Tom Chivers founded Picky Mixers in 2022, an online sweet business, that offers a wide variety of sweet treats. The 29-year-old spoke exclusively with Express.co.uk about the importance of people using the skills they already have, as a way to figure out what side hustle they could start.
As a digital PR freelancer, Mr Chivers was able to market his product and attracts many customers each month.
The business was launched properly in November last year mainly because he was tired of seeing “illegal” prices on pick-n-mix.
He wanted to start a sweet business that was affordable and that people could order from anywhere.
Mr Chivers told Express.co.uk: “I’ve had a career in marketing for many years now, so I also had half an eye on using this business as my own personal playground.
“I can attempt things with this that I couldn’t do with a client’s website or marketing strategy and that really excited me. In short, I’m basically just a massive contrarian.
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“Currently I’m making a modest return every month, around £500, as it’s a fairly recent project, but thankfully things look to be heading in the right direction.
“Every month the number of people visiting the website seems to be growing, and so too are the sales.”
When asked what he does with his extra cash, Mr Chivers explained that he usually invests it right back into the business in hopes that it will eventually pay off when it can stand on its own two feet and provide a reliable income.
He shared that the best way to think of a side hustle business is like an investment, rather than a get-rich-quick scheme.
According to their research, as many as one in five UK workers say they have a second job on the side of their main source of income, with potential earnings of £4,992 over the course of a year.
Informi asked Tom if he had any tips for someone wanting to start a side hustle alongside employment.
Mr Chivers said: “When you think about starting your own business if you think about it too much you’ll realise there are a million and one things you don’t know.
“That can put you off, but don’t let it.
Everything you need to learn you can do by researching yourself online and a little bit of trial and error.
“No business is ever going to be the finished article when you’re starting out, and even if the idea you’re passionate about doesn’t work out, you’ve just gained a hell of a lot of life experience that you can apply to your next project.
“Don’t think yourself out of an opportunity. If you’re passionate about a project (and it won’t bankrupt you to attempt it) then go for it and see what happens. Even a failure is a great learning experience.”
Profits from a side hustle will depend on the amount of time someone invests, but just one hour, five days a week, could help people earn anywhere from £175 additionally each month.
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