A few weeks ago I attended a fantastic event designed for those armed with a side hustle. The week of September 13th to 19th marked one of the first Side Hustle Week events to take place in Toronto. It was attended by over 200 attendees and consisted of panels, Twitter discussions and networking events for everyone to partake in. Side Hustle Week is an extension of The Secrets of a Side Hustler which is the brainchild of Chivon John, who decided she was going to fill in a niche for those of us who balance a day job alongside a side gig (usually a passion that we end up fulfilling). I had given away tickets to and attended the Dream, Launch, Hustle soireé sponsored by Futurpreneur, and it was well inspiring, informative and so amazingly engaging.
The ladies who spoke were captivating. More than anything, that’s exactly what you’re looking for in a panel or with speakers. People who will keep your attendees engaged and awake! It’s a formidable task, but when the right panelists are chosen, the rest of your evening is a breeze. This surely reflected in Chivon’s choice of speakers.
Devon Brooks (Blō Beauty Bar), LC Johnson (Colored Girl Confidential), Katie Zeppieri (Girl Talk Empowerment Day) Regina Anaejionu (For inforprenuers + independents) and Shannon Lee Simmons (New School of Finance) each delivered an informative yet highly energetic segment about their respective strengths and weaknesses in the game of side hustling. It was an eye opener, and allowed for a series of truth-telling all evening. As attendees, we were reminded that everyone has their hard times, but as cliché as it sounds, Drake did say it best (started from the bottom, now we’re here). We learned how to take care of our finances, how to deal with truth-isms, stumbles, downfalls, and how to step forward in our own light. It was truly a night of inspiration, support and most of all – motivation. The ladies came through and left their mark on the eager audience. Everyone left the event with a takeaway of some sort that can be used in their side hustle or side hustle to be. I look forward to Side Hustle Week becoming an annual event for the masses to attend.
What are you waiting for? You have attended, you’re now armed, so let’s get started.
Soulafrodisiac Consulting 