Extra Income Series: I Help Businesses Create Online Campaigns

Hey everyone. Today I bring to you the next edition of my “Extra Income” series. If you would like to be featured, please send me an e-mail. The first of this series was I Run a Resume Business.

Today’s side hustle post is all about Candice. A lot of you have been wondering about social media management and blog management, so hopefully this interview is helpful to you! I’ll let her take it away now.

I help business owners reach their online potential by writing compelling articles for their blogs, making the boring words on their websites POP and establishing deeper and more meaningful levels of engagement across all digital media platforms. My website is http://candiceshawmanagement.com

How did you get started with your side hustle?

I got started with my side hustle because I was unhappy at my job. One day I almost quit impulsively but after calming down I decided to generate another source of income first and I vowed that I would never have only one source of income again.

After coming to that realization I assessed my strengths and decided to start writing and managing online content for different businesses.

What got you interested in this job?

I became interested in my job in college when I had an internship with a small social media firm run by a 26 year old woman. She started her business when she was 22 and had become quite successful.

I learned so much during that internship and it was so inspiring to work for a woman who took her life and career in her own hands and made a living from it. I knew I wanted to do that for myself but I thought it would take years before I could even start.

Tell me more about your services.

I offer blog, website and social media management to several different businesses. I also have a few blogs and I’m a freelance writer. I create editorial calendars for my clients and help them design strategies that build a cohesive brand and bring more customers to their business. I aim to bring value and increase their bottom line.

What has surprised you most about owning a business?

I was surprised by how fast my business grew. After landing my first client and doing a good job they recommended me to someone. After working with that person I was recommended to someone else and so on. Word of mouth is the best advertisement.

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned as a small business owner?

I’ve learned to go with my gut. It hasn’t led me wrong yet. I trust it when determining which clients to take on and I used it when deciding to start my own business.

What are the start-up costs?

My start up costs were small. I paid $35 for business cards, $25 for a domain name and website, and about $50 to go to a few networking events.

What’s the most positive thing about your side job?

The most positive thing about my side hustle is that I work with businesses that I’m genuinely excited about and it doesn’t feel like work. It’s a lot of fun, especially when I can go to my favorite locations and work from there.

What are your business goals for the upcoming year?

I have four goals that I hope to accomplish in the next year. The first is to quit my job in December 2013 so that I can continue to give my clients the best results and make them my main focus, the second is to launch a new website the day that I quit my job and turn that into something I can be proud of, the third is to triple my income in the next year and my final goal is to get more staff writing positions so that I can diversify my income a little more.

If you have any questions for her, leave them below! She will be answering them 🙂