- Freelance writing or editing: With the rise of content marketing, businesses are in need of quality written content. If you have a way with words and a knack for grammar, consider offering your services as a freelance writer or editor.
- Content Creator – You can also leverage some of the new AI tools available for content creation to start you off, though make sure you check every word and customize to add you’re own spin to ensure quality content.
- Stock photography – take a library of photos of a theme and sell them to a stock photography agency. our stock photo should be clear and easy to understand, as they will only glance at it. Consider taking photos that allow for text or design treatment (white or dark spaces), So a designer can use it for a brochure, an online ad, or a website cover photo. The simpler the better. This is great if you have a pet passion that you can spend time capturing through your camera. make sure to capture all types of lighting, angles, backgrounds and remember less is more for good images.
- Illustrations for books, ads, you can either draw them yourself if you have a unique style, or even leverage the new tools available like Dall-E from Open-AI
- Virtual assistance: Many entrepreneurs and small business owners need help with administrative tasks like scheduling appointments, responding to emails, and managing social media accounts. Offer your services as a virtual assistant and work from the comfort of your own home.
- Pet-sitting or dog-walking: If you love animals, consider offering your services as a pet-sitter or dog-walker. Many pet owners travel frequently and need someone to take care of their furry friends while they’re away. You can either join one of the sites like Pawshake.com that cover you for insurance and organise your booking and payments, or you can set up you’re own facebook or Instagram or Tiktok with happy pet walking.sitting stories promote yourself. I recommend as you build your business that you capture client email and potentially create a website to enable growth of your business without being dependent on the algorithms of social media sites.
- Photography or videography: If you have an eye for detail and a passion for capturing special moments, consider offering your services as a photographer or videographer. Weddings, parties, and events are always in need of professional photographers and videographers. The key to success is to specialize in what you are interested in and good at (what do you loose track of time doing) and then get known just for that. For Example – being a pet photographer – There are specialist pet photography sites that help you grow you’re business, take it seriously and develop the skills you need to keep your customers happy. Everyone starts somewhere, there are great learning sites e.g. www.creativelive.com for learning about photography, lighting, lightroom and photoshop. Or you may simply wish to start with you’re iphone and focus on the entry level market whilst you learn.
- Online tutoring: If you have expertise in a particular subject or skill, consider offering online tutoring services. This could be anything from math and science to coding and design. There are so many people looking to grow their skills, or parents looking to give their kids a helping hand in reading, maths, science. you can offer event training for things like learning to play chess, or painting a landscape, teaming up with a restaurant can be a fun way to capture a larger audience and have a single gig pay well.
- Handyman or house cleaning services: Many people are looking for help with small home repairs or cleaning tasks. If you’re handy with tools or have a knack for cleaning, consider offering your services as a handyman or house cleaner. This can be really handy when you simply need cash, and don’t want to have to use you’re brain, with the shortage of workers, people are desperate for good help in the house or the garden.
- Personal shopping or styling: Help people to shop for clothes, accessories, or even furniture. You can also help them to create a wardrobe, or style their home. You can save someone money time and effort by helping them get a coordinated wardrobe with some simple elegant pieces, you can also team up with designers.
- Event planning: If you love planning parties, events, or even corporate events, consider offering your services as an event planner.
- Graphic design or web development: If you’re skilled in graphic design or web development, consider offering your services as a freelancer. Many businesses need help creating logos, websites, and marketing materials. With the new AI tools available, it’s become much easier to create content, as long as you check, edit and make it you’re own (we don’t need more dross on the net). Try tools like Chat GPT from Open AI, Copy.AI, Jasper.AI and others (google it).
- Making T Shirts from you’re art (I have a number of blogs on this for you to enjoy) here’s my shop with my art
- Music or dance instruction: If you’re a talented musician or dancer, consider offering music or dance lessons. You can teach in person or even online.
I will create another blog with more ideas to follow, plus more on what tools and accelerators you can use to kick start your side-gig. I personally have my photography side-gig and am constantly updating my skills to perfect my craft. I have always played with art, and am also getting back into drawing and learning all the new tools, breaking open the graphics tablet and looking to spend more time to express myself through art.
UPDATE
As of may, I am now officially on the hunt for better side-gigs and how I might monetize from the publishing boon that is possible with Kindle, blogging leveraging the new Chat GPT and other AI based platform tools, as well as getting back into drawing and the creative Adobe tools. I am on the waitlist now for Adobe Firefly, pick me, please! I need this.
Of course I am one of those wanna be authors, writing my own book (stuck on plot creation currently), and like many I crave to publish decent content and gain more skills whilst I grow. Seems I am now being released from the corporate world, into full time – Side-Gig-dom – and hopefully even one day earning more money.
Author – Jo Dawn
Photo of Dove Copyright of Jo Dawn Photography the digital images are copyright of Jo Dawne Digital Artist.
