Hustle with Heels Podcast

Ep14. How to Set Yourself Up for Success to Launch Your Side Hustle in 2025

• Cindy Excell

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It’s January, and we’re all feeling that “new year, new me” energy, right?

This is the perfect time to channel that momentum into making real moves for your side hustle dreams.

Whether you’re just starting to explore the idea of a side hustle or ready to dive in, this episode is for you.

I’m sharing simple strategies to help you make time for your side hustle, protect your energy, and build an environment that supports your goals.

Starting a side hustle doesn’t have to be overwhelming. It’s about taking that first step and gradually building the momentum that comes from taking small actions.

In this episode, I’m sharing some simple steps to set you up for success to get your side hustle off the ground.


Links


Free Workshop: From Corporate to Online Coaching: How to Start Your Side Business in 2025 While Working in Corporate. Date and Time: Saturday 18th Jan @11am AEDT.

Connect with me on LinkedIn here

Check out my Instagram here


Welcome to the Hustle with Heels podcast. I'm your host, Cindy Excell, a corporate girl, start hustler, wife, and a mom of two. In 2020, I started my first start hustle as an online fitness coach while working in my corporate job as a private wealth manager. Over the years, I have been living proof that a corporate career And a side hustle can absolutely co exist in harmony.

Today, I'm helping corporate women and early stage entrepreneurs create wealth beyond that nine to five jobs and build an online business on their terms. On this podcast, I'll share my knowledge, strategies, and the stories that will help you start and grow your side hustle. Whether you are ready to diversify your income streams, or are looking to build a start business that aligns with your goals, I'm here to support you every step of the way.

Now, let's get started.  Hey friend, welcome back to another episode of Hustle with Heels podcast. Last week, we talked about the mindset shift that you need to make. If you want to start building your sad hustle this year, today, I'm going to walk you through some practical stuff, which is the steps that you can actually take right now to set yourself up for success in your sad hustle journey.

Let's be honest. January is that time of year where we're all about new year, new me vibes, right? I'm totally feeling that too. Coming back from the holidays, I've been so pumped to work on my business every single day. There is this special energy that I feel very strongly about making 2025 the year we all go in, achieving our goals and building something that we are proud of. 

If you are feeling that momentum as well, this episode is for you. Let's lean into that motivation, make some decisions, and map out a game plan so you can kickstart your side hustle with confidence. Here is what we will cover today. Actionable tips, realistic strategies, and a simplified approach to get you started.

Let's dive right in. Here is what I believe the way we work is changing and fast. Whether it is redundancies, the rise of remote work, or the  unpredictability of the economy can't say that word having just one source of income feels riskier than ever. That's why I believe every single person with a corporate or 9 to 5 job should seriously consider starting a start up business.

Some may say I can diversify my income via investing. Well, that I'll 100 percent agree. As a financial advisor for my daytime job, that is what I do every single day for my clients. The thing is, you still need to have that capital for investments first, right? Have a set hustle can actually help you create and faster track your ability to be able to do that.

Here are some stats. Do you know that in America, there are 44%  People have some sort of sudden hustle and in Australia, the numbers are also rising around a 30 percent of Australians now have a started business with many using that as a way to boost their income and achieving financial independence. So that number is actually expected to grow even more in 2025.

Why? Because people are actually realizing the benefits, the financial security, the career control, and income diversification. Let's not forget personal fulfillment as well. Everybody in the job can get in these days. It's not just about money. It is also about creating something that is actually yours.

And listen, no matter where you are in your corporate career, it is never too late to start. The easiest way to dip your toes in is using what you already have. Your skills, your knowledge, your experience, expertise, and the personal strength, all of that can be turned into an online coaching business to start with.

And that's exactly what I teach my clients to do. Here is where most people get stuck. They overthink it. They think they need a full on business plan or idea before they can even start. The truth is, you really don't. Your first version of your business doesn't have to be perfect, and hardly likely, in fact, it won't be anyway.

Instead, it just needs to exist. Another tip here is that adopt an experimental mindset. Remember, your bills are covered by your nine to five jobs right now. So you have the freedom to test things out without pressure. Take some actions, collecting feedback, and tweak as you go. That's how you actually build confidence and clarity.

When you take actions, your next steps usually unfold as you go. Before I share with you these practical steps, as a quick reminder here, you also need to have the right mindset in place. So, if you haven't already, check out episode 13 and episode 10. These episodes are packed with tips and strategies to help you shift your mindset and overcome fears that complement what we are covering today, so that you are even more prepared to get on with your side hustle journey.

Again, that's episode 10 and episode 13. Go check them out. Now, let's go back to the tips to set yourself up for success with your side business. I want to make this really easy for you. Tip number one is to simplify your plan. Let's start with the one, one, one rule. Focus on one offer, one platform, and the one client persona for the first 90 days of your SATA hassle journey.

For example, if you are great at helping people organize their personal finance or help them with budgeting, you can create a simple coaching offer around that. Use social media platform that you feel comfortable with, such as LinkedIn, which is the one I feel most resonate with. Use that to connect with your potential clients.

