Side hustle ideas from people who actually run them

15 ideas

• Services and freelancing

  Building permit expediting service

  Handling building permits for property owners and developers as a niche service, using skills learned while flipping houses. Clients come by referral, with no ads or cold calling.

  Side Hustle Nation, 2026
• Services and freelancing

  Run the back office for an artist partner

  Handles IT, administration, purchasing and research for a partner's art business, which sells commissions and freelance work and direct to customers.

  Hacker News, 2021
• Teaching and coaching

  Tutor students in math and computer science

  Tutors middle and high school students in math and CS for an hourly rate.

  Under $100

  Hacker News, 2021
• Teaching and coaching

  Data science webinars and tutorials with Python

  Teaches online webinars and in-person tutorials on the basics of data science and machine learning with Python.

  Part-timeOnline and in person

  Hacker News, 2019
• Teaching and coaching

  Teach and mentor at coding bootcamps

  Teaches and mentors beginners in web development for companies and bootcamps, in evening sessions.

  Under $100Part-time

  Hacker News, 2019
• Services and freelancing

  Run tech conferences and consult on events

  Started a developer conference with sponsors, then was hired by a sponsor to run its events, which grew into full-time conference consulting.

  Near full-time

  Hacker News, 2019
• Services and freelancing

  Fine art and illustration side gigs

  Works as a professional fine artist and illustrator on the side, in a shared studio space.

  Hacker News, 2019
• Services and freelancing

  3D printed props and cosplay pieces on commission

  Designs and 3D prints props and cosplay pieces for clients who come by referral, charging per commission.

  $1k to $10kPart-time

  Hacker News, 2019
• Services and freelancing

  Car electronics repair for rare vehicles

  Repairs engine and transmission controllers and other electronics for older and rare cars when replacement parts are no longer available, for owners who send them in.

  Hacker News, 2019
• Services and freelancing

  Hypnotist with client referrals

  Works as a hypnotist, getting most clients through word of mouth and a website.

  Hacker News, 2019
• Services and freelancing

  Tech troubleshooting consulting

  Helps people fix broken technology, a paid skill since youth.

  Under $100

  Hacker News, 2019
• Services and freelancing

  Buy and run a cleaning business

  Bought an existing cleaning company and is running it with a business manager, so it needs little weekly attention.

  Over $10kHands-off

  Hacker News, 2014
• Services and freelancing

  Husband and wife photography business

  A photography business started with a spouse that grew enough for the spouse to quit a day job.

  Hacker News, 2011
• Teaching and coaching

  Corporate AI workshops that lead to paid builds

  The operator runs a team training or build-together session inside one company and listens for the process employees want automated. That process then becomes a separately priced build, often a shared context layer across the company's tools.

  Build With AI
• Teaching and coaching

  Paid public AI workshop for local professionals

  The host books a room, lists a half-day workshop on Eventbrite for one industry such as realtors or roofers, and teaches attendees to set up Claude and build one skill. The ticket revenue is minor; the point is meeting buyers who then ask for private help.

  Build With AI