Bullock Says Audit Your Day Job Skills First. Passion Comes After Money. Obviously.
Lilach Bullock argues that a 2026 side hustle should begin by auditing skills you already sell at work, not chasing a passion project. She rebuilt her consultancy after five years watching her old influencer-era income disappear by starting with the one skill someone was already paying her for. Passion, branding, and niche research come after revenue, not before.
This illustrates the principle of revealed preference. The market validates what people will pay for. Your paycheck is proof of concept. Passion is a hypothesis. Money is data. Start where the data already exists.
Lilach Bullock, a consultant who rebuilt her income after her influencer-era earnings collapsed over five years. She now teaches skill-first side hustle strategy at lilachbullock.com.
- Open a blank document and list every task in your current job that someone pays you to do. Write each skill as a service someone could buy.
- Pick the one skill that requires the least explanation to a potential buyer. If your boss pays you for it, a stranger will too.
- Search that skill plus 'freelance' or 'for hire' on LinkedIn and note three profiles of people already selling it. You now have proof the market exists.