100 Side Hustles Later… Here’s What Actually Works

The older I get, the more side hustles I seem to have… or maybe I’m just collecting hobbies with better branding.

I remember laughing years ago when a friend casually referred to one of his gigs as “side hustle #13.” We were in downtown Toronto, both trying to make creative lives work in a city that didn’t exactly make it easy. He was an artist running a house painting business, paying over $2,000 a month in rent, and constantly finding ways to bring in extra income: buying in bulk, selling in singles, figuring things out as he went.

That moment stuck with me.

Because not long after, I started looking at everything I did (outside of my main work) not just as hobbies… but as side hustles.

When a Hobby Starts Paying You Back

Since then, I’ve tried more side hustles than I can count, all while running K-Media.

Some lasted. Some didn’t. But all of them moved things forward in some way.

I’ve sewn denim dog coats with rocker patches (they were actually pretty great). I’ve sold artwork. When I first moved to Saint John, I opened a vintage clothing shop. It didn’t last long as a physical store, but it still quietly earns through Instagram with vintage flips and jewelry.

Then there’s Experience New Brunswick, a project that started as curiosity and turned into something that now brings in income through Google AdSense and affiliate links.

None of these took a big investment to start. Most of them took almost nothing.

Just time, interest, and a willingness to try.

The Truth About Side Hustles

Side hustles aren’t really about getting rich quickly. They’re about building something small that works for you.

They’re about taking something you already enjoy and letting it pay you back a little. They’re about creating extra income without turning your life upside down. And sometimes, they’re just about proving to yourself that you can.

One of the biggest misconceptions I see is that you need money to start.

You don’t.

Some of the best low-cost side hustles, even ones that require no money at all, come from skills (and in some cases items) you already have. Writing, reselling, creating, organizing, curating… it all counts.

The “100 Side Hustles” That Sparked This

This week, I worked on something that brought all of this full circle.

I helped publish a guide to 100 side hustles for a client in Ontario. While it was originally created with accessibility in mind, it’s actually a solid list for anyone looking to make extra income or turn something they already enjoy into something more.

If you’ve been thinking about starting something, even casually, it’s worth a look. It’s simple, realistic, and full of ideas that don’t require a big upfront investment.

Where Most People Get Stuck

In my experience, the hardest part isn’t coming up with the idea. It’s what comes next.

It’s the moment where you think, okay… now what?

That’s where people hesitate. Not because the idea isn’t good, but because turning it into something real feels bigger than it actually is.

When It Starts to Feel Real

This is the part I genuinely enjoy the most.

At K-Media, I love working with people who are just starting out, especially when something that began as a side hustle starts to feel like it could grow into something more.

Because that matters.

Sometimes all it takes is a simple website, a bit of structure, and making sure people can actually find you online.

If you get to that point, and you’re not sure what the next step looks like, you can check out my digital marketing services.

A Small Push, If You Need It

If you’ve been sitting on an idea, this might be your sign to move on it.

And to make that a little easier: Use code STARTSMALL and I’ll take $150 off a simple starter website setup for your side hustle. 

Nothing complicated. Just something clean, functional, and ready to grow with you.

It All Starts the Same Way

I still think about that moment in Toronto sometimes.

“Side hustle #13” didn’t sound impressive back then. It sounded like survival. But looking back, it was something else entirely.

It was someone figuring things out. Trying things. Building income in pieces instead of waiting for one big break.

And that’s really what side hustles are. Not about having 100 of them…but about starting one.

Because sometimes the thing you do on the side quietly becomes the thing that changes everything.