The COVID Pandemic Has Generated A BOOM In ‘Side-Hustle’ Start-ups

In 2017, there were 4.8m self-employed persons, – compared to 3.3m in 2001 (according to the Office For National Statistics). This number is expected to increase, as a result of the COVID pandemic, – particularly when it comes to the huge rise in side-hustles.

“The pandemic and lockdown – has given birth to an explosion of side hustles in the UK, as thousands of people tried new, and different ways to earn a living,” said Glasgow-based Iain Scott (otherwise known as ‘Enterprise Iain’), – who has been helping people start their own businesses (and become their own boss) for over thirty years.

Self-employment in the UK has been RISING since 2001, and this avenue of working now accounts for roughly 15% of the working population: in 2017, there were 4.8m self-employed people, compared to 3.3m in 2001, and it should come as no surprise that these numbers are expected to dramatically increase, – due the COVID pandemic, and the change in work choices and habits.

According to Scott (who has created a guide for enterprise ‘virgins,’ entitled: “How To Kick The Employee Habit + Be Your Own Boss): “the pandemic and lockdown has forced many people to look at their lives, and how they earn a living. Suddenly, all of the reasons that stopped people taking the leap to self-employment vanished.“

Scott hopes that his new guide will appeal to anyone who’s ever wanted to be their own boss, but were too frightened to take the leap…

Research from 2018 from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (the professional body for human resources professionals), – found that self-employed persons (including freelancers and those running their own businesses) reported higher levels of overall job satisfaction than employees.

Wellbeing factors included: more autonomy over their work, having more time or flexibility, less excessive pressure on a regular basis, more work-life balance, contentment with the nature and the variety of their work, and the ability to use their initiative and skills in a better way.

Enterprise Iain’s solution (which makes up the basis for “How To Kick The Employee Habit + Be Your Own Boss“) was to identify 6 steps that anyone could take, – to help them move away from the employee ‘habit,’ and act differently. His unique process involves: talking things through, nurturing your idea, trusting yourself, learning by doing, coping with the unexpected, and valuing your passion.

His other top tips include: doing what you love (not what you loathe), starting out small, – but always thinking big, and asking yourself not what you want to do, but also – why you want to do it.

“Being in business is about a building better life,” said Scott: “Be bold – but be yourself. Dream big. Imagine. Let’s do away with the ‘motivational,’ do-it-my-way speakers, the business plans, the buzz words, the sit-down seminars. Let’s bring on the dreamers, the fishes-out-of-water, and the ones who were told ‘you can’t.’ You can.”