What If It Does Work Out?: How a Side Hustle Can Change Your Life

by Susie Moore

"Having a sense of meaning and purpose is key to a thriving life. Susie Moore not only helps you discover your own purpose, but offers a practical guide to making it the driving force in your life and work." — Arianna Huffington

Do you have a hobby or passion that has nothing to do with your nine-to-five job? Do you craft vintage jewelry, make handmade furniture, or offer expert negotiating advice to family and friends in your spare time? Then you, too, could join the 1/3 of Americans who turn their talents into a lucrative side hustle.
In What If It Does Work Out? life coach and professional side-hustler Susie Moore offers expert tips and guidance to help you earn an extra source of income by doing something you love. In her energetic and encouraging style, she guides you through all of the planning stages and potential obstacles, showing how to overcome any hesitation or fear, create multiple revenue streams, and more. Susie also presents inspiring stories from fellow side hustle successes, including the founders of Spanx and MindBodyGreen. Recommended by Entrepreneur magazine as a book "entrepreneurs must read to dominate their industry," What If It Does Work Out? features all you need to take the practical steps toward living the life of your dreams.

"Susie Moore has a truly special gift of making you feel like you can do absolutely ANYTHING your heart desires — and actually showing you how to achieve it. Her book is a highly practical, relatable and fun guide for anyone wanting to start or grow a Side Hustle." — Farnoosh Torabi, bestselling author and Oprah Winfrey's finance columnist

"Susie Moore is a powerhouse … highly energetic, positive, generous and creative." — Bruce Littlefield, New York Times bestselling author

"This book is the kick-in-the-pants side hustlers need to start living the life they want! An amazing reference for anyone who wants to not be 100% dependent on their 'day job.'" — Molly Beck, host of the Forbes podcast Two Inboxes: Interviews with the Side Hustle Generation

"This book is the only resource you need to start your own side hustle. Susie covers the practical, emotional and spiritual path to becoming a success. Warning, it will make you want to put down the remote and get started right away." — Carly Pollack, Nutritional Wisdom founder and author of Finally Fullfilled

"After working with Susie for more than a year, I've witnessed the incredibly positive impact her work has on our millennial readers — as well as my own personal and professional life. Her advice is down-to-earth, relatable, and encouraging, with just the right amount of tough love you need to make your goals a reality. This book is guaranteed to change your life, in the best way possible." — Locke Hughes, Greatist

"Susie is an inspiration. She runs circles around the rest of us and makes it look easy. Any insight into how she does it is worth reading! For someone so accomplished to open up so candidly is an opportunity for the rest of us to learn, and one we shouldn't miss." — Libby Kane, Business Insider

"Susie Moore is a light to everyone who meets her. Her immense insight and experience will help anyone who wants to craft a side hustle and live a life of freedom, security, and creativity." — Melyssa Griffin, The Nectar Collective

"Launching a side hustle is no easy task, but after reading Susie Moore's book, I found it not only to be manageable but also inspirational. Susie's positivity shines throughout the entire book, helping side hustlers overcome fear and doubt to help them move forward. Great read for anyone thinking of taking the plunge." — Andrea Huspeni, Entrepreneur.com

"Susie has a magic that energizes and motivates even the most jaded, 'read it all, heard it all' self-help skeptic. I'm one of those, and she's had a powerful effect on my life! Soak up all the Susie you can." — Laura Belgray

"When you're starting a side hustle, you need emotional support and a confidence boost just as much as you need practical tips and tools for getting started. Susie Moore effortlessly combines both in　What If It Does Work Out, making this truly the ultimate guide to getting a side gig off the ground."  — Adrian Granzella Larssen, Editor-in-Chief, The Muse

Genres: Business, Nonfiction, Self Help, Entrepreneurship, Psychology, Personal Development, Audiobook

192 pages, Hardcover

Published November 15, 2017

Reviews

[Dannii Elle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was certainly very inspiring and delivered exactly as the title suggests. I was looking for something a little different from it, as an aspiring author with the hopes of this becoming my full-time career (aren't we all!), and this was suited more to those who wish to create alongside another income source. I still found this a lovely motivational guide, nonetheless, and is all the encouragement anyone would desire, to motivate them in making their creative pursuits a business venture.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Susie Moore, and the publisher, Ixia Press, for this opportunity.

