Siddharth Sharma

What Failing at a Side Hustle Taught Me About Success. AI-Generated.

Last year, I thought I had it all figured out. I’d stumbled upon what I believed was the perfect side hustle: selling handmade candles online. The idea came to me one rainy evening when I was scrolling through Instagram, mesmerized by aesthetic photos of coz homes lit by warm, flickering lights. “I can do this,” I told myself. I’d always loved crafting, and the idea of turning a hobby into a money-making gig felt like a dream come true. Spoiler alert: it didn’t turn out the way I’d imagined. But what I gained from that failure was worth more than any profit I’d hoped for.The Spark of an IdeaIt started innocently enough. I spent hours researching scents—lavender for calm, cinnamon for warmth, vanilla because, well, who doesn’t love vanilla? I bought wax, wicks, and jars in bulk, convinced I was about to become the next big thing in the candle world. My tiny apartment turned into a chaotic workshop, with melted wax splattered on the counter and my cat occasionally batting at stray wicks. I even named my “brand”—“Glow & Soul”—because it sounded poetic and marketable.I set up an Etsy shop, posted blurry photos of my creations on Instagram, and waited for the orders to roll in. Friends were supportive, dropping likes and comments like “Wow, these look amazing!” and “You’re living the dream!” I felt unstoppable. For about a week.When Reality HitThe first red flag was the silence. Days went by, and my Etsy shop had exactly zero sales. I’d priced my candles competitively—$12 each, which barely covered the cost of materials—but no one was biting. I told myself it was just a slow start. “People need time to find me,” I reasoned. So, I doubled down. I started posting more on social media, even dabbling in TikTok with awkward videos of me pouring wax while trying not to burn myself. Views trickled in, but they didn’t translate to sales.Then came the feedback. A friend, trying to be helpful, pointed out that my candles looked “a bit uneven” and the labels were “kinda hard to read.” I brushed it off at first—perfectionism isn’t my style—but then I noticed competitors. Their candles had sleek packaging, professional photos, and scents like “Midnight Rain” that made my “Lavender Bliss” sound basic. I wasn’t just competing with hobbyists; I was up against small businesses with budgets and branding I couldn’t match.By month two, I’d sold exactly three candles—one to my mom, one to my cousin, and one to a stranger who left a polite but lukewarm review: “Nice, but the scent didn’t last long.” I’d spent over $200 on supplies and made back $36. The math wasn’t mathing.The Breaking PointThe moment I knew it was over came on a Tuesday night. I’d stayed up late trying to fix a batch of candles that wouldn’t set properly. The wax was lumpy, the wicks kept sinking, and I accidentally spilled hot lavender wax on my favorite sweatshirt. I sat on the kitchen floor, staring at the mess, and laughed. Not a happy laugh—a “what am I even doing?” laugh. I shut down the Etsy shop the next day. “Glow & Soul” was extinguished.At first, I felt like a failure. I’d wasted time, money, and energy on something that didn’t work. I’d bragged to friends about my big plans, and now I had nothing to show for it. But as the weeks passed, I started to see it differently.Lessons in the AshesFailing at my side hustle didn’t just teach me what not to do—it showed me what I could do. For one, I learned I’m tougher than I thought. Sitting in that kitchen, covered in wax and disappointment, I didn’t give up on myself—I just gave up on candles. That’s a difference worth noting.I also realized I’d been chasing the wrong kind of success. I didn’t start the hustle because I loved candles (honestly, I’m more of a diffuser girl now). I started it because I wanted quick cash and validation. When I stopped to think about it, I saw that real success isn’t about forcing a square peg into a round hole—it’s about finding what fits.The biggest takeaway? Failure isn’t the end; it’s a detour. Shutting down my shop freed me up to try other things. I started writing—something I’d always enjoyed but never took seriously. A few months later, I submitted a short story to a contest and won $50. It wasn’t a fortune, but it felt better than selling a candle ever did.Lighting a New PathLooking back, I don’t regret my failed side hustle. It was messy, frustrating, and humbling, but it taught me resilience, self-awareness, and the courage to pivot. Success isn’t a straight line—it’s a winding road with potholes and unexpected turns. And sometimes, the best thing you can do is let one dream burn out so another can catch fire.So, if you’re out there pouring your heart into a side hustle that’s not working, take it from me: it’s okay to fail. It doesn’t mean you’re done—it means you’re just getting started.