How I Made $30,000 from Side Hustles in 2025
How you can do it too
Let’s be real, side hustle income screenshots are everywhere
But very few people show the whole picture:
What worked, what didn’t, and what it actually takes to turn content into consistent income.
So this year, I decided to document everything
Every invoice
Every platform fee
Every painful PayPal delay
I have also shared the expenses at the end to give you the full picture
Before we start, do check out
“Break Into Senior Engineering Roles” Cohort
I have opened the application form for my next cohort, which kicks off in November
If you are a software engineer with 2-15 years of experience and want to get the offer you deserve, you can check the details here and fill out the application form below if interested
I handpick 10-12 folks so that it is a close cohort, and members can get maximum value
Here’s the full breakdown of how I earned $30,000 on the side in 2025, and how you can start doing the same
#1: Brand Collaborations - $13,670 (46%)
This was the biggest source by far
These were paid partnerships with companies aligned with my audience, primarily in the tech, productivity, and career growth sectors.
I said NO to 5+ brands which didn’t align with my values
How I got them:
Inbound leads. Once my LinkedIn and newsletter audience reached around 20,000, brands started reaching out instead of me having to chase them
Positioning. My content wasn’t about “promotions”; it was about problems. Brands love creators who talk about real pain points their users face
Automation. I managed all briefs, contracts, and payments through one platform to save hours every month
Being a creator and accepting payments in India from international clients is still a pain and I lose 3-5% on every transaction
💡 Action plan if you’re starting:
Pick a specific niche audience (e.g., early-career devs, indie hackers, product managers).
Post weekly content showing you understand their problems.
Create a simple media kit (even a Notion page works).
Once you get 5K+ followers or newsletter readers, start pitching
Keep it simple: 3 packages → short deliverables → consistent results
#2: Mentorships, Cohorts & Classes - $9,940 (33%)
This category surprised me
I started by offering 1:1 mentorship calls on weekends. It slowly evolved into small paid groups and eventually, recurring learning cohorts.
What made it work:
Proof of results. Early mentees who landed jobs became my biggest advocates.
Group > individual. I realized group sessions create accountability and scale better.
Pricing evolution. Started at $25/hour, now $100+ per session for group programs.