Among the many things parents wish they knew about beforehand include the unexpected costs and the weight gain. As Lifehacker contributor Melanie Pinola observes, even the dads have to struggle with their bodies growing larger after having kids. And while you may have known that having children is expensive — recent estimates show parents spend an average $233,610 on child costs from birth until the age of 17 — many parents are unprepared for the costs of things like diapers and daycare. 

Lately the term “side hustle” has grown in popularity as people young and old alike utilize the gig economy connect them with freelance work. These side gigs allow workers to build a sizeable nest egg on top of what they make from their 9-to-5. Parents, in particular, should be interested in these jobs as they come with flexible hours that can be accommodating to a busy schedule. One side gig, in particular, can have the double bonus of helping new parents get back in shape while making extra money for the household: dog walking.  

The Benefits of a Dog Walking Side Gig

• Walking dogs is great exercise. A person can burn 200-250 calories per hour, depending on their weight and speed.
  
• A dog walker living in an urban area can make $12 to $15 for a 30-minute walk and $20 to $25 for a 60-minute walk. One dog walker estimates she makes an average of $600 a month by walking two or three dogs a day for about an hour and a half total each day.
  
• When you work as a dog walker, you get to know people in your area and build trust with them as you care for their precious pooch. That increased socialization is a welcome change for new parents who spend most of their time communicating in baby talk.
  
• Dog walking gets you up and away from the screens and outside where you can enjoy all the benefits of fresh air and sunshine.
  
• Walking dogs is also good for you psychologically. It helps manage stress and reduces feelings of anxiety and loneliness. 

Starting a Dog Walking Business

Funding is a crucial part of starting your own business. You’ll need money to establish a web presence, market costs and insurance. Fundera offers a step-by-step guide that details what you need to consider such as the amount of funding needed, the best small business lending options for your circumstances and more. Thanks to technology, tapping into financing will put you and your future canine customers on solid ground.

As an owner, you’ll also need to network. There are currently multiple apps with the express purpose of connecting dog owners to walkers and caretakers. These apps are convenient for people just getting started because they do their own advertising to establish a built-in clientele. However, these companies also take a generous slice of your earnings. 

If you have the connections and motivation, it is totally possible to start your own dog walking business without the help of an app. With your own company, you are responsible for your own promotion. The good thing is you don’t have to reach out to people nationally — just to dog owners in your immediate area. Instagram is a great platform you can use to reach nearby dog lovers — people love scrolling through photos of cute, snuggly pups. However, it’s important to choose the right hashtags so your exposure is effective. 

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New parents can make extra cash while getting in some exercise by picking up an active side gig like dog walking. Not only can you make money while burning calories, but also you also get the emotional and psychological benefits of being around dogs and spending time outdoors. When starting your dog walking business, you can either use a third-party app to connect with clients or do the work yourself. While apps provide ease, they charge fees for every dog you walk. Meanwhile, starting your own business is a lot more work, but you have more control and it is more profitable in the long run. 

Image via Pexels

Parenthood, a joy on the whole, usually comes with plenty of challenges. For one, your free time is limited once you must care for another human being (or a few). Your cost of living also increases with each passing year. So your need to make a little extra cash on the side is unavoidably hampered by your inability to find extra time in your day to work. For busy parents, starting a small business based on an existing skill or hobby can be just the solution.

Determine your market potential

When it comes to starting your own small business as a side gig, the thing that matters most is whether there is market potential for your idea. You must find this out immediately. This will include doing industry research, surveying potential customers/clients in your area and outside of it (internet businesses have no geographic boundaries), and looking at your competition. You can make the tastiest sweet treats on planet Earth but it won’t matter if you can’t break through the competition. Your product can be amazing and you can be amazing at creating it, but if there isn’t really a market for it, you can’t make money starting a business centered on it. Do something that has a record of proven success, but find your niche in that market. As many successful business people will tell you, it’s better to have a very small slice of an existing market than zero slices of a non-existent one.

Names matter

The first thing anyone will judge about your business is its name. If you think your business can overcome a bad name, you’re engaging in wishful thinking. A great name means more than you think. When choosing a name for your small business, do some online research. Make sure it’s unique. Try to make it easy to remember and easy to spell. Don’t let it be limiting. For example, if you want to sell baked goods don’t call yourself “Karen’s Cookies” if you plan to bake things other than cookies at some point. Say your business name out loud over and over again. Does it sound good? If you’re stuck, using a business name generator can be of great assistance.

Keep overhead as low as possible

Let’s get this out of the way: very few (almost no) parent-run small businesses need external office space (especially at first). You can keep overhead low by running your business from home. This helps you save on rent, utilities, office supplies, etc. Use your own home’s sparsely-used spaces (garage, basement) for storing any equipment/inventory. Rent instead of buy when it comes to most equipment. Note that a lot of your business communications can be done via free online software like Skype or Google Hangouts.

And definitely make sure you keep working full-time in your regular job. This is a side-gig. You want to make extra money. You don’t want this venture to be your only lifeboat.

Marketing begins on day one

The first thing you do to improve your small business – before a single sale has been made – is to market aggressively. Marketing from day one is everything. And in this day and age, that means creating an online presence that doesn’t miss any of the key pillars – well-designed website, SEO (search engine optimization), and social media. Blogging or vlogging (YouTube video blogging) about things related to your business and your business specifically can also be used to boost your online presence. Check here for some tips of how to market your new business online for free.

Whether it’s crafting, consulting, or creating anything that could be desired by a paying public, busy parents can make solid extra money with a small business side-gig. Most mom or dad businesses can be run from home, so they are not an extra burden on childcare and overhead costs are kept low. If you have an idea, make sure you research its market potential first and begin marketing your business on day one.

Photo credit: Pixabay