Focus on one ideal client, maybe busy professionals in their 30s. Then you start to talk to them, you understand their struggles, their desires, what result they actually want, and how you can use your skills to help them to get that. Here's another tip. Once you start talking to them, you will also have more ideas flow to you, which may even change your initial thought on your ideas.

Your offer and what you want to do with your business. I have seen so many of my clients in that situation actually, and that's it. No need to overcomplicate things here. Tip number two is to time block your week. Plan for a minimum three to five hours each week to work on your side hustle. That's all you need to get started and treat this time block as non negotiable, no interruptions, no distractions, and imagine that as an important client meeting, for example, that you cannot miss.

So block that in your calendar, just like you would for a meeting for your corporate job. Schedule that during your most productive hours, if possible. If you're a morning person, wake up an hour earlier. If you're a night owl, carve out time in the evening. And also use tools like Google Calendar, Notion, or even write them down in your diary, or any time tracking apps that works for you to stay accountable.

Break your sessions into focused tasks as well. Because that's going to help you to accomplish the small tasks, which is going to give you more momentum to keep you going. Maybe it's an hour for brainstorming ideas, another hour for outreach to clients, potential clients, and another hour for content creation.

So stay consistency and stay focused is a key here. Even one focused hour a day can create a big momentum and produce measurable results there for you. Tip number three is to build a supportive environment. Your environment plays a huge role in your success when you are on your side hustle journey. So surround yourself with people who inspires you.

And uplift you. This might mean joining a community of like minded entrepreneurs. You can find them on LinkedIn groups, Facebook groups, or just to Google your local community groups. If you're enjoying those in person interactions. Or you can hire a coach, or if you know somebody else also start a similar journey as you find that accountability body who are on this similar journey.

Another way to create a supportive environment is that you can create an educational environment as well. That you can learn at any time about starting and growing your startup business. You can find free educational resources like podcasts, books, or even some online courses, YouTube videos, et cetera.

That anything aligned with your goals are all good choices. If you just start out and are not sure which podcast or books you should look for, message me on LinkedIn at CindyXL with double L. I'm more than happy to give you some recommendations there. The point is, staying connected to inspiring content and communities can keep your motivation high and your mindset sharp.

It helps you stay in the game, especially when this journey gets tough. Tip number three is to set boundaries with your time and energy. This is super, super important. When you start and grow your startup business while you still work in your nine to five job, sometimes it can be really hard to shift between the two roles.

If you also have a family commitment, it can be even harder. When you intentionally and consciously Protect your time and energy. You actually create the space to allow yourself to show up fully for your side of business. This could look like saying no to overtime at your nine to five job or dedicating household tasks or communicating your goals to your loved ones so that they can also support you when you need those few dedicated hours to work on your side hustle every week.

Remember, you don't have to do everything. Focus on what matters most and ask for help when needed. Tip number five, weekly reflection and adjustment. Progress doesn't happen in a straight line and that is okay. Schedule weekly check ins with yourself to review your progress and ask yourself what's working this week and what's not, where do I need to pivot to get myself ready for next week.

This reflection time isn't about beating yourself up for what didn't go as planned. It is about understanding how you work and be honest about it. It is about learning from missteps so that you can actually adjust and improve and stay aligned with your bigger vision. You can use tools like journaling or a diary to track what you planned to do at the beginning of the week versus what you actually get done by the end of the week.

Adjustment might mean shifting your strategy, exploring a new idea, or doubling down on what's already working well. Growth happens when you are willing to step outside your comfort zone. As entrepreneurs, it is essential to stay adaptable and make adjustments along the way. Now I've got an invitation for you here as well.

If you are ready to take this to the next level, I've got something special for you. On Saturday, January 18th at 11am Australian Eastern Data Savings Time, I am hosting a free online Live workshop called From Corporate to Online Coaching. How to start your startup business in 2025 while working in corporate.

In this workshop, I'll walk you through step by step how to turn your knowledge and skills into a profitable online coaching business without burning out while you still work in corporate. It is free. It is online. If you can't attend live, once you register, you will get a replay for a limited time. The registration link is in the show notes below and don't miss it.

So to wrap up this episode, let's recap the five tips to set yourself up for success. Number one, simplify your plan with the one, one, one rule. One offer, one platform, and the one type of client persona. Number two, time blocking at least three to five hours a week to work on your side of business. Number three, build a supportive environment with the right people.

Number four, set a boundaries to protect your time and energy. Number five, reflect weekly and stay adaptable. Taking the first step is always the hardest, but it is also the most important. Whether it is brainstorming your first coaching offer, setting a timer for 30 minutes to plan your week, or registering for my free workshop, you just need to take the action today.

This year, 2025, is waiting for you to step into your potential. I want to help you to make that the year you finally launch your side hustle. Thank you for tuning in. Until next week, keep dreaming, keep taking action, and let's make 2025 your breakthrough year. Bye for now. Thank you so much for listening to the Hustle with Heels podcast.

I hope this episode has inspired you to take action towards your sad hustle dream. If you enjoyed this episode, please take a second to rate and review it. Each review helps me help more corporate women and early stage entrepreneurs just like you. Don't forget to take a screenshot, share it in your Instagram stories or on LinkedIn and check me at Cindy Excel.

I will see you next week.