Side Hustles for Full-Time Professionals

John Grisham was a practicing lawyer with a side hustle. Approaching the age of 30, Grisham was busy with his legal career, working 60 to 70 hours a week at a law firm in Mississippi. Grisham wanted to write a novel but could not afford to stop practicing law to pursue his dream. To achieve his goal, Grisham would wake up at 5 a.m. sharp and hustle to his office. He would be at his desk, coffee, pen and legal pad in hand, by 5:30 a.m. His goal was to write at least one page per day. Three years later, by sticking to his rigorous daily writing routine, Grisham finished writing and editing "A Time to Kill." He has since gone on to sell over 300 million books. Is it just me, or are more lawyers starting side hustles these days? From coaching and consulting, to book writing and course creation, lawyers are finding new ways to apply their skills and experiences to craft multi-faceted careers. If you're thinking about a side hustle, study Grisham's approach. It's instructive. 1. Set a goal: What will you achieve, by when, and how will you measure progress? 2. Start a daily practice: You don't need to make a lot of progress all at once—a little bit every day will do. 3. Stick with it: 28 publishers rejected "A Time to Kill." 2024 prediction: The year of the entrepreneurial lawyer. ***** I share this post every year around this time—it seems to strike a chord with people. From my vantage point, the entrepreneurial spirit (in particular, a desire for greater autonomy) among those in the legal community strengthens every year, and seems set to accelerate even more in 2024. Best of luck chasing your big dreams!

Are you worried that building your personal brand might ruffle feathers at work? It's a common concern. I was just speaking with someone who felt stuck – she wanted to establish herself as a thought leader, but she knew her employer wasn’t exactly enthusiastic about it. Understandably, companies can feel hesitant about personal branding if you’re not in a top-tier role. Questions may arise: Why is this person in the spotlight? Will they represent us well, or are they simply building their brand to move on? But here’s the thing: you can build your brand strategically without creating friction: ✳ Collaborate, don’t clash Find ways to align your goals with the company’s. For example, if your organization wants visibility in your field, you can propose speaking engagements or articles in industry publications – activities that highlight both you and the company positively. Team up with the communications team to ensure everyone feels supported. ✳ Leverage your company’s brand power Take full advantage of your employer’s credibility. Networking becomes easier when people are excited to meet you because of where you work. This brand association can help expand your connections without stepping on any toes. ✳ Know when to dial back Building a public-facing brand inside a company sometimes means a slower pace. Keep your activities relevant and aligned with the organization’s goals, and consider pacing things until you’re at a level where it feels more natural. Personal branding isn’t just about personal gain; it’s a way to create lasting impact and build confidence in your professional identity, all while contributing value to your current role. 

How I went from a 9-5 to entrepreneur in 12 months: (The 2025 "I Quit My Job" Strategy) 1. Launch a side hustle (Month 1-3) Don't reinvent the wheel. Turn your existing skills and knowledge into income. - Coaching - Consulting - Freelancing - Digital products You'll learn the basics of marketing, offers, sales, client success, running a P/L, and more. This is the foundation. 2. Grow to $1,000 a month. (Month 3-6) Come up with a simple, reverse-engineered plan. - How many clients do you need? - How many outreaches a day? - How many posts a week? Once you hit $1,000/mo, aim for $2,000. Then $3k, then $5k, then $10k. Don't overwhelm yourself with a $100,000 goal. Build and grow slowly over 3-6 months. 3. Replace your baseline expenses. (Month 6-12) Jumping full-time into entrepreneurship comes with pressure. Before you do, figure out how to: - Achieve proof of concept - Grow your side hustle income - Save 3-6 months of bills in cash - Replace your monthly salary or bills It might take longer, but giving yourself 6-12 months of building is the way to go. Want a head start? I created this free 5-day email course to help you start monetizing your LinkedIn in 2025. Check it out: https://lnkd.in/evpUh82R

