Starting a side business: From idea to income

With cost-of-living pressures continuing to impact households, more people are exploring side businesses to generate additional income and build financial resilience. This practical, beginner friendly workshop provides a clear introduction to starting a side hustle or small business, focusing on realistic, low risk steps that can be taken alongside existing commitments.

This session breaks down the fundamentals of getting started, from generating viable business ideas to understanding basic setup requirements such as an ABN. The workshop is designed to reduce barriers, build confidence​ and help participants identify clear next steps towards self-employment.

What we’ll cover:

• What’s a side business and how it can be used to generate additional income
• Practical side business ideas based on skills, experience and everyday opportunities
• The basics of starting a business in Australia, including (registering for an ABN, the difference between a hobby and a business and simple business structure options, with a focus on sole traders).
• Easy, practical market research to check whether an idea has real demand
• Introductory pricing concepts and common mistakes to avoid
• The first realistic steps to take over the next 7 to 30 days to move forward.

By the end of the workshop:

• Have one or more achievable side business ideas aligned to their skills and circumstances
• Understand the basic requirements for starting a small business in Australia
• Feel more confident testing an idea before investing significant time or money
• Have a simple starting point for pricing a product or service
• Leave with a clear, manageable action plan to begin building additional income.