8th Annual Side Hustle Honors Nomination Form

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SIDE HUSTLE HONORS® AWARDS

Side Hustle Honors® (SHH) is a national awards platform recognizing side hustlers who are building sustainable businesses alongside full-time careers, life responsibilities, and limited resources.

Now in its next era, SHH is more than an annual awards show, it is a year-round, live-style media and community platform that celebrates the real journey of entrepreneurship: the risks, the discipline, the growth, and the impact behind the hustle.

The Side Hustle Honors Awards celebrate individuals and teams who are not just busy, but intentional. Not just creative, but viable. Not just ambitious, but building something that lasts.

Honorees are selected for:

•Demonstrated traction or impact

•Clear business intent beyond hobby status

•Compelling stories that reflect modern entrepreneurship

•Alignment with the values of sustainability, integrity, and community

Awards are presented across two distinct tracks:

•Industry Awards (Board & Hustle Council vetted)

•Community Choice Awards (Community voted)

Together, these awards honor both excellence in execution and character in journey, reflecting the full reality of side hustling today.
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NOMINATION CRITERIA & ELIGIBILITY

(For Self-Nominations and Third-Party Nominations)

Side Hustle Honors welcomes nominations from individuals, peers, customers, partners, and community members. However, as SHH continues to grow in visibility, impact, and partnership value, nomination standards have been intentionally elevated.

Please review the criteria carefully before submitting.

WHO SHOULD BE NOMINATED

Nominees should be:

Actively operating a side hustle or business venture

Balancing entrepreneurship alongside employment, caregiving, education, or other responsibilities

Building with intent toward sustainability, scale, or long-term impact

SHH recognizes progress and purpose, not perfection.

BASELINE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

(All nominees must meet at least ONE)

A nominee must demonstrate at least one of the following:

Business traction
(revenue, customers, users, audience growth, or consistent demand)

Measurable impact
(economic, cultural, social, or community-based outcomes)

Innovation or differentiation
(unique approach, model, product, or solution)

A compelling, verifiable story
(suitable for stage recognition, digital features, or live media)

Nominees that do not meet at least one of the above may be deemed ineligible.

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS (IMPORTANT)

To protect the integrity of the platform and the experience for honorees:

Side hustles must demonstrate intentional business activity
(not a one-time project or casual hobby)

Nominees should be willing and able to:

Participate in interviews or content features if selected

Attend the awards ceremony (or participate virtually, if applicable)

Businesses do not need to be full-time or highly scaled—but must show direction and discipline
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Your Full Name* This field is required.
First Name
Last Name
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Your Email Address* This field is required.
example@example.com
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Our Selection Process

(Please review prior to entering your nominees infomration)

INDUSTRY AWARDS - Vetted by SHH's Board & Hustlers Council

Industry Award nominees are:

Reviewed and vetted by the Side Hustle Honors Board and Hustlers Council

Evaluated on business viability, impact, innovation, and alignment with SHH values

Selected based on merit—not popularity or vote count

-Submitting a nomination does not guarantee finalist or winner status.

COMMUNITY CHOICE AWARDS – COMMUNITY VOTED

Community Choice Award nominees are:

Selected entirely through public voting

Not chosen by the Board

Designed to celebrate character, journey, and community connection

-These categories exist to uplift stories that resonate deeply with the SHH community.

HOW NOMINATIONS ARE EVALUATED

While all nominations are reviewed, finalists are prioritized based on:

Strength and clarity of the nomination submission

Alignment with award category intent

Readiness for public recognition and storytelling

Incomplete or vague submissions may limit consideration.

FINAL NOTE TO NOMINATORS

Side Hustle Honors is not simply recognizing activity—we are honoring progress, purpose, and potential.
Before nominating, ask yourself:

Does this story reflect the reality, responsibility, and resilience of building something alongside life?

