Your fellow reader Ava asked a great question:
If I am already working, in school, and wanting to start up just a real small small business, then how would that work differently from someone who is coming from a completely different stand point, like not working or in school and is just generally starting up their business with saved money? Thank you!
The secret to starting a real side hustle, side gig or just a real small small business is to take small steps.
Try small scale steps that get your idea in front of people who can pay for it. That’s how you’ll build knowledge of what works, build an initial following in the market, and build assets toward your next, bigger step.
What can you do to test a business idea?

You don’t need much to start small. Even one square foot of space may be enough. Photo by Becky McCray.
- Try something temporary: pop-up for a day, a week or a season.
- Try something tiny: look for just a few hundred square feet to set up in.
- Try something together: set up your business inside an existing business, coworking space, maker space, shared art studio, or shared commercial kitchen.
- Try a truck or trailer: use more than one town to gather enough customers.
For example, a high school student in Alva, Oklahoma, popped up a business test by borrowing just one square foot of counter space in a beauty salon. She sold hand braided headbands made from fabrics scraps.
Our Deb Brown wrote more about testing your way into business here: Business plans are not worth the paper they’re written on
Surprise twist: this is how I’d advise someone not working or in school, someone who was generally starting up their business with saved money, too.
You can ask your rural small business question here.
- 3 Major factors in rural remote work: incentives, flexible workspaces, and a sense of community - June 6, 2022
- How to recruit new residents, remote workers, or remote entrepreneurs - June 2, 2022
- How cooperatives improve small town economies - May 8, 2022
- Metaverse business idea: virtual world tour guide - April 15, 2022
- Make extra money from extra workspace: co-working and 3rd workplaces in small towns - March 28, 2022
- Trade show booth design trend: hand drawn visuals - March 21, 2022
- New business sign design? Don’t use cursive script - February 14, 2022
- Way more people prefer rural than urban, new Pew Research study finds - February 1, 2022
- Top 5 Rural and small town trends 2022 - January 3, 2022
- How to start a real small small business - December 17, 2021