The side hustle design report for non-designers

Many side hustlers design everything themselves

Most side hustlers are doing it all, from logos to TikTok, without formal design training, investing both time and money to get it right.

Over half of entrepreneurs (51%) and nearly three-quarters of content creators (71%) said they design all their own visual content. In fact, 58% overall reported doing everything themselves, from logos to social posts and website graphics.

Most people are self-taught. The top ways creators learned to design were trial and error (64%) and YouTube tutorials (54%). Others picked up skills through online courses (28%), from friends or mentors (27%), and even TikTok (25%). Just 16% said they had formal design training.

Content creators spend an average of 10 hours per week on brand-related design tasks, compared to nine hours for entrepreneurs. Half of all respondents said the time it takes to create is their biggest challenge. Layout and spacing issues (37%) and keeping visuals consistent across platforms (37%) also ranked high. Other common pain points included picking fonts (30%), maintaining brand consistency (27%), and choosing color palettes (25%).

Entrepreneurs spend an average of $249 per year on design tools, while content creators spend slightly less at $202. Still, 21% of entrepreneurs said they spend over $1,000 annually. Among entrepreneurs who outsource, 13% said they spend more than $5,000 per year on design help.

Confidence in visuals is a work in progress

Confidence in branding doesn't come easily, especially when creators are learning as they go. But many are starting to see the impact of their efforts — and using AI tools helps.

The majority of entrepreneurs and content creators are seeing positive results from their efforts. Seventy-nine percent said their branding or visuals have helped their business appear more credible. For 16%, their designs were so polished that they were mistaken for a larger or more established brand. Respondents said their brand visuals have performed the best on:

• Instagram: 46%
• Facebook: 39%
• Business websites: 39%
• TikTok: 33%
• Email: 17%
• Pinterest: 14%
• LinkedIn: 10%

Yet, nearly one in five entrepreneurs and content creators (19%) said they aren't confident in their brand visuals. For many, that self-doubt is holding them back. More than half (55%) admitted they've delayed a post, launch, or campaign because their visuals didn't look "good enough." And one in five received negative feedback about their branding.

Respondents said they need a better understanding of design (41%), more time to create (37%), and access to professional templates (33%) or better tools (31%) to feel more confident in their branding visuals. Feedback from a designer (29%) and a visual brand kit to follow (24%) were also common ways for non-designers to build confidence in their visuals.

Over seven in 10 respondents (71%) said they use AI tools to help create visuals, brand assets, or posts. Among those users, 48% reported feeling confident in their visuals, compared to just 42% of those who don't use AI. Even with these new tools, inspiration sometimes crosses into imitation. About 1 in 4 creators (24%) said they have copied or heavily borrowed from another brand's style.

On a more positive note, nearly half of the respondents (49%) said designing gives them creative satisfaction, followed by excitement (47%) and pride (38%). But challenges are common too, some experiencing perfectionism (40%), stress (35%), and decision fatigue (30%). Imposter syndrome also affected 19% of respondents.

Content design is a major time investment

Creating visual content takes time, energy, and multiple revisions, especially when creators are juggling more than one platform.

Entrepreneurs and content creators are spending many hours each week on brand-related designs. Here's the average time they spend designing content each week by platform:

• TikTok: 9 hours
• Instagram: 8 hours
• Business website: 6 hours
• Etsy: 6 hours
• Email: 5 hours

Over a third of entrepreneurs (37%) reported spending more than 10 hours per week on brand-related design tasks. Overall, respondents found website design the most time-intensive, with 31% saying it takes them the longest. TikTok and Instagram tied for second at 16% each. One in four respondents said all platforms take them about the same amount of time to design for.

Only 23% of respondents said they post content without revising it. More than half (51%) revise their graphics one or two times, while 15% go through three to five rounds. Another 11% said they revise so much, they lose count. To save time, many creators reuse past work. About three in four (74%) said they repurpose older content or visuals when creating something new.

If budget weren't a barrier, creators know exactly what they would outsource. Web design topped the list at 28%, followed by video content like Reels (19%), social media templates (15%), and logo or brand identity design (13%). Product photography rounded out the top five at 7%.