Student side hustles are to be commended. Not every student has the knowledge or motivation to be able to try out a side hustle while studying full-time. However, compared to those who are in full-time employment, students are often the ones who have the most time and flexibility to play with, as well as the energy to front a side hustle.
With that being said, here are some of the ways that student side hustles can fail and how to avoid these common mistakes when creating your own.
Lack of market need
The most common reason that a student’s side hustle fails is typically that the product or service is something that nobody actually wants or is willing to pay for. There’s also the risk that you’re picking something as a business idea that’s already been done numerous times before.
Students will often start a side hustle with a lot of passionate ideas rather than following the market’s demand or the gaps that are within the market currently. Not validating these ideas with market research can be a real problem and result in business failure.
Poor financial management
Underestimating the startup costs that come with setting up a side hustle or business in general can often be a problem. Poor financial management in general is something to be aware of. Failing to budget or experiencing cash flow problems makes for a major pitfall.
Not only that, but if you’re mixing personal and business finances, then it can be impossible to track true profitability or prepare taxes. An inventory management system, as well as other tech tools, can be helpful to ensure efficiency for your student hustle.
Time management and burnout
There’s a lot of time management that’s required when balancing a side hustle while also studying full-time. While the timetable of academic responsibilities isn’t as busy for most people, balancing both can be tough.
It can also be a problem when you also want a social life as part of your student experiences. Without strict schedules and clear boundaries, it can often result in burnout if you’re not careful.
Ineffective marketing and sales
While you might have a fantastic product or service idea, it’s not going to sell itself. Many student entrepreneurs often fail to establish consistent marketing and sales systems, which are all essential when it comes to building a successful business.
Relying on word-of-mouth nowadays is simply not enough for a sustainable strategy in growth.
Inability to scale or automate
If you’re not able to dedicate as much time to your side hustle as you might like, then it’ll have less chance of success. Many side hustles require both time and money, as well as the attitude to scale and automate the business so that the business can grow without the owner always needing to be present.
Student side hustles can be successful, but it’s important that you’re doing everything right and avoiding these common mistakes. Who knows what it could lead to in the future after you’ve graduated?
