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Havas Media Group has launched a side-hustle training programme that will teach staff how to launch and develop their own business.

The eight-week course, named the Meaningfully Daring Side Hustle Launchpad, will officially commence in April.

The course will have three aims: to develop a business plan; to develop a marketing and content plan; and finally, to create a sales pitch and approach potential customers.

Castagno, an ex-Dentsu executive whose last advertising role was global managing director of iProspect, founded the private programme last year. 

As part of her personal and professional growth company, UnlockYourBlock, Castagno has taught the course to nearly 50 women since its inception.

Havas Media’s course will launch non-gender specific, but Castagno’s course is taught to women only.

She explained: “Women are much more worried about losing the safety net of their jobs and so that puts them off from starting a new business, much more than men who tend to take more risks.”

Having previously worked with Havas chief executive Patrick Affleck while they were both at Dentsu, Castagno approached him in November 2021 about launching a course within the company.

Affleck said the initiative provided a “valuable outlet for [employees] to experiment and develop in new ways”.

Castagno acknowledged that it seemed counterintuitive to teach employees how to launch a side-hustle, but she made the case that it encouraged employees to stay for longer.

“Dentsu did not create an obstacle to [my business] and it kept me there longer because I knew I could run my company on the side. It made me do my job better and be more loyal.”

Naturally, the course raises concerns about burnout and employees working outside their hours. 

In this instance, Havas Media will give employees 10% of their working hours to complete the course and work on their business thereafter.

Castagno said: “People are supported to roll out strategies that they need to launch their side hustle, but also to become more productive. This doesn’t mean doing more, it means focusing on the important things.

“To have that resilience and mental level makes us much more productive in our day-to-day life.”