5 Side Hustle Lessons To Learn From a 10-Year-Old Who’s Made Over $1K This Year

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He’s only 10 years old, but Jacob Heitmann has already put himself to work. An entrepreneur, he runs a successful business selling 3D-printed toys to classmates, on his website and in his Etsy shop, according to CNBC.

During the first half of the year, his 3D-printing business earned more than $1,700 in revenue. Of course, this is just a side hustle, as most of Heitmann’s day is committed to elementary school, homework and sports, before his 8 p.m. bedtime.

If you’re looking to start a side hustle, you could take a few pointers from this young businessman. Here are five key takeaways from his inspiring success story.

Also see five ways to maximize side hustle earnings.

Anyone Can Do It

Starting a side hustle can feel intimidating. However, if a 10-year-old is willing to make the leap, adults should consider this an inspiration.

Instead of focusing on the skills and resources you lack, take inventory of those you do have and find a way to make them work. You’ll never know if your business idea could be a success unless you give it a try.

Put Enough Effort In

Successful side hustles don’t magically happen. Instead, you need to dedicate significant time and effort to the cause — just as Heitmann has done.

When he decided to start a 3D-printing business, he educated himself by watching YouTube videos and taking lessons on Outschool.com, according to CNBC. Additionally, instead of asking for toys for his birthday and Christmas, he asked his parents to buy him 3D printers to power his company.

Monetize Your Spare Time

Time is money, and Heitmann makes good use of his. The 10-year-old works approximately three hours per day, starting after breakfast each morning.

He doesn’t have three hours to sit down and work consecutively, but that doesn’t matter. Simply using the free time he has throughout the day allows him to accomplish everything on his task list and keep his business moving forward. 

Seek Out Passive Income Ideas

Some business ideas require all hands on deck, all the time. But you can try to seek out ways to make your income more passive so that you’re not spending all your time on your side gig.

For example, products on Heitmann’s 3D printer can take hours to make — e.g., 11-inch replicas of the Chase Tower in Chicago, which sold for $45 each, took nine hours per model to print — but he leaves the work to the machine. While he’s out living his life, his printer is home doing some of the heavy lifting for him.

Learn From Your Mistakes

Mistakes are inevitable along your side gig journey. It’s important to not let them discourage you but to see them as opportunity for growth.

For example, 3D printing actually isn’t Heitmann’s first side hustle, despite his young age. He started an apparel company when he was just 9 years old.

With the help of his grandfather, he made T-shirts and sweatshirts emblazoned with the logo of his YouTube account and set up a website to sell them. However, he told CNBC that he sold 20 items at most, as he didn’t dedicate enough effort to the business.

He used this as a learning experience and now puts in the work on his 3D-printing side hustle, which has clearly become a success. 

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