While many of HostGator’s customers have high passion levels for their side projects, we know it’s also true that the daily grind can be tough, especially after working a regular, perhaps dull, 9-5 job. It can be challenging to take those initial steps to get started when all you want to do is veg out and watch the latest and greatest on Netflix.
If you’re thinking about starting a killer side hustle, you need a website. And we’ve got some inspiration from one of our favorite HostGator success stories, Afie Braimoh, creator of the SACFruits business and website.
Who Is Afie Braimoh of SACFruits?
We first learned about Afie Braimoh and her company SACfruits when she entered her story in our Side Hustle Star Awards. And dude, were we impressed! (In fact, Afie won the contest!)
Afie worked hard to develop an excellent global health product, dried fruit from West African fruit. The product is tasty, 100% natural, and perfect for anyone at any time and on any day.
What is even more exciting about Braimoh’s business-even more than the pure deliciousness of her product-is how she decided to start her side hustle.
How Afie Got Started With Her Side Hustle
She started her health food side hustle while living in Nigeria after seeing so many West African farmers slip into poverty due to too much food waste.
Afie explains how her side hustle helps fight poverty in Africa. 'I market and distribute dried fruit snacks from West Africa. I saw the poverty in the farmers because their fruits would simply rot away because of bad access to roads to get their goods to the market, so I started this side hustle. I have also built a very strong relationship with farmers across Nigeria, and have invested in some of their crops like mango trees and pineapple farms.'
The SACFruits side hustle started small. Afie began by trying out her recipes and says, 'I purchased a dehydrator and started drying fruits in season. Then I started sampling parties that comprised of friends, work colleagues, and family as well.'
Then, Afie went through the process of getting FDA approval and launched SACFruits on Amazon in January 2019, and continues to see her business grow.
Afie Braimoh knew her side hustle would be successful when she continually saw the global health trend on TV, social media, and expos where people are concerned about what they eat.
Her dedication and belief in her side hustle show when you look at her results. 'I spend every evening combing through websites learning ways to distribute this product. I am slowly identifying traditional and unique ways. I launched at the Macy’s Market, a supermarket in Miami, and also a coffee shop in NY. Given my full-time job, this has been a leap,' according to Braimoh.
What Challenges Did Afie Braimoh Overcome?
Starting a side hustle isn’t all roses and daisies. It can be difficult, and some side hustlers may get stuck and want to give up from time to time.
We asked Afie what challenges she experienced with running a business internationally. Her answers included figuring out shipping costs, delivering goods on time for large orders, and understanding exchange rates.
'It’s tough getting funding for a small business,' says Afie. 'But, I constantly use my salary to cover my small business expenses including constantly advertising online. I am working with just one distributor who has a day job but believes in my products. I continue to manage my expenses as much as I can by being the only employee for the business for now. Everything is scaled back to be able to meet my expenses.'
Even though she experienced several challenges, Afie also said she never wanted to give up during the process, and she plans to quit her full-time job in the future.
Afie urges other side hustlers not to give up either. She tells fellow side hustlers to 'stay focused and be passionate about what you do. The most successful people today have passion.'
Why HostGator?
While Afie experienced some initial challenges in getting her business off the ground, building a website with HostGator was not one of them. We asked Afie why she chose HostGator to host and build her website.
She said she has been impressed with HostGator because of the 'reliability and responsiveness' of our hosting platform.
Whatever type of business you’re looking to start and no matter how much web experience you may have, HostGator can help you get online. Our flexible platform allows you to quickly start a website and scale your web hosting package as your business grows. For example, the drag-and-drop Gator Website Builder makes it possible for even the first-timer to create a professional website.
If you already have a side hustle in mind, we would love to help you get your website up and running. Thankfully, the process is easy. Here is a quick tutorial on how you can build a website today. We can’t wait to see you get started.
Ashley R. Cummings is a professional freelance writer specializing in SaaS, tech, and advertising/marketing. In a previous life, she was a Russian teacher at Brigham Young University, a corporate trainer, and a grad student—all at the same time. When she’s not writing, you can find her traveling the world with her 2 kids and husband, reading poetry or taking a deep dive into the fabulous world of comedy. Connect with her on Twitter at @ashleyrcummings.