I’ve been in the SaaS industry sector for over eight years now and I’ve been fortunate enough to work in some of the best companies out there, known for their great culture and who consistently advocate work-life balance. Which was important factor for me in being able to build my side hustle.
I’ve always been in tech sales and I love what I do. Currently at Freshworks, I focus on Customer Experience which has allowed me to meet and work with many inspiring people and learn about highly innovative companies.
My goal is to help companies do more with less and ensure that they achieve their revenue goals in the most cost-effective way. This has also greatly influenced the development of my side hustle, RMDY.
Solving problems every day
In 2019, I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease. I began looking for a solution that wouldn’t have me relying on medication alone. I saw a gap in the market as there was no natural, yet scientifically proven solution, to improve my health.
As a result, my partner and I began working on a concoction at home that we found really helped with my condition. We then gave this to our friends to try out and they really loved it!
We decided that it would be a great idea to bring this product to market since it genuinely helped people with similar health issues, and it was a great opportunity to create a brand that sought to make peoples’ lives better. This was the birth of my side hustle, RMDY.
Succeeding at work and in my side hustle
It can be quite challenging to manage your time at work and then start your own side hustle. So there were a few things I did early on to set this up well:
- Set boundaries and work hours – Time management is essential and learning how to differentiate work hours is key to succeeding. It’s important to be completely focused on either your business or your sales job at any one time. Set specific hours to work on your side business every day and make use of any online project management tools to sort out your tasks and list of things to do.
- Automate and outsource whatever you can – We are in the SaaS line of business which provides such a great advantage! Learn to use online tools. Things like chatbots, project management tools, calendar booking apps and a good CRM will help you automate your processes and, in turn, save you lots of time doing manual administrative work.
- Look for mentors – Learning from someone who has done the exact same thing really helps. I try to learn from others. I surround myself with women who balance a day job as well as a business. And this has helped. A mentor not only teaches you life skills but also helps to introduce you to the right people who may be able to help in your side business.
My sales career sets me up for success in my own side hustle
Sales is one career that teaches you many, different skills that are applicable to all aspects of life, and especially so, in a side business. One of the best things my career in sales has taught me is resilience – learning to get up when you fall, and not give up when things get rough.
We had hiccups in the early days of our new business journey with hardware breakdowns and delivery issues. It was tough but we pulled through by being creative and resourceful. We have the passion within that keeps us pushing forward.
Another key element for career success is good people skills, and I’d say, specifically, it’s about listening more than you talk. This is essential when you interact with your customers. For my side hustle, we have a chat widget on our website that allows us to interact with our customers directly when they ask questions about our product. It is essential to understand your customers’ questions and concerns well before trying to push for a sale.
Advice for those interested in starting a side hustle
Never give up on something that you are passionate about. You may be thinking about how tough it is to balance your side hustle with your sales career but these two complement each other more than you think!
Make use of your knowledge about sales, tech, and time management and roll with the punches. Surround yourself with peers and mentors who empower you, believe in your side hustle and who you can learn from. Listen to podcasts from successful female entrepreneurs. Lastly, it’s okay to take a break and focus on mental health.
Having a side hustle while pursuing a sales career can be challenging. So you must learn to prioritise your health and get enough rest. Set boundaries for yourself so that you are not constantly working. This will help clear your head so you can be in the best mental state to succeed, whatever you choose to do.