Tips on Setting Up a Cross-Cultural Side Hustle (2024)

In this fast-paced and competitive world, one source of income is not enough, whether you’re working full-time or studying. A side hustle will make your life more enthusiastic and fulfilling while helping you manage your finances better. If you live in a very diverse city, you can start a cross-cultural side hustle and make good money. So, let’s explore the details of what a cross-cultural side hustle is and some tips for setting one up!

What is a Cross-Cultural Side Hustle?

A cross-cultural side hustle is basically a secondary job or a business venture that taps into different cultures. You might work with people from all over, sell stuff that appeals to different groups, or use your knack for languages or cultural know-how. Think language tutoring, helping businesses navigate cultural differences, or running an online shop with cool international products. The main idea is that you’re bridging cultures to make a buck on the side.

6 Tips on Setting Up a Cross-Cultural Side Hustle

Cross-cultural businesses come in all shapes and sizes. If you’ve already got an idea brewing, great! Follow the tips below to set up your next power source of extra income.

1. Identify Your Niche

First things first, you need to figure out what you’re actually good at selling. Grab a coffee, sit down, and brainstorm some ideas. What stuff do you think people would actually buy? Then, do a little digging. If you’re a student trying to start something on the side, why not ask around your dorm or campus? Find out what people want but can’t easily get their hands on.

Think about it – Asian students studying abroad might be dying for a taste of home. Maybe they can’t find their favourite snacks in European cities. Setting up a little business to bring those comfort foods to homesick students in their student accommodation in London or Barcelona could be a goldmine. It’s all about giving them a slice of home away from home, you know? The key is to pick something that’s in demand – that way, your business has a shot at sticking around and actually making you some cash.

2. Build a Strong Online Presence

The next step, get the word out that you’re the go-to person for this stuff. Set up your social media game – pick a platform that fits your vibe and brand it to match what you’re selling. Post regularly, and don’t be shy about sliding into other small business owners’ DMs for a shoutout. If you’ve got a few bucks to spare, maybe try running some ads to catch your ideal customers’ eyes. Take a few online study courses in digital marketing and understand the concept of growth to pave your way.

3. Understand Legal Requirements

Let’s talk about the boring but important stuff – the legal side of things. You gotta get clued up on local rules, permits, and tax stuff for your side gig. Skipping this isn’t an option unless you want to end up in hot water.

Do some digging online, or if you’re feeling fancy, get an accountant or business consultant to help out. It might sound like a headache, and you might be thinking, “Do I really need to spend money on this?” But trust me, it’s not as pricey as you might think. Plus, once you’ve got all the paperwork sorted, you’ll only need to deal with it once a year when tax season rolls around. It’s just one of those adult things you have to do.

4. Market Unique Cultural Products

Your cultural product must be unique in order to sell and profit from it. A unique online store will be engaging since the unique market philosophy is pretty simple: things that are not easily available become the centre of attraction, and good marketing will help make it successful quickly. And if you have a young and college-going audience, then your job is to fuel student-centric areas like aesthetic stationery items and student housing essentials.

5. Utilise Online Marketplaces

Utilising the online marketplace is the fun part. Try experimenting with your social media and build your own marketing scheme. This is how you will find the best way to market your products. You can also try influencer marketing by only reaching out to users who have okayish followers and are ready to pull a barter collaboration. In exchange for your products, you can get a free shoutout to your target audience.

There are plenty of marketing ideas that will help you reach your target audience. However, to succeed, you must be focused and consistent.

6. Seek Feedback and Adapt

Once you are all set and start to sell, seek feedback and reviews and make them visible to your future customers so you can build the authenticity of your business presence. The feedback will also help you understand your business’s weaknesses; do not take it as criticism; instead, try adapting to the nature of your business. Always remember the first rule of business: customers are the kingpin of the market.

Cross-Culture Side Business Ideas

There are different versions of cross-cultural businesses. If you’ve already got something in mind, feel free to jump straight to our tips on getting your international venture up and running.

1. Drop-shipping: Drop shipping is basically being a middleman. You sell stuff from other companies without ever touching the actual products. You just need to be profound with great customer service and communication skills and be connected with your contractors.

2. Skincare Samplers: Here, you import sample sizes of popular skincare products from countries like South Korea and create sampler packs to sell online.

3. Global Jewelry Shop: You can source affordable jewellery from countries like India or Thailand and sell them online through platforms like Etsy or Instagram.

Conclusion

Starting a business from scratch is indeed an intimidating journey; every business owner has been through it. We hope the tips mentioned above will guide you through the process. You can also seek advice from other business owners to get a hint of what’s coming. Good luck hustlers!

About Amber—Amber is one of the leading student accommodation platforms, established in 2016 and serving over 80 million students globally. It is your one-stop destination for all your housing needs, fully assisted by Amber experts. Download the Amber app from the Google Play or App Store to book an affordable home for your adventure.

Author’s Bio – Bobby Sinha is a storyteller; she enjoys watching Japanese indie movies and knows various ways of using a chopstick. A graduate in business, working as a writer, and someday aspiring to become a Filmmaker proves how versatile she is.