Side Hustles for Full-Time Professionals

In my early career, I thought networking was all about building as many connections as possible. But I quickly learned that effective networking isn't about the quantity of your connections—it's about the quality. Throughout my career, the connections that have truly made a difference weren’t the ones where I just asked for help—they were the ones where I made it easy for others to want to help me. If you want to make others genuinely want to help you, it’s crucial to move beyond simply asking for favors. Instead, focus on creating value and building relationships where both parties benefit. So, how can you do the same? Here are four tactical tips to help you network effectively: ✅ Do Your Homework Before reaching out, research the person or company you’re interested in. Understand their work, challenges, and how you can add value. For instance, instead of asking a connection for job leads, do your own research first. Identify specific roles and companies you’re targeting, and then ask if they can help with an introduction. This approach shows initiative and respect for their time. ✅ Be Specific in Your Ask Whether you’re asking for an introduction, advice, or a referral, be clear and concise about what you need. For example, instead of asking, “Do you know anyone hiring?” say, “I noticed [Company Name] is looking for a [Role]. Would you be open to introducing me to [Person]? I’m happy to send you my resume and a brief write-up you can pass along, too.” This shows that you’ve taken the initiative and makes it easier for your contact to say yes. ✅ Offer Mutual Value When requesting a meeting or advice, frame it as a two-way conversation. Instead of saying, “Can I pick your brain?” try something like, “I’d love to exchange ideas on [specific topic] and share some strategies that have worked for me.” This not only makes your request more compelling but also positions you as someone who brings value to the table. ✅ Follow Up with Gratitude After someone has helped you, don’t just say thank you and disappear. Keep them in the loop on how their help made an impact. Whether you got the job, secured the meeting, or just had a great conversation, let them know. This closes the loop and makes them more inclined to help you in the future. Your network is one of your greatest assets—nurture it well, and it will be there for you when you need it most. What’s one networking tip that’s helped you build stronger connections? *** 📧 Want more tips like these? Join Career Bites - free weekly bite-sized tips to supercharge your career in 3 minutes or less: lorraineklee.com/subscribe 📖 You can also get behind-the-scenes stories, updates, and special gifts for my upcoming book Unforgettable Presence: lorraineklee.com/book

Build connections when you don’t need them, so they’re there when you do. Networking is a long‑term investment. You never know what can happen tomorrow, whether it’s a new opportunity, an unexpected challenge, or a career pivot. By cultivating relationships early, you turn strangers into allies and potential into possibility. My pro‑tip? Develop your personal value proposition. 
- List your top 3–5 strengths and concrete examples of how you’ve helped others 
- Turn each into an “I help…” statement (for example, “I help marketing teams drive engagement through data‑driven storytelling”) 
- Use these statements to guide every outreach, ensuring you’re always offering value, not just asking for favors Then start from what you know. 1. Choose 5–10 people from your alumni network, former classmates, or close colleagues 2. Send a genuine note, share an article they might find helpful, congratulate them on a recent win, or simply ask how you can support them 3. No agenda. Just curiosity and a willingness to help Next, venture into the unknown. 1. Identify people at companies you admire or in roles you aspire to 2. Do your homework: reference a recent project, article, or speaking engagement 3. Reach out with a clear, value‑first message: “I enjoyed your piece on X; as someone looking to Y, I’d love to learn how you approached Z.” And keep the momentum going. 
- Schedule quarterly reminders to check in, share insights, celebrate milestones, or ask a thoughtful question 
- Track key dates (promotions, product launches, anniversaries) so your messages feel timely Your network matters. When you need advice, an introduction, or anything really, you’ll already have authentic connections. And at the end of the day, already built connections where you can leverage the relationships > dry unknowns ‘Hey, I need help’ messages. #StephSynergy

