Running a side hustle isn’t just about extra pennies — it can bring fulfilment, resilience, and flexibility. With more people working on multiple income streams, consulting (even just one hour a week) is becoming a powerful way to support your household, maintain independence, and keep sharpening skills. (see this review about making a side hustle work)
Here are some of the real benefits people report:
- Additional income to cover family costs, emergencies, or to enable reinvestment in your main work.
- More autonomy over what you work on, and the chance to try new things that your main role might not allow.
- Expanded network and reputation: doing consulting shows you’ve got something to offer beyond your day‑job.
- Potential stepping stone: over time, side work can become a full income stream if it scales well. (not sure if a side hustle is right for you? – read this)
What to Charge — Know Your Worth
Don’t underprice yourself. Even for one hour a week, you should charge in line with what your skills and experience deserve. Key points:
- Assess market rates: see what people with similar expertise are charging.
- Reflect your experience: if you have speciality, qualifications, successful outcomes, you can command more.
- Include opportunity cost: even one hour means time you could be doing other paid work or rest.
- Be clear about what you deliver in that hour: what comes before/after, what the client gets.
Step‑by‑Step: How to Start a Small Consulting Offer
Here’s a simple roadmap. It doesn’t take loads of time, especially if you do one hour a week:
- Create Your Offer
- Pick something narrow and valuable (e.g. “sleep strategy development”, “performance technique feedback”, “nutrition check for endurance sports”).
- Decide what you’ll deliver: format (call, video, document), duration, what prep you need.
- Define Your Value Statement
- What outcome does your consulting produce? (“I help runners improve recovery so their training feels easier next day”, etc.).
- Be explicit about benefits and what makes you different.
- Identify Who Might Be Interested
- Existing network: athletes, coaches, colleagues.
- Social or online: LinkedIn, Instagram, relevant forums.
- Communities you already belong to.
- Set Your Pricing
- Keep it simple to start: maybe an hourly or fixed‑fee for a small package.
- Test what people accept; adjust after seeing how people respond.
- Don’t undersell just to get business; low fees are hard to raise later.
- Communicate and Market
- Small announcements: “I’m now offering performance feedback sessions” to your networks.
- Use content: share small tips that show your expertise.
- Testimonials or quick wins: where you’ve helped someone already.
- Deliver & Gather Feedback
- Do the job well. Be professional. Even small consulting has reputation effects.
- Ask clients what worked, what didn’t. Use that to improve your offer.
- Scale or Maintain
- If it grows, you might package up your offer, automate parts (e.g. onboarding, templates).
- Or keep it as a low‑time, high‑return addition to your main work without burning out.
What Trends / Evidence Say
- Many “gig economy” / side hustle studies highlight that people who have autonomy, clarity in what they deliver, and the ability to manage time well tend to succeed more.
- Side gigs help with financial security and mental wellbeing in uncertain times. People aren’t just doing them for extra cash — many value flexibility and control.
- There’s a tension: too much prep or complexity kills momentum. The simpler you make the offer, the easier it is to start.
Key Takeaways
- Even one hour per week can build credible extra income, expand your reputation, and give you more flexibility.
- Be clear about what you offer and what that’s worth. Charge appropriately.
- Start small, test, learn, deliver well. Use your network. Use feedback.