Why a side-hustle can work for you – even if it fails

Do you have an idea? Do you see a problem that needs solving? 

A side hustle while you’re still at university can set you up for career success whether you’re aiming for entrepreneurial excellence or corporate conquests. There’s no better place to put thought into action than when you're at UNSW.

Through the UNSW Founders Program, students entrepreneurs can receive support from various initiatives, mentorships, workshops and networking opportunities. Students will gain the confidence to build upon their entreprenutial skills and have the ability to be founders of real companies. Some opportunities include interacting with programs to build businesses from networking to seed funding, coaching to software engineering support. Recognised as the #1 institution attended by Australian start-up founders, UNSW makes the perfect launching pad for entrepreneurial vision.  

Meet some of our alumni who turned their side hustle into something more with the help of our Founders Program.

UNSW Commerce and Information Systems Alumnus, Michael Liang started his business, Tribespot, after an inkling that there was a gap in the market and his side hustle has become his career. After enrolling in business courses, he realised that he wanted to use his knowledge of coding to launch an app that streamlined processes within student societies. 

Michael received the support of the UNSW Founders Program, where he worked with a network of coaches to reframe his business model and long-term growth strategy. Tribespot is now a fully-fledged company and Michael is glad he started it when he did.

UNSW Business and Law alumna Sapna Patel is the founder of ImmiAdvisor, a unique global platform that streamlines the immigration process. She believes candidates who’ve started a business or side hustle stand out to employers. 

Setting up your own business provides value to prospective employers, regardless of the long-term outcome. 

UNSW Business School AGSM MBA alumnus, Nicolas Chu has interviewed countless candidates since founding Sinorbis and co-founding Piloroo, the first B2B marketplace for the hairdressing industry. 

Sapna agrees, saying she values experience, struggle and growth. As a business founder herself, she believes you learn more from your hardships and obstacles than you do from your successes.

When Nicolas Chu was asked about choosing between two candidates with identical attributes, one trying to set up a business that didn’t work, the other having never tried, he didn’t hesitate.

“Now that I know how difficult it is to launch a business, I’d be more likely go with the person who tried to set up a business.”

“I have learnt that there is no such thing as overnight success,” says Sapna. “Starting and growing your own business requires hard work, sacrifices, dedication and determination.”

Michael’s experience sums it up best. Tribespot continues to thrive alongside his second start-up, Culturestride. Reflecting on how his start-up shaped his future, Michael says his business turned the theory he learnt at UNSW into a reality. “Overall, the side hustle was the link that took the classroom to the real world.”  

Unlock your potential with UNSW

UNSW has been recognised for six consecutive years as producing the Most Employable students (Australian Financial Review (AFR) Top 100 Future Leaders Awards, 2020–2025). This distinction positions you for strong job prospects after graduation, while a "failed" business venture can further enhance your appeal to potential employers by showcasing resilience and initiative.

If you want to join our many successful alumni who’ve found entrepreneurial success and are now on the AFR Young Rich List or recipients of AFR Top100 Future Leaders Awards, you may want to give yourself time for your business to become profitable.

Our graduates earn the highest median salaries among graduates from the Group of Eight (Go8) universities (QILT Graduate Outcomes Survey, medium-term - three years after graduating, 2023). This shows employers see the value in UNSW graduates. We rank at the top of all Go8 universities for the percentage of undergraduates who gain full-time employment.