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Side Hustle-From Idea to Income in 27 Days Review

Side Hustle-From Idea to Income in 27 Days Review

A Side Hustle is, “a way to create additional income without taking on the risks of going full throttle into the world of working for yourself.” ~Side Hustle-From Idea to Income in 27 Days

Once again, Chris Guillebeau hits it out of the park with Side Hustle – From Idea to Income in 27 Days. The iconic author of the $100 Start Up shows you, step-by-step, how to find a viable side hustle idea and put it into action. Even if you already have a side hustle, or two or don’t expect to start another business soon there is something here for you.

The main premise of Side Hustle is that in today’s uncertain world, with less job security, your side hustle is like an insurance policy. Whether you’re looking for a part-time job to pay off bills, take a glamorous trip around the globe or shore up your retirement, creating a part-time side hustle is vital.

Side Hustle-From Idea to Income in 27 Days Review

I’ve been side hustling since my days as a Career Counselor at San Diego State University, where I did private career guidance on the side. Today, my whole life is one big side hustle. Despite my decades of hustling and side hustling experience, I learned a lot from Guillebeau’s book. 

My favorite parts of the book are the anecdotes. A story in on page 26 describes Dan Khadem’s expertise with Microsoft Access and his need to pay off $45,000 of debt.  Dan signs up with an online tutoring site to offer Microsoft Access training to customers worldwide. Because his Access skill is in high demand, he made $500 to $1,000 per month tutoring others for a few hours per month. Not only did he enjoy the money, but the work was fun.

Guillebeau writes simply and clearly and outlines a plan for readers to select and implement a viable side hustle idea. The book is divided into weeks with the promise to be up and running in under a month.

Here are the weekly tasks to get your side hustle going:

Week 1 – Build an Arsenal of Ideas

Week 2 – Select Your Best Idea

Week 3 – Prepare for Liftoff

Week 4 – Launch Before You’re Ready

Week 5 – Regroup and Refine

If you can follow a cookbook recipe, then you can create a side hustle. Although Side Hustle-From Idea to Income in 27 Days is filled with inspiration, examples and specific steps, the promise of being up and running in 27 days, while spending a minimum of 30 minutes per day is ambitious. I suspect you’ll need more than a daily half hour to get your business going.

Show Me the Side Hustle Money

“You’re not looking for an idea that merely sounds interesting; you’re looking for a profitable one.”~Side Hustle-From Idea to Income in 27 Days

Chris questions a college grads side hustle idea of creating an app that introduces a new form of payment for people who don’t like credit cards or cash. His critique boiled down to the reality that this is a huge, expensive and time intensive undertaking for a product in a competitive space. 

The checklist at the end of “Learn How Money Grows on Trees” chapter is distilled into six simple ideas:

  • Can you describe the idea in one sentence?
  • Is there an obvious way to monetize the idea?
  • Does the idea solve a problem?
  • Can you implement the idea fast?
  • Is your idea low maintenance?
  • Can you get paid more than once for the idea?

After you come up with multiple side-hustle ideas, he teaches you how to refine the best ones. Instead of becoming an Uber driver, you could create a side-gig coaching other Uber drivers to make more money.

The pros and cons of each idea get an entire chapter. Two guys who liked to drink went from an idea to distill their own gin to selling a gin-making kit!

Back to the money, Guillebeau counsels readers to forecast profits, on the back of a napkin. I loved this simple activity. It takes the agony out of profitability forecasting and is an antidote for perfectionists. 

So, once you’ve honed the idea, tested it, created your ideal customer, the book teaches you how to transform your idea into an offer. If anyone can do that, it’s Chris Guillebeau. As I was beginning to write this review, I did a quick Google search to uncover any other reviews of Side Hustle-From Idea to Income in 27 Days. After all, I want my review to be the top one in search!

What I found was that Guillebeau’s Side Hustle school, podcast, book and more populated the entire first page of  Google. That’s proof enough that this book has something to teach you about creating and marketing an idea!

Set Your Side Hustle in Motion

“Ready to launch.” ~Side Hustle-From Idea to Income in 27 Days

By week 3, you’re ready to implement your idea. In reality, I can’t imagine being up and running on a side gig in 2 weeks, but, it might be possible. Anyhow, getting your business up quickly is a great goal to strive for. You’re advised to create a launch ingredient list and follow the plan. From creating a website, social media profiles, a scheduling tool, workflow plan and payment system, you’re ready to go. 

Again, make sure your payment system is sound. Although you might be having fun with your side job, you need to get paid.

In the end, you’ll seek ways to expand on the side hustle, with minimal effort. Chris suggests expanding horizontally by creating another version if the first is going well. Just return to Google and search Guillebeau side hustle and you’ll see how it’s done.

The Final Side Hustle Pitch

As if the first 27 days weren’t enough, the book finishes up with additional resources including:

  • Side Hustle Starter Kits
  • Validate an Idea With $1 and a Facebook Account
  • Write a Letter to Your Ideal Customer
  • Buy a Rental Property With a $1,575 Down Payment

I highly recommend Side Hustle-From Idea to Income in 27 Days. It’s right for any type of entrepreneur, with actionable ideas for newbies and experienced business owners alike. My only caveat is that I think it’s ambitious to go from zero to full throttle in 28 days. 

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