You're a successful senior woman leader working long hours to meet demanding KPIs while trying to manage your life and family. You'd love to quit your job to work for yourself, but money is a problem. This is the challenge I spoke about to these ladies from PHOENIXUS. Like many of the clients I meet in the course of my work, some of these ladies want to exit their corporate jobs to start their own thing, but feel tied down by financials. The solution? Start it as a side hustle. Build your practice until it is able to sustain your lifestyle before quitting your day job. To do that, you'll need a few things. This is what I shared in my talk: 1. Know your end game What are you going to do? Will you be a coach, a consultant, or a public speaker? Is this your second career or a retirement job? (Yes, it matters) What you want to achieve will be a big determining factor in deciding how to achieve it. 2. Identify your unfair advantage Why would anyone want to engage you? What do you have that no one else does? Knowing your own strengths and overcoming your own limiting beliefs will be instrumental in your success. 3. Build your brand In an extremely crowded market, how do you stand out? If you're holding a full time job, you don't have the time to be chasing down clients every day so you need clients to come to you. What kind of brand are you building to ensure that happens? 4. Create a system for yourself You're a senior leader. It goes without saying that you're busy. You need a system to keep your side hustle running even when you're busy. Delegate or automate as much as you can so that you're only doing the most high value activities in the building of your practice. I love speaking to the ladies, and received many positive feedback that this is something they're looking for. If, like these ladies, you're looking for support to come out on your own from corporate, PM me. #womenleaders #entrepreneurship #sidehustle #careertransition #secondcareer

𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐩 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐨 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝  Leaving my corporate job on May 31st wasn’t a leap of faith—it was a calculated move. For two years at my previous job, I used my corporate salary to fund Tabchilli, planning every step to ensure I could handle setbacks without falling apart. If you think building a business while working full-time is easy, here’s the truth: 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞. But if you're strategic and intentional in managing your time, and mostly your energy level to deal with your startup, 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞. 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐲 5 𝐓𝐢𝐩𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐒𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐇𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐁𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐎𝐮𝐭 𝐃𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐆𝐞𝐭 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐝: Promotions mean more responsibilities. Stay steady and focus on your long-term goal. 𝐀𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞, 𝐃𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞: 🎯 Deliver only on business-critical tasks—no need to impress, just stay off the layoff radar. 𝐋𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐭 𝐄𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐬: 📩 The fewer emails you send, the fewer you receive. Focus only on emails that drive results. 𝐁𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐤 𝐚 𝐍𝐨-𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐃𝐚𝐲: 🚫 Protect one day a week for deep, uninterrupted work on clearing your corporate tasks. 𝐀𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐝 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬: 🙅♂️ Build good relationships with your manager, give credit to others, and save your energy for your business. 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐱𝐢𝐭, 𝐃𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐑𝐮𝐬𝐡 𝐈𝐭 🛑 Give yourself 2-3 years to break even before you aim to leave your job. My last day was May 31st, and it was the month when Tabchilli broke even!🚀 Be ready for long working hours, and workload - This strategy helped me deliver on my corporate role objectives while maintaining sufficient energy levels to deal with the rollercoaster world of the startup. Entrepreneurship isn’t easy—but if you’re built for it, the impact is worth every grind.✨ #Tabchilli #SideHustle #Entrepreneurship #StartupJourney #MissionDriven

𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐉𝐨𝐛 & 𝐄𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩? 𝐃𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐒𝐤𝐢𝐩 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬! Starting a business while working a full-time job is a grind like no other—but it’s also one of the smartest ways to transition into entrepreneurship without financial risk. However, most people fail because they either rush in without a plan or burn out too soon. “𝑬𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑 𝒊𝒔𝒏’𝒕 𝒂𝒏 𝒆𝒔𝒄𝒂𝒑𝒆 𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒕𝒆; 𝒊𝒕’𝒔 𝒂 𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈-𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒎 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒊𝒕𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕.” 𝐂𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 ‘𝐖𝐡𝐲’ 𝐁𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 Many start a side business just because they hate their job or want to make extra money. But without a deeper reason, it’s easy to quit when things get tough. ✅ Ask yourself: Am I building this because I love the process, or just escaping my 9-5? ✅ Your ‘why’ should be strong enough to keep you going even 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐡𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝. 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐂𝐄𝐎, 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐧 𝐄𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐞 Your 9-5 pays the bills, but your 5-9 builds your future. Most fail because they don’t protect their time. ✅ Set non-negotiable hours for your business. Even 90 minutes a day compounds over time. ✅ Cut distractions: No mindless scrolling, 𝐧𝐨 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐟𝐥𝐢𝐱 𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬, 𝐧𝐨 𝐰𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬. ✅ Automate or outsource early—𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐥𝐞. 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐞𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐠-𝐓𝐞𝐫𝐦 𝐒𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 Balancing a job and a business is mentally exhausting. Most people give up not because their idea failed, but because they weren’t mentally prepared. ✅ Expect delays, failures, and sleepless nights. That’s part of the game. ✅ Build grit and resilience—𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐧, not a sprint. ✅ Surround yourself with mentors and 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞-𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐩𝐮𝐬𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝. Quitting your job without a plan is risky. But strategic entrepreneurship—where you build something sustainable while working—is a smart move. 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐣𝐨𝐛 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬? 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐛𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞? #Entrepreneurship #SideHustle #BusinessGrowth #StartupMindset

