The Debrief: A Blogging Side Hustle

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Welcome to The Debrief. This week we interviewed Zeeshan, a blogger who has earned over $50k from monetising his online blogs and Pinterest pages. 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!

Blogging as a Side Hustle

Key takeaways:

1. Persistence and Adaptability Are Key
   Zeeshan’s journey underscores the importance of sticking with an idea, even through challenging phases, like his first six months with little income. His experience with Google's algorithm changes taught him the value of being adaptable—pivoting from Google to alternative platforms like Pinterest and Facebook allowed him to keep his business afloat and even thrive. Persistence, paired with the flexibility to adjust to changes, is essential for long-term success in online business.

2. Diversify Traffic and Revenue Sources Early
   One of Zeeshan’s biggest lessons was the need for diversification in both traffic and revenue. Relying solely on one platform (like Google) for traffic made his business vulnerable to changes outside his control. By exploring different platforms and monetisation methods (like ads, affiliate marketing, and digital products), Zeeshan created a more resilient business model. For new entrepreneurs, starting with a diversified approach can help protect and grow their ventures.

3. Take Action and Embrace Imperfection
   Zeeshan advises new entrepreneurs to avoid getting “stuck in the learning phase” and to start taking action as soon as possible. Real learning happens through doing, troubleshooting, and iterating on mistakes, rather than just consuming information. His success demonstrates that while learning is valuable, implementing what you learn is what drives real progress and business growth.

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My thoughts:

Using blogging as a path to leave a traditional 9-to-5 job can be highly effective when approached with a strategic, long-term mindset. Zeeshan’s journey provides valuable pointers on how to do this successfully by developing a strong foundation, growing multiple revenue streams, and eventually scaling through blog flipping. Here’s a breakdown of how to use blogging to make a full-time income and gain the freedom to exit a conventional job.

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