Transcriber: Ivana Korom
Reviewer: Camille Martínez I can't think of anyone
who just has one interest in life, and that's all they want to do
for the rest of their life. [The Way We Work] Around 15 percent of American workers
don't have traditional full-time jobs. They're half-time, part-time,
contract workers or temps. The term "side hustle"
just seems to fit with this ethos where people are putting together
a few different things to make a living. The word "side hustle" has its roots
in popular African American newspapers. In the 1920s, these papers
used the word "hustle" to refer to some kind of scam. By the 1950s, they were
using "side hustle" to refer to legitimate work, too.
A side hustle is a little different
than a second job. A second job is about necessity. While a side hustle can certainly
bring in extra income, it's a little more aspirational. Side hustle captures a certain kind
of scrappy, entrepreneurial spirit. I've interviewed more than
100 women of color on Side Hustle Pro who started successful side hustles. Nailah Ellis-Brown started
Ellis Island Tea out of her trunk. Arsha Jones started her famous
Capital City Co Mambo Sauce with one product and a PayPal link. All these women are running side hustles. What exactly does this tell us? First, that people are seeing opportunity
within their communities. The goal here isn't necessarily
to be the next Coca-Cola or Google.
Scale is great, but there's also beauty
in a successful business that's built for a specific audience. Second, people are increasingly interested
in being their own boss. Being your own boss takes discipline. Self-made millionaires tend to have
one big trait in common: they make decisions,
hold themselves accountable and push through
in the face of challenges. A side hustle is a great way
to try out being your own boss and see if you have those skills
before fully stepping out on your own.
