Just kidding – Side Hustle Influencers (Side Hustlers??) Are LIARS
Just a note: there are no affiliate links in this post, but you will find links to all my failed side hustle stuff.
As you can probably surmise, I’m a librarian.
A public librarian, to be specific. And as a public librarian, I’ve always needed a second job. In my pre-librarian days, I primarily worked in education settings, but in my transition from education to libraries, I worked in insurance.
Insurance is boring
Working in customer service for an insurance agency is rough. But I was making more money than I had ever made since graduating from college a decade earlier. During that decade, I never had just one job. I thought working in insurance would change that.
It didn’t. More money just meant more useless things appearing in my apartment delivered by Amazon. I had no self-control and no budget. Okay, let’s be honest, I still don’t have those things.
But I decided a new career would be a great time to find a new part-time job. I had been working for a suburban parks and rec department teaching kids how to play sports. I like kids and I like teaching. But I HATE teaching kids to play sports.
Path to more money
So, how did I start out on my path? I reached out on FB to my network to see if anyone knew of any part-time, home-based jobs that I might like.
Several people reached out to me about Jamberry. You know, the MLM selling stickers for your nails? Low startup cost? No need to keep an inventory? I thought I would give it a try.
I should probably mention here that I do not care about nail care or nail polish. In fact, I pick my nails and can only keep nail polish on for a day. Thanks, ADHD. And anxiety.
I’m certain you can guess how this went.
I’m pretty sure I lost money with this year-long endeavor. I say “pretty sure” because I didn’t have a personal budget, so I DEFINITELY didn’t have a business budget.
What’s next?
Not too long after that “small business” opportunity faded away, I went to a WineShop At Home party my friend held.
I think you can see where this is going.
The host’s presenter was super engaging, funny, and self-deprecating, and did a GREAT job selling this home business opportunity.
I probably broke even with this one, but I got a TON of free wine out of it, so I see it as a win.
And so goes my side hustle life.
I’ve moved away from MLMs, but I’ve also tried offering my librarian/research services on Fiverr and probably made $100 over the last few years. Total.
When the pandemic hit, I had the time to pick up crocheting again and decided to try Etsy out again. I have had a store since 2011, but it had no sales as of yet.
Apparently, my one listing of arm warmers just wasn’t cutting it.
I found these giant, color-changing yarn cakes that could make a 34” x 46” blanket that I called “lapghans” and mentioned how perfect they were for a work-from-home office chair setup. Ended up selling a few of them, mostly to FB friends who I forced to make the purchase on Etsy for the sales number and hopefully some reviews (one review, no text).
But I probably only made about $20 per blanket after the cost of yarn and Etsy Fees.
So, ever since 2021, I’ve been on the lookout for ways to make money.
And let me tell you – I’ve tried it ALL.
- Amazon KDP no content books? Check.
- Amazon KDP low content books? Check.
- Branching out from lapghans and arm warmers on Etsy? Check.
- Starting a (now non-existent) website with the hopes of creating a one-stop shop for my Etsy and KDP items? Check.
- Attempted to be a Virtual Assistant through Fiverr or sending in my resume to a bunch of job postings? Check.
- Failed attempts at becoming a transcriber**? Check.
- As many ways as I could phrase offering librarian services on Fiverr? Check.
- Offering my vacation planning and family genealogy skills on Fiverr? Check.
- Trying those microtask jobs like Amazon Turks and other online companies**? Check.
- Attempting to sell items I no longer use at home on FB Marketplace? Check.
- Learned about Print On Demand (POD) and started adding my designs to notebooks, blankets, mugs, and more to my Etsy shop? Check.
- Started a new Etsy shop to try and sell my travel photography pictures as wall decor? Check.
- Started a new Etsy shop to try and sell my hometown-based designs on POD products? Check.
- Started this new blog? Check.
- Rebranded my original Etsy store to change the name and include my photography stuff so I wouldn’t be juggling a bunch of Etsy stores and new email passwords? Check and check.
