Latest news with #entrepreneurship
The Sun
4 hours ago
- Business
- The Sun
I've made £200k in over a year from a side hustle & I even get the summer holidays off to have fun with my kids
A SIDE hustle that rakes in a staggering £200,000 in just over a year, all while leaving the summer holidays free for family fun? It sounds like a dream, but for one savvy individual, it's a very real and incredibly lucrative reality that speaks volumes about the power of modern entrepreneurship. 1 With the cost of living crisis making it tougher than ever for young people to fly the nest, or for anyone to simply make ends meet. Which is why side hustles have become a lifeline for many across the UK. In fact, two in five British people (39%) have a side hustle in 2025, according to It proves that they offer financial security, a chance to pay off debt faster, build up savings, or even fund big life goals like holidays or a house deposit. Taking to TikTok, Niamh Minton - known as @ neveminton - shared her inspiring journey, proving that sometimes, taking a leap on a 'second job' can completely transform your life. "One moment you're looking for a second job, the next you're living your best life as you gave that side hustle a go and since starting you've made almost £200k," she wrote. Her earnings are nothing short of impressive, especially considering the flexibility it offers. She even revealed: "In fact, so far in July you've earned over £6,000 in between the madness of half-term." In the caption, she went on to explain that she does digital marketing and that it has "truly changed everything" for her little family. Niamh explained that just 12 months ago, she was living paycheck to paycheck and constantly worrying about finances. I'm a mum-of-2 and was a broke teaching assistant on £840 a month - now I've made 46k doing a side hustle anyone can do But she told her partner that 2024 was going to be the year they would try and change that. And so, that's what she did, learning how to make money with digital products. She now sells digital products and mini courses. Niamh, who currently has 20.8k followers, often sees her comments section flooded with people wanting more information and advice on how they can achieve similar success. Easy money tricks Master Your Time, Master Your Money Ever heard the saying, "Time is money"? It's a mantra the wealthy live by, and for good reason. They understand that every moment can be leveraged to generate income or progress towards their financial goals. This powerful mindset means they're incredibly selective about how they spend their hours, often saying "no" to anything that won't add value or a substantial return. You can easily adopt this principle in your own life. Before committing to something, pause and ask yourself: Is this truly a good use of my precious time? Can I genuinely afford the time commitment, let alone any associated costs? By being more discerning, you'll avoid overstretching yourself and instead channel your energy into activities that directly align with your financial aspirations. Cultivating this focused approach will undoubtedly boost your effectiveness and long-term success. Maximise Your Money, Minimise Your Tax Bill Smart individuals know that giving away money unnecessarily to the taxman is simply not an option. Their strategy? Diligently utilise every available tax allowance. One of the most effective ways the wealthy shield their money is through an Individual Savings Account (ISA). You can squirrel away up to £20,000 into an ISA each year, and crucially, any investment growth or interest earned within this account is completely tax-free. Compare this to a standard savings account, where you might find yourself paying tax on your hard-earned interest, depending on your income. Basic-rate taxpayers (earning under £50,270) can earn up to £1,000 in savings interest tax-free annually. However, if you're a higher-rate taxpayer (earning between £50,271 and £125,140), that tax-free allowance drops to £500. For additional-rate taxpayers (earning over £125,140), every penny of interest earned is taxable. As Sarah Coles, Head of Personal Finance at Hargreaves Lansdown, points out: "It makes a big difference to higher and additional rate taxpayers, but is very valuable for basic rate taxpayers too." Making the most of your ISA allowance is a fundamental step towards optimising your finances and ensuring more of your money stays in your pocket.
