A Sunrise mom started making onesies as a side gig. The business became so profitable that she left her corporate job.
If you live in South Florida, you are probably no stranger to hearing your loved ones or neighbors complain about living costs being expensive or their income being too low.
Well, there’s a new concept that more than 36% of U.S. adults are taking advantage of to try and change that.
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WATCH HERE“I never planned for it to be a business, it was just going to be me making cute and funny onesies for my son and to save money and not have to pay $20 to $30 for each one,” said Crystal Aguila.
Back in 2017, Aguila was pregnant with her first child. She was living in Sunrise at the time, and wanted to save money on clothes for her baby boy.
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She did so by tapping into her creativity, after getting a new $100 silhouette cameo from Facebook Marketplace.
The machine helped her to craft and create graphic shirts. The products she created caught the eyes of friends and family, and interest took off.
But there was still a problem.
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Crystal was a full-time student and employee at an oil and gas company who didn’t have time for a business.
“I was working 9-hour days, plus almost an hour there and back in travel. So, I was gone a lot, and I didn’t love it,” she said.
“I wanted something that I actually enjoyed doing, and initially I was okay with it making less money as long as we could pay our bills.”
The custom t-shirts were bringing in around $20 to $25, but not all of that money was profit. When the family decided to relocate to Vero Beach, Crystal decided to take a leap of faith.
“I was like maybe I will see what happens. Worst case scenario I find another job, but I wanted to see if it would work.”
Crystal decided right then and there to turn her side hobby into a side hustle.
With a $4,000 laser machine, she says her profit margins are anywhere from 50 to 80%. Last year, her sales from her company, Riley Black Designs, were roughly $100,000.
“Hearing that number from my accountant, I can’t believe that we made close to $100,000 in sales on this.”
SIDE HUSTLES
Crystal is part of a growing trend of Americans who are turning to side hustles.
According to a July study by Bankrate, the jobs range from working on gig apps like UberEats or DoorDash, freelancing, or turning your hobby into a full-time career.
That was the case for Crystal, who left a job where she was almost making $80,000 a year.
"It was terrifying to walk away from that kind of money and hoping I could make anywhere near that. I honestly didn’t think I would. I just wanted to make enough so that I could pay my bills, and so that I was more available for my family. I was happier.”
According to Bankrate more than 48% of GenZers and 44% of Millennials has a side hustle. Also, parents or guardians of kids younger than 18 are 45% more likely to have a side hustle.
But what about the money?
The study shares that the average side hustler makes more than $890 a month in extra income. Those who identify as side hustlers, more than 50% of them have only been making side money for two years or less.
If you know a side hustler, or are one yourself, the big motivator is money.
One in three people believe they will always need a side hustle to make ends meet, but for some like Crystal, the motivation might be different.
“I feel like people my age, around 40ish, late 30s, we all are kind of valuing our family, friends, and our happiness more than money. It is a little bit surprising considering how expensive things are right now, but I highly, highly recommend it.”
In a May report by Startup Nation, they cite flexibility, working on your passion, free time and creativity as some of the reasons why folks are looking to have something on the side.
Bankrate says 37% of side hustlers use their income to fund purchases, 36% for regular living expenses, 31% save a portion of their funds, 20% put a down payment on a home and 16% are hoping to make it their only revenue stream.
Crystal’s company now works to serve other laser owners. She sells design files, teaches a course on how to make them yourself, and even has a podcast with close to 200 episodes, to teach others in her industry about what she’s learned.
So, what’s the secret to the side hustle? Crystal says to go out and do it.
“It doesn’t hurt to try, the benefits of leaning into something you like doing, far outweigh the scariness of taking that leap.”
If you are interested in pursuing a side hustle, there are a list of sites and resources that can help you take the first step.
NBC6 is on your side, and has listed them below:
