Like many enterprise homeowners, for the primary 5 years of getting my firm off floor, “founder” was my complete identification. My video creator platform, Sightworthy, took up all of my vitality as we went by way of an accelerator, thought of fundraising and finally determined to bootstrap, and grew to a worthwhile firm engaged on advertising tasks with the likes of Nike, Morgan Stanley, GSK, and Madewell. Whereas I had at all times thought of myself a multi-passionate artistic, I didn’t really feel like I had time to dedicate to my different passions whereas additionally being a profitable entrepreneur.
However focusing solely on my enterprise was additionally draining. I discovered myself repeatedly working all hours of the day, hustling to get the subsequent sale for Sightworthy, and barreling in the direction of burnout due to it. The truth that I had no artistic vitality left to do issues that lit me up was weighing on me.
When the pandemic hit in 2020, I may have used the additional time lockdown gave us all to work extra on my enterprise, as so many entrepreneurs did. However, not solely did that not seem to be the healthiest selection, a brand new concept had sparked my inspiration.
It began as a one-off video that includes my cousin who’s an ER physician speaking about a number of the fundamentals of COVID to assist cease the unfold of misinformation. The video went viral, and different feminine physicians of coloration began reaching out to me eager to share their experiences. I didn’t wish to let the chance to seize this historic second go, so I spent the subsequent 14 months crowdfunding and creating my first documentary telling the tales of six South Asian and Black feminine ER physicians through the pandemic. One factor ultimately led to a different, and a manufacturing firm joined on as govt producers to assist me make the undertaking larger than I may have ever imagined. (We’re now speaking to movie festivals, streaming providers, South Asian-led manufacturers, and even medical colleges and universities about serving to us launch and distribute the movie.)
Earlier than I knew it, I had this large facet undertaking I used to be engaged on whereas persevering with to run Sightworthy at regular capability—and I liked it. Fairly than overwhelming me, my facet undertaking reignited my artistic spark and love for the work that I do, gave me new vitality and concepts to carry again into my shopper work, and remodeled how I consider using my time successfully. And, finally, it helped me see potentialities for a way I may evolve my enterprise to remain aligned with my “why.”
My facet undertaking gave me a lot worth that, because the documentary wound down, I began engaged on one other concept: writing a pilot for a TV sequence about 4 South Asian girls coming of age in NYC referred to as Lonely Lady. Whereas the primary facet hustle occurred by chance, the second has been way more intentional—and I had already constructed the railroad tracks to make it simpler to work on a undertaking whereas I labored on my enterprise. Listed here are a number of the issues which have helped me succeed at each prior to now few years.
I Obtained My Enterprise to a Secure Place Earlier than Beginning One thing Else
The primary few years of rising Sightworthy, I couldn’t even think about having time for a facet undertaking. My schedule and a spotlight had been fully wrapped up in determining who our buyer was, the best way to make a sale, and usually the best way to do each little piece of my enterprise for the primary time. However, by the point the documentary began gaining traction, just a few issues had modified.
For one, my funds had been in a extremely good place. Not solely had I constructed a worthwhile enterprise, however just a few private investments had completed very well. My funds had been such that I had sufficient for myself and my staff within the occasion that I wished to scale shopper work again to concentrate on different issues.
However greater than that, I had the enterprise methods in place that I wouldn’t have to reduce with the intention to flip a few of my consideration elsewhere. We had discovered product market match and had spectacular case research and a powerful community that made gross sales rather a lot simpler. I had employed an awesome crew and discovered what work I wanted to do and what I may delegate. We had plenty of ongoing shopper work and processes for collaboration that made every particular person undertaking much less of a elevate.
I don’t assume it’s essential to achieve profitability earlier than contemplating spending time on a facet undertaking. However for me, it was useful to have some stability in my enterprise to have the house to come back up for air and spend time on different issues.