Entrepreneur
6 hours ago
- Business
- Entrepreneur
What the CEO of Kickstarter Wishes Aspiring Entrepreneurs Knew
Everette Taylor founded his first company at 19 — this is his best advice for people who want to start a business. Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. Everette Taylor had an entrepreneurial mentality from a very young age, buying candy at the store and selling it for a profit at school. At 19, he founded a business that played to his event-planning strengths and filled a niche in his community, EZ Events. Taylor learned an important lesson about value when it came time to sell the business. Around six months after the sale, he found out the company had been sold again — this time for much more money. "That was a really valuable lesson for me as a small business owner, to understand my value, but also continue to innovate and stay curious," he says. To Taylor, staying curious means researching your industry and discovering new ways to grow, while innovation can help entrepreneurs better understand the value they bring to their fields. Related: He Went From Customer to CEO of a Rapidly-Expanding Dessert Chain By Following This Process This mindset has guided Taylor throughout his career. He now leads as CEO of Kickstarter, where he's not only reshaping the way people think about crowdfunding but also creating new opportunities for small business owners and creatives around the world. According to Taylor, there are three forms of crowdfunding: donation-based (like GoFundMe), equity-based (like Wefunder), and reward-based, which is the model used by Kickstarter. "Kickstarter is reward-based crowdfunding, or creative crowdfunding," he says. "We have people who are doing everything from film and theater to comics, to games, to fashion, to tech products, to music. But you're not giving up any percentage of your company." Reward-based crowdfunding empowers founders to maintain full ownership, test out their ideas in the market and build loyal communities, all without giving up equity or taking on debt. "With Kickstarter, you own 100% of your company," Taylor says. "This is non-dilutive money. And you can raise an incredible amount of money on the platform — even more than you may have gotten from venture capital." Related: 'Creators Left So Much Money on the Table': Kickstarter's CEO Reveals the Story Behind the Company's Biggest Changes in 15 Years Kickstarter can be a game-changer for small business owners with limited access to capital, whether due to a lack of credit history or the limitations of bank loans. Taylor has seen firsthand how small businesses use the platform not just to survive but to scale, from a Black-owned ice cream shop in Richmond, Virginia, to an artist-led gallery space in Chicago. Still, growth on Kickstarter doesn't happen overnight. Taylor emphasized that a successful fundraising campaign requires more than a great idea. "Kickstarter is a business. At the end of the day, no matter if you're a creative, what your background is, you have to have a true go-to market strategy," he says. To make the process easier, Kickstarter recently launched tools that support creators before, during and after their campaigns go live. From installment payment options to pledge managers that handle shipping, taxes and add-ons, the platform is no longer just a launchpad but a whole ecosystem. "With these post-campaign tools, we've allowed people to be successful throughout their entire journey," Taylor says. Related: She Created the Dance Studio She Was Looking For. Now, It's a Nationwide Brand. These innovations come from gathering feedback from funders, customers, backers and communities. For Taylor, the Kickstarter audience's input is essential. "You have to have tough skin," he says. "You need to embrace all of the good and the bad that comes with that path. For me, I love feedback because I'm constantly trying to be a better person every day." As for what he wishes more people understood about crowdfunding, Taylor emphasized this method of financing isn't charity. "This is not begging for money," he says. "You're delivering value into the world. You're bringing something new, something of value that people want to support or have for themselves." Related: She Went From Teacher to Owning a Business in an Unexpected Industry – And Wants Others to Do the Same: 'There Is So Much Opportunity' From flipping candy and party planning to now leading a platform that's helped creators raise billions in funding, Taylor's advice to current and future entrepreneurs is straightforward and powerful: Start with what you have. You don't need outside funding or fancy credentials to build something meaningful. Use your talent, find your niche and take the first step. You don't need outside funding or fancy credentials to build something meaningful. Use your talent, find your niche and take the first step. Keep your ownership. You don't have to give up equity to grow. Crowdfunding offers a path for creators to raise capital, keep control and build community all at once. You don't have to give up equity to grow. Crowdfunding offers a path for creators to raise capital, keep control and build community all at once. Know your value. Don't underestimate what you're building or settle for less. Whether it's your first company or your tenth, trust your vision and back it with strategy. Don't underestimate what you're building or settle for less. Whether it's your first company or your tenth, trust your vision and back it with strategy. Stay curious and be teachable. Every setback, sale and review is a chance to grow. Every setback, sale and review is a chance to grow. Lead with impact. Business isn't just about products; it's about people. When you build something that serves a real need, the support will follow. Watch the new episode above to hear directly from Everette Taylor, and subscribe to Behind the Review for more from new business owners and reviewers every Wednesday. Editorial contributions by Jiah Choe and Kristi Lindahl Ready to break through your revenue ceiling? Join us at Level Up, a conference for ambitious business leaders to unlock new growth opportunities.
