Wondering if copywriting is something you can dip your toes into as a side hustle? Copywriting can be a fantastic (and very lucrative!) side gig that fits perfectly alongside a 9-5. But if you want to make it a fulfilling and great paying side hustle, there are some considerations to keep in mind…
Join Nicki and Kate as they walk us through what you need to know before building a copywriting side hustle. You’ll hear expert advice around time management, finances, work boundaries, and more! Plus, get insights on how to successfully transition from a side hustle to a full-time copywriting career, just like many of our Comprehensive Copywriting Academy students!
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Looking for closed captioning or a transcript? Watch the episode on YouTube!
A Sneak Peek at the Episode
[2:45] One of the biggest things to consider when you are doing anything as a side hustle, copywriting or otherwise, is to treat it like a business.
[4:59] Clients will still work with you outside daytime hours. There shouldn’t be too many client calls and you can schedule them during evenings or weekends. Avoid telling your client this is a side hustle as you don’t want to send the message that this work is not a priority.
[8:59] As you start to pitch and get excited about landing clients, it’s tempting to want to say “yes” to every client. But when your hours are limited, you need to be very intentional with how you choose projects and set the timeline for those projects.
[10:10] Nicki and Kate discuss the importance of determining your business boundaries with clients and sticking to them.
[13:00] It’s easy to treat a side hustle as “bonus” money coming in, but don’t forget you still need to pay taxes on that income. You should also track any money that you’re spending for your business.
[14:45] Be realistic about the time you have and the time you want to take off. It can help to visually block time out on the calendar for different activities so you know what is sustainable.
[17:36] When it comes to timing, you also need to factor in the times of the year you might want to work more or less. For example, teachers might want to ramp up their side hustle work over summer.
[19:30] Nicki and Kate recommend starting with copywriting as a side hustle before transitioning to full-time copywriting. Jumping in with both feet can work well for some people, but not others.
[21:17] Knowing your numbers is important to help you understand what you need to make ends meet. You’ll have a better idea of how many clients you need and how much you need to pitch.
[24:43] To make the transition from side hustle to full time a little easier, you’re going to have to dial up your side hustle hours before leaving your full-time job.
[26:20] Remembering your big “why” can be really motivating in those moments where you’re dialing up your freelance hours and working extra hard. And don’t forget to make it fun, too!
Must-Hear Takeaways
As with every episode, we highly encourage you to listen to the entire conversation! But here are a few of the highlights:
“One of the biggest things to consider when you are doing anything as a side hustle, copywriting or otherwise, is to treat it like a business. Because if you are treating a side hustle like a hobby or like a ‘nice to have’, then you’re not going to see the results that you want to see. If you treat it like a hobby, it will be a hobby. It might be fun, but it might not bring you the income, the revenue that you want to receive. So you have to go into it knowing that it is a business. It’s your business.” – Kate
“You have to take every element of your business just as seriously as if you were doing it full time. And that includes your finances as well. But that also includes tracking any money that you’re spending for your business. If you are buying supplies for your business, track those as well. Treat it just the same as you would if you were doing it full time.” – Nicki
“I think one of the things to note too with client communication is that your client shouldn’t know that this is a side hustle per se. They don’t need to know that this is something that you’re doing extra or on top of a full-time job. They don’t need to know the details of what’s going on in your life beyond that because I think there can be a connotation with some clients of this is just a side hustle, this is just something they’re doing extra on top of a full-time job. You don’t want to send the message that this is secondary. You want to always present yourself as this client is the most, and this project is the most important thing on my plate.” – Kate
“Jumping in with both feet is probably not a great plan for you if you can possibly help it. If you have a full-time job and you’re fine with your full-time job or it’s not making you too miserable, can you build up your side hustle income and build up your client base so that you have an easier transition into full-time freelancing?” “One of the biggest things is knowing your numbers. What do you comfortably need to live month to month to pay the bills?” – Nicki & Kate
Mentioned on this Episode
- Build a Copywriting Business While Working 9 to 5 (with Grace Nelson)
- Copywriting as a Side Hustle – Alicia’s Story
- How to Be a Part-Time Copywriter with a Full-Time Job
- Balancing a Copywriting Career with an Acting Career
- Building a Copywriting Side Hustle With a Full-Time Job – Claire’s Story
- Bridging the Gap from Quitting a Job to Full-Time Freelance
Related Links
- Can Copywriting Be a Side Hustle?
- How to Be a Part-Time Copywriter from Home
- The Secret to Sustaining Freelance Copywriting Success
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About the Build Your Business Podcast
Ready to turn your love of writing into a successful copywriting career?
Join professional copywriters Nicki Krawczyk and Kate Sitarz to get the tips, tools, and training to help you become a copywriter and build a thriving business of your own. Nicki and Kate have 20+ and 10+ years of experience, respectively, writing copy for multi-billion-dollar companies, solopreneurs, and every size business in between.
Whether you want to land an on-staff job, freelance full-time and work from wherever you want, or make extra money with a side hustle, the best place to start learning is right here.
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Ep. 188: Pivoting to Copywriting Later in Your Career – Kelly’s Story
