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How do you start a side hustle?

7 perspectives · Updated · 3 min read

A side hustle starts while you still have other income. Several founders here built their companies that way.

Andrew Gazdecki started both Bizness Apps and Acquire.com as side projects. Tiago Forte started Forte Labs while working other jobs. Nicolas Cole was broke at 26, working a minimum-wage job, when he started ghostwriting on the side.

Their answers cover what to sell first, when to charge, and how to tell a side hustle from a hobby.

The short answer

Pick the smallest thing you can sell now and put a price on it before it feels ready. Tiago Forte charged $5 for a workshop, Nicolas Cole wrote for free until someone paid, and Mike Andes did his first jobs almost free for reviews and referrals. Paying customers tell you whether it's worth growing.

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Who you should listen to

Seven founders. Four of them started businesses on the side, and Josh Wolfe, who co-founded Lux Capital, argues against doing it halfway. Listen for the approach that fits the time you have.

  • Tiago Forte · Founder of Forte Labs and author of Building a Second Brain

    Listen for: Charging $5 for a workshop before he felt ready.

  • Nicolas Cole · Co-founder of Ship 30 for 30 and Premium Ghostwriting Academy

    Listen for: Charging for outcomes instead of hours.

  • Andrew Gazdecki · Founder and CEO of Acquire.com

    Listen for: Keeping one foot in and one foot out.

  • Mike Andes · Founder of Augusta Lawn Care, Homeworks, and Mike Andes Media Group

    Listen for: Getting the first ten customers.

  • David Jenyns · Founder of SYSTEMology and systemHUB

    Listen for: Proving someone will pay before making it bigger.

  • Balaji Srinivasan · Founder of The Network School and author of The Network State

    Listen for: Letting paying customers decide if it's a side hustle or a hobby.

  • Josh Wolfe · Co-founder and managing partner of Lux Capital

    Listen for: Why he'd make it your real job or keep it very small.

How do founders say to start a side hustle?

Tiago Forte

Tiago Forte

Founder of Forte Labs and author of Building a Second Brain

Author of Building a Second Brain

Why themPractical on organizing notes and digital information.

Tiago’s advice: Put a price on the smallest version, like his $5 workshop, and let paying customers teach you.

I started Forte Labs as a side hustle while working other jobs, and the thing that made it real was charging $5 for a workshop before I felt ready. Pick the smallest version of what you can offer, put a price on it, and let paying customers teach you what actually matters.

Answered by their Delphi on .
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Nicolas Cole

Nicolas Cole

Co-founder of Ship 30 for 30 and Premium Ghostwriting Academy

Ghostwritten for 300+ leaders

Why themGood for anyone starting to write online or building a writing business.

Nicolas’s advice: Pick one expensive problem you can already solve, prove the result, then charge for outcomes.

I started mine by accident. I was broke at 26, working a minimum-wage job, and began ghostwriting on the side for free until someone finally paid me. The whole game is picking one expensive problem you can already solve, proving you can deliver the result, then charging for outcomes instead of hours.

Answered by their Delphi on .
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Andrew Gazdecki

Andrew Gazdecki

Founder and CEO of Acquire.com

Helped 2,000+ founders sell

Why themClear on when and how to sell a startup.

Andrew’s advice: Keep other income while you start, so you can experiment without betting everything.

I started both Bizness Apps and Acquire.com as side projects while I had other income, because keeping one foot in and one foot out let me experiment without betting everything.

Answered by their Delphi on .
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Mike Andes

Mike Andes

Founder of Augusta Lawn Care, Homeworks, and Mike Andes Media Group

Started mowing lawns at 11

Why themPractical for service business owners trying to get past $1M.

Mike’s advice: Get the first ten customers: work almost free, ask for reviews and neighbor introductions.

I started mowing lawns at eleven, and the only thing that mattered was getting the first ten customers. I’d do the work almost free, ask for a review, then ask them to introduce me to their neighbors. Momentum beats perfection every time.

Answered by their Delphi on .
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David Jenyns

David Jenyns

Founder of SYSTEMology and systemHUB

Author and founder

Why themHelps owners document processes so the business runs without them.

