Whether you already have a side hustle you’re nurturing, or you have an idea for a business—but not a fully fleshed-out plan—chances are there’s one major thought driving you: I’m super passionate about this. I need to figure out how to get everyone else to be as excited about it as I am. Relatable much?
Sakara Life founders Whitney Tingle and Danielle DuBoise have been there. The childhood best friends-turned-roommates both hit rock bottom—for different reasons—in 2010. Tingle was working in finance, routinely pulling 12-hour days in the office, then forced out to drink with clients into the wee hours of the morning. “I gained a lot of weight, had cystic acne, and felt terrible in my body,” she says. “Something had to change.”
Around the same time, Tingle landed in the hospital after doing a super extreme water diet on a desert retreat. “I realized I was undernourished,” she says. “Food had become such an enemy for me, when it’s really meant to make you feel like you’re living your best self.” The two joined forces, creating a nourishing meal-delivery service—which has since expanded to include snacks, functional waters, and other fun goodies—healing not only themselves with food, but others, too. Their brand is now a force in the wellness world—and a favorite of celebs like Chrissy Teigen, Lily Aldridge, and more.
But how did they get there? The duo spilled some of their career secrets over matcha lattes this morning at uber-trendy wellness destination Chillhouse in New York City, in conversation with the cafe-cum-nail salon owner Cyndi Ramirez-Fulton.
Keep reading for 4 pieces of hard-won career advice from the founders of Sakara Life.
1. Hit the ground running
“When we first started, there was so much we didn’t know how to do, but we learned it through trial-and-error and by doing everything ourselves,” Tingle says, adding that anything they didn’t know, they would Google.
DuBoise adds that letting go of perfectionism is a must. “It wasn’t about having the perfect business plan before we launched—we just had a mission. If we’d waited until it was perfect, we’d still be waiting.”
2. Tell everyone what you’re up to
Getting the word out about your side hustle is key, which is why Tingle and DuBoise went to every networking event they could in the early days of launching their company. And it paid off. The duo got their first big break by emailing a DailyCandy editor who put Sakara Life in the brand’s newsletter. The next day, they woke up to thousands of orders—so many that they were able to hire their first staff members and secure a permanent cooking space.
3. Write down your ideas as soon as they come to you
Tingle has a penchant for coming up with amazing ideas in the shower—which is exactly why DuBoise bought her a waterproof notepad. Whether you do your best brainstorming on the treadmill, out in nature, cooking, or somewhere else, make sure you have a way to get it all down on paper (or in your phone).
4. Never lose faith in yourself
“One of my mantras is, ‘I have the tools to handle anything that comes my way,'” Tingle says. “The universe isn’t going to throw something my way I can’t handle.” Sure, there may be setbacks and unforeseen challenges, but just remember: You got this.
Not only that, but you have more power than you think you do. “You can control how you react to situations,” DuBoise says. “Shit hits the fan all the time, but you’ll never see us [freak out]. We believe everything happens for a reason and we can control how we act to what happens.”
If you want to use your side hustle to change the world, here are some tips. Plus, here’s how to thrive in all areas of life.
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