From Zero to $3,000 a Month: My Online Side-Hustle Success Story and Here’s How You Can
Also, learn about the 7 side hustles that can make you money while you sleep.
Let’s be honest.
If you’re hoping to become a millionaire through your job within a year or two, it’s unlikely that you’ll achieve this goal. The uncertainty of job security is also a factor to consider, as companies with financial difficulties may be forced to lay off employees.
Despite this, some may believe that programmers can earn enough money within a year, but this is not always the case. In reality, it often takes several years of experience for a programmer to start earning a significant income.
So, one option to achieve financial stability is to work in a job for several decades and enjoy a comfortable retirement with the money you’ve saved. However, this path may not be for everyone.
Another option is to start a business or side hustle that can increase your income. This can be challenging, as I learned from my own experience working at a startup while building a side hustle. Despite the difficulties, it’s an option worth considering.
Today, my side hustle is already generating four figures a month, and I expect it to grow to five figures soon. With hard work and patience, you can achieve similar success.
I think, to make more money, the easiest way is to find something based on your skill or by learning some skill that pays you while you sleep. And that’s where this post may help.
In the latter part, I am writing a few side hustles that have the potential to make you wealthy and generate income while you sleep. For sure, it will need time, and some of them are difficult and competitive.
Let’s start.
Web Development to Writing: An Unexpected Journey to Success
Two years ago, I was just a student in engineering college, learning about web development and building several projects. Little did I know that my web development skill would take me on a journey that would change my life forever.
It all started when I discovered Medium, a platform for writers and content creators. I had some knowledge of web development, so I decided to write about it, despite having zero experience in writing. My first attempts were, to put it mildly, not great. But I was determined to improve.
I started reading articles and watching tutorials on how to become a better writer, and I put in the time and effort to hone my skills. I was not content with mediocrity, so I pushed myself to be better every day. Slowly but surely, my writing improved, and my followers on Medium began to grow.
Fast forward to today, I have over 9K followers and am working with several big brands. I am also in the process of starting my own startup, all from scratch.
To be sure, the journey was not easy, but I learned so much along the way. I discovered the power of taking risks and trying new things, and I realized that the key to success is to never stop working on yourself.
If there is one thing I have learned, it is this: if you start something today and work on it every day, putting in the effort to make it better, amazing things can happen.
So, my advice to anyone reading this is to take the leap, start something that you are passionate about, and never stop working on yourself and trying new things. With time, you will discover what works best for you and find success.
Now, let me share with you some of the side hustles that have been tried and proven by many people and have the potential to generate money while you sleep.
Remember, there’s no quick path to riches, but with effort and dedication, these side hustles have the potential to grow over time.
Note: There is no new side hustle, and I attempted to identify side hustles that can actually create income while you sleep. For sure, it takes a lot of hard work and patience, but it works.
- Content Writing
Content writing is a broad field that offers multiple opportunities, but it’s essential to choose the niche you want to write about based on your expertise. For instance, if you’re a web developer, you can start by writing about web development-related topics.
To share my personal experience, I started writing on Medium and it took me 7 months to reach 100 followers. Over time, I became more consistent in my writing and increased my followers to 1K after the next 14 months, then 2K in 1 month, 5K in 5 months, and finally 9K in another 3 months.
For sure, this progress is a result of my hard work and consistency.
But, Nitin, where should I begin?
If you’re looking for platforms to start your content writing journey, I will suggest Medium, Twitter, or LinkedIn.
The key to success in content writing is to continually improve your skills and provide value to your audience. While it is possible to make money while you sleep with content writing, it’s a fairly difficult field that requires patience and hard work.
It’s important to note that writing on a platform with a large audience is different from starting a blog and writing enough content to rank on platforms like Google.
Starting a blog, buying the domain and hosting, and then waiting to get ranked is a long and challenging process, and more than 90% of people who start will abandon it within months. So I don’t recommend you create a website and then write every day.
In short,
- What you have to do: Become better at one of the skills and write about that.
- Can make money while you sleep: Yes.
- Difficulty: It is rather challenging. You must consistently provide value, and the results will be seen only after a few months depending on your skills.
2. YouTube
It is a difficult side hustle to get started with.
If you want to make money soon or within a few months, don’t start a YouTube channel.
But why YouTube? Because it is really valuable.
I’ve seen that many individuals who have large followings on other social media platforms are also attempting to launch a YouTube channel in 2023. The reason is simple: they understand the true importance of YouTube.
I know starting a YouTube channel can be a challenging side hustle, but with over a billion users worldwide, the potential audience is massive.
So all you have to do is figure out what the best user wants. In short, the key to success on YouTube is creating valuable content that appeals to your target audience.
I’ve seen certain creators, for example, start rising substantially by conducting research and delivering high-quality content. Your channel’s success will be determined by your ability to continuously create and post content.
Talking about me, I have tried YouTube in the past, but my lack of consistency and a limited number of videos led to a lack of success. To start a successful YouTube channel, it’s important to research your niche, identify what your audience values, and create content that provides real value.
When it comes to earning money through YouTube, it can be difficult. Many creators earn very little from ad revenue but find more money through branding and other opportunities. However, if you consistently produce valuable content, you will start to see results in a month or two.
In short,
- What you have to do: Become better at one of the skills and create videos about that. You need to research a lot about what the audience wants.
- Can make money while you sleep: Yes.
- Difficulty: In terms of making money, it is quite challenging. You must consistently provide value, and the results will be seen only after a few months depending on your expertise. After you become recognized, the ad money you get is insignificant to what you earn through branding and other sources.
3. Selling Courses/Products
When it comes to creating an online course as an individual, the quality of your course is a crucial factor. This is a common consensus among the top course creators in the industry.
