The Debrief: A Handyman Side Hustle

Welcome to The Debrief. This week we interviewed Tobias, a handyman with a side hustle installing electrical appliances in people’s homes. If you didn’t catch it, feel free to check it out here before diving into this edition.

In this mid-week newsletter, we are going to investigate what we covered in our interview and breakdown the key takeaways and share some actionable advice for you to work on in your business venture.

Each debrief is designed to give you something to work on each week based off the advice given by our featured entrepreneur.

Let’s get into it!

Tobias Jones Handyman Services

Key takeaways:

1. Definition of Success:

   Tobias measures his success by the continuous flow of side jobs, primarily obtained through word of mouth. He believes that high-quality work leads to satisfied clients who are likely to reuse his services or recommend him to others. Having jobs scheduled months in advance ensures a steady stream of income.

2. Advice for Beginners:

   Documenting and sharing work on social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook can attract new clients and build an audience. Sharing project processes and results helps showcase skills and build trust with potential clients. Providing excellent service and maintaining good client relationships are crucial for positive feedback and referrals.

3. Marketing and Growth:

   Utilising social media for marketing can significantly contribute to the growth of a side hustle. Organic growth through showcasing work and client referrals is a powerful strategy for business expansion.

My thoughts:

First and foremost, Tobias has built a hugely successful side business by catering to people’s needs while leveraging the skills he’s acquired through his professional life. This is an important first step that many people overlook when embarking on the path to self-employment. Consider how you can monetize something you are already an expert at and use this skill to cater to someone’s needs. In Tobias’ case, installing electrical appliances for people fits that criterion perfectly.

The entry requirements for a handyman (or handywoman) side hustle are relatively low if you’re providing a service like installing appliances. With a general working knowledge and some minor experience, you can easily start this for yourself. More complex tasks will require more experience, but this can be built over time.

Time requirements will be high. As we discussed in previous debriefs, this job trades your time for money, and most people hire you to save their own time. To earn a decent amount, you’ll need to be prepared to commit a lot of time to hit your goals.

There is always a demand for this kind of work. People are busy and may not have the confidence to install appliances themselves, so it is often easier to hire someone. In a town or city, you’ll have no problems finding clients who need your help. Ensure your pricing is competitive and you are reliable. You want to stand out from all the other similar companies out there.

Scalability will be difficult without hiring additional workers since there are only a finite number of hours in the day. However, if your goal is to replace your full-time job with this side hustle, it is definitely possible. Be prepared to put in extra hours initially, and once you build a strong client base through referrals, you should have no issues turning this into a full-time job.

Overall, this is a good side hustle for those looking to earn a little extra cash. You can work flexible hours and take on as many clients as you’d like. However, if your plan is to quit your day job and live a stress-free life, reconsider. To build this into a substantial business, you’ll need to put in a lot of hours, and this will be a constant requirement to maintain a consistent income.

Do you agree with me? I’d love to know your thoughts—just reply to this email!

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👇️ Now it’s your turn to answer a question:

If you’d like to read last week’s debrief, covering an interview with Chris, a recovering addict who set up a soap business to help give other addicts a purpose and a sense of community on their journey to becoming clean. Check it out here.

Thank you all,

See you on Sunday! 👋