In my early career, I thought networking was all about building as many connections as possible. But I quickly learned that effective networking isn't about the quantity of your connections—it's about the quality. Throughout my career, the connections that have truly made a difference weren’t the ones where I just asked for help—they were the ones where I made it easy for others to want to help me. If you want to make others genuinely want to help you, it’s crucial to move beyond simply asking for favors. Instead, focus on creating value and building relationships where both parties benefit. So, how can you do the same? Here are four tactical tips to help you network effectively: ✅ Do Your Homework Before reaching out, research the person or company you’re interested in. Understand their work, challenges, and how you can add value. For instance, instead of asking a connection for job leads, do your own research first. Identify specific roles and companies you’re targeting, and then ask if they can help with an introduction. This approach shows initiative and respect for their time. ✅ Be Specific in Your Ask Whether you’re asking for an introduction, advice, or a referral, be clear and concise about what you need. For example, instead of asking, “Do you know anyone hiring?” say, “I noticed [Company Name] is looking for a [Role]. Would you be open to introducing me to [Person]? I’m happy to send you my resume and a brief write-up you can pass along, too.” This shows that you’ve taken the initiative and makes it easier for your contact to say yes. ✅ Offer Mutual Value When requesting a meeting or advice, frame it as a two-way conversation. Instead of saying, “Can I pick your brain?” try something like, “I’d love to exchange ideas on [specific topic] and share some strategies that have worked for me.” This not only makes your request more compelling but also positions you as someone who brings value to the table. ✅ Follow Up with Gratitude After someone has helped you, don’t just say thank you and disappear. Keep them in the loop on how their help made an impact. Whether you got the job, secured the meeting, or just had a great conversation, let them know. This closes the loop and makes them more inclined to help you in the future. Your network is one of your greatest assets—nurture it well, and it will be there for you when you need it most. What’s one networking tip that’s helped you build stronger connections? *** 📧 Want more tips like these? Join Career Bites - free weekly bite-sized tips to supercharge your career in 3 minutes or less: lorraineklee.com/subscribe 📖 You can also get behind-the-scenes stories, updates, and special gifts for my upcoming book Unforgettable Presence: lorraineklee.com/book

I used to think hustle was the key to high performance. Then I learned the real secret: REST is the most powerful RGA. Most sellers grind themselves into dust chasing performance. But I’ve coached 100s of top performers—and the highest earners don’t work more hours. They master their energy. Here’s how I worked 40 hours a week (never work nights or weekends) and still outperformed 99% of reps: Let’s flip the script on what it takes to be a top performer in sales. Everyone talks about RGAs—Revenue Generating Activities. But no one talks about the energy required to do RGAs well. If you want to prospect with intensity, sell with presence, and close big deals— You need rest. At a mastermind recently, someone called it the “Ultimate RGA”: Rest Generating Activities. Because without rest, RGAs fall apart. You’ll be foggy. Reactive. Distracted. You’ll confuse activity with impact. Here’s how I train reps to recharge intentionally—so they can win without burnout: 1. Plan 4 Vacations a Year I pre-block 4 weeks off annually. They’re non-negotiable. It doesn’t matter if it’s Hawaii or your local mountain trail— The key is knowing you are unavailable. Not half-working. Not checking Slack. Fully present. Fully off. 2. Track and Protect Your Sleep I use a WHOOP. You can use anything. But if you're not sleeping 7+ hours, consistently, you’re underperforming. You can’t bring intensity to your calls when you’re running on fumes. Sleep is a performance multiplier. 3. Calendar Block Your Breaks My calendar is blocked 12–1 PM every day. Lunch with my wife. A walk. Or just quiet. Three hours of deep work → 1 hour of recovery → back for the final sprint. Burnout doesn’t happen from work. It happens from nonstop work. 4. Ruthless Time Boundaries I stop work at 5 PM most days. No nights. No weekends. Ever. You don’t need 70 hours a week to crush quota. You need to stop saying yes to distractions and start owning your schedule. Parkinson’s Law is real: The less time you give yourself, the more efficient you become. 5. Say No to Busy Work I use the 12 Week Year system. Everything I do ties back to a goal. Internal meetings? Minimized. Slack and email? Batched and time-boxed. If it doesn’t move pipeline or drive impact, I don’t touch it. If you’re working 60+ hours and still missing quota... It’s not your work ethic that’s broken. It’s your calendar. Stop measuring your week by hours worked. Start measuring it by energy invested in what matters. You don’t need to grind harder. You need to recharge better. Work less. Sell more. Live fully.

