Let’s be honest—when you’re a mom, most advice about side hustles feels like it’s written by people who’ve never changed a diaper at 3 a.m., prepped lunches while answering Slack messages, or squeezed in bookkeeping between school pickup and soccer practice.
You don’t need theories from business bros or productivity hacks from people with housekeepers and full-time childcare. You need advice from someone who’s been where you are—a woman who understands that your time is limited, your priorities are stacked, and your energy is sacred.
This is why books written by moms—moms who’ve actually built successful side hustles—matter so much.
They don’t just understand the mechanics of making money. They understand your reality.
So if you’re ready to start your own side hustle and want real guidance from women who’ve done it under the same pressures you face, this list is for you.
Why It Matters Who Writes the Book
Anyone can teach the theory of earning money on the side. But when the author is a mom:
- You know she had to build her hustle around chaos, not in a vacuum.
- She probably started small, slow, and scared—just like you might be.
- She gets the emotional side: the guilt, the hope, the burnout, the pride.
These books aren’t just filled with strategies. They’re filled with understanding. And sometimes, that’s the difference between reading a book and actually doing something with it.
📘 1. Money Honey by Rachel Richards
From burnt-out financial advisor to passive income queen—before 30
Rachel Richards quit her full-time job at 27 and now lives off $15,000+ per month in passive income. But the part that matters most? She did it with everyday tools: self-publishing, real estate, and side gigs. Her books are written in plain language with no shame, no hype.
Why it’s different:
Rachel is wildly transparent—about numbers, mistakes, fears. She gives you the exact steps she took and makes financial empowerment feel doable.
What moms love:
Rachel didn’t come from money. She built her empire piece by piece, while balancing burnout, judgment, and fear. If you want a book that feels like a smart, financially-savvy mom friend showing you the way—this is it.
📘 2. Boss Up! This Ain’t Your Mama’s Business Book by Lindsay Teague Moreno
Mom of three who built a million-dollar business during naptime
Lindsay launched a product-based business from home and scaled it to 8 figures—all while raising her kids and fighting off the myth that you can’t be a mom and a mogul.
This book is equal parts truth bomb and cheerleader. She walks through mindset shifts, systems, and why moms make incredible entrepreneurs (even if they doubt themselves).
Why it’s different:
Lindsay doesn’t sugarcoat the hustle—but she does make it feel possible for normal, imperfect moms.
What moms love:
She writes with a mom’s voice: real, raw, a little sarcastic, but full of belief in your potential. It’s not just about business—it’s about owning your identity while you build.
📘 3. We Should All Be Millionaires by Rachel Rodgers
A mother, lawyer, and CEO on a mission to make wealth accessible for women of color
Rachel Rodgers didn’t grow up wealthy—and she didn’t see herself in the financial “experts” writing all the top-selling business books. So she became the expert she needed and wrote the guide so many other women now rely on.
Her book is bold, grounded, and full of both business strategy and emotional permission to want wealth as a mom.
Why it’s different:
Rachel centers motherhood in her work—she speaks directly to the tension between nurturing others and building for yourself. It’s part money book, part reclaim-your-worth manifesto.
What moms love:
Her tone is like a fierce older sister who sees your struggle and refuses to let you stay stuck. Plus, she gives tactical steps—pricing, packaging services, building community—that are actually realistic for moms.
📘 4. Everything Is Figureoutable by Marie Forleo
A child of a single mom who built a multi-million dollar empire with grit and grace
While Marie doesn’t write only for moms, her story is deeply shaped by being raised by a resilient, resourceful mother. And much of her message hits home for moms struggling to feel like their dreams matter.
Her book helps you tackle limiting beliefs, start messy, and take real action—even if you have zero time or confidence.
Why it’s different:
This is about mindset mastery without toxic positivity. Marie gives examples of side hustles she’s coached moms through—everything from Etsy shops to online coaching to cleaning businesses.
What moms love:
It’s deeply encouraging without feeling fake. You’ll walk away feeling like you actually can do this, not just in theory—but in your real life, right now.
