Hey Reader,

Lets talk about side hustles and why they fail, because

What if the reason side hustles fail was really simple

Not just yours (if you've tried) but everyone's.

Here's what the numbers say:

90% of podcasts never make it past episode three.

Of the 10% that survive, a further 90% quit before episode 20.

The average podcast produces 7 episodes, then stops.

If you've ever started something on the side, a podcast, course, and watched it slowly fade after a few months, you're not alone.

This isn't unique to podcasting.

It's the same pattern with a lot of doctor side projects, and not for a lack of discipline or intelligence.

But because you probably started with an opportunity instead of a structure.

Usually it goes like this:

"I could start a podcast."

"I might launch a course."

"I could do some consulting."

And there's nothing wrong with experimenting.

Trying things is how you learn, but when your idea is an isolated experiment, When your idea isn’t built into your career or schedule, it ends up competing with clinical work and slowly fading away.

Because you never designed the architecture behind it, no system.

The doctors who make it past the "7-episode" equivalent, the ones who actually build sustainable income alongside medicine? They do something different.

They don't start with the idea.

They start with structure.

And before they launch anything, they run a simple test:

1.Do you have the energy for this problem?

Do you actually care enough about this topic to keep thinking about it for years?

A lot of side projects fail because you like the idea, but you don’t care deeply about the problem so interest fades.

Energy sustains momentum.

Would I still want to work on this in three years if it hasn’t taken off yet?

If the answer is no, don’t start yet. Focus on something you care aobut.

2. Do you have real expertise here?

Your clinical training is your biggest asset and projects that work usually sit close to your knowledge and lived experience.

If your idea doesn’t meaningfully use your expertise, it’s much harder to build something credible or valuable.

The ones that work? They leverage what you already know better than anyone else, or find the right guide or expertise which leads me to number three..

3. What’s your edge?

Why you? Why not someone else? Your edge might be:

• You network others don’t have
• You're a locum who's worked in 30+ different trusts, so you've seen multiple systems, workflows and broken process.
• Lived experience of the problem

Without an edge, your project becomes just another idea in a crowded market, and you’ll run out of steam before "Episode 7".

Your side project doesn’t fail because you lack ability. It fails because one of these elements is missing.

Energy. Expertise. Edge.

If your idea has all three and you build it inside a proper structure it has a far better chance of making it past the 7-episode average.

If it doesn’t, it’s usually just another interesting experiment competing for your time.

Here's what you don't want to miss:

Even if you pass the E/E/E test, your side project can still fail if you're thinking about income the wrong way.

Doctors stay stuck at one income source because they don't understand how income actually scales.

Spoiler: it's not with effort. It's with structure.

I break down the exact framework in my latest video:

​[Watch: Why Effort Doesn't Equal Income (And What Does)]​

Dr Niks

P.S. If you want to create an alternative income stream in the next 6-12 months with the right structure from day one, I’m running a workshop next week where I’ll walk through exactly how we do this in Portfolio OS.

Details here: [Workshop]

If you're ready to work with me directly, apply here: [Application]

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