5 mistakes that kill portfolio careers before they start: I've interviewed dozens of people leading portfolio careers for Money Abroad: Like ex-UBS MD Eric Sim, ex-Netflix APAC Talent Director Aki Taha, Fractional COO Karina Mikhli, and Fractional Head of Growth Mark Mullinix, CLMP™ . Here’s what I’ve learned so far from their insights and my own journey. Avoid these common mistakes: 1️⃣ 𝗤𝘂𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗷𝗼𝗯 𝘁𝗼𝗼 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 Don't underestimate how long it takes to build new income streams. Instead, follow the 1-2 Rule: • 1 year of living expenses saved • 2x of your expenses covered from your business 2️⃣ 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝟮+ 𝗷𝗼𝗯𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲 Grinding 80-hour weeks is a recipe for burnout. Try this: • Limit side hustle to 10 hours/week • Focus on leveraging your time effectively 3️⃣ 𝗕𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿 With 7+ years of experience, you've got valuable skills. To capitalize: • Discover your superpowers • Validate your niche in the market 4️⃣ 𝗢𝗯𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗲𝗯𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗲 Your fancy site alone won't close clients. Instead: • Sell without a website first • Only build when clients request more info 5️⃣ 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗼𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝘀 Multiple offers can confuse clients. Focus on: • Nailing 1 offer for 1 ideal client profile • Aligning all messaging towards this offer What mistakes have you seen when starting a portfolio career?

Every opportunity that changed my life came from a relationship (not a resume). 6 tips to build a network that actually works for you: 1/ Check In Without Needing Anything ↳ Send "how are you?" texts more often than "can you help me?" emails. ↳ People forget what you said, but they remember that you stayed in touch. 2/ Give Before You Get ↳ The best networkers give help more often than they ask for it. ↳ Share opportunities, make introductions, send useful articles. 3/ Start Building Today ↳ The worst time to build relationships is when you desperately need them. ↳ Your next job won't come from a blind job app. It'll come from someone you know. 4/ Make It Personal ↳ Remember birthdays, kids' names, their big wins. ↳ One genuine conversation beats 100 business cards. 5/ Stay Consistent ↳ Set reminders to reach out quarterly. ↳ Small efforts compound into strong connections. 6/ Be The Connector ↳ Introduce people who should know each other. ↳ Become known as someone who helps others win. The net worth of your network compounds faster than your 401(k). Every promotion, every opportunity, every breakthrough... They all started with a relationship. Your dream job is one conversation away. But that conversation only happens if you've been nurturing relationships all along. Start today. Text someone you haven't talked to in months. Not because you need something. Just because relationships are your most valuable career asset. What's your favorite way to network? Reshare ♻️ to help someone in your network. And give me a follow for more posts like this.

I talk a lot about the benefits of being a corporate content creator - creating content about your 9-5. But there are some downsides too - I know a number of people who have lost their jobs either explicitly or indirectly due to their content creation side hustle. So a few tips if this is an avenue you want to explore: 1. Know your company's policies. Some companies have explicit policies against posting on social media or having side hustles while employed. Some have very strict guidelines around what you can post or how you can make money while employed. While I find much of this odd, the reality is that we live in a country of "at-will employment" and your employer can terminate you if they don't like your social media. Read your policies. If there are no policies, talk to your HRBP and manager to make sure people support this path before you get super active on social media. 2. Be clear on what matters most. I care a lot about my 9-5, and I want to keep my job. I know others who have said that they're find losing their full-time job and will put their content first. Knowing your priorities will help you when those two things come into conflict. Hopefully, they won't. But what happens if you're asked to promote a company that is a competitor to your full-time employer? What happens if your employer doesn't like something you post? What happens if you have amazing speaking opportunities coming your way, but they require you to take a week off work every other month, or to miss major meetings or deadlines? Knowing your priorities will help you make the right call in these situations for you. 3. Make it worth it for your employer. IMO most employers are more likely to be OK with this if they feel like are getting benefits. And while many won't admit it, your success is partially due to quality content, but often working for a popular company helps (and then there's also just a lot of luck involved!) So make sure to post positively about your employer from time to time. Promote launches or big updates. If your employer is benefiting from your social media presence, they're going to be more supportive. Here's the bottom line: Like anything else in the workplace, success isn't only about you and your skills, it's also about understanding the rules and navigating the systems you're in. And to employers: The reality is social media is here to stay so instead of fearing this, embrace it. You can gain a ton of benefits from having employees active on social media. Instead of restricting your employees and operating from a place of distrust, consider how you can create boundaries and support your workforce. Create policies and employee advocacy programs, and unleash the creativity of your workforce instead of trying to suppress and control them.