Creating a web development course, for instance, can be challenging as the online world is overflowing with similar courses. To stand out, it is recommended to create a course that covers the latest technologies in the field.
Another way to gain an advantage is to create a course in your regional language. If your course is of high quality, it has the potential to outrank your competitors in the local market.
Additionally, having a strong social media following can be extremely beneficial in promoting your course. Utilizing your connections on these platforms can help increase visibility and attract potential students.
Regarding myself, I have created some products on Gumroad that have earned me more than $1,000. I don’t do it right now since I don’t have extra time.
In short,
- What you have to do: Create a course based on the expertise you have.
- Can make money while you sleep: Yes.
- Difficulty: It is fairly difficult. You have to be the best in what you create.
4. Affiliate Marketing
Consider this scenario: you are offered the chance to sell a product for $5, with a 20% commission of $1 per sale.
Would you do that?
Before you jump at the opportunity, think twice. The quality of the product you sell can greatly impact the trust you have built with your audience, and in turn, the potential earnings you can make in the future.
Take, for example, I have more than 9K followers on Medium.
Despite having a good following, I avoid adding affiliate links to their posts.
The reason is that adding too many affiliate links can decrease the trust between me and the reader. The readers might assume that I am being paid for promoting the product and therefore, it lacks value.
So, if you decide to include affiliate links, make sure they are relevant to the content you produce. For instance, a developer might add links to courses they have tried and recommended, but not too frequently.
Another strategy is to create content, such as a YouTube video, and add the affiliate link in the description or at the end of the post.
The key is to provide value to your audience so that they will be more likely to click on the link and make a purchase.
In short,
- What you have to do: You have to build trust based on the work you provide.
- Can make money while you sleep: Yes.
- Difficulty: It is not too difficult. Moreover, it is based on the value you deliver to your audience. If your audience has faith in you, they’ll surely buy the product or services you suggest. Even celebrities work with brands and make money from them.
5. Create Your Online Business with ChatGPT’s Support
ChatGPT has undoubtedly made a significant impact in the world of technology and programming. With its advanced language processing capabilities, even those with no prior programming experience can now create simple websites and apps in various programming languages in just a matter of hours.
The accessibility and ease of use offered by ChatGPT have made it a game-changer in the industry, allowing anyone to bring their ideas to life. This is evident from the widespread use and appreciation of ChatGPT, as seen in the positive reception of related content by individuals with various backgrounds and expertise.
If you are following me, you may know I have written some content related to ChatGPT, and people loved it. But let me tell you, individuals who have no programming experience are also creating apps and websites just because of ChatGPT.
So no matter what you are today? ChatGPT has changed the world by storm, and now anyone can easily create a simple website or an app in any programming language without any experience.
In short,
- What you have to do: You have to spend some time with ChatGPT and have to create a simple product for the online audience.
- Can make money while you sleep: Yes.
- Difficulty: It’s a lot simpler. On Twitter, users were utilizing a variety of applications made by people with no programming experience. Some of the tools even crashed as a result of multiple people joining and using them at the same time.
6. Earning With Figma
UI/UX design is a crucial aspect of any business that aims to provide a seamless user experience.
Let’s take an example.
My friend, who is a UI/UX designer, has gained a lot of recognition and clients through his design work. He also uses Figma, a design tool, to create and share his designs with his clients.
When I asked him about his secret to success, he said that showcasing his work and making it accessible to the public has helped him attract clients.
And in the same manner, you can.
Figma offers various opportunities for designers to monetize their skills and creativity.
Freelancing is one of the most common ways to make money with Figma. You can offer your design services to clients as a freelancer and find them through online marketplaces or self-promotion.
If you are a talented designer and have a passion for creating high-quality design templates, you can sell them through platforms like Creative Market or Envato.
Another way to make money with Figma is by creating and selling design courses. You can teach others how to use Figma or create specific types of designs using the software and monetize your knowledge and skills through platforms like Udemy or Skillshare.
Additionally, you can use Figma to design physical or digital products such as t-shirts, stickers, or phone cases and sell them through platforms like Redbubble or Society6.
In short, Figma is a versatile design tool that offers numerous opportunities for designers to make money.
Whether it’s through freelancing, selling design templates, creating and selling courses, or designing and selling physical or digital products, Figma provides a platform for designers to showcase their skills and monetize their creativity.
In short,
- What you have to do: You must take some time to familiarise yourself with Figma (YouTube can help you). Then you must share your designs on various social media channels in order to get clients. You may even sell your designs on some platforms.
- Can make money while you sleep: Yes.
- Difficulty: It’s a lot simpler. As you practice more, the more you become better, the more money you can earn.
7. Earning with Canva
Speaking of Canva, it is a potent graphic design tool that may simplify your workflow and assist you in producing high-quality designs fast and simply.
It has a large number of customizable templates, and the pro membership service adds even more templates and design components. Canva allows you to create designs for websites, templates, and other design tasks.
For those looking to monetize their design skills, it also offers the Creators program, which allows designers to sell their templates on the platform. This program provides a unique opportunity to make money while sharing your designs with a global audience.
In addition to selling templates, you can also earn money by teaching others how to use Canva. This can be especially useful for clients who want to create their own designs but lack the design skills or software to do so.
By teaching them how to use Canva, you can help them to become more self-sufficient and save time in the long run.
Whether you’re looking to monetize your design skills or simply improve your workflow, Canva is a great choice.
In short,
- What you have to do: Spend some time becoming familiar with Canva. Then you need to post your designs on various social media channels in order to get clients.
- Can make money while you sleep: Yes.
- Difficulty: It’s somewhat difficult and there is a bit more competition. As you practice more, the more you become better and the more money you can earn.
Hope you like it.
That’s it — thanks.
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