If yes—we encourage you to submit.
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Nominee's Full Name* This field is required.
First Name
Last Name
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Nominee's Email Address* This field is required.
example@example.com
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Nominee's Phone Number
Please enter a valid phone number.
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Nominee's Business or Side Hustle Name* This field is required.example Side Hustle Honors
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Nominee's Business or Side Hustle Website (if any)or Social Media Handle (@sidehustlehonors)
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Please describe the business in 500 words or less.* This field is required.
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Why are you nominating this person or business? Please describe their achievements, impact, and why they deserve this honor.* This field is required.
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Industry Awards* This field is required.Still need help figuring our which award is for your nominee? Click Here
Tech, AI & Digital Innovation: This award recognizes a side hustler leveraging technology, digital platforms, or artificial intelligence to solve real problems, improve efficiency, or create scalable solutions. Honorees demonstrate innovation that goes beyond trends—using tech as a tool for sustainable growth, not novelty.
Future of Work & Business Services: This award honors a side hustler reshaping how work gets done through professional or business services. From consulting and operations to education, finance, or support services, honorees help individuals or organizations work smarter, scale responsibly, or adapt to modern economic realities.
Creative Economy & Media: This award celebrates side hustlers building viable businesses through creativity, storytelling, media, or intellectual property. Honorees turn ideas into income—balancing artistic expression with commercial execution and cultural relevance.
Consumer Brands, Commerce & Experiences: This award recognizes side hustlers creating standout consumer-facing brands, products, or experiences. Whether digital, physical, or experiential, honorees demonstrate strong brand identity, customer engagement, and the ability to compete in crowded markets.
Health, Wellness & Care Economy: This award honors side hustlers improving quality of life through health, wellness, care, or human-centered services. Honorees combine purpose with practicality—delivering measurable impact while building sustainable, ethical businesses.
Food, Sustainability & Impact Ventures: This award recognizes side hustlers innovating in food systems, sustainability, or mission-driven commerce. Honorees demonstrate environmental, social, or economic impact while maintaining a viable business model.
Built Environment & Property Innovation: This award celebrates side hustlers innovating within real estate, construction, design, or property-related services. Honorees rethink how spaces are built, managed, improved, or experienced—balancing vision, execution, and long-term value creation.
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Community & Culture AwardsIf applicable, you may also nominate them in one of the categories below.
Power Couple Award: Recognizes partners who build together with aligned vision, shared responsibility, and collective impact.
Rookie of the Year Award: Honors first or second year founders showing early traction and momentum.
Hustle & Heart Award: Celebrates resilience, dedication, and purpose demonstrated through persistence and commitment.
Second Act Entrepreneur Award: Recognizes individuals who launched or scaled a business following a major career transition, including retirement, layoffs, or industry disruption.
Servant Leadership Award: Honors nonprofit leaders and founders whose work strengthens communities through mission driven service and advocacy.
Experiential Business Award: Acknowledges creators of standout pop ups, events, activations, or temporary experiences.
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Terms and Conditions for the Side Hustle Honors® Awards

Nomination and Selection Process
1. Introduction
Side Hustle Honors® (SHH) is a national recognition platform established to celebrate entrepreneurs who build businesses alongside their primary responsibilities. The awards honor innovation, leadership, cultural influence, and community impact demonstrated through side entrepreneurship.

This document outlines the terms and conditions governing the 8th Annual Side Hustle Honors® Awards, including eligibility requirements, nomination procedures, selection processes, public participation, and related legal considerations.

2. Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for a Side Hustle Honors® Award, nominees must meet the following criteria:

a. Age Requirement
Nominees must be 21 years of age or older at the time of nomination.

b. Founder and Operator Status
Nominees must have founded and be currently operating a business, venture, or organization in addition to other professional or personal responsibilities such as employment, education, or caregiving.

c. Active Operations
The venture must be active and able to demonstrate services, products, programming, or measurable impact. Proof of operation may be requested.

d. Geographic Eligibility
Nominations are open to eligible entrepreneurs operating within the United States and, where applicable, internationally.

3. Nomination Process
a. Industry & Innovation Awards nominations open during "Nomination Period".

b. All nominations must be submitted through the official Side Hustle Honors® online nomination platform and include accurate and complete information about the nominee and their venture.

c. Self-nominations are permitted and encouraged, as well as nominations submitted by peers, collaborators, clients, or community members.

4. Selection Process
a. Nominations for Industry & Innovation Awards and Signature Side Hustle Honors® Awards are reviewed by the Side Hustle Honors® Leadership Team and Hustlers Council using established evaluation criteria.

b. Community & Culture Awards recognize leadership, service, partnership, resilience, and cultural influence. Select Community & Culture categories include a public voting component known as the Community Choice Awards.

c. Community Choice Awards are open to both current nominees and past Side Hustle Honors® honorees, allowing alumni of the platform to remain visible and celebrated within the ecosystem.

d. All decisions made by the Leadership Team and Hustlers Council are final, except where public voting applies.

5. Public Voting Procedures
a. Community Choice Awards public voting will run from May 1st through May 31st.

b. Voting will be conducted through the official Side Hustle Honors® online voting platform. Any attempt to manipulate or compromise the voting process may result in disqualification.

c. Community Choice Award winners are announced live during the Side Hustle Honors® Awards event.

6. Award Categories
a. Side Hustle Honors® Awards include, but are not limited to:

Industry & Innovation Awards
Community & Culture Awards
Signature Side Hustle Honors® Awards
b. Award categories span a wide range of industries, leadership pathways, and cultural contributions, reflecting the diversity of side entrepreneurship.

7. Award Ceremony
a. The 8th Annual Side Hustle Honors® Awards will take place on Saturday, August 1, in Chicago, Illinois, and will be recorded live in front of an audience.

b. Attendance at the awards ceremony may require the purchase of a ticket. Ticketing details will be available through official Side Hustle Honors® channels.

8. Disclaimers and Legal Considerations
a. All nomination submissions remain the intellectual property of their creators. By submitting a nomination, participants grant Side Hustle Honors® permission to use submitted content for promotional, educational, and storytelling purposes related to the awards.

b. Side Hustle Honors® reserves the right to verify information provided and to disqualify nominations that do not meet eligibility requirements or violate the spirit of the program.

c. Nominee information will be processed in accordance with Side Hustle Honors® privacy policies and applicable data protection laws.

9. Amendments to Terms and Conditions
Side Hustle Honors® reserves the right to amend these terms and conditions at any time. Updates will be communicated via the official Side Hustle Honors® website and, where appropriate, via email.

10. Contact Information
For questions or inquiries regarding the Side Hustle Honors® Awards, nominations, or voting process, please contact:

📧 sidehustler@sidehustlehonors.com
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