[Jay French · Rating 3 out of 5]

Moore has written a “side hustle” update to Tim Ferriss’ “The Four Hour Workweek”. Although this book focuses on starting from a side hustle and Ferriss’ focused on the money, if I recall, they both provided advice on starting up your business. They also both included writeups of interesting examples of people that had created formidable companies. And they also both contain a long list of internet links to companies that might help you out, like design companies, marketplaces, and the like. I found this listing quite interesting, but realize that these kinds of lists are dated quickly as companies change focus or fail, rendering the useful life of that part of the book quite short – a couple of years at most. The advice is similar to what you have probably read before if you’ve read these kinds of books. I found the author told her own story within the book with what I thought was a boastful tone. That is a turn off to me, but I can see how that might help her in her coaching career. Yes, not surprisingly, the author is also a career coach. I always wonder if there is value to a book beyond being an ad for the author’s business. In this case, I believe the author includes enough data, checklists, questions to ponder, and examples that the book is worthwhile without requiring the use of a career coach. In that, this was a positive experience.

[Brandi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hope to put Susie Moore's "What If It Does Work Out?: How a Side Hustle Can Change Your Life" to use when I start selling handmade jewelry (and possibly candles). I hope to use the advise given in the book while pursuing this endeavor and increase my chances of being successful, as I tried a few years back and was just semi-successful. I did have a decent profit, but not considering all the time I had to invest into the enterprise... I hope the recommendations in this book help me improve my handling of financial affairs related to buying and selling. It is a well-organized, easy-to-read guide (I've perused the first few chapters).
Overall, for ease of reading and layout, I would rate this book a 4.5. My copy was obtained from a Goodreads giveaway and I appreciate the opportunity to read, review and use the information contained within this book.

[Easin Arafat · Rating 4 out of 5]

The conclusion..


Why Start a Hustle?

You really wanna know why?

It’s not for the money. It’s not to be a CEO of something. It’s not to have full creative control or to one day hand in that overdue resignation letter.

It’s ’cause you have to.

cause you are good enough.

cause you matter.

cause your contribution matters.

You are not alone on this journey, and hopefully this will make your long nights at your laptop, studio, or workshop a little less painful. But what is more important than the structure, advice, and wisdom gathered here from others? Your inner knowing. The wisdom that drives you to create something. That whisper that propels you forward, the one that never stops even when you're feeling down. The voice that tells you to keep going.

[Mudpie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A clear and concise book, very conversational in tone and sounds as if the author is chatting with me and really, sharing her own life as example.

She was a sales person, and in her current job as a life coach she also has to sell herself...therefore this book seems a bit "sales-y" to me. She shares lots of resources and tips (very applicable to the US), but I cannot help but recall someone telling me a couple of years ago that your own book is the latest namecard. To me this is what it feels like, the book is kind of a CV and calling card for the author!

As many reviewers have said, the ideas presented in this book were not groundbreaking or super original. If you have been reading similar books before it's nothing new. But the advice on going ahead to start your side line, don't be afraid, resonates a lot.

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am not a frequenter of non-fiction or self-help books. I picked this up by fluke at the library and I am glad that I did. I will say a lot of this book does not work for me personally but the parts that do really resonated deeply. I love her views on fear and "imposter syndrome".

I feel like if you have ideas and you are scared of them or you aren't sure where to start this may be a good book for you.

[Angelina Werner]

It's a great book for people who are beginning to think about a side hustle.

[Char Brown-Griffin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book to take written notes. I had the audio version and I made it work but would have benefitted greatly from the paperback books.

[Omar El-Mohri · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is less than a book and more like a blog
Even some part are good, I don’t like much the clear cut advice that looks that it’s a unique way that you have to follow.

[Boni Aditya · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a good effort underlining the importance of pulling off a side hustle as a proof of concept to your great business idea. Build your client base before you take a plunge is the core message of this book and for that you need to build a side hustle carefully. The book contains some interesting cases of people who have pulled off side hustle, the attitudes that are necessary for side hustles and the opportunities that are available for someone who wants to pull off a side hustle. There is a lot more where that came from. The book is definitely a value add for someone trying to become an entrepreneur, i.e. you need to learn how to hustle before you can build a running business. This hustling mindset is a pre-requisite for this transition. There is a deep disconnect between a 9-5 job, entrepreneurship and a business, both of them require different settings and different mind sets. There is not transition between one stream to another, and this side-hustle is the essential bridge between morphing from one form of work to another, while minimizing the intermittent risk involved during the transition phase.

The book is good but there are a lot of areas where the author super imposes her own person life onto the book and it is irksome at times. What works for her, or has failed to work for her, might not be used as a rule for the rest of hustlers all over the world. Her collection of resources is great. Towards the end of the book she has an appendix with a list of all those sites and tools. She has also included a lot of anecdotes from other books and influential writers. Which is good. The book is also short and sweet, she did not drag it out to a three hundred page book and that is good too.


