More Americans are embracing entrepreneurship when extra cash is needed
By Keshia McEntire
When Michelle Calbert’s son was accepted into a prestigious private college to study engineering, she was not going to allow any barriers to stand in his way — not even the $50,000 a year bill.
“I had tried several times to get promotions at my job by going back to school and working on my professional image. Everything was met with, ‘No, not this time, we love you in your current position,’” she said. “We refused to tell him we couldn’t afford it or to accept an offer from another school.”
While monetary frustrations have led generations of the past to take on more than one job, some people today are opting into various forms of entrepreneurship when extra cash is needed. According to a report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office, 40.4 percent of the U.S. workforce is now made up of people who don’t have what are traditionally considered secure jobs. This includes people who work for temp agencies, on-call and contract workers, self-employed people and part-time workers. In addition, increasingly more full-time workers are finding creative ways to bring in extra income. A publication from the Bureau of Labor Statistics calls this new trend in self-employment the “gig economy.”
The gig economy is where Calbert found the funds for her son’s tuition.
“I figured I would create additional income through my own business opportunity. It was a no brainer. You need more income? Go create it,” said Calbert.
Today, she is a senior level sales director with Mary Kay. Not only has she earned enough income to walk away from her previous job doing credit and collections for a marketing firm, but she also has a free pink Cadillac, to boot.
People looking for part-time work that pays decently and allows flexibility have more options than generations of the past, because in today’s world, there are a multitude of companies assisting entrepreneurs in finding their perfect side hustle. Options include driving for a ride-share company like Lyft, becoming an on-call courier with Postmates, or selling makeup and jewelry via companies like Mary Kay or Chloe and Isabel.
Many people are also using the internet to find ways to bring in extra income from home. Tech-savvy entrepreneurs might look into web developing or graphic design. Multilingual people might choose to teach a language via webcam from a service such as VIPKID. People who enjoy making things with their hands might opt into selling their creations with the help of an online platform like Etsy.
Janel Bland studied mechanical engineering in college and worked as an engineer for six years before devoting herself to her job as a stay-at-home mom. Despite the many responsibilities that come with raising three boys, she found a way to make money from home doing what she loves.
“I love to sew. I found it to be a really fun hobby, and I am drawn to creating things; that’s one of the reasons I loved engineering. I make clothes for myself, but there is a limit to how many dresses I can have in my closet or how many button-downs my husband needs,” said Bland.
This prompted Bland to create 1redleaf, an Etsy shop that sells handcrafted scarves and jewelry.
“Etsy makes it easy for anyone to get started, and they encourage you to have a lot of products. I read tutorials on how to do it. They also recommend being active on social media and using Facebook and Instagram, so I spend a lot of time focusing on that,” said Bland.
Success comes in many forms. For many entrepreneurs, it’s less about money and more about having an avenue to do what they love.
Brenda Groce says her side hustle is all about passion. Groce started Country Wedding Spaces, a business where she works as a full-service wedding coordinator and rents out her home and the 12 acres surrounding for couples to host weddings.
“I got interested in wedding planning after helping my two daughters plan their weddings. They both took place at my home,” Groce said. “I don’t look at it as a business; it’s a joy to do and a passion. I am a people-person, and the Lord has gifted me with creativity and this property. I have so much, and I am trying to see what I can do with it.”
Groce says having a side job takes great organizational skills to balance business with everyday responsibilities.
“I work (a traditional job) in the evenings, so I have the whole day to work on weddings and other things that I like to do. I have always had great time management skills, because at my past jobs, everything was time sensitive. You have to know what a couple wants and be stern enough to carry it forward. You also have to be open-minded, flexible and able to let what the couple wants come through.”
These entrepreneurs have advice for others who may want to start their own side hustle.
Groce believes if you start a side hustle half-heartedly, you will not be successful.
“First of all, you have to be devoted. You have to have a passion for it. And you have to have the discipline to follow through,” she said. “Without those things, you can’t get it done; you don’t have the heart to do it. When you want to do something outside of your natural realm of things, if you don’t have devotion you will never get it done.”
Calbert thinks if you truly want something, you cannot make any excuses.
“I almost said no, because I thought I was too busy. I was working full time and in college full time. When you are determined to be successful, you will figure it out, and that’s what I did,” said Calbert.
The ability to make money doing what you love has its roots in the American dream, but the demands of day-to-day life often prevent people from following their passion. In a world full of actress-baristas and Etsy-shop-owner-accountants, who is to say which hustle is truly on the side?
For more information on Country Wedding Spaces call (317) 985-0148. For information regarding One Red Leaf, visit 1redleaf.com. For information regarding Michelle Calberts’s Mary Kay shop, visit emeraldexplosion.com.
Find your side hustle: Five ways to start making money on the side today
Start an online store
Websites like Shopify and Etsy make it easy to sell your creations online. Use social media to spread the word about your online shop.
Share your skills as an online coach or consultant
If you have expertise in anything that might be of interest to others, become an online consultant. Websites like Clarity.fm allow you to get paid by the minute for consulting calls.
Work as a tutor
Everyone has something they can teach. Put your skills to good use and help others get where you are. Tutors often earn $20-$50 per session.
Become a Postmate
Postmates is essentially Uber for food, groceries, supplies and other items. Get paid up to $25 an hour by working with this delivery service.
Start a blog
If you have a passion, write about it. Earn cash from ads and affiliates who pay you to mention them on your site.
