Meet Side Hustle Bootcamp 2021 Winner, Sureet!

Side Hustle Bootcamp is an eight week program where participants learn the fundamentals of how to start their own business. Topics such as Ideation, MVPs, and Go-to-Market Strategy, are taught by business leaders. The program concludes with Pitch Night, where participants pitch their startup for prizes to a panel of industry professionals .This year, Side Hustle Bootcamp returned for its third year, going completely virtual. Even in a virtual environment, our 10 participants were engaged, dedicated, and uplifted each other to reach their potential. Catch up with our 1st place winner, Sureet Rai, to learn about her experience!

How did you learn about the YWIB Side Hustle Bootcamp?

I heard about YWIB’s Side Hustle Bootcamp from a business-savvy friend, who was also planning on participating. How would I fit in with my limited business knowledge and my career in education? Despite my second thoughts, I made a leap of faith and applied.

This was something so far outside my comfort zone. I am an elementary school teacher - something I knew would be my passion from an incredibly young age. I knew that I loved children and I loved to teach (for example, I would teach various dolls and teddy bears how to do addition and constantly read to imaginary classes as a kid). 

What inspired you to start your own side hustle?

Like many other educational professionals, COVID changed everything. It compounded the many challenges I’ve encountered in my professional role. It forced me, like many others, to closely examine the factors that make teaching very challenging. It made me want to solve a problem that would resonate beyond my immediate classroom and help teachers who also feel these challenges. These are the humble beginnings of my side hustle.

What were the key learnings and skills you developed from the bootcamp coaches and participants?

Participating in YWIB’s Side Hustle Bootcamp was my first experience dipping my toes into the world of entrepreneurship and I am so thankful for the opportunity. The Side Hustle Bootcamp allowed me to think about my business idea through actionable steps. It allowed me to go from a rough concept to a tangible plan. From business plans, MVPs, financials, and more, the program encouraged me to think about my business beyond the ‘idea’. It was an invaluable experience to create a pitch that was presented to successful entrepreneurs. I now have the basic understanding that I need to push my idea forward to future mentors and investors.

Beyond the knowledge that I’ve gained from this experience, the program allowed me to meet other young women who were also passionately pursuing their own wonderful projects. I felt so grateful and empowered to learn from these participants and coaches in a supportive environment. It was a safe space where we shared our experiences, resources, and gave feedback to each other wherever possible. It truly felt like everyone wanted each other to succeed.

What are the next steps for your side hustle?

Having completed the YWIB Side Hustle Bootcamp, I remain excited about my business idea and so grateful that I had the opportunity to participate. Winning at Pitch Night was a surreal, serendipitous and validating experience. I am now working with a web developer to create another iteration of my MVP, a platform to connect teachers together, for a potential launch for the coming school year.

What advice would you give to someone looking to start their own side hustle?

Despite always viewing myself as a teacher and never viewing myself as an entrepreneur, the YWIB Side Hustle Bootcamp has provided me with the education to see myself beyond what I have classified myself as. It has given me the confidence to open doors that I was not sure were even available to me.  

To all the other young women who have a business idea, who, like me, have felt lost and unsure about how to get going with their idea, consider YWiB’s Side Hustle Bootcamp! To be able to take an idea and work on it, alongside helpful mentors, is a great way to get started. Take the leap of faith, trust yourself, believe in the process, and take a chance! You never know where it will take you.

Do you have an idea that could evolve into a side hustle? Or do you daydream about starting your own side hustle? Consider joining Side Hustle Bootcamp in 2022! You can learn more about Side Hustle Bootcamp here.