Do the (side) hustle

A recent conversation with a friend and client brought up the strangest internal conflict. She asked if “side hustle” was a bad word.

Well, first of all Mandy, it’s two words. But side hustle can’t be a bad thing right?! It’s a phrase we start-up owners - especially those of us with full-time jobs - use to talk about our passion projects all the time.

Waddle, waddle

Side hustle has become a hugely popular headline, it’s a badge of honour, it’s a quirky and creative way to say I run a business. But what if it’s not?

Interestingly, a Facebook group I’m a part of also started talking about side hustles the other day. The question was posed to a group of female entrepreneurs: “The term "Side Hustle"... Hate it? Like it? Indifferent? And why? Looking for lots of feedback! Thanks!”

Turns out most people aren’t fond of this phrase.

Bad ass or bad word?

Many say “hustle” is the negative word, indicating that you’re constantly selling or doing busy work, or even that it lacks quality. Others disliked the “side” part of side hustle, saying it seems like these people aren’t fully committed to their business.

Quite a few disagreed, saying it’s modern, and very literal for those of us with full-time jobs. Of course, one of my favourite local business owners had the best comment (as always) “I love it. It’s badass. I use it all the time. If I’m not hustlin’ I’m losin’!”

On my own time

Over here where the Penguins work, it’s an interesting question because we all have so much going on. I teach art to kids part time and paint full time on top of my copy director job at Rogue Penguin.

Sid; he runs his family’s bed and breakfast during the tourist season. Liam; he’s living the Monday to Friday life, servicing banks around the world!

But we’re completely committed to Rogue Penguin and our incredible clients. In fact, it’s these other pursuits that make us so excited about getting together to work on our clients’ businesses.

Gen (DI)Y

Perhaps it’s a distinctly generational thing. We’re not millennials (exactly), but not Gen Xers either. We’re not satisfied with a typical job, one you’d work 20 years to get a pension from.

We’re about trying new things, experimenting with ways to work, and when we’re not working our “jobs” or marketing our butts off, we’re volunteering, and socializing, and building relationships.

So I’m just over here coming up with a better (but still headline-worthy) way to say I rock it in a million different ways every day …

What’s your side hustle? What do you call it? How do you feel about the fact we don’t spend 40 hours a week working on one project? Hit us up and let us know!