After a 6-figure exit, Mischa shares approach on juggling side hustles

Mischa Sigtermans has been building side hustles since he was 15.

He started out as a jack-of-all-trades sound and light tech and later became a DJ.

When he hit 18, Sigtermans launched a record label, VOID Records, and the booking agency VOID Agency.

In 2016, Sigtermans was working full-time for a web hosting company when he launched PixelStart, a web design agency. He hit $10,000 in MRR before selling the company for six figures in 2021.

He’s now working on Stagent, an artist management software for booking agencies, artists, and managers in entertainment.

I spoke with Sigtermans about his side hustle journey, what he’s learned, and advice.

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Why’d you become an entrepreneur?

I’ve never decided to, it just happened. I was always busy doing side hustles and finding new opportunities. Pixelstart brought me freedom and flexibility. It brought me much more satisfaction. And taking risks felt good too.

Why did you start PixelStart?

I loved making websites as a side hustle. It made me calm to focus on building them and figuring things out along the way. It also brought me the freedom to work whenever I wanted and, of course, I wanted to become successful with something. A web agency felt, at that time, something I could do on my own.

How’d you navigate the risk of starting and investing in a business?

I see many people doing loads and loads of research before even thinking about starting the actual business. Starting a business is all about learning, and the best way to learn — in my opinion — is to start doing business. Make mistakes and learn.

How did it feel when you made big investments?

My biggest investment was time, as I invested countless hours in learning to build websites, reach out to leads, and learning to do business. I could’ve spent this time on other things, like going out with friends or do a hobby, but I invested it in my company. And honestly, for me, it felt great to be able to make decisions like this, and it still does.

What’s a mistake you made with PixelStart?

Not daring to hire. It could’ve made the company scalable. If I’d start Pixelstart again, I’d hire from the start.

What’d you learn from that?

I tried to do everything by myself, but that builds a pile of tasks you actually don’t want to do because you only want to do the fun stuff. With the right people around you and outsourcing certain tasks, you’ll be able to focus on what matters most. Running the business.

As a solo founder, how did you balance your time?

To be honest, at first, I didn’t really have a schedule. I just did everything that had to be done without a proper structure and worked towards deadlines that helped me decide what to work on next. I don’t advise this method to everyone, but for me, it works. Eventually, it helped me to develop the 5-project rule to bring some calm and space to my head.

Any advice on how founders should spend their time?

The 5-project rule. Divide your life into 5 projects and focus on those. Are you in a relationship? Counts as a project. Kids? Counts. Workout 3 times a week? Counts. Focusing on 5 projects max will make life easier, at least for me.

What were some core skills you cultivated?

Hyperfocus. If I want to achieve something, I go all in. It’s an amazing skill to be able to focus on that one thing, but also frustrating for others around you. I tend to drop everything that doesn’t relate to that one thing I’m focusing on. That can even include not seeing friends or doing fun stuff.