I don’t assume it’s essential to achieve profitability earlier than contemplating spending time on a facet undertaking. However for me, it was useful to have some stability in my enterprise to have the house to come back up for air and spend time on different issues. – Aneri Shah, Founding father of Sightworthy & Lonely Lady
I Selected a Aspect Undertaking That Related to My Bigger “Why”
One thing that actually helped me steadiness my facet undertaking with my enterprise was the truth that they had been so related, and each taught me issues that would contribute to the success of the opposite.
Clearly, they had been each primarily based round video content material. The video storytelling work I used to be doing for the documentary impressed some new finest practices for our promoting companions. I additionally found a brand new potential buyer base of oldsters within the movie business. In the meantime, all of the work I had completed when contemplating fundraising for my enterprise made crowdfunding the documentary really feel a lot much less daunting.
However, greater than that, they’re each tied to a bigger function. One thing I’ve lengthy tried to push by way of my work at Sightworthy is extra inclusivity in promoting, with a selected fondness for furthering South Asian illustration. Engaged on the documentary and the TV pilot has given me much more alternatives to inform South Asian tales that I could by no means get to inform by way of promoting work alone. That “why” was robust sufficient that the facet undertaking felt prefer it was contributing positively to each a part of my life, in a manner that I don’t assume would have been true if I simply selected one thing random.
I Discovered Methods to Be Extra Intentional With My Time
Probably the most shocking factor about this complete endeavor was how including extra work to my plate finally made me extra environment friendly.
Earlier than I had one other undertaking I cared so deeply about, it felt like I may refill my complete day with work (and I used to be undoubtedly headed in the direction of burnout due to it). As soon as I began engaged on facet tasks, I needed to get actually intentional on how a lot time I used to be spending on every. I began working with a coach (the good Amy Lombardo), who helped me quickly develop new productiveness habits like time blocking my days. I might begin by blocking every little thing I wanted to do for the very best income mills in my enterprise, since that’s the place the cash was coming from, after which may see a transparent image of how a lot time I realistically had for the facet undertaking. That helped as a result of I may simply say, “Nicely, I may be doing all these things for my facet undertaking, however I really don’t have time for that, so how do I set up accordingly?”
It additionally pushed me to get leaner and meaner in my enterprise: I used to say sure to each undertaking that got here our manner, and now we’ve actually honed in on the purchasers that may present recurring income.
After all, all of this was made simpler within the early days of the pandemic as a result of my social calendar was fully empty. Since issues began opening again up, I’ve needed to “sacrifice” a while for social outings with the intention to proceed work on my facet undertaking—however to me it doesn’t actually really feel like a sacrifice as a result of this work actually looks like an act of service that’s giving my life extra that means.
I’m Letting My Aspect Undertaking Evolve My Enterprise
This wasn’t the unique intention, however as the dimensions of my facet undertaking grew (together with my ardour for it), I began pondering critically about how all of the completely different transferring components and items may match collectively into a brand new future for my enterprise.
If, as a substitute of serving to manufacturers create video in an agile manner, my new “why” is centering and celebrating South Asian girls by way of media, how would the enterprise evolve? Would we solely work with manufacturers that concentrate on that viewers? Would we grow to be a manufacturing firm that helps different individuals create media centering South Asian tales? Or would I quite promote Sightworthy and put all of my vitality into creating my very own work underneath the Lonely Lady umbrella?
I don’t know the reply but, however it’s enjoyable to have the ability to brainstorm freely since my enterprise is bootstrapped. And, whatever the course I select, I’ve discovered a lot from my facet tasks that I feel it’s going to repay ceaselessly.
Primarily based on this expertise, right here’s my recommendation for different founders: A facet undertaking could be a facet undertaking simply on your personal achievement, and that may be sufficient. However giving your self permission to work on a facet undertaking can finally operate as a bit of microcosm so that you can check issues on your future enterprise, profession, and life.
Primarily based on this expertise, right here’s my recommendation for different founders: A facet undertaking could be a facet undertaking simply on your personal achievement, and that may be sufficient. However giving your self permission to work on a facet undertaking can finally operate as a bit of microcosm so that you can check issues on your future enterprise, profession, and life. – Aneri Shah, Founding father of Sightworthy & Lonely Lady