The hardest thing about stepping into entrepreneurship is starting—especially when you’re still holding onto your day job. Here’s how I made it easy for myself: 👇 1. I started by using my network → I reached out to five people I already knew to ask how I could support them. → I offered simple services that aligned with my skills. → This helped me make my first $100 while still working my 9-to-5. 2. I studied where my clients were hanging out → LinkedIn became my go-to because my ideal clients were already here. → I began sharing short posts about what I was doing and the problems I could solve. → People started noticing, and I began getting messages asking how I could help them. 3. I stayed consistent → I started posting once a week—this felt manageable while working full-time. → I commented on 5+ posts daily, sharing thoughtful insights. → Soon, I built a small but engaged community, which turned that first $100 into $100,000 in my side hustle. 4. I invested back into my growth → I used the money I earned to upskill, hire support, and expand my reach. → I reinvested in my business instead of spending it all, focusing on long-term growth. → This momentum is now helping me build my first $4 million. 5. I stopped worrying about judgment → Yes, some of my colleagues noticed my posts. → Yes, I felt nervous about what they’d think. → But I reminded myself that my vision mattered more—and those who believed in me started cheering me on. If you’re waiting for the perfect time to leave your day job, let this be your reminder: Start small, start scared, but just start. Your clients are here on LinkedIn, waiting for you. 💪

Most people think career diversity is career suicide. They're wrong. Single-path careers are the real risk. Emily Jones Joanisse proves it. Programmer. DJ. Nonprofit founder. 2008 crisis killed her Italian tech job. She didn't panic. She had options. Here's how she built a bulletproof career: 1. Build Skills That Travel Anywhere Emily learned programming young. Wrote scripts for her physicist father. Studied computer science. Worked across countries. Crisis hit. Job gone. She pivoted to teaching tech to children. Same core skill. Different stage. Americans change jobs 12 times by age 55 (Bureau of Labor Statistics). Portable skills survive. Specialized roles don't. Your move: What skills transfer anywhere? 2. Keep Your Creative Lane Alive Emily started DJing during her degree. Not a side hustle. A second identity. Canada to Europe. Milan hotel residencies. "It gave me community, confidence, and connection." She built networks her programming job never could. Creative paths open different doors. One-third of Americans ages 25-44 completely changed fields since their first job (edX survey). Your move: What creative outlet could become more? 3. Combine Your Lanes for Unique Impact 2018: Emily co-founded Connected Canadians. Free tech support for seniors. "I saw older adults struggle with digital tools." Teaching experience + programming background = solution nobody else saw. Your intersections create value competitors can't copy. Your move: What problems only your combination can solve? 4. Start Your Second Path Before You Need It Don't wait for the layoffs. Emily built DJing alongside programming. Each path supported the other. When tech crashed, music kept her afloat. When gigs were slow, coding paid the bills. 83% of workers now prioritize work-life balance over pay (High5Test research). They want options. Not just paychecks. Your move: Start exploring while you have security. Range is resilience. Multiple paths don't dilute your career. They bulletproof it. ♻️ Share this with someone stuck in one lane 🔔 Follow Kabir Sehgal for more

Side hustles are a contentious issue in ecommerce. There aren’t many industries with as many people juggling side projects as ours. Every company handles them differently. Some see them as distractions. Some see them as free L&D. Today’s episode of Add To Cart is the best case scenario. Twin brothers, Kevin and Keith Chan started Unwanted FC after starting their careers at Adidas. Both had worked their way up through football divisions, but they saw a problem. A huge amount of waste was piling up in football kits and footwear. That was the spark for their side hustle. Unwanted FC takes old football gear and gives it a second life by turning unwanted jerseys, shorts, boots and socks into beautifully crafted bags, wallets and accessories. They've already been worn by football legends like Juan Mata, partnered with Nike, and featured in the Matildas campaign. Today, Kevin has taken the leap to run Unwanted FC full-time, while Keith continues in a full-time role. It’s a unique moment in their brand journey and a brilliant case study in what side hustles can become when approached with intention. Here’s what I took away for both employers and employees when it comes to navigating side hustles in ecommerce: ⚽️ Transparency is key. Kevin and Keith were open with their employers from day one. That trust allowed space for growth without surprises. ⚽️ It doesn’t have to be all or nothing. Kevin is full-time. Keith isn’t... yet. A staggered approach means the brand gets built, and the employer keeps a creatively energised employee. ⚽️ Side hustles can be innovation labs. The skills, processes and sustainable thinking these two developed are a win for their business and any company paying attention. Whether you’re running a side hustle, managing someone who is, or are just a big football and sustainability supporter, this episode is worth a listen. Thanks to Alison Herod for the intro! 🎧 The Football Side Hustle That Landed a NIKE Collab: Add To Cart #528 (link in comments)

