5 Lessons I Learned in 2024 to Help Corporate Professionals with a Side Hustle

This blog post is all about starting a side hustle while working full-time and balancing a corporate job with your business dreams. As someone who navigated 2024 juggling a corporate role and a growing side hustle, I’ve experienced firsthand the challenges and triumphs of this journey. Here, I share my key end-of-year reflections and the five most impactful lessons I learned in 2024 —from protecting your energy to simplifying your strategy—to help corporate professionals like you succeed in building a side hustle you love.

Woman working retouching photo on laptop at convenient workplace

As we close the chapter on 2024, I find myself filled with gratitude, reflection, and excitement for the year ahead. This year has been full of challenges, pivots, and growth, both in my corporate job and my business.

In this blog post, I wanted to share with you the key lessons I learned in my journey of 2024 working a full-time job with a side business I love, not just to reflect but to offer valuable insights that can support you in your own side hustle adventure. I also list actionable takeaways from each lesson, and I hope that they can set you up for success in 2025.

Lesson 1: The Pivot: The Courage to Realign with Your Purpose

This year, I made a significant pivot in my business.

After 4.5 years of coaching working mums on fitness and wellness, I realised my passion was shifting. While I cherished the transformations I had facilitated, I felt a persistent call to help corporate women start their own side hustles. This wasn’t an easy decision. Pivoting meant leaving behind what I had built and stepping into the unknown (again).

What I Learned:

  • Growth Requires Letting Go: Sometimes, growth means leaving behind what no longer aligns with your values. For me, this meant stepping away from my fitness coaching business, which I spent 4.5 years building, which had served me well but no longer resonated with my long-term vision.
  • Listen to Your Audience: By engaging directly with corporate professionals, especially women like me, I was able to validate my new business direction. Their feedback showed me the demand for support on starting side hustles while balancing corporate careers.
  • Trust the Process: The uncertainty of change can feel scary and overwhelming, but the excitement of moving in this new direction has exceeded the fear, and I learned that it’s a necessary part of evolving toward greater alignment and purpose.

Actionable Takeaways:

  1. Reflect on Your Own and Current Path: Are you aligned with your values and long-term goals? If not, what shifts do you need to have that might bring you closer to what truly lights you up?
  2. Seek Feedback: If you are unsure about a business idea, or a new product or service if you already have a business, then reach out to your audience or potential clients to understand their struggles and desires. Their insights could give you a light bulb moment for your next steps.
  3. Take Small Steps: Rather than making abrupt changes, start by testing your new direction. Test new offers on a small scale or use your content to gauge interest.

Lesson 2: Energy Protection: Setting Boundaries Between Corporate and Business

Balancing a corporate job and a side hustle can feel overwhelming. This year brought unexpected changes in my corporate role, leading to frustration and burnout that I have not experienced before.

These challenges taught me the importance of protecting my energy.

What I Learned:

  • Set Non-Negotiable Boundaries between my corporate job and my business: Our time and energy are limited resources. The line between my corporate job and my business can be blurred at a stressful time. I had to re-learn to say no and protect my energy for my business amidst the chaos of my corporate job. This allows me to show up fully in my business and not let my corporate job drag my energy down.
  • Separate Workspaces: I work from home most days of the week in 2024 for my corporate job. I have separate workspaces for both roles and never blend my work environment for the two roles. Mentally and physically separating my corporate role from my business allows me to shift my ‘identity’ and focus on one role ONLY at the dedicated time and space.

Actionable Takeaways:

  1. Establish Non-Negotiables: Decide in advance what you’re not willing to compromise on, such as family time or self-care routines.
  2. Create Time Blocks: Schedule specific hours for your side hustle that align with your energy peaks.

Lesson 3: The Power of Simplicity

In 2024, I learned that simplicity is a superpower. As someone juggling multiple roles and a mum of two very active school-aged kids, I realised how easy it is to get bogged down with tools, strategies, or tasks that don’t move the needle. I also realised the importance of stripping away complexity and going back to basics, focusing on what truly matters in my business.

What I Learned:

  • Focus only on things that move my business forward: Identify the core actions that directly contribute to my goals. This meant narrowing my focus to high-impact activities like connecting with potential clients, creating my weekly podcast, and focusing on LinkedIn as my primary social media platform.

Actionable Takeaways:

  1. Audit Your Activities: List everything you do in your business and identify which tasks bring the most results. Eliminate or delegate the rest.
  2. Simplify Your Offer and Marketing: Focus on one offer and choose one platform to show up consistently and craft a message that cuts through the noise.

Lesson 4: From Learning to Implementation: The Key to Momentum

I’ve always loved learning, but this year I was reminded that learning without implementation doesn’t move the needle. Growth only happens when you take action, even messy and imperfect action.

What I Learned:

  • Action Over Perfection: Waiting for the “perfect” moment or strategy often leads to inaction. Progress comes from taking imperfect but consistent steps forward.
  • Consistency Matters: Small actions done regularly compound into significant results over time.

Actionable Takeaways:

  1. Set an Action Plan: Take one course, book, or podcast you’ve engaged with this year and outline a plan and action steps to apply what you’ve learned.
  2. Commit to Consistency: Set a realistic schedule for taking daily or weekly action on your plan.

Lesson 5: Being Bold and Speaking My Truth

This year, I leaned into my truth and shared what I believed unapologetically. I stopped worrying about what others would think about my opinion. The result? A deeper connection with my audience.

What I Learned:

  • Authenticity Resonates: Real stories and experiences create trust and loyalty. When I shared my stories and spoke my truth, my audience appreciated my honesty, which created a deeper connection.
  • Be Bold and Unapologetic: When I shared my beliefs, even if they’re unconventional, I noticed that RIGHT people – my people – found me.

Actionable Takeaways:

  1. Share Your Story: Create a post or video about a personal or professional journey that shaped you.
  2. Speak Your Truth: Don’t hold back your opinions or ideas. Your authenticity is what draws others to your world.

Looking Ahead to 2025

As I reflect on 2024, I’m filled with excitement for what lies ahead. In 2025, I plan to:

  • Host monthly free workshops to guide more corporate women in starting their side hustles.
  • Fully book out my 1:1 coaching spots.
  • Launch my signature group coaching program.

This year taught me that growth is messy, but it’s also deeply rewarding.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed or unsure about your next steps, remember this: take small, consistent actions, protect your energy, and trust the process.

You are capable of incredible things.

Want to dive deeper into these reflections? Check out my Hustle With Heels Podcast Episode 12 (Listen on Apple Podcast or Spotify) for a more detailed discussion on the lessons I’ve learned and how you can apply them to your journey.