Coin Geek
8 hours ago
- Business
- Coin Geek
How to overcome the fear of starting a company
Homepage > News > Business > How to overcome the fear of starting a company Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... Do you have an amazing idea you would love to bring to life, but you're too afraid to try? What is it that you're afraid of? What could help you overcome those fears? These are all questions that I was able to ask startup founders, mentors, investors, and leadership coaches while I was attending iGB L!VE 2025, one of the largest online gambling industry conferences of the year. title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen=""> During the event, I spent most of my time around the iGB Accelerator and Startup Launch Pad, which were both packed, high-energy, and full of frontier tech talks. In this world of frontier tech, we need more entrepreneurs to build solutions that the market needs, especially with blockchain. However, fear is a common roadblock when it comes to starting a business, so many brilliant entrepreneurs face fears such as imposter syndrome, lack of support and many other things, but there are ways to overcome these fears. 'Fear is just discomfort, and people hate being uncomfortable, so it's absolutely normal. It's part of your human conditioning,' shared Emily Haruko, CEO & Founder of Saroca, a transformational leadership development service. 'Understanding what's available on the other side of facing that fear is I find something really motivational for people or inspiring for people, that they have a crystal-clear vision of what going through that hardship or what risking that fear may potentially yield,' she added. Longtime friend Karolina Pelc founded BeyondPlay in 2021 and exited three years later when it was acquired by FanDuel. It's been incredible to follow her journey. She now serves as the VP of FanDuel and has recently written a book, HerPlay, which dives deep into the grit and determination behind her success story. 'Don't let that fear stop you because it's actually researched and data-proven that the main reason why people don't start their businesses or don't change their career is fear,' she said. 'Rather than doing that, it's just recognize the fear and understand it's a feeling and it's something to be overcome and it's also a moment of discomfort that is going to make you grow,' Pelc added. 'I would say embrace that fear. If you've got that fear, it's your gut instinct telling you that you're on to something,' added Claire Adamou, Vice President of Saroca. 'When you're an entrepreneur, you have to work through that fear, right? You're there for a reason. Embrace that, use that. I almost feel like you use that as rocket fuel and really use that nervous energy as the way of pitching, as the way of showing your enthusiasm and really showing the passion behind the project that you're bringing forward,' she said. One of the ways fear can take shape is through imposter syndrome, a common phenomenon in startup founders. 'Imposter syndrome is that inner critic, it's the inner voice that says we're not good enough or it's looking at others and comparing ourselves to our peers and other people, they're doing a great job, why would someone invest in me?' Adamou explained. 'I'm here giving a pitch for an investor, they're here, they're listening to me, so even if you feel like an imposter you've half won by getting it through the door. So it's remembering those things even when you don't feel like it,' she said. Defy the Odds, co-founded by iGaming industry vets Sue Schneider, Paris Smith, and Kelly Kehn, is a Startup Launch Pad that leverages community, mentorship, and capital to support innovation in gaming. Kehn shared her thoughts on common business fears, including imposter syndrome. 'I think all founders, all entrepreneurs, when they get in that space experience [imposter syndrome] a lot, and I think the community is there to help them know that they're not alone, that everyone's going through it,' she said. 'We don't have to call it a syndrome, like we're sick or something… it's just part of growth,' Kehn added. Expanding on community support, mentorship, and coaching are wonderful tools to help overcome common fears and provide an opportunity to seek advice from people who are there to guide you. 'I believe so passionately about the benefits of working with a coach or mentor. It's leaning on others for support, it's questioning, it's working through the imposter syndrome, the self-doubt, the fear. That's where the coaching comes in, and it can be such a powerful tool, ally,' Adamou shared. 'We all need support. Nobody does significant, fantastic things by themselves. So, I think to be able to see your own swing and to support human performance, coaching's needed,' added Haruko. Pelc, a big believer in mentoring—and also a mentor herself—wrote about the 'unsung heroes' who mentored her in her book. 'They never did it in any formal way, but it was just this warm openness that I could ask questions, I could feel I have a safe place, and I have people that I can always validate my concerns or ideas with,' shared Pelc. 'Having a network is a privilege and having someone to help you understand [and] answer a question that might take you a year to figure out on your own is really important,' added Kehn. 'Mentorship also is a visible signal that there are people out there that look like you, have taken a similar journey, that might have done it ahead of you, so that it gives them confidence to carry on in their journey,' she said. Another way to overcome a fear of failure is to recognize that we make our own luck. Pelc is not where she is today just because she got lucky; she made space for luck along her journey. 'Luck doesn't meet you when you're sitting still. You need to be moving, you need to be trying, and when it does come to you, then you look at it differently as well, because a lot of people think that 'I'm feeling lucky' is a negative, carries a negative connotation. It does not,' Pelc said. 'Feeling lucky is something you should be proud of because clearly you created space for that luck to land,' she added. Watch | Adapting to AI—what entrepreneurs need to know title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen="">
Forbes
10 hours ago
- Business
- Forbes
Mind The Value Gap: 5 Steps To Find Out What Your Business Is Worth