If you’re waiting for the “right time" to start your side hustle, read this... Jack Butcher started with zero audience, money, or connections. All he had was a laptop, a skillset, and a decision: He wasn’t going to rely on someone else to decide his value. “I didn’t have a crazy network. I wasn’t born into a creative family. But by publishing online, I found my people, built my business, and completely changed the quality of my work and relationships.” How to Quit Your Job and Build Your Internet Empire: 1. Start While You’re Still Employed Jack didn’t quit cold turkey. He started publishing small ideas and experiments on the side — tweets, blog posts, designs. “Just contribute something small every day. A tweet, a blog post, a design. When you do it long enough, the opportunities multiply.” Pick a consistent, low-effort way to publish daily. Build the habit before you need it. 2. Find the Overlap Between Your Skills and the Internet’s Demand Don’t try to reinvent yourself overnight. Jack took what he was already good at — visual communication — and translated it into formats the internet loves. “You apply for a job that doesn’t exist by making things only you can make.” List your 3 strongest skills. Search for how people are already monetizing them online. 3. Turn Attention into Income Once Jack’s work started getting noticed, he monetized with services first. Products came later. Why? Services pay faster, and you can refine your offer while building your audience. Create a “fast-to-market” offer you could sell this month — coaching, design, writing, consulting. 4. Build Assets, Not Just Income The turning point was when Jack packaged his knowledge into products — courses, templates, visual frameworks. Now those assets earn while he sleeps. “The internet is the only thing that completely changed the trajectory of my life... eventually I created products that gave me complete freedom.” Document your process while working with clients. Turn it into a repeatable, sellable asset. 5. Trust the Compounding Effect At first, the results feel invisible. Then suddenly, opportunities stack faster than you can handle. “When you’re not fixated on what should happen, all possibilities are available to you.” Commit to 12 months of consistent publishing before judging your results. You don’t have to gamble everything to quit your job. You just have to start creating in public, learn fast, and stack small wins until your side income makes the decision for you. “Just contribute something small every day… when you do it long enough, the opportunities multiply.” — Jack Butcher – ♻️ Share this post if you found it helpful. ➕ Follow me ( Ish Verduzco ) for more posts like this.

80% of jobs are never posted online. So why are you still applying like everyone else? Most networking advice is outdated and ineffective. Most advice tells you to: ❌ Go to networking events. ❌ Send cold messages. ❌ Ask for favors right away. But here’s what actually works: [1] Give Before You Take Most people approach networking with a “What can I get?” mindset. The best networkers flip it: → Comment on their posts. → Share their work. → Offer insights before ever asking for anything. What to do: Add value before expecting value. [2] Go Beyond "Hi, Let’s Connect" If your entire message is just a connection request, you’re getting ignored. What to do: Reference something they’ve written, a project they worked on, or a shared interest. [3] Don’t Just Network When You Need Something People can tell when you're only reaching out because you're job hunting. What to do: Build relationships before you need them. Stay engaged over time. [4] Follow Up (Without Being Annoying) Most people connect once and disappear. Big mistake. What to do: Follow up with a simple message: “Hey, I came across this article and thought of you. Hope you’re doing well!” [5] Be in the Right Rooms Networking isn’t just about quantity, it’s about quality. What to do: Engage in industry-specific groups and communities where opportunities actually happen. [6] Be a Connector, Not Just a Contact Want to be remembered? Introduce people who could benefit from knowing each other. What to do: If you know two people who could collaborate, make an introduction. It positions you as someone valuable to know Networking isn’t about who you know. It’s about who remembers you when an opportunity arises. What’s the best networking advice you’ve ever received? Let’s discuss in the comments. Follow Priyank Ahuja for more career growth insights. LinkedIn News India LinkedIn Guide to Creating