hustling
Since I left my stable, secure nonprofit job over 3 months ago, I have landed in the deep end of research and information consumption! In addition to trying to figure out how to start a business without a business background, I have been working my butt off in the space of side hustling. I’m doing everything from researching every possible way to earn passive income to contacting my old freelance clients.
What’s been interesting is learning about all the new ways there are to earn income. When I hustled back in 2012, 13 and 14, I was doing hands-on work for different people. Events management, airport greeting for VIP clients of my client, catering, floral design and stuff along those outward-facing lines of work.
Welcome to 2018! Everything is all about the digital space. So where do I fall in line?
Welp, as I mentioned before, I’ve gotten myself on Fiverr offering 3 different gigs: podcast transcription, custom spreadsheets (I seriously think in spreadsheets) and custom journal design.
After listening to a podcast about people who sell “printables” on Etsy, I decided that the journal I’ve been conceptualizing for more than a year could be offered in this way to start. This was really getting-out-of-my-own-way thinking. I’m notorious for overthinking projects and deciding on doing something a certain way and then being dead set on doing it that way.
So I designed the journal in September and currently have it in the hands of beta users. (I said I was getting out of my own way, but I’m still me. Of course I wasn’t going to release them without being tested first). I’ll get these puppies up on Etsy by late October/early November and hopefully see some return. Eventually I want to turn them into a manufactured journal but I’m going to pump the brakes for the moment.
When I left my job back in July and started down the business startup path for my wine bar, I was looking for podcasts that could help me along the way. Shows, ideally hosted by other women or color, that would lay out specific steps, obstacles overcome, paths toward financing, you know, stuff like that.
But nope, I was finding show after show hosted by white dude after white dude. Nothing wrong with white dudes, I’m partnered with one from the Midwest of all white places, but in this area of my life, I want to listen to and learn from people with similar lived experiences to mine.
When someone says, “Yeah man, we threw together a business plan and talked to his uncle about our bar and he gave us $100k to get up and going,” I’m like, “Ummmm, okay this is not even remotely close to anything I have or will experience. Please can I get some people of color and female voices on their journeys toward business ownership?”
I want to know what people who look like me and who have similar backgrounds to mine have done to get their businesses started.
I want to know what their business planning process looked like.
I want to know what steps they took to access capital when they had no collateral and only decent credit.
I want to know what their discussions with potential investors sounded like.
I want to know how they’re doing now. How they’re sustaining and balancing their lives.
Sooooo, something else I’m working on that started as a side hustle idea but has turned into something more is my podcast. I want to document my journey so other women and people of color have a familiar voice to listen to as they start their endeavors. Hopefully they’ll feel supported and like they don’t have to entirely reinvent the wheel.
What was originally going to be all about my journey is now going to include the stories of others, predominantly people of color but not exclusively. I want people who have experienced big life changes who are now thriving to share their stories. We all have something interesting going on in our lives, have overcome obstacles and people want to hear from us.
I want listeners to feel inspired by what’s possible. I also want them to have tangible takeaways. The tools, tricks and tips to getting things done faster. If we were white and male, we’d have many more opportunities to get things done faster, so why not learn how to do it too?!
It’s going to be called Life Shifted with Annie Sánchez. My goal is to launch in early 2019. If you have a story to share or know someone you think should share theirs, please reach out. Follow me on IG at lifeshiftedthepodcast!
In addition to all of this, I’m working on a card series with a friend. They’re sort of non-greeting cards. Cards that inspire the sender to use their voice. More on this as they develop further.
In the meantime, I have taken on some of the old freelance/hands-on event work to pay my bills, plus I have a contract job that was thankfully just extended through the Spring. I took the position back in June because it was part time and temporary. Now that all these projects are bubbling though, I do need some some steady income. This one is steady-ish since government offices are slooooow to pay, but it works and I’m grateful.
Finally, I’m working hard to figure shit out and at the same time exploring all the paths toward solid business mentorship. Everything I read and listen to says not to waste time figuring it all out alone. They all say it, “Go find a mentor or a coach. Go ask someone!” So, I’m looking! Even when I find her though, I’m always going to be a girl hustling to make it all work.