Business Growth Framework - Side Hustle Stage

This framework is the starting point for much of the work we do at Build Grow Last.

At the side hustle stage we take that deep breath and put some work out into the work, we’re looking to validate that the world is interested in our idea and that there is a value exchange that can be the basis of a business:

  • What to people care about?

  • What do they expect from us?

  • Will they pay?

  • Can we delivery on our promises?

Marketing

At this stage, you're still testing the waters—but now you're engaging with real people. You’ve narrowed down your ICP, and you’re starting to test different channels. Focus on building a minimal but consistent online presence—LinkedIn, a landing page, maybe some content. It's less about scale, more about learning who responds and why.

Sales

Sales here is still founder-led. You're likely having early conversations, perhaps making your first deals. Often at this stage founders sell to their friends and business network. These folks trust you already so the actual sale is relatively easy but remember that your job is to listen deeply, track what works, and refine your offer. You're not selling at scale, you're selling to learn.

Operations

Delivery is manual, messy, and you’re doing it all yourself—but now you have real customers. Begin noting patterns.

  • Where do things break down?

  • What do customers expect?

  • What are the common elements between customers?

  • Is there a logical order to doing things that makes it efficient?

This is the time to spot what needs to become a system later.

Finances

Start tracking everything—income, costs, and time. Most folks that with a spreadsheet, but it doesn’t really matter how you do it - you just need visibility. Ask the simple questions;

  • Are you making money?

  • Can you repeat that model?

Financial awareness now helps avoid painful surprises later.

Legal

Formalise the basics— there’s a list below that’ll help. You don’t need a legal team, but you do need to be protected, especially if you’re serving real clients or taking payments.

  • Non Disclosure Agreement - to make sure that there is mutual respect for business data and IP.

  • Commercial Agreement - the agreement that governs the promises you make and the money you receive.

  • Privacy Policy - showing that you understand how to respect individuals data

Compliance

Start implementing lightweight practices based on the compliance needs of your sector. There might be customers that you can’t sell to initially or specific parts of your service that require compliance before you can perform them. You need to walk a line here, you must comply with the regulations of the industry you’re in, but you don’t want to incur a huge cost to just prove the business model.

As you navigate this make sure you document decisions and build habits that scale.

R&D

Refine your product/service based on feedback from those early customers from your friends and business network. You need to avoid the temptation to build fully functioning products or services but you need enough to show folks so they understand what you’re offering and how it’ll work.

  • Cut what’s not working.

  • Strengthen what is.

This is a build-measure-learn cycle in action. Be ruthless and curious.

Essential Reading: The Lean Startup, Eric Ries. We used this in the idea stage but this time look at Ries’ writing on the Minimum Viable Product and the Build-Measure-Learn loop.

Leadership

You're juggling roles, but you're also laying the cultural foundations. Keeping a journal is a great idea at this stage; note the work that you do and the different hats you need to wear along the way (Note: the pillars of this framework are a great way to categorise the work you do and track it).

How you respond to challenges now sets the tone for how others will later.

Lead yourself well first.

Mindset

Consistency beats intensity here and it’s easy to lose focus when this isn’t your full-time gig.

Think of the side hustle as you gym, studio or garden. Build habits that keep you consistent over a long period of time and protect your energy while feeding your motivation.

Progress is likely to be slow but remember that we’re building something from a solid foundation here, rushing is not in our best interests.