Most small business owners don't know what their business is worth. And worse, they overestimate it. Here's a hard truth: Most small business owners don't know what their business is worth. And worse, they overestimate it. If you've ever guessed the value of your business based on gut feel, a buddy's exit, or something you heard at the golf club, this article is for you. Getting a realistic business valuation isn't just about selling your business. It's about understanding the real value of the thing you've spent years building, and how to grow that value strategically from here. Let's walk through the five essential steps to finding out what your business is really worth—and what to do next. Step 1: Get a Data-Driven Valuation (Not a Guess) Most business owners fall into the same trap when estimating their business value: That approach doesn't hold up under scrutiny of a business buyer. The good news is you don't need to talk to a business broker or pay a consultant to get a starting point. Instead, get an independent business valuation to give you a valuation range based on thousands of real business exits and benchmarked against market- and sector-adjusted data. Step 2: Understand What Drives the Value Gap The Value Gap is the difference between what you think your business is worth and what it's actually worth on the open market. Your business might be worth less than you think because: Use a business valuation as a mirror. Reflect on which of the above red flags apply to your business today. Not to feel bad about them, but to start improving them. Step 3: Benchmark Against Other Businesses Knowing where you stand in the wider market is critical. Get your hands on anonymized data from other businesses like yours. Ask yourself: 'What multiples are normal in my industry? And where does my business currently sit on that spectrum?' Step 4: Know What You Can—and Can't—Control Here's the tough love: you don't get to control the market. But you do get to control how your business shows up in that market. What you can't control: What you can control: Focus your energy here. The businesses that grow in value year after year are the ones that improve what they can actually influence. Step 5: Use Your Business Valuation as a Strategic KPI If you got an independent business valuation and the number you got surprised you, don't take it personally. Use it as a baseline. Just like you track revenue, leads, or margins, start tracking your valuation. Revisit it every 12 months. Build it into your annual planning process. Ask: 'What will it take to move me into the top of my valuation range?' Make it a game. Then build your business like a player aiming to win. Conclusion: Close The Value Gap and Change Your Future Knowing your business value isn't just about selling, it's about showing up as a more strategic, informed, and empowered business owner today. If you find there's a gap between your expectations and the market reality, don't panic. Plan. And remember, most business owners never sell because they're not ready. But the ones who are? They walk away with life-changing deals. Start now. The valuation may surprise you, but what you do with it is where the magic happens.
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
'Go To Zero': The Powerful Lesson Grant Cardone Learned From 'Undercover Billionaire'
What would you do if you had to turn $100 into a successful business? You can put that money into stocks, pay for a virtual assistant on Fiverr, or invest it in other areas. Real estate investor Grant Cardone faced this task during his appearance on "Undercover Billionaire," and he did something you won't believe. Cardone threw away the $100. While this might sound like the worst possible choice, Cardone explains how this approach helped him start a successful business. "Go to zero," Cardone stated when describing his logic. Don't Miss: Accredited Investors: Grab Pre-IPO Shares of the AI Company Powering Hasbro, Sephora & MGM— $100k+ in investable assets? – no cost, no obligation. That advice doesn't mean you should donate your entire portfolio to charity just to start a successful business. However, Cardone reveals valuable lessons that can give you a better perspective on what it takes to succeed in business. You Have To Meet New People Cardone mentioned that he didn't need money to turn $100 into $10 million. He focused on meeting new people who could introduce him to new opportunities and become long-term customers. You can grow a business with funding. It's normal for startups to use financing when they are new. However, viewing money as the solution to any business problem can waste a lot of time and put you into a deeper hole. You have plenty of options to meet new people. You can attend events in your area, communicate with people online, and ask your family and friends if they know anyone. Meeting more people will expand your life, and growing your network can also scale your business. Trending: 'Scrolling To UBI' — Deloitte's #1 fastest-growing software company allows users to earn money on their phones. You can Reinvest What You Earn Cardone also mentions that you should reinvest any of the money that you receive from customers. You can use the extra cash to hire more workers, boost your exposure with online ads, and optimize your brand's customer journey. Cardone is against putting money into a savings account or saving up for retirement. This advice isn't for everyone, but it demonstrates how some of the most successful business owners operate. As your company grows, you will spot new opportunities to reinvest your money for higher profits. In the beginning, you can probably manage every task on your own. However, as your business grows, it will make more sense to delegate repetitive tasks. Paying someone $20 per hour to perform some tasks will give you more time to complete tasks that average $100 per hour. You can get creative with how you pour money back into your business, but you'll only know the best investments as you grow your business and come across new Managing Money Part of the reason Cardone didn't use the $100 was that he didn't want to manage money. Carefully looking at your stock portfolio will not change its value unless you trade securities. Stock price movements are entirely out of your control. You can streamline your investments by putting your money into an ETF. That way, someone else is looking over the fund, and you don't have to spend much time on your portfolio. Cardone said that financial firms like Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) aren't managing money. Instead, these companies raise money, invest it, and earn their money that way. It's still good to have a budget and keep track of your expenses. However, if you dig too deep into those numbers, you won't do things that can grow your business or help you climb the corporate ladder faster. It's similar to how some people penny pinch without considering how they can increase their income. Cardone believes people should spend less time managing money and more time meeting new people who can lead them to new opportunities. Read Next: Here's what Americans think you need to be considered wealthy. Image: Shutterstock Up Next: Transform your trading with Benzinga Edge's one-of-a-kind market trade ideas and tools. Click now to access unique insights that can set you ahead in today's competitive market. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? This article 'Go To Zero': The Powerful Lesson Grant Cardone Learned From 'Undercover Billionaire' originally appeared on © 2025 Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
