Risk: Moderate

Starting a sustainability consulting side hustle for small businesses can involve risks for someone starting from scratch, especially if they can't afford to lose money. While the main potential losses are financial due to setup costs like training, certification, and marketing, there's also a significant investment of time and energy required to build expertise and client relationships. Beginners might spend money on certifications or marketing efforts without immediate returns, and there's a risk that startup costs may not pay off if clients are hard to acquire. Online discussions mention cases where individuals failed to recoup their initial investments in this field. I'd rate the risk a 2 out of 3 because there is a moderate risk of financial loss and time investment without guaranteed returns.