Here is a list of books that she mentions in her work

What happy people know
Wellth How I learned to build a life, not a resume
Chicken soup for the soul, series
The Four Hour Work Week
Pitch Perfect
The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People
A Little Life
Your Erroneous Zones
Winners and How they Succeed
The Top 5 regrets of dying
Eat Pray Love
The Big Short
Do the Work
The Alchemist
Choose Yourself!—James Altucher
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up—Marie Kondo
The Magic of Thinking Big—David Schwartz
The Little Red Book of Selling—Jeffrey Gitomer
Feel the Fear . . . and Do It Anyway—Susan Jeffers
The Success Principles—Jack Canfield
Life Loves You—Louise Hay
Steal Like an Artist—Austin Kleon
Do the Work—Steven Pressfield
The Law of Divine Compensation—Marianne Williamson
The 4-Hour Workweek—Tim Ferriss
The Art of Non-Conformity—Chris Guillebeau
Get Rich, Lucky Bitch!—Denise Duffield-Thomas

[Clarissa Brincat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Key takeaways:
1. Skill Distiller Formula: think of problems you’ve solved or successes you’ve had; identify the skills that helped you achieve these things; think about how you can apply these skills in a new way. To identify your side hustle, think about: what you are doing when you slack off at work; what brought you joy as a kid; what you love to read; what you would do all day if money were no object; who would you be if you could be anyone for a week what you feel least insecure about; what is pure and simple fun for you; what conversation topic never gets boring for you; who is your tribe
2. While fear is nature’s way to protect us from harm, most fears that hold us back from doing things are ego-based fears (based on false ideas of not having or being enough). When a fear/concern holds you back, envision worst-case scenario and ask yourself SO WHAT?
3. How to find the time: use wait time well; drop a project if having it on your to do list is weighing you down mentally; forgive yourself for missing things; do the mindless stuff while watching tv; outsource; identify your golden hours
4. You have to be resourceful: Who do you know within your network that could be a great connection on your entrepreneurial journey?
5. Important people are more approachable than you realise. Because people rarely approach them.
6. Be careful of investing in: flashy marketing materials; PR; expensive ads; too many courses
7. Position yourself as a professional and own what you have to offer
8. Explain your message/offering in a way people understand
9. Give, a lot, before asking.
10. Invest time, energy, some money in other people
11. Be open - to help and to your own gut
12. On self-promotion: shyness does not necessarily equal humility. We don’t wish to put ourselves on the line for criticism so we do nothing and mask it as modesty. Self-promotion strategy: create an elevator pitch; engage in content marketing; don’t under- or over-price
13. Having multiple revenue streams is beneficial
14. When pitching: keep it personal; speak about bringing value to an audience; stay current
15. Rejection or failure is often temporary, sooner or later somehow helpful or a simple course correction

Criticism: Can’t fault it

Overall: Motivational and inspiring. But it doesn’t stop at pep talk material. This short book is bursting with practical tips & strategies.

[Alceste · Rating 4 out of 5]

BOOK REVIEW: What If It Does Work Out? by Susie Moore

Do you have a passion or a hobby that has nothing to do with 9-5 job? Then, this book is for you. Susie Moore is a life coach and advises high-growth startups in Sillicon Valley. She has written a book just for you, if your answer to my previous question was yes or may be. It's called What If It Does Work Out? - How a Side Hustle Can Change Your Life.

The freelance workforce in America is around 35% and sites like Upwork are doing $1 billion business. This is the "gig" economy. If you are willing to do the work hard, you can turn your hobbies and interests into lucrative side hustle or a small business that generates an income for you. This book offers insight and tips to guide you along your journey or get you started on path to earn an extra source of income.

Common problems one face when getting started with their side hustle are fear of failure and hesitation. Moore's words will help you overcome these common difficulties or personal demons as I like to call them. She also offers guidance on planning stages for your side hustle. You will find tips on using the power of visualisation to brainstorm ideas and think pragmatically. Managing one's time is the main focus of her advice through out the book that includes being efficient in selling what you do (whether a service or a product) and promoting the same.

The writing style is energetic and easy to grasp. She has provided inspirational stories from current successful entrepreneurs such as of Spanx and MindBodyGreen. The author knows what she is offering to her reader and I think this book can be a good source of motivation for side hustlers out there.

4 out of 5!

[Ann Gant · Rating 4 out of 5]

Susie Moore answers a question in her book that many potential entrepreneurs ask themselves when it crosses their mind to start a new business, "what if it doesn't work out?" This question can make or break a possible new business owner's dreams. But Moore answers positively and rhetorically in the book title, "What if it does work out?"

This book is upbeat and packed with information on how to earn extra money by pursuing a side hustle in something that you love. Moore guides the reader through the planning stages of side hustling and gives advice on possible obstacles and how to overcome them.

She also talks about how to generate multiple income streams and ways to eventually leave your 9-5 if that is your end game. In addition, she also provides engaging stories about the journeys of other successful side-hustlers.

