<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[The Proper Hustle]]></title><description><![CDATA[The Proper Hustle: Empowering UK entrepreneurs with technical blueprints, side hustle guides, and craft business resources based in Lancashire.]]></description><link>https://www.theproperhustle.co.uk/makers-lab</link><generator>RSS for Node</generator><lastBuildDate>Wed, 20 May 2026 21:36:26 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://www.theproperhustle.co.uk/blog-feed.xml" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><item><title><![CDATA[How to Register as a Sole Trader with HMRC: A Straightforward UK Guide for Makers]]></title><description><![CDATA[A practical, plain-English guide to registering as a sole trader with HMRC for UK makers. Covers the £1,000 trading allowance, deadlines, NI, and Making Tax Digital.]]></description><link>https://www.theproperhustle.co.uk/post/how-to-register-as-a-sole-trader-with-hmrc-a-straightforward-uk-guide-for-makers</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a0c24b1614a7ecb2ec8d84c</guid><category><![CDATA[The makers lab]]></category><category><![CDATA[Tax & Legal]]></category><pubDate>Tue, 19 May 2026 17:38:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/6fe694_05de5f9104204ccebb8edcb2daf91a85~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_836,h_816,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Billy Giles</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Sole Trader, Partnership or Limited Company: Which UK Business Structure Is Right for You?]]></title><description><![CDATA[Thinking about starting a business in the UK? Going sole trader is the fastest, cheapest, and simplest way to launch, but it comes with unique risks. In this guide, I share my personal experience starting an eBay and wax melt business, the honest truths about liability, and the essential things you need to set up to protect yourself from day one.]]></description><link>https://www.theproperhustle.co.uk/post/sole-trader-partnership-or-limited-company-which-uk-business-structure-is-right-for-you</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a0b520de4e1fe1692b2ad67</guid><category><![CDATA[The makers lab]]></category><category><![CDATA[Tax & Legal]]></category><pubDate>Tue, 19 May 2026 07:48:14 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/6fe694_913e69a72ab94d90ae799108ec952a14~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_576,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Billy Giles</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[How to Start a Workwear Company: The Supplier-First Sourcing Guide for Garment Decorators]]></title><description><![CDATA[Learn how to start a workwear company with this supplier-first blueprint from an engineer with 30 years of shop floor and garment decoration experience.]]></description><link>https://www.theproperhustle.co.uk/post/start-a-workwear-company</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a0a55618ba6aec9a80e9894</guid><category><![CDATA[The makers lab]]></category><category><![CDATA[UK Suppliers]]></category><pubDate>Mon, 18 May 2026 01:14:42 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/6fe694_735e516e5046429b88527b7bbceff685~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_888,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Billy Giles</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Cricut vs Silhouette Cameo for T-Shirt Printing UK — The Definitive Guide (2026)]]></title><description><![CDATA[Six years running a bedroom garment printing business in Lancashire. Here's which machine actually cuts better for UK t-shirt production — and the one feature comparison guides never mention that changes everything for B2B work.]]></description><link>https://www.theproperhustle.co.uk/post/cricut-vs-silhouette-cameo-for-t-shirt-printing-uk-the-definitive-guide-2026</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a0793830b9e4f37fd25c5b4</guid><category><![CDATA[The makers lab]]></category><category><![CDATA[Equipment Reviews]]></category><pubDate>Sat, 16 May 2026 12:24:40 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/6fe694_db38b82984cd43e9aa6a2bd82e83b414~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_510,h_170,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Billy Giles</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Making Tax Digital Starts April 2026 — What Sole Traders Need to Do Right Now]]></title><description><![CDATA[Making Tax Digital for Income Tax isn't coming — it's here. From 6 April 2026 HMRC started requiring sole traders and landlords earning above £50,000 to ditch the annual Self Assessment routine and switch to quarterly digital reporting. ]]></description><link>https://www.theproperhustle.co.uk/post/making-tax-digital-sole-traders-2026</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a06dcdd7326fc782b560a6a</guid><category><![CDATA[The makers lab]]></category><category><![CDATA[Tax & Legal]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 15 May 2026 08:46:40 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/6fe694_e2873ddac162472481052db0db7bace0~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_560,h_313,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Billy Giles</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Best Heat Press For UK Beginners (2026): 7 Machines That Won't Waste Your Money]]></title><description><![CDATA[I ran a workwear printing business out of my front bedroom for years. I covered the full story over in From Bedroom to Business: How I Built a £100k Workwear Business with Just £200/Month if you want the proper detail. The short version: I've put real hours on heat presses, and I've made some of the bad buying decisions I'm about to talk you out of. So this isn't theory.]]