You’ve landed an interested customer. They liked your proposal enough to schedule a second meeting, and now it’s time to close the deal. But before you walk into that room, there’s a little more homework to do.
This is where the rubber meets the road. It’s that moment you have to switch from passively marketing your new venture to actively selling. For many people just starting a side hustle, the word “selling” can feel a little pushy or uncomfortable. It’s easy to find other things to do, like organizing your files or catching up on admin tasks.
You've done the hard part—you’ve defined your service, set your prices, and are ready to go. Now comes the step that trips a lot of people up when : finding paying customers. It feels intimidating, but the truth is, the foundation for your client list is probably already sitting in your pocket.
An essential part of is figuring out how to talk about it. This isn't just about what you sell; it's about who you are. The values you hold are just as much a part of your product as your actual skills. You are the brand.
Getting potential customers to pick you is always an uphill battle if you don’t genuinely understand what they want and need. This isn't just about knowing the market you’re in—it’s about adopting a client-first mindset and being able to answer the question, “Why should they choose me?”
How you feel about your work and its place in your life is a huge deal. Before you can build a freelance career that’s both rewarding and exciting, you have to do the internal work of understanding yourself—your boundaries, your needs, and your motivations. When you first , this self-reflection is the most critical step.
I recently got an email from a coaching client who was hitting a wall. He’d been putting in the work on his new venture for three months but wasn't seeing the progress he’d hoped for. Frustration was setting in, and he started to wonder if the whole thing was a mistake. He asked the one question every person with a side hustle eventually asks: "When is it time to quit?"
Have you ever wondered why some people and companies make it big while others just fizzle out? It often boils down to how their leaders think. Take Apple’s old slogan, “Think different.” That wasn't just clever marketing; it was a mission statement that captured the company’s entire philosophy. Steve Jobs wasn't just building computers—he was sparking a movement. He saw a future driven by a community of creative people ready to change the world. His purpose, his “why,” was always bigger than the processors and hard drives he was selling.
One of the best things about the 21st century is how many different ways we have to sell things. Land is no different. Honestly, this entire wouldn't even be possible without the websites that specialize in selling properties. It all started with platforms like Amazon and eBay a couple of decades ago, and now there’s an online marketplace for just about everything.