I write about #startups. I love talking to #founders.

Of course, The Finance Ghost itself is a #startup.

Here's a #thread on some important things I've learned in the past year. I hope it will help.

Side gigs are hard and even harder if they go well. Make sure your family and closest friends understand what you're doing and that you have their support. It takes a lot of time away from those you love.

If they don't support it, change the ambition or change the people.

If you're really lucky, the side gig might help you leave your job or find a better one. Some companies are understanding of side gigs while others aren't.

My view is simple: corporates retrench people without a care in the world. Therefore, they don't control me after-hours.

Having said that, managing conflict of interest is key. Being ethical is a non-negotiable. It's absolutely possible to have a great career and a great side-gig but make sure you constantly do the right thing and keep your nose clean. That's critical. Side gigs can get you fired.

Don't do stupid things like operate side-gigs in conflict with your employer or targeting the same clients with a different service. That's a guaranteed way to destroy your career and your reputation.

When building a business, you need a healthy mix of immediate revenue streams and scale plays. You need cash this month and you want far more cash 12 months from now. Both require an investment of your time right now. The scale play is the harder one to get right.

Work out what you earn per hour in the day job. Side gigs must make MORE than that per hour, otherwise it's a waste of your time. The idea is to grow your earning capacity through building a business, not just to diversify it.

You can build something alone. You can keep all the equity. However, you can't do it without a network of cheerleaders and potential partners. Figure out what you do best (in my case content) and partner on the rest (in my case distribution).

Above all else, prepare yourself for dark times on your road. It can be lonely, daunting and terrifying. You'll question yourself continuously. The pressure can be horrible. Your spouse will probably cry at some point and you will too.

But it's so worth it in the end.

And if you want to see what my startup is all about, your best bet is to sign up to Ghost Mail. It's free and goes out every Tuesday to novice investors and JSE CEOs alike: https://thefinanceghost.com/ghost-mail/