Your side hustle survival guide (straight from the pros)
Balancing a 9-to-5 while running a late-night side hustle? Then you’ve probably asked yourself: “Am I actually doing this right?”
Last month, we headed down to Liverpool for the UK’s very first Broadband Boss Academy, hosted by us here at giffgaff. We brought along the brilliant digital entrepreneur Vicki Owens, and her notes app was absolutely overflowing with golden nuggets of wisdom from top digital founders.
We’ve boiled down her biggest takeaways to help you take your side hustle to the next level. Grab a cuppa and catch up on the full day in Vicki’s video below.
1. The pro secret: everyone is winging it
Think every successful founder has a secret, flawless blueprint? Nope. Vicki noted that the one thing every business owner has in common is that nobody actually knows what they’re doing. Our speakers revealed that when they hit a wall, they don't spend thousands hiring a professional right away. Instead, they literally just Google or YouTube it. Lean into not knowing everything, and just look it up.
2. The best businesses start by accident
When you force something just for a paycheck, it loses its spark. Every single speaker Vicki chatted with started their platform or business completely unintentionally. Growth flows naturally when it’s rooted in genuine passion, and that passion is the exact fuel that keeps you going when things get tough.
3. Don't chase the money at first
Treat your side hustle like a hobby in the early days. The Academy speakers all agreed they didn't take a decent salary out of their businesses for a good couple of years. If you’re only in it for a quick payout, you’ll likely burn out before the money ever shows up. Do it because you love it or because you're solving a real problem.
4. Success can be a long journey
We see the shiny, viral reel of someone's success, but we rarely see the graft. One speaker on stage dropped a truth bomb: it took them 11 years to get to the point where they felt genuinely confident and established. Strap yourself in for the long run.
5. Be careful what you wish for and the viral trap
As an agency owner, Vicki admits to being obsessed with going viral. But Lucy Bowes shared an eye-opening story. She went mega viral, but without the physical stock to fulfil the avalanche of orders, the dream scenario nearly overwhelmed the business. Growth brings exciting new challenges, so keep things in perspective and make sure you have a game plan ready for when that overnight success hits.
6. Taking a day off is creative fuel
When you're building a business, stepping away can feel like dropping the ball. But Vicki shared how a recent spa day brought a massive wave of fresh, new ideas to her business. A weekend where you're constantly refreshing your emails isn't a break. Unplug to unlock your next big idea.
7. Niche down and mix up your platforms
If you try to sell to absolutely everyone, you end up speaking to no one. Figure out exactly who your people are and speak directly to them. And don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Vicki notes that relying solely on TikTok or Instagram is a risk. Diversify into email marketing or LinkedIn so you don't lose your audience if an algorithm changes.
Meanwhile, back at giffgaff HQ
Our members aren't the only ones running the digital show. Our very own giffgaff staff are hustling hard after hours, too, and they have some brilliant insights that mirror exactly what Vicki picked up at the Academy:
The reality of admin
While the creative stuff is fun, the paperwork is heavy. Joel (Engineering Manager by day, web builder by night) reminds us that client comms, revisions, and invoicing take up massive amounts of time that often get left out of the hourly rate conversation.
Pav (Content Creator) agrees that people only see the finished product, but the unseen administration takes just as much time as the service itself.
The power of systems and pacing
To survive the grind, Conor (Freelance Video Producer) advises only taking on what you can manage and maintaining time for breaks to stay productive. Pav saves precious time by creating repeatable templates for enquiries and editing workflows.
Building for the future
Sasi (Android App Ecosystem Creator) points out that you can't just build something and assume people will love it. Market research and validation are key. His golden rule is to build incrementally, keep a flexible mindset, and plan for where the tech industry is heading next.
Whether it's Joel building community relationships that drive word-of-mouth recommendations or Conor creating video work that hits a genuine standard, the hustle is real, it's messy, and it's incredibly rewarding.
That's exactly why we’re proud to back side hustlers with fair rates and reliable speeds, so you can focus entirely on what matters: growing your brand.
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