Top Scrum Master Side Hustles In 2024 ($150/hr)

Looking to leverage your scrum skills to earn a side income? Below are some of the best scrum master side hustles you can start to earn up to $150 an hour.

Freelance on Toptal

For Scrum masters looking to dive into lucrative side hustles, freelancing on Toptal stands out as a premier choice. Toptal prides itself on connecting the top 3% of freelance talent with leading companies worldwide, ensuring that you’re not just another face in the crowd. For scrum masters, this means an opportunity to work on high-value projects with global enterprises and startups alike, commanding hourly rates that significantly outpace those found on more generalist platforms.

Scrum masters on Toptal can expect to earn anywhere from $50 to $150 per hour, depending on experience, expertise, and the complexity of the project. The platform’s exclusivity also means less competition and more visibility for your profile. Getting started involves a rigorous screening process to assess your skills and experience. Once accepted, you’ll have access to a range of projects that match your expertise, allowing you to choose work that aligns with your career goals and schedule.

By focusing on quality over quantity, Toptal enables Scrum masters to build a strong freelance career without the constant bidding wars and race to the bottom seen on other platforms. It’s an ideal way to leverage your scrum master skills for serious side income, all while maintaining flexibility and control over your workload.

Create a Scrum Master Course

Creating and selling a Scrum Master course is an excellent way for professionals to share their knowledge and experience, helping to shape the next generation of Scrum masters or assisting companies in integrating Scrum methodologies more effectively. This side hustle not only positions you as an authority in the field but also provides a significant income stream, with potential earnings ranging from a few hundred to several thousand dollars per course, depending on its depth, quality, and the platform you choose to host it.

Platforms like Udemy, Coursera, or even your website can serve as a launchpad for your course. Pricing can vary widely; for instance, comprehensive courses on Udemy might sell for $100 to $200 per enrollment, while more specialized or advanced courses offered directly through a personal website could command higher prices. The key to success in this endeavor is to create content that stands out for its quality and relevance, addressing the pain points and challenges that aspiring Scrum masters or organizations face.

To get started, you’ll need to outline your course, decide on the format (video, text, assignments, etc.), and choose a hosting platform that aligns with your audience and marketing strategy. Promotion is crucial, so consider leveraging social media, content marketing, and email campaigns to attract students. Additionally, offering the first few modules for free can help potential students gauge the course’s value, increasing the likelihood of purchases.

Sell Scrum Master Templates

Selling Scrum Master templates is a fantastic way to generate passive income while providing value to other professionals in your field. These templates can range from sprint planning documents, retrospective formats, to daily standup checklists, and more. Given the high demand for efficient and effective project management tools, Scrum masters can capitalize on this need by creating and selling high-quality templates.

The potential earnings from selling templates depend largely on the uniqueness, quality, and utility of the documents. Prices can range from $5 for simple checklists to upwards of $50 or more for comprehensive template packs or toolkits. The key to success in this venture is to ensure your templates solve specific problems or streamline processes for Scrum teams.

To start, identify common challenges or gaps in the current market offerings, then design your templates to address those needs. Once your templates are ready, consider selling them on your website, through professional networks, or on platforms like Etsy or Gumroad. Marketing your templates through content marketing, social media, and relevant online communities can help drive sales. Additionally, offering a free template can attract potential customers to your paid offerings, creating a funnel for continuous sales.

Start a Scrum Master Drop Service Agency

Starting a Scrum Master drop service agency offers a unique twist on traditional freelancing by enabling you to leverage your network of skilled Scrum masters to deliver services to clients while managing client relationships and projects yourself. This approach not only allows for scalability but also frees up your time to focus on acquiring new clients and growing the business. By incorporating drop servicing, you can significantly increase your income potential without being tied down to the day-to-day execution of Scrum tasks.

The income from a drop servicing agency can be quite substantial. Depending on the size and scope of the projects you manage, you could earn anywhere from a few hundred to several thousand dollars per project, after paying your subcontractors. The key to profitability lies in your ability to mark up the cost of services provided by your subcontractors while maintaining quality and client satisfaction.