David’s advice: Sell something small right now, prove someone will pay, then think about growing it.

I started my first real side hustle selling the MCG for $24.95, then used that energy to build Planet 13 while still working elsewhere. Pick something small you can sell right now, prove someone will pay, and only then worry about making it bigger.

Answered by their Delphi on .
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Balaji Srinivasan

Balaji Srinivasan

Founder of The Network School and author of The Network State

Former CTO of Coinbase

Why themOriginal thinking on crypto, governance, and new kinds of communities.

Balaji’s advice: Charge for an ugly prototype and let paying customers tell you if it's a hobby.

Build an ugly prototype over a weekend, charge money for it before you polish it, and let paying customers tell you whether it is a side hustle or just a hobby.

Answered by their Delphi on .
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Josh Wolfe

Josh Wolfe

Co-founder and managing partner of Lux Capital

Co-founded Lux Capital

Why themA contrarian view on deep tech and what makes founders stand out.

Josh’s advice: Make the thing you believe in your real job, or keep it so small it doesn't need your soul.

I don't really do side hustles. I went from sales and trading in college to investment banking to starting Lux because each step was the main bet, not a nights-and-weekends thing. If you're serious, make the thing you believe in your real job, or keep it so small it doesn't need your soul.

Answered by their Delphi on .
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Everyone’s advice at a glance

How 7 people answer: How do you start a side hustle?
WhoTheir advice
Tiago ForteFounder of Forte Labs and author of Building a Second BrainPut a price on the smallest version, like his $5 workshop, and let paying customers teach you.
Nicolas ColeCo-founder of Ship 30 for 30 and Premium Ghostwriting AcademyPick one expensive problem you can already solve, prove the result, then charge for outcomes.
Andrew GazdeckiFounder and CEO of Acquire.comKeep other income while you start, so you can experiment without betting everything.
Mike AndesFounder of Augusta Lawn Care, Homeworks, and Mike Andes Media GroupGet the first ten customers: work almost free, ask for reviews and neighbor introductions.
David JenynsFounder of SYSTEMology and systemHUBSell something small right now, prove someone will pay, then think about growing it.
Balaji SrinivasanFounder of The Network School and author of The Network StateCharge for an ugly prototype and let paying customers tell you if it's a hobby.
Josh WolfeCo-founder and managing partner of Lux CapitalMake the thing you believe in your real job, or keep it so small it doesn't need your soul.

How to start a side hustle, step by step

  1. Pick something you can already deliver. Nicolas Cole says to pick one expensive problem you can already solve. David Jenyns picks something small he can sell right now.

  2. Keep your income while you test. Andrew Gazdecki had other income while he started Bizness Apps and Acquire.com, so he could experiment without betting everything.

  3. Put a price on it early. Tiago Forte charged $5 for a workshop before he felt ready. Balaji Srinivasan charges for an ugly prototype before polishing it.

  4. Get your first ten customers. Mike Andes did the work almost free, asked for a review, then asked customers to introduce him to their neighbors.

  5. Grow it once people pay. David Jenyns waits until someone has paid before he worries about making it bigger.

Where they disagree

Andrew Gazdecki started two companies on the side so he could experiment without betting everything. Josh Wolfe takes the other view. He went from sales and trading to investment banking to starting Lux, each as the main bet, and says if you're serious, make it your real job or keep it so small it doesn't need your soul.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best side hustle to start?

One where you can already solve a problem people pay for. Nicolas Cole started with ghostwriting, Tiago Forte with a workshop, and Mike Andes with mowing lawns.

How do I know if my side hustle is a business or a hobby?

Balaji Srinivasan says to charge before you polish it and let paying customers tell you.

Should I quit my job to work on my side hustle?

Andrew Gazdecki kept other income while starting both of his companies. Josh Wolfe says if you're serious, make it your real job.

The bottom line

Pick something small you can deliver now, put a price on it, and find ten customers. Then ask the founder whose side hustle looks like yours what they'd do next.

How this page was made

We asked this question to founders on Delphi. Each quote is that person's Delphi answering in their own words, built from their own writing, talks, and interviews, and shown as given. Delphi wrote the introduction, the summary, and the steps from their answers. Last checked .

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