I enjoyed this book because it is an optimistic take on forward steps to start a side job while working a 9-5. It is light and does not send the reader into technical information overload. It is a well written, quick read. But being a little on the shorter side for book pages does not take away the fact that it is still packed full of practical information that can be put into practice today.

[Nicole Miller · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was a bit “meh” for me. A nice little source of motivation but I didn’t really get anything practical from it. Coming from someone who is about to make the transition from having a side hobby and pursuing it full time, this book was a bit too broad. It’s target audience is probably for people who want to pursue something else outside of their day job but don’t know what that is. I already know what I’m pursuing and this book was way too vague for me. It was ok but at this price point, I think it was a total waste of time and money.

I’m also pretty skeptical these days of people plugging their own coaching abilities, as being experts in their fields (fields that aren’t really clear, except as coaches). Perhaps that’s a harsh observation but it seems to be a dime a dozen on the internet lately.

[Kirsty Baggs-Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this book came at the right time for me and that’s why I have devoured it in a day. I was recently released from my job and have been toying with setting up on my own.
Whilst this book talks about a side hustle, I just read it in the context of a full time endeavour and it resonated with me on every page. So much common sense written by someone who has taken this path herself and uses personal examples to illustrate her points.
I feel confident and inspired and think this book would be a great kick start for anyone wanting to start their own business; side hustle or full time!

[Saikat Basu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Picked up the Audible audiobook and it was a pleasant listen. The easy flow didn't strain my brain cells, but it did help to whisk the thoughts in them. If you are thinking about jumpstarting your hobby or skill into something more than a weekend dalliance, give this book or audiobook a few hours. Maybe, pair it with something from Chris Guillebeau (his podcast is a good place to start).

All that's left for me to do is to stop dawdling, carve out some time, and get cracking on my idea for the hustle!

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one more than I thought I would. The author is extremely motivating and gives a bunch of “Why didn’t I think of that?” tips that seem like they should have been obvious but I hadn’t ever thought of to really get your side-hustle off the ground. Purely coincidental, but while I was reading this book I landed my first substantial paid client for custom woodwork. Not ready to quit my day job yet, but it is extremely encouraging to get some real revenue that I can put back into the shop. Would recommend.

[Laurie Berry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I had discovered Susie Moore a little sooner in my side-hustle endeavor. I would HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone who is contemplating starting a side hustle. The book is packed with so much great advice from a woman who has experienced first hand the REAL desire for the freedom of becoming the person you were created to be, and then made the leap of faith to make it happen AND...it DID work out!

[Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really inspires you to get up and get going with a side hustle. Moore shows the reader that the sky is the limit for you side hustle, but also grounds them in the fact that it is something that takes time and patience. Success doesn’t happen overnight and a new idea needs to be nurtured and cared for in order for it to grow. The resources in the back are fantastic. I’m looking forward to exploring through them.

[Love&Lattes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like Susie a lot, so I read the book. But it is very redundant. She makes some really great take-away points, so have your highlighter ready!

She’s been very successful, and she definitely put in the hard work to get there. She’s made tremendous amounts of contacts while living in the US, so you have to respect that.

[Jenna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hated this. Too much messaging about how you've gotta be making the most out of every minute of the day to work on your side hustle and felt like the author was really condescending towards anyone not doing this. If you're looking for actual advice on maintaining a side business in a sustainable way that doesn't lead to burn out this isn't it.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick and motivating read!

This was a simple yet powerful book. Susie tells it like it is while also giving you lots of encouragement and helpful information on starting a side hustle. If you've ever thought about it, this book is a good place to start!

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book can be used in place of a career coach. A coach will tell you the same stuff, basically. If you need motivation to generate more than one form of income, books like this are a great place to go.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three and a half stars, but rounded up.

Enjoyable read, but (as a Christian) didn't care for the emphasis on the universe helping out .. that aside, What if it Does Work Out had some helpful advice and I found it worthwhile, especially since it's fairly short.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn’t need this book, but I’m glad I read it anyway because it was warm and encouraging. It also reminded me of other avenues for side hustles and the fact that we’e all side hustling in our own ways. For those of the fence about giving a side hustle a go, this is for you.

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brief and to the point, there are some useful tips to help you take action if you're considering starting a side hustle. This was published in 2017 so some of the information is a little dated, but many of the author's practical tips can still resonate. A positive, high-energy read.

[Jessica Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book that helps you start a side hustle and also covers a lot of the mindset things that go along with that.

[Riegs · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good advice, positive writing tone. Not as much substance for folks looking for numbers, the "business end" of things, etc.

[Tami Long · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing

This book is a must for anyone who is thinking about starting a side hustle. This will give you motivation when it seems like it is impossible to do it.

[Sarah Lawler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick read, good advice, down to Earth.