Getting started involves identifying a network of trusted Scrum masters who can deliver high-quality work, setting up a business model that includes your pricing structure, and then actively marketing your agency to potential clients. Building a strong online presence, leveraging LinkedIn for networking, and attending industry events can be effective strategies to attract clients. Furthermore, utilizing the concept of drop servicing can differentiate your agency by emphasizing the seamless service you provide, allowing clients to benefit from expert Scrum services without the overhead of direct hiring.

Start a Scrum Master Newsletter

Launching a Scrum Master newsletter is a strategic move to position yourself as a thought leader in the agile community while also building a platform that can be monetized in various ways. Newsletters can serve as a conduit for sharing insights, trends, best practices, and updates on the Scrum Master field, fostering a community of engaged professionals. This side hustle not only enhances your professional brand but also opens up opportunities for income through sponsorships, advertisements, and exclusive content for subscribers.

Potential earnings from a newsletter vary based on the size and engagement level of your audience. Initially, your focus should be on delivering value and growing your subscriber base. Once you have a substantial following, you could start to see earnings from sponsorships and ads, ranging from a few hundred to several thousand dollars per issue, depending on your newsletter’s reach and niche relevance.

To start a newsletter, identify the key topics and challenges within the Scrum Master community that you can address. Use platforms like ConvertKit or Mailchimp to manage subscriptions and distribute your content. Growing your subscriber base requires consistent quality content, along with strategic promotion through social media, your professional network, and collaborations with other industry influencers. Offering exclusive content, such as in-depth guides or access to Q&A sessions, can incentivize subscriptions and build a loyal readership.

Start a Scrum Master YouTube Channel

Embarking on a YouTube side hustle as a Scrum Master opens up a plethora of opportunities to share your expertise, connect with a wider audience, and ultimately, monetize your content. A YouTube channel dedicated to Scrum mastery can cover a wide range of topics, from foundational tutorials for beginners to advanced strategy discussions for seasoned professionals. This platform allows you to visually demonstrate Scrum processes, host live Q&A sessions, and even share case studies from your own experiences.

Earnings from a YouTube channel can vary widely based on factors like viewer count, engagement rates, and monetization strategies employed. Initially, your income may primarily come from AdSense, which could range from a few dollars to several hundred per month, depending on your channel’s view count and engagement metrics. As your channel grows, additional revenue streams become viable, including sponsorships, affiliate marketing, and selling your products or services, potentially increasing your earnings into the thousands.

Getting started with a YouTube channel involves planning your content strategy, understanding your target audience, and consistently producing high-quality videos. Investing in good recording equipment and learning basic video editing skills can greatly enhance the quality of your content. Promoting your channel through social media, your professional network, and by engaging with the YouTube community can help accelerate your growth.

Start a Scrum Master Podcast

Launching a podcast focused on the Scrum Master role presents a unique opportunity to delve deep into the nuances of agile methodologies, share stories from the trenches, and connect with both experts and newcomers in the field. While Scrum Master might not immediately seem like the most glamorous topic for a podcast, its niche focus allows for the cultivation of a dedicated listener base interested in specialized content. Through interviews, discussions, and case study analyses, you can explore various facets of being a Scrum Master, from overcoming common challenges to the latest trends in agile practices.

Podcasting as a side hustle can become a lucrative endeavor as your audience grows. Monetization strategies include sponsorships, affiliate marketing, and listener support platforms like Patreon. Initially, earnings might be modest, but as your podcast gains popularity, you could command sponsorship deals ranging from a few hundred to several thousand dollars per episode, depending on your reach and audience engagement.

To get started, you’ll need a clear concept for your podcast, a reliable recording setup, and a plan for distributing your episodes across popular platforms like Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts. Engaging with your listeners through social media and encouraging feedback can help refine your content and grow your audience. Additionally, networking with other Scrum masters and agile experts to feature as guests can add valuable perspectives and draw in their followers, further expanding your reach.

My Final Thoughts

Scrum masters have a number of side hustles they can leverage to earn extra. From top-tier freelancing on Toptal, to educating aspiring Scrum masters through online courses, there are plenty of options available.