A common theme that’s emerged from my conversations with a dozen guests so far is that businesses usually start as side projects. There’s nobody I’ve spoken to that has quit her day job cold turkey and started a business from scratch (except myself – I was stupid but lucky it worked out!).

To illustrate further on how to start a side business and smoothly transition it into a full time gig, I invited Alexis Grant, a former reporter at U.S. News & World Report, to tell me her story. Alexis started off as a part-time social media consultant and freelancer and now runs a full time business (with a team of 10) that includes blog management, email marketing and social media products & services.

In this case study, you will learn:

How Alexis started her side business or ‘side hustle’ – from ideation to launch

How she mastered a skill she knew little about (and made a business out of it), and how you can too

The easiest way to land your first client and the smartest way to look for gigs online

Common challenges 9-to-5ers face before making the leap to business ownership, and how to address them

How to network (even if you’re an introvert)

Alexis’ product vs. service revenue mix, and why the latter is important in the early stages of your business

3 actions and tips to get started on your side business