📘 5. The Middle Finger Project by Ash Ambirge
From living in a car to self-made entrepreneur—Ash writes like a warrior mom would
Ash’s book is about rebelling against the rules that keep women small—especially if you’ve been raised to play nice, be quiet, or “just be grateful.” She doesn’t have children herself, but her writing has resonated deeply with moms who feel like they’ve lost their voice.
Her no-BS approach helps moms reconnect with their ambition and take bold action.
Why it’s included:
So many moms say this book reminded them of who they were before motherhood tried to erase them. It’s not a side hustle manual—but it’s the emotional gut-punch many need before taking action.
What moms love:
It’s defiant, funny, loud, and real—like the best mom friend who reminds you you’re more than the woman who makes snacks and wipes noses.
📘 6. The Side Hustle Path by Nick Loper (featuring dozens of mom voices)
Not written by a mom, but packed with mom stories
This book compiles real-life examples from people who’ve launched side hustles that grew into full-time income. Many of those stories come from moms—working moms, stay-at-home moms, single moms—each carving their own way.
Why it’s helpful:
You get to peek into dozens of possible side hustle paths (virtual assistant, freelance writing, online stores, tutoring, etc.), and many examples include how real moms did it with kids underfoot.
What moms love:
Short, practical stories. You’ll see a piece of yourself in someone here—and that spark can turn into your first step.
📘 7. Work. Pump. Repeat. by Jessica Shortall
Built for moms who are still in the trenches of early motherhood
This isn’t technically a side hustle book—but it’s one of the most honest portrayals of what working motherhood really looks like. Jessica was a traveling executive, breastfeeding, pumping in airplane bathrooms, and still pushing forward.
It’s a sharp, funny, honest take on balancing motherhood and ambition—whether that ambition is a career or a side business.
Why it fits:
It’s the emotional grit and logistical wisdom many moms need before they even feel ready to hustle.
What moms love:
It doesn’t tell you to hustle harder—it tells you that you’re already strong, and that your hustle doesn’t need to look like anyone else’s.
📘 8. How to Be Successful Without Hurting Men’s Feelings by Sarah Cooper
Satirical, yes—but the commentary hits home hard for moms building something on their own
Sarah’s humor is sharp, but behind the laughs is a reality every mom faces: building something while being second-guessed, dismissed, or underestimated.
Many moms use this book to fuel the fire—because sometimes, humor helps you survive the grind of doing it all.
Why moms like it:
It names the double standards with wit, which gives moms permission to stop apologizing and just start doing.
📘 9. Mom Boss by Nicole Feliciano
A celebration of mom-led businesses and the creative energy of motherhood
Nicole shares how she turned her blog into a business and highlights stories from other moms who’ve done the same. This book is light, inspiring, and filled with encouragement for moms who feel stuck between ambition and exhaustion.
Why it works:
It highlights that motherhood doesn’t end your creative energy—it can amplify it.
What moms love:
It features stories you probably haven’t heard in other books—mom-preneurs running Etsy shops, consulting gigs, or product launches between PTA meetings and homework help.
📘 10. One Bold Move a Day by Shanna Hocking
Leadership and career advice rooted in boldness and daily intention
Shanna writes from her experience as a leader and as a mother. This book encourages women to stop waiting until they have more time or confidence and to start making one bold move—daily.
While not a side hustle book in the classic sense, it gives moms a way to move forward without overwhelm.
Why it belongs here:
Side hustles aren’t built in a day—but they are built by daily bold moves. This book helps you start.
What moms love:
No guilt. No hustle cult. Just quiet, brave action—one step at a time.
Final Thoughts: Moms Know the Hustle Best
You don’t need a Harvard MBA or a six-figure startup budget to start something of your own. What you need is proof that it’s possible—and guidance from someone who’s done it.
That’s why these books matter. They weren’t written from ivory towers or glass offices. They were written in the in-between moments—after bedtime, before carpool, during nursing sessions, or in the middle of identity crises.
They’re real. They’re tested. And they’re yours now.
So if you’re waiting for the “right time” to start your side hustle, maybe this is it. Maybe the right time is when you finally see yourself in the story—and realize you’re allowed to write your own.
