Survive and Thrive: 5 Must-Read New Books For SideHustle Success

by Linda Allen · Apr 24, 2017

If you’re like many of the 9 to 5, 8 to 5, or 8 to whenever crowd, you probably have plenty of moments wishing you could turn that idea or hobby into a real business. You know it’s possible because you read about success stories frequently. And something inside you is continually nudging you to dive in and go for it. Yes, you can enjoy sidehustle success, or maybe even grow it into the next big thing.

If you’ve followed any of the reviews I’ve written over the last year or so, you know that two of my favorites are The 10% Entrepreneur and 5% More. If you haven’t read those, I’d strongly suggest you add them to your reading list. They provide a great framework and mindset from which to move ahead.

Those reviews were published some months ago. Since then, among the new releases that have come my way for review I found five that are perfect sources of insight and inspiration for anyone looking to start a sidehustle or take an existing one to the next level. While it may seem like you’re alone in all the problems and challenges you’re facing, that’s not reality. Many others have already experienced the same things, overcome them, and flourished. In each of these books, they share those experiences to help others find the path a little easier or at least less intimidating. Here they are, in no particular order:

Business Boutique by Christy Wright

So you already know that running a business, even a small one, involves a whole host of tasks and responsibilities. In a very real sense, you will be wearing multiple hats. Yes, it can be daunting to face all the items on your to-do list. But is it a side hustle or is it your dream? It should be both. That is your driving motivation.

It’s well known that a business coach can help you sort out what’s important, when to do it, and keep you moving forward toward your goals. Christy Wright has put together a comprehensive resource that is virtually a coach-in-a-book. For a end-to-end look at what it takes to create a business that makes money while doing what you love, “Business Boutique” is a must.

The Crowdsourceress by Alex Daly

The saying goes “it takes money to make money.” And if you’re thinking about or already starting your own business, you know how true that is. From the trivial costs of office supplies to the hurdles of production and marketing, the financial needs of running a business can be daunting.

Fortunately, the internet has brought a new source of investors. Crowdfunding. Even so, there’s a right way and a wrong way to do it. A failed fund raising campaign not only doesn’t get the results you need, it wastes time. So how do you put a winning crowdfunding pitch together? Alex Daly makes the path clear in “The Crowdsourceress” and it’s an excellent sourcebook for launching your campaign.

Humility is The New Smart by Edward D. Hess and Katherine Ludwig

There’s change in the air. More accurately, we’ve been in a state of massive change for a couple of decades. At present, we’re all watching the march of AI, robotics, and automation. But there’s also been an evolving impersonal nature of corporate and CEO behavior that has discounted the value of humans as individuals. The “others” have less importance than the bottom line.

That’s something that AI and robotics, at least as we presently foresee, can only exacerbate. But in “Humility Is The New Smart,” authors Hess and Ludwig lay out a strong case for changing the game and rising “above our self-absorbed, ego-driven emotional defensiveness in order to connect to and emotionally relate with others.” In short, to put the value of people back into the corporate equation.

Get a copy. And be reminded that as you build your business, all the “others” are on the team with you. To really win, the team has to be valued and be heard. Then, you win together

Dare To Win by Jeff Chegwin and Carmela Diclemente

You wake up in the morning to the prodding of an annoying alarm. Even if you’re among the most motivated among us, there are days when you groan and mutter something about how it can’ t be time to start the day just yet. Wouldn’t it be nice to reach for a quick shot of inspiration instead of your smart phone?

“Dare To Win” is just that.

It’s a collection of 57 short and inspiring insights into the lives of some of the most successful people ever. Each is a couple minute read that’s just like a shot of inspiration sure to have you jumping out of bed and ready to take on whatever the day might bring.

My advice? Put a copy bedside and grab it first thing every day for 57 days. I’m betting you’ll change your life forever.

Lilac Dreams by Bonnie C. Hathcock

Reality check time. It doesn’t matter if you’re on the path to creating a successful small business or the next Unicorn, it’s almost never a straight line path absent of challenges and pitfalls. Sometimes, you start out in the pit, and sometimes the path seems littered with them. But the only way they stop you is if you let them.

No review of success stories is complete without a look back at what’s been overcome along the way. “Lilac Dreams” is a great reminder that no matter where you’ve come from, what you’ve had to start with, you can achieve your dreams. It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that the successful around us have got it so much easier than we do. Author Bonnie Hathcock puts adversity in perspective, and you’ll come away with your gaze not on the floor but on the bright future you’re about to create.