Why We Build Side Hustles: The Real Reasons Behind Starting a Business (My Very First Podcast Episode!)
Hi, friend! 👋
Welcome to the Passports, Profits & Pixie Dust podcast—now turned blog post! I’m Lindsay Dollinger: high school Spanish teacher, dog mom, world traveler, and direct seller who empowers women to build their businesses the right way so they can earn the income they desire, live their dream lives, and travel the world. ✨🌏
This post is based on my very first podcast episode ever—the one I put off for years before finally hitting record. I wanted to create a space where I could share everything I’ve learned in my journey, interview incredible women, and help YOU build a business that supports the life you want… not the other way around.
Let’s dive in!
Listen in to this episode of the podcast here:
Why Do We Build Side Hustles Anyway?
This is one of the questions I get asked constantly:
“Lindsay… why do you feel like you need a second income? Isn’t teaching secure?”
Well… yes and no.
Teaching can feel secure, but electives (like Spanish!) are often first on the chopping block when districts make cuts. On top of that, most teachers aren’t exactly rolling in the extra cash for fun travel, gym memberships, or big financial goals.
But the truth is deeper than that.
Here are the top reasons—my reasons and the reasons many women have shared with me—why people build side hustles or join a direct sales/network marketing business.
1. Travel, Lifestyle, and Freedom
If you know me, you know I LOVE to travel. 💼✈️🌴
I wanted to:
- take summer trips without guilt
- explore the world while I’m still young
- visit Spanish-speaking countries for my own enrichment and to bring that experience back to my classroom
A side income makes that possible—comfortably.
2. Earning Extra Income (for ANY Purpose)
When I started my first side gig, the extra income allowed me to:
- pay for boutique gym memberships
- afford healthier food without stressing
- pay off my car early (!!)
- travel more
- build a financial cushion
And I’ve seen my team:
- pay down student loans
- fund family vacations
- cover medical bills
- pay for kids’ activities
- save for home upgrades
There is no downside to having more income streams… only opportunity.
3. Community & Friendship
This one surprised me when I first started, but it has become one of the biggest reasons women join and stay in direct sales:
👉 Friendship. Connection. Sisterhood. Community.
Finding adult friends is HARD.
Especially when…
- you move to a new area
- you work in a small building
- your co-workers are at a different stage of life
- or you just don’t click with the people around you
But joining my company changed that.
I’ve met:
- lifelong friends
- local women I grab lunch with
- teammates I’ve traveled with
- groups of women from around the country
And experiences like meeting up in Orlando for our company conference and spending a whole day together at Magic Kingdom before we even met in person? That’s priceless. 🏰💗
Community is a huge gift that most people don’t expect—but deeply need.
4. Loving the Product and Becoming a Product of the Product
If you’re in a direct sales company, PLEASE hear this:
👉 You MUST love the product.
Because:
- hard days will happen
- slow months will happen
- “J months” (January, June, July) will happen
- discouragement will happen
What keeps you going?
A product you believe in.
I love helping women feel beautiful.
I love having a product that’s affordable.
I love that my customers use it regularly.
I love having something that sparks joy for people.
If you don’t love the product, you won’t sell it—and you definitely won’t build a business with it.
5. A Creative Outlet
Teaching fills my heart… but building a business fills a creative need that teaching doesn’t.
I love:
- designing graphics in Canva 🎨
- creating content
- setting goals
- organizing VIP groups
- planning team events
- building systems and strategies
- running my business the way I want
A side hustle lets you express yourself in new ways—ways your primary job might not allow.
6. Building Confidence
Ohhhh this one is big.
I’ve watched women go from:
- shy to shining
- uncertain to unstoppable
- nervous to confident
Direct sales forces you to stretch, grow, and show up.
Your team cheers you on.
Your leaders support you.
Your accomplishments get recognized.
One of my team members told me she joined purely to boost her confidence—and it has done exactly that.
Confidence grows when you’re surrounded by people who believe in you.
7. Multiple Streams of Income (Millionaire Mindset)
This is the stat that blew my mind:
👉 Millionaires have an average of 7 streams of income.
Most people only have one.
Direct sales allows you to build:
- a flexible income
- at your pace
- with low risk
- and high potential
You can earn as much as you want—or as little as you want.
It’s completely dependent on YOU.
That kind of upward potential doesn’t exist in a traditional job where your pay scale is mapped out for the next 30 years.
So Why Do You Build a Side Hustle?
I’d LOVE to hear your reason.
Is it:
- financial freedom?
- confidence?
- community?
- travel?
- flexibility?
- creativity?
- all of the above?
Email me at [email protected] and tell me your story. I’d love to feature different perspectives in future blog posts and episodes.
Final Thoughts
Building a side hustle isn’t about desperation.
It isn’t about greed.
It isn’t about “not being satisfied.”
It’s about:
✨ expanding your life
✨ growing your possibilities
✨ creating more options
✨ stepping into the version of you you’re meant to be
And if you’re here?
You’re already well on your way.
Thanks for reading—and thanks for listening to the first-ever episode of the Passports, Profits & Pixie Dust Podcast. I can’t wait to share more stories, more motivation, and interviews with amazing people who have built success their way.
Here’s to your next adventure. 💛🧳✨