I write tips around side hustling, writing, and monetisation to 15,000+ superstars every Saturday.
Hi friend,
Tomorrow, I complete two years of being self-employed.
Did I always want it this way? LOL, no. How could I dare to dream? I:
This was all to be self-employed, perhaps a freelancer.
But today - owning a business by
This is something I never even dreamt of in my entire life. Freelancing still looked a tad bit achievable. But having an audience that will invest in me by spending $0 on marketing and not sending hardcore sales emails was unimaginable
I've wanted to teach since 2014 but snubbed my PhD plans away. And now teaching via my courses feels like life has come a full circle.
I come from a family where we save money because we work extremely hard to earn it. My parents have done everything in their capacity to save and invest in me. I believe in the same, but I also believe that there's an abundance of wealth in the world and I don't need to limit myself to any number.
My dream 3 years ago was to earn 1L rupees ($1300) before I turn 30. Right now it's $50k/m. I'm not even half way close to that goal, but I know it's 100% achievable. Also - I don't need to pull anyone down to rise.
I may work for 3-4 hours a day. But when I work, there are no tabs open and zero room for distraction. I go all in and that's how I produce decent-quality work.
Tbh most of your answers exist on the internet. The most common question I get is how to freelance or how to be a solopreneur. But the answers to this already exist! Hell, I've written 100s of content pieces around it. Don't be lazy. Learn from others' content + invest in online courses. It's the easiest way to learn from those you look up to.
4/ ROI driven:
Maybe it's an Indian thing, but I want to see the long-term benefits before I invest. In 2020 I did a $400 writing course which was nearly half my salary. I had a feeling it'll pay off, and it paid off in multi-folds As humans, we have loss aversion - we see short-term loss and not long-term gain. We see losing $500 but not gaining $5000 as a consequence of investing $500. Look at the ROI and put your money where you multiply it.
I wasn't sure about creating and teaching an online course (because I thought I wouldn't manage it lol). But it happened to me as a result of a tweet I put out to ask if I should help people write consistently and I got a positive response. Same with products. I thought 'passive income' is what successful YouTubers and Twitter bros talk about. But nope, it's a reality that happened by creating, engaging, and experimenting.
I have zero online friends who crib or post negativity. That's just not my vibe. The way you think affects how you behave which affects your reality. Please be conscious of that.
Last month, I lost $2400 because I refused a LinkedIn sponsorship deal with a gaming app. It was a no-brainer for me because gaming isn't my niche and I don't know anything about the app. This week, somebody told me that they'll pay me 1/4th of my rates (lol) to talk about their brand. The money looks shiny, but I believe that money that doesn't align with your conscience doesn't feel as good. It's easy, but karma will come back to you. I've worked hard to grow an audience and it'll take one such gaming app deal to break their trust. My value systems of honesty and being myself preced anything that I do.
It has been my #1 priority. How else do you show up when you keep getting rejected, get ghosted by clients, and when things don't go your way? You have to be in love with the craft and have fun. There's no other way around it. Please have fun!
I can't predict what will happen when, but I can at least have fun with this one hell of a ride.
The single-most life-changing book for me was Unlimited Power by Tony Robbins.
The others are:
All the best. Please work on your dreams, because you deserve better.
No, it won't happen instantly. It will take a lot of time, work, and rejections. But at least you can make it fun :)
I encourage you to take decisions today keeping your future self in mind.
Love,
N
If you're a brand or a business looking to grow, I get 3 million+ views every month on my content. Click here if you want me to help you shine bright in front of my audience :)
Writer, Educator, Entrepreneur
I write tips around side hustling, writing, and monetisation to 15,000+ superstars every Saturday.
Niharikaa Kaur Sodhi May 11, 2024 SHS #109: 6 Steps to Launch Your Online Business Reading time: 3 minutes ↓ I've been a solopreneur for 34 months. I have six sources of income. Here are 6 steps to launch your big online business ⬇️ This week's sponsor: Freelancers and side hustlers need a professional business address for growing and scaling up. Get all of this and more with Anytime Mailbox—the ultimate solution for virtual mail and real street addresses. Get Your Own Business Address Today!...
Niharikaa Kaur Sodhi May 04, 2024 SHS #108: How to Be Financially Independent in the Creator Economy Reading time: 3 minutes ↓ 1. Understand that money is a mindset If you say or believe that: "money doesn't grow on trees" "only the evil make lots of money" "don't be too ambitious and money-minded" You will NOT make it no matter what. My suggestion - unlearn this BS and reframe your mind. It controls everything. If your actions don't align with your mindset, it'll backfire. Now, let's start....
Niharikaa Kaur Sodhi March 23, 2024 SHS #108: I’ve Taught 100s of Creators. Here’s What Makes Some of Them Winners on the Internet. ↓ I’ve taught nearly 200 people via my cohort-based course, a few hundred via my pre-recorded LinkedIn course and have mentored some folks too. Often, it’s easy to spot in our first conversation when someone will ‘make it’ online for sure. I sometimes have to resist the urge to tell them, but at times I’m blunt with them. For instance, in my current mentorship...