It’s Not Too Late to Start a Side Hustle (Even in Your 30s or 40s)

Lisa Sabala
Oct 14
4 min read

Want to play a little game of imagination? Humor me…

Say you’re 80 years old. Wrinkles on your face tell stories of all the people you loved and all the times you laughed too hard. Your hair is silver. You’re lying on your favorite bed, a warm blanket covering your legs, with the night air softly humming outside.

And then it hits you… you’re not thinking about the things you did. You’re thinking about the things you didn’t do.

The risks you didn’t take.

The dream you kept setting aside for “next year.”

The side hustle you wanted to start but convinced yourself you were “too old.”

Now… snap back to reality. You’re not 80. You’re 30 or 40. You’ve got time. Real, solid, precious time. So let’s stop acting like life is over just because you’ve had a few more birthdays than some 22-year-old fresh grad out there.

1. Let’s get this straight. 30s and 40s is not “old.”

Please. Tigulang? Who told you that? I’m 40-ish and let me tell you… I take my kids to the pool, draw animal graffiti and dinosaur doodles with my youngest son, dance “Soda Pop” with my eldest in the living room, and I run. I run because I’m training for a marathon. I want to do 42K when I’m 42 years old… or earlier if the marathon overlords permit me that privilege.

So no, you’re not old. And if anyone ever made you feel like your age is a disadvantage, they’re lying.

You’re not behind. You’re just at a different chapter. And this chapter? It’s actually where your story can take an exciting turn.

2. Worrying about your age doesn’t make you younger. It just makes you doubt yourself.

Every time you tell yourself “I’m too old for this,” you’re actually building a wall between you and your next big opportunity.

That wall isn’t built by clients. Not by the market. Not by technology.

It’s built by you.

And let’s be honest… that wall? It’s made of fear. Fear of starting again. Fear of not being “techy” enough. Fear of competing with younger freelancers who seem to know everything about everything. (News flash! They don’t!)

But here’s the thing. Clients don’t care about your age as much as you think they do. They care if you can deliver. If you can communicate. If you can solve problems. And let’s be real… those are things you’ve probably been doing for years in your 9 to 5 job. You just haven’t translated them into your freelance game yet.

3. Experience is your superpower.

Some clients actually prefer older virtual assistants. Yes. Read that again. Prefer.

Why?

Because experience = less hand-holding.

Because maturity = reliability.

Because wisdom = better judgment in high-stress situations.

You’ve been through office politics. Client tantrums. Problem-solving marathons. You’ve learned how to manage people, expectations, and deadlines. These are things no online course can teach a newbie.

Fresh grads? They’re great. Energetic. Full of ideas. But many of them are still learning how to navigate the workplace. You? You’ve already lived it.

So instead of hiding your age… highlight it.

Put it in your resume.

Feature it in your portfolio.

Say it loud and proud in your freelancer bio.

“Years of real-life professional industry experience in [INSERT YOUR AWESOME SPECIALIZATION HERE].”

That’s not just a line. That’s your edge.

4. You’ve already survived the hardest part: real life.

You’ve clocked in when you were tired.

You’ve dealt with unreasonable bosses.

You’ve juggled work, family, bills, life.

Starting a side hustle isn’t some impossible mountain for someone like you. It’s simply a new road. And the good thing about people in their 30s and 40s? We don’t sugarcoat things. We’re not afraid of work.

You’ve got grit. You’ve got staying power. You’ve got perspective.

When a client throws a curveball, you don’t spiral. You adapt. Because life has trained you to roll with the punches. That kind of strength? That’s gold in freelancing.

5. The only regret waiting for you is the one you create.

Let’s go back to that 80-year-old version of you.

Imagine lying there… thinking, “I wish I tried.”

It’s a quiet kind of pain. The kind that doesn’t scream but stays.

But if you start now… if you take that leap into freelancing or a side hustle… you’ll give your future self a different story. One where you didn’t just survive. You built something. You took a risk. You lived with a little fire in your belly.

And honestly, isn’t that a better ending?

Consistency beats “perfect timing.”

You don’t need to quit your job tomorrow. You don’t need to learn everything overnight.

You just need to start.

An hour a day building your portfolio.

One weekend a month learning a digital skill.

One application sent to a client.

That’s how momentum builds. Not through waiting for the stars to align… but through consistent baby steps.

Soon, your side hustle might grow enough to give you financial breathing room. And who knows… maybe it’ll outgrow your 9 to 5.

Being 30 or 40 doesn’t disqualify you from chasing your dreams. The only thing standing between you and your next chapter is the belief that it’s “too late.”

And honestly? You’ve got time. You’ve got skills. You’ve got a fire inside you that just needs a little push. Ako’y push nimo beh! I’ll happily volunteer! 🙌

So start the side hustle. Take the course. Build the portfolio. Apply for that VA job. Don’t let your 80-year-old self look back and wish you did.

You’re not too old. You’re just getting started.