What were you doing before you began your side hustle, and why were you taken with entrepreneurship?
Before diving into the world of entrepreneurship with GreenPal, I used to be a sales manager at a Fortune 50 tech company. Nevertheless, the allure of entrepreneurship was all the time there. Growing up in a family where everyone ran their very own business, the will to be my very own boss was a natural inclination. This deep-rooted ambition, combined with my corporate experience, became the inspiration upon which I built my side hustle, eventually transforming it into the successful platform it’s today.
When did you begin your side hustle, and where did you discover the inspiration for it?
GreenPal began in 2012, sparked by the entrepreneurial spirit of my childhood friend, who had the most important landscaping business in our hometown. Witnessing his success and the potential for technological innovation within the landscaping industry inspired us to create a platform that will redefine how homeowners connect with lawn care professionals.
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What were a few of the first steps you took to get your side hustle off the bottom?
To launch GreenPal, we hit the bottom running — literally. We went door-to-door, signing up homeowners for our service, and devoted countless hours to cold-calling vendors to affix our platform. We even arrange a kiosk within the mall, engaging directly with the community to spread awareness about our service. Each step was a lesson in persistence and grassroots marketing.
What were a few of the biggest challenges you faced while constructing your side hustle, and the way did you navigate them?
The largest hurdle we faced while constructing GreenPal was getting our website developed. We contracted an area firm, and after a lengthy process, they delivered a product that was nearly unusable. To make matters worse, they suddenly went out of business. This left us with a stark alternative: quit or adapt. We selected to adapt. One among our co-founders took the initiative to attend software school, learning the ins and outs of web development. With determination and new-found expertise, he rebuilt our website from scratch, overcoming nearly two years of setbacks. This challenge taught us resilience and the critical importance of getting in-house technical skills.
How long did it take you to see consistent monthly revenue, and at what point did the side hustle’s income surpass your full-time job?
It was 2017 before we saw consistent monthly revenue. 2021 was when my GreenPal income surpassed that of my full-time job.
Related: I Built My Multimillion-Dollar Side-Hustle While Working a Full-Time
You have turned your side hustle right into a full-time business. How much average monthly or annual revenue does it herald now?
Since GreenPal could be very cyclical, our highest growing months are in the summertime, and our revenues surpass $3 million per 30 days.
What’s your advice for other side hustlers who hope to show their ventures into successful full-time businesses?
My advice to those that wish to go “all-in” on their side hustle is to know this: It may be tougher and more time-consuming than your day job. Be ready to take a position countless hours, often greater than your regular employment. My full-time job was a breeze in comparison with starting something from scratch. Also, passion is essential; it’ll fuel those long nights and early mornings. Hold onto your primary job so long as possible; it is the financial backbone on your side hustle during those early, uncertain days. Use every little bit of your vacation and paid time without work to concentrate on your side business. Those hours are yours, earned on your dreams. This strategy gives you a security net while constructing the inspiration of your future business. Your passion, coupled with strategic use of time and resources, will probably be the engine driving your side hustle forward.