Today we’re talking about what to do when you feel like giving up on your side hustle.
For me, there has been only one time in the past 4 years that I have thought about giving up on my side hustle.
When I first started out, I called my business LimePress Development, I spent way too much time on a really beautiful website that was basically an online business card and was not at all positioned to help me get the right kind of clients.
I worked for anyone that would pay me, and I was afraid to charge for my time if it took longer than I thought it would. I was not putting myself out there as an expert. I was not guiding and advising my clients – instead, I was just doing whatever they told me to do.
I didn’t choose the right clients. I didn’t even know how to attract the right clients. In fact, I wasn’t in the right mindset to attract the right clients!
I was not functioning as a web designer, I was functioning as an assistant. Totally not the dreamy job I had imagined when I started.
Even though I know WordPress inside and out, backward and forwards, I didn’t think of myself as an expert, but I thought if I could show people how to use it, they wouldn’t need me to change a font color…
My next idea was going to be brilliant… #not
I abandoned LimePress Development, and I wrote a super boring PDF called 5 Steps to Website Success, spent too much time on a website called Website Essentials Academy, created a Facebook page, and spent $50 on ads that got me about 7 page likes.
I was totally bummed out, I felt lost, and I thought about giving up.
Then last September, my husband won a trip to Nashville from our local sports radio station (finally his never-ending sports trivia knowledge paid off!)
On the plane, I was listening to Smart Passive Income with Pat Flynn and he shared how you can do affiliate marketing with the heart of a teacher and not a sleazeball.
In that moment, something clicked in my brain! I bought wifi on the plane, bought the domain WordPressAlly.com, and the Free 5 Day Website Challenge was born.
And then, a few weeks after launching it, I discovered that I wasn't allowed to use the word WordPress in my business name, so I bought a branding course called Brandgasm 101 to help me figure out a new name, and I came up with WP BFF – WP because I couldn’t use the word WordPress, and BFF because I want you to feel like it’s your best friend forever, your BFF, helping you through this process of getting your business online.
I thought I was just teaching WordPress, I had no idea that it would lead to creating a community super-motivating, supportive entrepreneurs.
So, what if I would have just quit after freelancing blew up in my face?
What if I would have thrown in the towel after getting exactly zero response on Website Essentials Academy?
What if I would have given up after finding out I couldn’t keep the business name I loved?
I’d have crawled right back into that hampster wheel that was my day job and started walking. Right back into my comfy little comfort zone.
Some of you just started a side hustle. Some of you have stopped and started. Some of you are just thinking about it and haven’t done anything yet.
I challenge you to make a decision and move forward. To keep pushing through the roadblocks that pop up. It’s overcoming the obstacles that make it so rewarding. I look back on what things were like vs. 4 years ago and I’m so glad I kept pushing forward.
Think about where you’ll be in a few months, a few years if you just keep going!
If you feel stuck, if you feel like what you’re doing isn’t quite right, if you can’t find the time – DON’T STOP. I’m here to support you. We have a Facebook group you can join where I’m hanging out, ready to help push you and cheer you on. You can join us over at www.shannonmattern.com/facebook and I’ll see you in there!
d for me to remember everything because it’s no longer a mindless routine.
Today’s pep talk is brought to you by Bluehost. Go to www.shannonmattern.com/bluehost and get 36 months of web hosting for just $2.95 a month. That’s less than one trip to Starbucks a month – and if you’re anything like me, you’re at Starbucks more than that!
Then you can sign up for my Free 5 Day Website Challenge at www.shannonmattern.com/5day and I’ll show you step by step how to get started building your new website for your side hustle.
