Embarking on the journey of turning a side hustle into a business is an exhilarating endeavour and one that I have been through personally with the creation of Motherhood: The Real Deal, but it’s not without its challenges.

In this article, we’ll share tips from entrepreneur and mum Steph Douglas who has made her name as a keen writer, content creator and Founder of bespoke gifting Business, Don’t Buy Her Flowers. So without further ado, let’s hear her advice!

There is a lot you can do before you’re ready to press LIVE

It helps to have the safety net of a job while you’re researching, planning, prepping, and it takes the pressure off financially. When you’re motivated and excited, it’s amazing what you can do with ‘spare’ hours, and it may take a while to get some traction so spreading your options can be beneficial.

Don’t worry about everything being perfect

Apple didn’t launch with the iPhone. Once you’ve started, you’ll be able to see very quickly what customers want, what have you got right, and make changes and evolve your idea. And customers like to see that evolution – adding new products, improving the service, upgrading packaging – they’re all really normal steps for a business to make but if you try to get them all exactly right from the start, you’ll be holding yourself back from getting going.

Be focused

Be really clear on what your product or service is, who is it for, what makes you different? What is your purpose and what problem are you solving? It helps to have this clarity because you can use that as a checklist to make decisions. It’s easy to be distracted by what other people are doing, but if you’re clear on what your business is, it’s easier to ignore what others are doing.

Having said that, don’t be so focused that you get stuck. If it’s not working, you need to pivot and a massive benefit of being a small business is that you can move fast – you don’t have a load of stakeholders needing to sign things off.

At the beginning, roll your sleeves up

It will teach you exactly how your business works, and it’ll save money. Pack orders, run your own social media, contact journalists. I came from a corporate background and was used to having agencies ‘do’ everything, but you learn very quickly when you do it yourself and you will waste far less money when you do employ other people to do it.

If you start your business as a side Hustle, think about at what point you’ll be able to make the switch to it becoming full time. Maybe that’s to do with revenue or number of sales, or having someone else involved, but have a plan. That plan might change but running a business as a side hustle is hard, and it helps to have a goal.

Be gentle with yourself

Starting a business is hard, it’s consuming, if you’re doing it on your own it can be lonely. Try to have a point at the end of the week where you recognise what you’ve done – sourced a new product, got a piece of coverage, had a conversation with someone you’ve been trying to speak with for ages. There will always be more to do – you’ll never be ‘done’ – so reflecting on what you have achieved really helps keep you motivated.

As mums, we already juggle a million things, and adding the title of “entrepreneur” to our repertoire may seem daunting. But remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither is a successful business. The path to turning your side hustle into a thriving venture may be strewn with challenges, late nights, and moments of doubt. It’s consuming, it’s hard, and it can feel lonely at times.

Yet, amidst the hustle and bustle, it’s crucial to take a breath and acknowledge your achievements. Every week, find that point where you can pause and reflect on what you’ve accomplished – whether it’s sourcing a new product, landing some media coverage, or finally connecting with that elusive contact you’ve been chasing. These small victories may seem insignificant in the grand scheme, but they are the building blocks of your success.

Remember, there will always be more on your to-do list, and you may never truly feel “done.” But it’s in recognizing and celebrating your progress, no matter how incremental, that you’ll find the motivation to keep going. So, fellow mums turned entrepreneurs, keep pressing forward, stay resilient, and embrace the journey. You’ve got this!

The post Turning a side hustle into a business: practical guidance for success appeared first on Motherhood: The Real Deal.