></description><link>https://www.theproperhustle.co.uk/post/best-heat-press-uk-beginners-2026</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a0493cb4c277d8732ae332f</guid><category><![CDATA[The makers lab]]></category><category><![CDATA[Equipment Reviews]]></category><pubDate>Wed, 13 May 2026 16:13:50 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/6fe694_4b472535f16f47638d6ec6674a2deccc~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_358,h_640,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Billy Giles</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[How I Built £180k in Side Hustles | Real UK Bedroom Guide]]></title><description><![CDATA[I don't claim to be some world-class business guru. I’m just a guy with a lot of experience in the trenches of the "side hustle." I have successfully created side incomes from scratch several times. If you are looking for a guide on how to become a multi-millionaire overnight, there are plenty of over-inflated venture capitalist posts out there you can read instead. But if you want to learn how to earn real extra money while working from home, navigating shifts, and managing a tight budget,...]]></description><link>https://www.theproperhustle.co.uk/post/uk-side-hustle-guide-ebay-workwear</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69fa77acb27e981e27c8389a</guid><category><![CDATA[The makers lab]]></category><category><![CDATA[Case Studies]]></category><pubDate>Wed, 06 May 2026 12:20:14 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/6fe694_5e671cb96bbe400f85fa4390dec8d65c~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_560,h_450,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Billy Giles</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Heat Transfer Printing For Beginners]]></title><description><![CDATA[Last updated: May 2026 | Written by Billy Giles, founder of The Proper Hustle Safety When Using Your Heat Press  What is HTV Printing?  The 30-Second Workflow How to print your design perfectly every time Phase 1: Getting Your Design Ready To Print Phase 2: From Screen to Fabric Phase 3: Getting the Perfect Placement Onto The Garment Phase 4: Heat Pressing The 3 Key Points Phase 5: Pressing Your Design Onto The Garment Phase 6: The "Happy Customer" Check Troubleshooting: Your Quick Fix...]]></description><link>https://www.theproperhustle.co.uk/post/heat-transfer-printing-for-beginners</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69f89fb26774f9d9f8d37adc</guid><category><![CDATA[The makers lab]]></category><category><![CDATA[How-To Guides]]></category><pubDate>Mon, 04 May 2026 14:45:11 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/6fe694_cbe06466a9554fb6938ad8be35c041e1~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_359,h_643,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Billy Giles</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[From Bedroom To Business How I built a 100k Workwear Business with just £200/month]]></title><description><![CDATA[The numbers at a glance: £200 monthly running costs Up to £100K quote value achieved 80,000+ products in catalogue Introduction I built GoTo Workwear Ltd from the front bedroom of my house. No warehouse. No employees. No business loans. At its peak, I managed to attract a quote for £100,000 of workwear, and my suppliers couldn't believe I was a one-man operation running everything from a spare room in Lancashire. This isn't a story about getting lucky or having connections. It's about...]]></description><link>https://www.theproperhustle.co.uk/post/from-bedroom-to-business-how-i-built-a-100k-workwear-business-with-just-200-month</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69f7eaf990b4365cb866afc9</guid><category><![CDATA[The makers lab]]></category><category><![CDATA[Case Studies]]></category><pubDate>Mon, 04 May 2026 00:41:12 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/6fe694_034026d5732b4db0a5e4ca5afefdbde9~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_793,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Billy Giles</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[How Printing My Own Labels Helped Me Stand Out — And Save Thousands when Starting a Wax Melt Business]]></title><description><![CDATA[Author: Billy Giles 07/01/2025 Lancashire-based Maker &#38; Founder I’m Billy Giles, a Lancashire based founder and maker. I’ve spent years figuring out how to scale small businesses without blowing the budget, and I would like to share snippets of what I’ve learned here. Today I would like to tell you how i created the packaging for our wax melt business and the thinking behind it, and how it saved us thousands of pounds and made our product stand out from our competitors. When I started our...]]></description><link>https://www.theproperhustle.co.uk/post/diy-labeling-for-crafters-on-a-budget-tips-to-achieve-professional-quality-without-breaking-the-ban</link><guid isPermaLink="false">695a8f65582148ae5601faa3</guid><category><![CDATA[The makers lab]]></category><category><![CDATA[Case Studies]]></category><pubDate>Sun, 04 Jan 2026 16:04:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/6fe694_c94561356b3f4900929370275be84b16~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_768,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Billy Giles</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[From Kitchen Table to Market Stall: A Budget-Friendly Guide for UK Makers to Start a Side Hustle UK]]></title><description><![CDATA[Information accurate as of April 2026 Starting a side hustle can feel like a massive leap—especially when you’re already grinding through a 40-hour week, juggling the kids, and watching every penny. But I’m living proof that you can turn a "kitchen table hobby" into a high-street success without a massive bank loan or a fancy degree. You don't need a warehouse or expensive equipment to get started; you just need a bit of grit and the right roadmap. In this guide, we’re stripping away the...]]></description><link>https://www.theproperhustle.co.uk/post/start-a-side-hustle-uk</link><guid isPermaLink="false">695a8bd6bd1cfb4bde7bed28</guid><category><![CDATA[The makers lab]]></category><category><![CDATA[Case Studies]]></category><pubDate>Sun, 04 Jan 2026 15:55:33 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/6fe694_a915fe81997e4ed784a258881d231e24~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Billy Giles</dc:creator></item></channel></rss>