A recent survey of greater than one-third of U.S. adults found that they have a side hustle and earn an average of $891 a month from their side hustle. Bank rate. However, many side hustlers strive to make significantly extra money – sometimes even enough to exchange the income from their 9-5 or other full-time ventures.
Starting an online business stays an attractive option for individuals who are looking for flexible working hours and/or the ability to work from home.
Freelance writing, tutoring, website development, graphic design, and flipping or selling products are just some of the many ways in which side hustlers make extra money online. People often offer their goods or services through digital marketplaces on platforms resembling Etsy, eBay, TikTok, Shopify, Facebook and others.
Earlier this 12 months Entrepreneur I met with 4 individuals who used Facebook to begin and grow their side businesses to $1 million or more. Karen Frederick (43) founded an online jewelry and accessories brand, Kole Jax designsin 2012, teenage brothers Kirk and Jacob McKinney began a garbage collection company, Trash teenagersin 2021, Carlos Ugalde, 52, founded a print-on-demand clothing brand, Chingasos House, in 2018.
Read on to learn more about how Frederick, the McKinney brothers, and Ugalde used Facebook to show their side hustles into lucrative businesses, and their best advice for entrepreneurs who wish to do the same.
Karen Frederick founded the jewelry and accessories brand Kole Jax Designs
Frederick wanted a fulfilling profession at home that might allow her to earn money while still being present for her children. Frederick had at all times loved jewelry, so in 2012 she began a side business selling her own line: the online jewelry and accessories brand Kole Jax Designs (named after her sons Grayson Kole and Tucker Jax) was born.
After ordering supplies and watching YouTube videos where she learned the best way to cut glass and solder, Frederick opened an Etsy shop to take custom orders and began a Facebook page where she posted recent projects and offered gifts. Frederick’s Facebook page turned out to be a huge hit (it quickly gained 10,000 followers) and was key to the brand’s growth. 2018 Kole Jax recorded its first seven-figure 12 months and generated total revenues of over $10 million.
Frederick’s Success Tip: “Just start. Don’t overthink it. There is no perfect time to start a business. If you can, invest your earnings back into the company at first. Accept changes and failures. After running a company for almost I firmly believe that after 13 years, failure is an opportunity to learn and change is the path to innovation and growth. Invest in yourself – not if, but when the going gets tough, remember why you started.”
The McKinney brothers founded Junk Teens, a junk removal company
In 2021, a working pair of speakers found in a landfill became the first of many items that top school students Kirk and Jacob McKinney collected and sold on Facebook Marketplace. The brothers soon abandoned food market gigs and turned their side business into Junk Teens, a junk removal company that reuses, resells and donates “as many items as possible” and provides job opportunities for other local teens.
The McKinney brothers had to take a position in tools and trucks, hire staff and take risks to grow their side business, and their efforts paid off. By 2023, Junk Teens brought in $910,000 with two dump trucks and a pickup truck, and the company estimates Junk Teens will earn $910,000 in 2024 with three dump trucks and a pickup truck.
Tip from Kirk and Jacob McKinney: “Our advice to anyone trying to make a side hustle or run a full-time business is to maintain it easy. People often overcomplicate things. For example, removing rubbish is so simple as picking up rubbish, Earning and Going is the key to success – don’t take growth for granted; also select a company that suits your passions. We at all times prefer to rummage through the trash bins looking for something cool to seek out, and Junk Teens allows us to do that every day.”
Carlos Ugalde has launched his print-on-demand clothing brand House of Chingasos
Ugalde decided to take on additional work in 2018 after he was laid off and wasn’t sure he would find a comparable job with the same pay. So he began his print-on-demand clothing brand, House of Chingasos. Ugalde opened a Shopify store, created about 10 basic designs, connected the store to print-on-demand platform Printify, and began running ads on Facebook, learning the ins and outs of the business along the way.
Even though he went in without knowing much about digital marketing, Ugalde’s trial-and-error method served him well. The company made $2,500 in the first month, $11,000 in the second month, and $54,000 in the third month. In 2023, House of Chingasos increased revenues by almost $3 million, an increase of virtually 70% in comparison with 2022.
Ugalde’s tip: “Don’t look at the obstacles in front of you. Just decide what you’re going to do and go for it. Decide that success is the only option! Be flexible in your approach and never stop learning.”