From Game Enthusiast to Side Hustle Pro: How a Teen Found Success Building Minecraft Servers for Others

I'm a teenager from Iran, and my side hustle is creating and managing Minecraft servers for people who want to play with friends but lack the technical know-how to set up a server on their own. My service takes care of all the technical aspects, from server configuration to maintenance, so that my clients can enjoy playing without the hassle. I realised there’s a big demand for this, especially among those who are passionate about the game but intimidated by the backend setup.

The inspiration came from seeing so many players who just want to connect with friends and play Minecraft, but they’re held back by the complicated server setup process. There are a lot of technical steps to get a server running smoothly, and not everyone has the time or experience to figure it all out. I saw this as an opportunity to make it easy and accessible for them, and it’s rewarding to know that my work is enabling people to share these gaming experiences with friends and family. It’s a fun way to contribute to a community I’m passionate about!

Success in this side hustle means a few different things to me. On a personal level, it's about seeing people enjoy the service I provide—knowing that I've helped them have a better gaming experience is really fulfilling. From a business standpoint, success means growing a steady base of happy customers who trust my work and come back whenever they need a server. Financially, it’s about earning a steady income that helps fund my personal goals while building a side business that could potentially expand over time. Ultimately, success here is a combination of customer satisfaction, personal growth, and the sustainability of the side hustle itself.

If I had the chance to start over, I would prioritise setting up an automated server creation system right from the beginning. This would allow servers to be deployed with minimal human intervention, which would save time and let me focus more on marketing and reaching potential clients. Automation would not only make the service quicker and more efficient but also enable me to handle a higher volume of customers. I’d also invest in building a better onboarding process early on, ensuring that customers find it easy and quick to start playing without any issues.

If you’re starting a side hustle like this, here’s what I’ve learned that might help:

1. Make Sure There’s a Community for What You’re Doing: Before you dive in, find out if there’s an existing interest and community around the type of service you want to offer. Being part of an active community can provide support, ideas, and even your first customers.

2. Simplify the Setup Process: Focus on making your service as user-friendly as possible. The easier and faster the setup process, the more satisfied your clients will be. A lot of people want the benefits of custom servers without the hassle, so simplicity is key.

3. A Website Isn’t Essential at First: Don’t stress about building a full website right away. Trust and good communication are far more important initially. You can start with just a Discord server or similar platform to interact with customers. Only invest in a website if the business grows to a point where you need one to manage everything.

4. Focus on Customer Trust: When working with online services, trust is a big factor. Respond quickly, be transparent, and make sure your customers feel confident in your service. This will lead to repeat business and positive referrals, which are invaluable when you’re just starting out.