At Stark Souk, we understand that side hustles—whether freelance work, entrepreneurial ventures, or passion projects—can help you grow professionally and personally. We support these endeavors as long as they do not create conflicts of interest or impact your time, dedication, or performance at Talented.

To maintain a healthy balance, here’s what we consider acceptable and what could be a conflict of interest:

What’s Allowed

You’re welcome to take on occasional or low-commitment side projects, provided they don’t interfere with your work at StarkSouk. Examples include:

• Freelance or personal projects (free or paid) for friends or personal networks, such as designing a website or writing content.
• Speaking engagements (free or paid), as long as they don’t require extended time off unless covered by personal leave.
• A small side business that is different from your role at StarkSouk and requires only a few hours per week. However, if it starts affecting your energy or performance, it becomes an issue.
• Advisory or board roles, provided there is no conflict of interest and the time commitment is limited to a few hours per month. If scheduling conflicts arise, your responsibilities at StarkSouk take priority.
• Volunteer or pro bono work, as long as it doesn’t interfere with your primary responsibilities.

What’s Not Allowed

Certain activities pose a direct conflict of interest or negatively impact your performance at Talented. These include:

• Working full-time or part-time for another company in our industry. If unsure whether an opportunity conflicts with our industry, consult your team lead.
• Consulting for competing companies or businesses that are tangentially related to StarkSouk.
• Aggressively marketing your side services. While casual referrals are fine, actively promoting a side business can create conflicts.
• Side-projects that interfere with your work responsibilities. For example, launching a website that requires real-time customer support during work hours is not acceptable.

How to Determine If a Side Hustle Is a Problem

Consider these guiding principles before taking on external work:

• Is it competitive with StarkSouk?
• Does it take up a disproportionate amount of your time?