- Still created another new Etsy store to sell funny and snarky things I think of that don’t fit well with my regular Etsy store?
- Learned about dropshipping and started reselling items on eBay? Check.
- Thinking about creating another eBay store to sell weird items I found while looking up things to sell on my first eBay store? Check.
- A dozen other things in between these that I just can’t remember right now? Check.
And you know what I’ve gotten from all of that in the last two years??
A lot of new information and still no money.
I’m like, the anti-salesperson. I’m the black thumb of sales.
Ooooooooor it could be that my ADHD brain kept telling me to keep trying more more MORE nothing is working! and didn’t focus enough on one thing to let it grow.
You know what ISN’T listed in there anywhere?
Coming up with any sort of marketing plan. Or anything resembling a budget. Or business plan.
I got all of the above ideas from those stupid Side Hustle Influencers (AKA Side Hustlers(tm)) or listicles on someone’s blog. They just seem so convincing! I can’t be blamed for falling into their traps full of promises of money! I was desperate!
But after watching a TON of videos and reading a BUNCH of blogs, I realized:
THOSE PEOPLE DO NO TRY THE THINGS THEY SUGGEST YOU DO.
How do I know this? Well, I’m a librarian. I kept digging.
Too many blogs/YouTubers were giving out the same advice.
They just COULDN’T all be trying all 10 Best Side Hustles of 2022 That Will Make You $500 A Day.
They know you’re desperate and will click on their video/blog if they promise you can make hundreds of dollars an hour.
And IF they HAPPEN to be doing one or a few of them, they definitely aren’t going to tell you how long it took to make that money OR how much they spent on marketing with all that extra youtube/blogging money coming their way. They are not coming from where you or I am coming from.
Side hustle influencers are LIARS.
So, I’m putting out into the world what my next steps are going to be until the end of the year:
- Stop watching those click-baity videos that promise you money
- Create a marketing plan for Pinterest and Instagram for my Etsy shop
- Also, learn how to use Pinterest and Instagram.
- Create a lean business plan. Ain’t nobody got time for a regular one.
- Do some REAL research on starting a small business/side hustle while working a full-time job that you love and don’t want to give up.
- Share legit resources on blogs/YouTubers who give GOOD information on the side hustle life.
I know what you’re thinking right now: “wHy DoEsN’t ShE jUsT gEt A bEtTeR-pAyInG LiBrArY jOb?”
I don’t think you understand the fierce competition there is in the library world. People love working in libraries and don’t want to leave. Any jobs at my level or higher are usually filled from within. It’s HARD. And a lot of work applying to a bunch of new jobs. Especially since, as I have already said, I LOVE THE JOB I ALREADY HAVE.
PLUS, I’m vested into the retirement plan after 5 years and I still have about 1.5 years left until that happens. Hashtag Adulting Hashtag That Adult Life.
So, what now?
Now you’re thinking, “what can *I* do to help Nicole, this poor, struggling public librarian who refuses to get a new, higher-paying job that she would probably love just as much as her current one?”
Well, reader, thank you for asking.
Feel free to click on any of the links above to see what I’ve been up to.
I am DEFINITELY not asking you to purchase anything because if you found my site you’re probably living the hashtag frugal life as well. But take a look around, and see if anything I offer could be shared with any of your friends or family.
If you do share something, let me know and I’ll give you a big thanks!
I’m going to be adding some library/literary/book-related things to my funny/snarky site soon, so keep an eye out.
Oh shoot, I forgot to put in that to-do list that I will regularly blog here. Guess that means I’m off the hook!
– Nicole the Ram Lambling Librarian
I don’t know why I wrote that. But now I’m not deleting it.
** if you don’t know, don’t ask. They get you by saying you can make up to $30 an hour but THEY LIE.
Recommended Reading:
- Trouble with your finances? Me too. Check this out.
- Need help keeping things together? See if these will help.