How I Grew My Dad’s Side Hustle Into A 6-Figure Business
Part 3: How I Started My Side Hustle
I started my side hustle before side hustling was even a thing. I was working in a job I hated and with only a high school diploma, I felt my prospects were limited. But I was determined to find another way, something that would give me more satisfaction and more money.
During this time, I started to think about my dad who was always side hustling and how he used to clean up litter outside the shopping plaza before the stores would open. One of the things I liked about these early mornings with my dad was it was quiet and peaceful. This was not a high-stress job and was almost as easy to do as going for a walk.
My dad passed away a couple of months before I started the litter cleaning business so I didn’t have my dad’s expertise to call on, but I thought picking up litter seemed like a great opportunity. Like many of the modern-day side hustles, this one did not require a lot of start-up capital. All I needed were a couple of brooms and a litter collection tool. I already had a vehicle so my total investment was only around $250.
I started to call property management companies to see if they were interested in my service. This was back before the internet and I found many of these companies through the Yellow Pages telephone directory. I found that for every four or five calls I made, I would have at least one request for more information or a quote. It didn’t take me long to land a client.
While the job itself was easy, running it as a business was a little more trickier. I knew that marketing, sales and customer service would be the key to my success. So many freelancers turn to marketplaces like Fiverr and Upwork because they don’t have to learn about these skills. The jobs come to them and all they have to do is bid on the work. Of course, there is a cost to this type of thinking — the marketplaces take a cut of their profits. I knew that if I learned how to market, sell and provide great customer service, then I wouldn’t have to rely on anybody else.
Click here for Part 2: Why Pick Up a Side Hustle?
Click here for Part 4 : A Simple Side Hustle Becomes A $650,000 Business
Click here to check out CleanLots.com — America’s Simplest Business
