I recently had the pleasure of meeting Susie Moore—coach, writer, entrepreneur, teacher, and life enthusiast. She began by telling me how she changed careers (leaving a job that paid her 500K per year!) and ended by (practically) convincing me I needed to go out and get myself a side hustle immediately.
Her website’s “About” page offers the requisite blurb on who she is, but it also includes plenty that’s directed straight at you and me, dear reader, particularly if you’ve ever toyed with the idea of getting yourself a whole new career.
“Life is one big freakin’ adventure.”
“You can love your life, every second of it.”
And my favorite: “You can feel alive.”
Needless to say, that’s exactly how I felt after our conversation.
Susie, You’re So Many Things, Obviously, But You’re What We’d Call a Career Changer, Yes? Can You Tell Me About Your Journey?
Yes, change is what makes life invigorating! I started my career as a recruiter then joined the online advertising industry in business development and worked my way up to sales director at a Fortune 500 company.
Just before I turned 30, I was restless. I enjoyed my job, but I knew it wasn’t my life’s work. So, I joined a life coaching program at NYU and started writing articles to attract clients.
Now I’m lucky enough to run my business full-time as a coach, author, and founder of the soon-to-be-launched Side Hustle Academy, a program designed to help people launch a side gig.
You Believe Everyone Should Have a Side Hustle, Right?
It’s win-win. You make more money. You have creative freedom. You lose the income caps and glass ceilings. You get to be your authentic self in the world. You get to test the proof of your business concept before taking the leap. There is no such thing as a fixed income. The only person who fixes it is you!
There’s [also] is no such thing as job security anymore, no matter what anyone tells you. Having a side hustle is a responsible move for you and your family—not in the future, but now!
What Advice Do You Have for Someone Who Has No Idea What They Want Their Side Gig to Be (They Just Know They Want to Have One?):
All you need to launch a successful side hustle is the intersection of these three things:
- You love it
- You’re good at it
- There’s a market for it
Tick all boxes? Then go! Don’t overthink it.
What About Advice for Career Changers? How Can People Make an Effective 180?
By getting started. I wish there were a secret or a more sophisticated answer, but there isn’t one.
One of my clients is an accountant and a Christian life coach. Another is an ad agency buyer and a personal stylist.
Yet another is a social media director and a matchmaker. The only limits you have are the ones you believe!
And What About Time? Any Words of Wisdom on Time Management—Obviously Needed to Pull Off a Successful Side Hustle or Career Transition?
I wouldn’t call myself a time-management master, but one thing I did master early on is the management of my golden hours.
For me, it’s mornings. I do my best work then and only take meetings and calls in the afternoon if I can. Milk your time of day with your best brainpower to do more with less time.
When I was working I would blog and pitch editors before getting to the office. Golden hours + coffee = magic!
I also say no nine times out of 10 now. That alone saves precious hours every week!
What’s Next for You? What Are You Most Excited About?
Launching Side Hustle Academy in August! It’s the practical program that makes it real. That’s what this is all for—making your concept, your idea, your passion and inner vision a reality. There’s a Howard Thurman quote I love, “Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”
My mission is to help let the world see what’s inside of you. Because we need people to come alive now more than ever. There’s never been an easier or better time in history to do what you love.
Whether it’s a side hustle you want to pursue in an area you’re passionate about or a complete career change you want to embark upon, have courage and confidence in yourself that you have what it takes to make it happen.
No one, including Moore, is saying it’ll be a walk in the park, but if you don’t get started, you’ll never know the sweet reward of following your dreams.
Want to read more career change stories and advice from people who’ve been there?
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This Career Changer Proves it’s Never Too Late to Start Back at the Bottom
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How I Successfully Landed a Job in a Totally Unrelated Field