Two in five parents have set up a side hustle while their kids are in school | City & Business | Finance

Graphic design, web design, and baking were the most common side hustles parents were taking on.

And while money was the main motivation for 22 percent, others created a job on the side for fun (14 percent), or to turn a hobby into a business opportunity (12 percent).

However, of those who have considered a side business, but are yet to take the leap, nearly half (49 percent) don’t know where to start – while 37 percent worry it would fail.

And 40 percent claim their main barrier to working on a side hustle was lack of time, while a quarter think their childcare priorities would suffer as a result.

Helind Batista de Morais, spokesperson for LG, which commissioned the study after launching its Facebook community, Hustle Hub by LG gram, said: “This research has revealed there’s a real appetite to become “parent-preneurs”, and supplement their household income.

“Whether working part-time, full-time, or running a household, if they haven’t already made moves to create their own business, the ambition is there.

“However, it’s not always easy to know where to start. Having a community to inspire budding parent-preneurs, and having the right equipment, have proven important to make side hustle dreams a reality.”

The study also found that when it comes to promotion, 38 percent of side hustlers rely on online forums to market themselves to potential customers.

And 37 percent use social media accounts, while the same number pay for online advertising, and 32 percent have relied on word of mouth to keep business flowing.

Dr Grace Lordan, labour market skills expert at the London School of Economics, said: “I truly believe there is a side-hustle that can match to the talent and preferences of pretty much everybody.

“The key is to get smart and commercialise what you are innately good at.

“A side-hustle is a great way to diversify the income streams coming into your household.

“If you choose your side-hustle correctly, you get full autonomy over the hours you work – making the side-hustle the perfect option for time-poor parents, or those working full-time elsewhere.”

It also emerged not having the right equipment to keep working on-the-go was an issue to 76 percent – which could prove a stumbling block to the 51 percent looking to make their side hustle a full-time profession in the future.

A good working environment, strong internet connectivity, and a quiet space to focus were also identified as top components to a successful side job.

And two-thirds of parents polled, via OnePoll, reckon they’d have grown their supplementary income quicker with the right support.

But four in five (79 percent) believed they’d be able to improve their side job with more support and advice – or an improvement to their tech equipment.

Helind Batista de Morais, from LG, which has launched the latest in its range of gram laptops, designed to be extra light for those on the go, added: “A great idea and the right skills can get you so far – but the research has shown that having the right technology to hand, as well as support from those in the know, are what can make a business opportunity fly.

“There’s very little doubt having the right tools for the job can ensure it’s done to a better standard – and, as the results show, many are confident they’d grow their income quicker if they had them to hand.

“And by doing so, it can give people the chance to be their own boss, and take charge of their futures by running their own successful businesses.”