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We live in an age of portfolio careers, where it makes sense for our skills and our personal finance to run a small business as an add-on to our day job – often called a ‘side hustle’. Up to 44 million people in the US reportedly have one, and it’s a defining feature of the gig economy which has risen over the last decade. Not only can setting up a side hustle teach you new skills, help you get financial independence, bring in extra money and let you be your own boss, often it can grow to become a full time career, if that’s what you want. However, you have to be strategic about how you run things if you want it to work alongside other jobs or expand it. Growing your online eCommerce business can all be done from the palm of your hand these days, but it still takes vision and careful planning to make it work. 

Make Your Working Week Smarter

Becoming a business owner, on no matter how small a scale, demands that you act professionally if you want to make it a success. So even when it’s a side hustle balanced alongside other things, you have to approach it seriously in order to make it work. That means understanding and setting goals, writing up a business plan and giving great service. If you approach things half-heartedly, it’s never going to take off. Thinking about the big picture in all that you do can really create perspective. What are your ultimate aims for this business? Where do you want it to be in five years time? How are you going to steer it there? Having a plan allows you to work more efficiently and that’s essential when you’re combining several different things. Use time management techniques to ensure that you’re focusing on the most important elements. 

Set Up Your Digital Ecosystem 

Establishing your digital ecosystem is a fundamental step in making your business work. You need a set up a smart website which you can update on the go, and automate as many processes as possible so that your business keeps ticking over while you’re at your day job. There are lots of smart apps out there which you can use to schedule social media posts in advance, create invoices and track payments and respond to customer queries. Set up automated email communications to welcome new customers or gather feedback after a purchase. Make sure that you’ve optimised your site for search engines – articles like this can help you to understand the principles you need to follow – https://ignitedigital.com/service/search-engine-optimizationseo/. And using a simple free CRM plug in will help you to track sales and create a contacts list. 

Connect With Your Audience 

You have all the tools in place to run a successful eCommerce business from your phone in just a few hours a week, but what will really make you successful is connecting with your customers. Create a social media presence and combine customer generated content with professional branded images to make a great connection with people and establish a brand presence.