Stop Treating Your Side Hustle Like a Situationship: Entrepreneurship Basics That Don’t Suck
By Nina — I'm the friend who tells you what you need to hear about your situationship. ·
Look, I love a good Brooklyn coffee shop brainstorm as much as the next girl, but let’s be real for a second. I see so many of you treating your business ideas like that guy who keeps texting you at 2 AM but has 'no label' on your relationship. You’re pouring time, energy, and emotional labor into something that’s giving you absolutely nothing in return, and you’re calling it 'entrepreneurship.'
Newsflash: If your side hustle is draining your bank account and your sanity without a clear roadmap, you aren’t building a business. You’re just keeping a situationship on life support. If we’re going to do this, we’re doing it for real. Here are the entrepreneurship basics you need to stop ignoring if you actually want to be your own boss.
Stop 'Dating' Your Business Idea and Start Vetting It
You know that feeling when you meet a guy who seems great because he’s 'an artist' but he lives on his cousin’s couch? Stop falling in love with your business idea before you’ve checked its credit score.
Most people get obsessed with the 'vibe' of their brand—the logo, the color palette, the Instagram aesthetic—before they even know if anyone wants to pay for what they’re selling. That is the business equivalent of picking out wedding china for a guy you’ve been on two dates with.
Actionable advice: Before you spend a dime on a website, find three people who don’t love you enough to lie to you. Tell them your business idea. If they don’t immediately ask, 'Where do I sign up?' or 'How much is it?', then you don’t have a product; you have a hobby. Validate the market first. Does it solve a problem? If the answer is no, go back to the drawing board.
Your Business Plan Isn’t a 'Manifestation,' It’s a Contract
I’m all for manifesting, but you cannot vibe your way to a profitable venture. I see people 'manifesting' their dream business while having zero handle on their overhead, their margins, or their tax obligations.
Treating your business plan like a secret document you keep tucked away is the same energy as waiting for him to 'eventually' commit. It’s not happening unless you make it explicit. A business plan is just a map. If you don’t have a map, you’re just driving in circles in a U-Haul, wondering why you’re broke and tired.
Actionable advice: Write down your 'One-Pager.' What do you sell? Who is the customer? How do they find you? What is your profit margin after expenses? If you can’t answer those in four sentences, you aren’t ready to launch. Stop the fluff and get into the math.
Stop Giving Away Your Value for Free
We’ve all been there: 'I’ll just do this project for exposure!' or 'I’ll give a heavy discount just to get my foot in the door.' That is the 'Pick Me' energy of the business world. When you start by discounting your value, you set a precedent that you aren’t worth the full price.
In my PR work, I’ve seen clients try to lowball agencies because the agency seemed 'eager.' Don’t be eager; be competent. If you act like you’re lucky to be there, your clients will treat you like you’re lucky to be there. Charge what you’re worth, and stick to it. If they can’t afford you, they aren’t your client. Let them be someone else’s headache.
Actionable advice: Audit your pricing today. Are you charging based on your fear of rejection, or based on the actual value you’re providing? If you’re scared to say your rates out loud, practice in the mirror until it sounds like a fact, not a question.
Consistency is Your Only Real Commitment
Consistency is the only thing that separates a 'dreamer' from a 'founder.' You can’t show up for your business when you feel 'inspired' and ghost it when you’re hungover or tired. That’s not how businesses grow.
Business is boring. It’s bookkeeping. It’s answering emails when you want to be napping. It’s doing the same thing every single day even when the results aren’t instant. If you can’t show up for yourself on the days you don’t feel like it, you’re going to fold the second things get difficult.
Actionable advice: Set a 'non-negotiable' hour. Every day, give your business one hour of focused, high-leverage work. Not scrolling Pinterest for branding ideas, not 'researching' competitors for three hours. Actual, revenue-generating work. Put it in your calendar. If you wouldn't cancel a doctor's appointment, don't cancel on your business.
Look, I know this sounds harsh, but I’m telling you this because I want you to actually win. The world has enough 'entrepreneurs' who are just playing pretend. I want to see you build something that actually supports the life you want to live—without the emotional baggage of a situationship.
What’s the one thing you’ve been avoiding doing for your business because it feels 'too real'? Let’s talk about it in the comments or shoot me a message. I’m here to call your bluff.