A COUPLE shared how they turned their side hustle into a six-figure business.
Using a key step, the pair went from offering “free gigs” for clout to making $16,000 in a month.
In a TikTok video, user Shar (@sharaguilar_) detailed exactly how she and her husband turned their side hustle into a successful business.
She explained that they own a photobooth company, which focuses mainly on weddings.
However, when they were first getting the business off the ground, the pair featured their booth at any and every event possible.
Shar recalled how they offered “free gigs” to family and friends to help spread the word.
However, they soon realized this was leading them down the route of baby birthdays.
Aiming their sights on weddings instead, the couple joined a Facebook group dedicated to outsourcing jobs to vendors.
“Getting that first gig is always the hardest just because you don’t have a solid portfolio yet or you don’t have any experience to show,” Shar explained.
To gain some recognition, the pair posted a free give-away in the online group.
They offered a free photo booth to a lucky couple near them who were tying the knot between an agreed set of dates.
After selecting “the sweetest couple,” Shar and her husband were able to create some promotional content for TikTok.
She acknowledged how one of these videos quickly went viral, doubling their followers.
Suddenly, the couple were inundated with requests from other brids and grooms-to-be.
“In that weekend alone, we got probably about 100 to 200 inquiries, we were able to book $16,000 worth of events in just one month,” Shar told her followers.
She added that it is “super crazy” how social media helped their business take off.
The successful business owner said she felt grateful to be able to pursue the side hustle full-time.
Side hustles and tax implications
Extra income you make from side hustles may need to be reported to the IRS.
If you receive more than $600 in gross payouts from a selling platform like eBay, the site will issue you a Form 1099-K to use in your tax return.
Individuals should calculate their adjusted gross income, taxable earnings, and deductions for the year.
Once they have that, they can use the 1040-ES form to calculate estimated taxes.
She encouraged any of her fellow budding entrepreneurs to “just keep posting.”
Her impressed followers shared their thoughts on the success story in the comments section.
“Love this! I’m on the beginning stages of my side business and this brings me high hopes!” wrote one viewer.
“Always love to hear humble beginnings,” said another TikTok user.
“Girl, I am impressed and this is so inspiring! I saw your dream light and was like wow that looks so nice! You go girl!” commented a third person.
