Overwhelmed by Side Hustle Ideas? Consider These 10 Questions to Select Your Top Choice - Side Hustle Nation

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      Half the individuals I speak with are still searching for side hustle ideas, while the other half have an abundance of options to consider. If you belong to the latter group, how do you decide which one to pursue? How do you prioritize your limited time to achieve maximum impact and results?

      A reader (who requested to remain anonymous) recently shared his decision-making formula, which I found appealing. He described it as follows: “My partner and I maintain a list of potential business ideas, which we evaluate using a baseball scoring system (single, double, triple, home run) based on various criteria.”

      For this exercise, I will assign a numerical score of 1-4 for each type of hit, with 4 or home run being the highest score.

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      1. How Excited Are You About the Idea?

      Motivation is fleeting!

      If the idea doesn’t excite you, how likely are you to invest the effort needed to make it a success?

      Rate your side hustle ideas or options on a scale of 1-4 based on how exciting they are for you, with 4 being the best.

      Perhaps the niche email newsletter rates a 2, vending machines a 3, the YouTube channel a 4, and the freelance service a 2.

      2. Is There a Clear Path to Your First Customers or Sales?

      Do you already have an idea of who your potential customers are?

      Are people asking you for this service?

      Or is there a vague route to monetization?

      In this context, the freelance service could score a 4, whereas the niche newsletter might only be a 1.

      3. How Much Time Will it Realistically Take to Get Off the Ground?

      Speed can be advantageous, and achieving significant progress creates a positive feedback loop that encourages you to continue.

      In my case with the shoe shopping site, it took months of development before we had even a basic functional version to market.

      Is there a quick-and-simple version of your product or service that you could launch immediately? Is there a way to presell something?

      4. How Much Capital Will it Realistically Take?

      This question pertains to startup costs.

      Which of your side hustle ideas can be launched with the least expense? Those would earn a score of 4.

      However, keep in mind that higher startup costs shouldn’t automatically exclude an idea from consideration.

      5. What’s the Revenue Potential?

      If the business performs reasonably well, how much could you potentially earn in 3-5 years?

      We often focus on minimizing downside risks—but what if the business succeeds?

      Would that be a positive outcome for you?

      If you're not aiming for a significant win, I worry that your motivation may dwindle before you reach your goal.

      6. How Easy is it to Operate?

      Is the business straightforward or complex in its operations?

      How many steps are involved in your sales funnel?

      A simple solo freelance service would likely receive a score of 4, while an e-commerce business with physical inventory might only score a 1 or 2.

      7. How Easy is it to Automate or Delegate?

      While it’s rarely as simple as we think, is the business model you’re considering conducive to automation or delegation?

      For instance, a service business like power washing could be delegated (but not automated), whereas a digital product business can be highly automated.

      8. How Easy is it to Scale?

      When considering scalability, I think about how easily you can add more customers.

      For example, if I have a YouTube channel, podcast, or email newsletter, scaling those is incredibly easy; the cost to add one more viewer, listener, or subscriber is virtually zero, and production costs remain constant.

      Producing an episode for 10 listeners costs the same as for 10,000 listeners.

      9. How Easy is it to Cease Operations if it’s Not Working?

      This pertains to exiting the business.

      If you need to walk away, how easy is it to shut