Tech can build a business, but only people can keep it alive

In South Africa, as well as the rest of the world, the side hustle has become part of daily life for many working adults. What started as small weekend income or online reselling has grown into a practical way to navigate rising living costs and unpredictable job markets.

A quick look through Instagram or community WhatsApp groups shows how wide the movement has become - from home-baked goods and local clothing brands to freelancers offering design, photography, and admin services. Platforms such as Yoco, PayFast, and WhatsApp Business make it easier for a side hustle to manage payments and communication without needing a physical storefront.

For some, a side hustle provides backup when a formal salary no longer stretches as far as it once did. For others, it is a way to test ideas without taking big financial risks. What connects it to the broader economy is adaptability, the ability to spot small chances and turn it into something useful.

Visibility has replaced word of mouth. A good review or a few hundred likes can carry more influence than a traditional advert. Millennials and Gen Z entrepreneurs have mastered this space, turning engagement into credibility and consistency into growth. Yet as the digital marketplace expands, there is a growing argument for something older. Connection.

Take a page from Gen X, who built early ventures on real-world contact. Meet the people who buy from you face-to-face, even if it is via technology. Talk to those who use your service, in your own voice, and let conversations build the kind of trust that algorithms can’t. Technology can amplify a business, but it can’t replace the relationships that sustain it.

After all is said and done, human connection is still the best business tool we have. It’s the one thing that sets us apart from everything else.