4 mistakes creators with full-time jobs keep making (and how to build your personal brand without blowing up your 9-5) ⤵️ If you’re a creator AND you work a full-time job… this is for you. Bc there’s a SPECIFIC kind of tension that shows up when you’re trying to grow online & show up at work: - “I don’t want to step on any toes.” - “What if this sounds weird to my boss?” - “Maybe I should just keep it focused on my job…” Been there. Way more times than I can count while working across multiple companies, teams & even now. But here’s what most people don’t see. - The mental gymnastics. - The little voice that says “ehhh maybe don’t post that.” - The fear that something will come back to bite you. Even when the post is helpful. Even when it’s NOT even spicy. So I'm gonna spill the tea. 👀 Here are the top 4 mistakes I see creators-with-jobs make alllll the time (and yes, I’ve made them too). ❌ Mistake 1) Your entire profile is just your company’s PR page. - Your headline? Company slogan. - Your About section? Press release copy. - Your posts? Only company wins. So what's the lesson here? Your profile ≠ your employer’s profile. ✅ Try this instead: • Write a headline that reflects you (what you do, who you help, what’s next). • Use your About to show your POV, not just your path. • Mix in posts that highlight your lessons, not just your work wins. Need a template to get started? I got you: https://lnkd.in/ehihperj ❌ Mistake 2) Every post is just work, work, work, work, work. Your job is part of your identity. It shouldn’t be the whole feed. I’ve seen super smart people stay stuck in “corporate voice” while sitting on gold - stories, insights, frameworks that actually connect with people. ✅ Try this: • Rotate between 3 buckets: Work, Process, Perspective. • Zoom out. Some of your best posts might come from your life outside your current job. • Don’t overthink it. Some of my highest-converting posts started as iPhone Notes drafts. ❌ Mistake 3) You’re letting fear of your employer hold you back. This one’s real + valid. But also, some of the most meaningful opportunities I’ve gotten (from speaking gigs to clients to press) came from posts that scared me a little to share. ✅ Try this: • Start with “safe stretch” posts (ie. frameworks, lessons, what you’re learning) • Don’t vent. Don’t gossip. Focus on being generous with insight. • Write a personal content guardrails doc: → Topics I want to talk about → Stuff that’s off-limits (for now) → My intention with this content I'm running out of characters for my caption, so you can read the 4th mistake and what to do instead for all these mistakes here: www.creatorand.xyz ♻️ Repost if this hits home for you, it might help someone else feeling stuck too.

That exhilarating moment when you decide to turn your side hustle into a full-time business venture can easily be derailed by preventable mistakes. As someone who's been there, I want to shed light on some key pitfalls to anticipate and avoid. 1) One of the biggest errors many solopreneurs make is trying to do absolutely everything themselves. You can't effectively operate as the CEO, managing day-to-day operations, delivery, business development, and more solo for very long. The key to scalability is hiring and delegating strategically so you can stay laser-focused on high-level vision and revenue drivers. 2) Another common trap is overreliance on project-based income instead of cultivating retainer clients. One-off projects provide cash flow but also constant income uncertainty. Prioritizing recurring retainer revenue sources from clients buying into your expertise offers stability to truly grow. 3) On a personal level, many side hustlers fail to separate business and personal finances effectively. As your entrepreneurial income grows, maintaining a murky financial situation becomes a major headache. Set up dedicated bank accounts and accounting practices for your business from day one. 4) But perhaps the biggest pitfall of all is simply trying to make the leap without a financial runway. Bootstrapping a business while employed is very different from covering all your personal expenses with unproven business income. Have a realistic plan for how long you can make ends meet through the inevitable entrepreneurial cash deserts. The side hustle to full-time journey is exhilarating but has plenty of potential landmines. Separating CEO duties from operations, diversifying income streams, getting finances in order, and ensuring a runway - nail those basics and you'll avoid many painful lessons. Subscribe to my free newsletter to learn more about my journey and my advise to other entrepreneurs making the leap