Crafting a side hustle? Your motivation better be more than money, advises Royals broadcaster-turned-podcast host

Any idea is possible with a little passion behind it — so long as there’s a why, explained Joel Goldberg. 

“When you start everything with, ‘What, where, when, why and how,’ and you answer those questions or ask someone to help you answer those questions … [there’s no limit to] how far you’ll go,” Goldberg, veteran Kansas City Royals broadcaster and host of the “Rounding the Bases” podcast, told an audience at his Global Entrepreneurship Week session, “How to Craft a Side Hustle.” 

Joel Goldberg, JG Broadcasting LLC

Goldberg’s work with the Royals checks all the boxes required of a dream job, but it also sees a year’s worth of work packed into a six-month span and leaves Goldberg with more downtime than he’d like to fill, he joked. 

“Three years ago, I started this speaking career,” Goldberg explained, highlighting how a one-off time filler transitioned into a side gig that eventually became Rounding the Bases — Goldberg’s platform for interviewing successful entrepreneurs and leaders and comparing sports to business. 

“I was nervous. I had no idea what I was doing,” he said, noting his initial reaction to speaking in front of a crowd.

Click here to listen to the most recent episode of Rounding the Bases. 

As time passed and speaking gigs piled up, Goldberg found his why — connecting with other people, cultivating networks and inspiring leaders to do bold things through shared experiences. 

“I have a passion for sports … but I can’t go become a professional athlete. That’s not going to really work out,” he quipped, adding that when he combines his passion for sports with his talents as a broadcaster he really has something worth selling. 

Passion and talent might unite to create a great why, but they don’t always equate to a successful venture. For a side hustle to succeed, motivations have to be pure, Goldberg added. 

“Let’s be honest. A lot of times when we’re talking about a side hustle or a second job, the ‘why’ is, ‘How can I make connections? How can I pay for the staycation? How can I take care of these bills or this debt?’ and I will tell you right now that’s all the end result and the byproduct of the passion and the talent, but it’s not the way to start,” he said.

Joel Goldberg, JG Broadcasting LLC

Build something that focuses on serving other people, Goldberg told the room.  

In order to identify needs when crafting a side hustle, networking is a driver — don’t downplay its importance, he added. 

“I remember meeting with a buddy of mine and I remember him saying to me, ‘You need to first and foremost get out there and network,’ … I said, ‘What’s networking,’ and he goes, ‘What’s wrong with you?”

Money is the end result of networking, Goldberg explained, detailing how each connection leads to an opportunity. 

“They don’t teach you these things in school, but here’s the most important part about that side hustle: when you build a network of people and build that trust with them, anything is possible.”

Click here for more on Global Entrepreneurship Week including a list of can’t miss events.