dishwasher soap, leading to a bubble-filled disaster.
Lesson: When you’re dealing with unfamiliar territory, always, double-check the specifics. Keep calm in front of the client even when things go wrong.
2. The Freelance Venture That Ended In Job Loss:
Then there’s Tahnya, who dabbled in freelance writing and soon had more work than she could handle. Seeing an opportunity, she started a service to connect freelance writers with opportunities. However, her employer didn’t share her entrepreneurial spirit and ended up firing her over it.
Despite this setback, Tahnya found work at a company that appreciated her entrepreneurial spirit. Now, she continues freelance writing and shares opportunities with friends instead of taking a commission.
Lesson: Always check your company’s HR policies about side hustles related to your main job.
3. The Theatre Prop Disaster:
Finally, there’s my own experience when my hobby-based side hustle of making theatre props turned into a nightmare.
I took on a project that kept growing beyond what was initially agreed upon. They added designing a set with no extra pay despite knowing I didn’t have the skills. With a small budget and increasing demands, the final output was lackluster and I was left angry and overworked. I realized that I should have spoken up sooner and possibly walked away midway.
Lesson: Never hesitate to voice your concerns if you are unhappy or feel exploited. It’s also important to recognize your own limitations and not undertake tasks that are beyond your capacity.
Despite these hiccups, don’t be discouraged from exploring side hustles. With every failure, there are many more successes. Armed with these lessons, go forth and hustle!