Being Your Own Boss During the Age of COVID
By Zahra Khan
https://resumesbyzahra.medium.com
December 13, 2020
The past few months have been tumultuous. No explanation needed. Even if you haven’t personally experienced a tragic loss, the economy right now has probably impacted your finances in some way. You may have lost your full-time job, or if you’re like me, you have a full-time job, but no longer have your reliable side jobs to sustain your life or lifestyle. Counterintuitive as it may sound, thousands of new small businesses are being launched everyday right in the comfort of people’s homes, and these new entrepreneurs are changing the landscape and concept of having a job.
With an idea, some skills, determination, and a laptop, you too, can create multiple streams of income for yourself. Continue reading for some realistic ideas that can make you your own boss during and even after quarantine.
Sell your things
If you’re quarantining with clutter, consider selling some of your items. Not only will you pocket extra cash, but your home will feel more free and open. And chances are, you’ll be not only financially, but also mentally, richer because a clutter free life is a happier life.
Selling the things you don’t need will not only put some cash in your pocket, but also free up some space in your closet.
During quarantine, you’ve probably noticed how many items you’ve purchased in the past which you don’t use, even after being home for months and having every opportunity to use them. As a remote elementary school teacher, I am all too familiar with this situation. In September, I purchased a fancy $100 whiteboard from Amazon, as I thought I was going to use it to write my “aims,” “do nows,” definitions and equations, while my students copied via Zoom. The white board is now collecting dust in my closet and I strictly use my laptop to teach. While sitting in my closet with dust bunnies, my white board made some other friends — dozens of well-pressed, fashionable dresses, tops, and slacks that have never seen the light of day because there’s nowhere to go. (Sweats and t-shirts for the win.) I decided to take pictures of my whiteboard and all of my unworn and lightly worn clothing, and sold them on Facebook Market. Within five weeks, I sold all my listed items, and got back 80% of the money I originally spent. A bonus perk? Now my closet has room to breathe!
Make sure you meet a customer it in a public place around many people, and away from your home.
Facebook Market is a low stakes, easy way to potentially get back most of the money that you spent, sometimes even all. There are some safety measures to keep in mind when using Facebook Marketplace. Experian.com explains how to make sure you practice safety when processing or accepting payment:
“Use a credit card or secure electronic payment service for all transactions. The Marketplace doesn’t have any built-in payment mechanism, so you have to arrange payments directly with the other party in a transaction…Reputable Marketplace traders will welcome the use of secure services, which benefits legit buyers and sellers alike…Meet the buyer/seller in a public place. Some police departments allow folks to meet in their station lobbies or parking lots to finalize exchanges; barring that, pick a public spot like a coffee shop or restaurant.”
Many websites like Gazele and uSell even take damaged electronics, so if you have old iPhones, laptops and computers at home that you no longer use, sell them! (Just make sure you delete all your personal data first.) The amount of people willing to purchase something you own is unbelievable, and you don’t have to do much to sell! As the old saying goes, one man’s trash really is another’s treasure. Just make sure that if you’re physically meeting a buyer, meet them in a busy public space around people and away from your home.
There are a platitude of other websites you can sell your items on, including Poshmark, thredUp, Chairish, Bookscouter, and Ebay. Every dollar you earn back will make a difference in your life. I’m not saying sell every item in your house until you’re sitting on a bare floor in your boxers; however, if you try implementing creative, yet no-brainer strategies to make money, and actually save the money you are earning from all your “side hustles,” you will start feeling financially secure.
Delivery gigs
Another idea is to find a part-time delivery gig. Service companies like Shipt, DoorDash and Instacart hire part time shoppers. In a world where everyone feels they are entitled and above working menial jobs, the idea of working a non-glamorous job may cause some of you to raise a brow, lean back, and say “Next!” But you never know where a door you open for yourself can lead. Working at a grocery store, running errands, and delivering items are all flexible and guaranteed ways to make some extra cash. It’s great exercise, too! (And who knows, maybe this will inspire you to run your own delivery business!)
Delivery gigs are convenient and easy ways to make money. The best part is, you can set your own schedule.
I’m sure this isn’t the first time you’ve read about this kind of idea, but I am sure that most people, just as I used to, glaze over the words “part-time gig “and think “ I’m too good for that.” I can’t even begin to explain how much more my perspective shifted just last Friday, after Esteban, my super fit from running around Shipt deliverer, pocketed a $20 tip (my $20), on top of his up to $40 an hour, simply shopping for me at Target; meanwhile, I had been sitting on my couch for three hours, watching Netflix.
If you do it right like Esteban, you can earn up to or over $100 in tips in one day just by running errands or delivering goods, and your body that’s been longing for some exercise will thank you, too! Companies like Shipt request clients to tip, just like you would at a restaurant. So the more shopping you do for a client, the greater the tip. The cherry on top is, if you hate the gig, you can quit! Just make sure you read all the fine print when signing up with a company.
Childcare
If you’re at home and have the time, safe space for children, and good credentials, open up a child-care service. You can convert your home into a daycare; just make sure you do your research on how to obtain the proper insurance and licensing requirements. In her article “Your Step-by-Step Guide to Opening a Daycare,” Brianna Flavin explains how to obtain a license: “…you may need a current CPR certification, an unblemished driving record and other documents that demonstrate your commitment to children. Gathering all of the necessary documentation can be time consuming, so be sure to plan ahead.” Many homeowners decide to use one of the floors in their home as a daycare, instead of renting the apartment out to a tenant. Reflect on your options. If this idea appeals to you, do extensive research, talk to daycare owners, and make sure you take the proper and legal steps to build your childcare business.
If you have the right space and credentials, consider opening up a daycare center.
If you’re looking for something more low-stakes, another option would be to babysit. Many parents have to go to work but can’t afford to leave their children at home alone. Additionally, since remote learning has become the new norm, many parents feel frustrated that they can’t help their children with their assignments. Having that extra help from the outside can make such a huge difference for a parent. Be versatile and market yourself as a babysitter who can help with homework. If this idea interests you, start by asking or finding one family that needs babysitting services. After providing them with excellent service, ask if you can use them as a reference, and build your clientele from there.
Milk your talents
Use your talent to start a small business from the comfort of your own home.
Some of you have insane talents, and you’re probably thinking they’re “useless,” perhaps because you’ve never received the validation you were looking for, or simply because you felt as though you could use them to make money. Toss those thoughts in the trash, because Instagram and Etsy is where it’s at right now for artists, artisans and pretty much anyone with a skill or idea that can be used to create or manipulate an object. So if you’re an amazing drawer, a legit sewer, knitter, painter, or even construction worker, tailor your skills towards creating beautiful,interesting products, or things that people need right now, like masks and reusable bags! Remember, we are a consumer driven society; and the people who have money are out there are spending it; believe it or not, people are buying apparel, novelty items like mugs, tshirts, hats, upcycled chairs, handmade tables, pillowcases, etc. Focus on a specific niche; link up with a printing company or a production company and have them help you with the parts of the process you can’t do at home; start with one product and test it out. Remember, if one person is willing to throw down cash for your product, it’s worth it to continue growing your business.
Start off small. Create an Instagram or Facebook page, and network with those you know first. Friends and family are a great place to start building your foundation. Have them share your page. They can help by giving you ratings, and ofcourse, support your business by buying your product. In that way, they can leave reviews if you have a good product. Reviews are so important; when people know others trust you and your brand, they will want to buy from you and see what your product is all about. Once you gain traction, start expanding. While you are marketing to friends and family, though, you should be learning about how to effectively market on social media to a specific niche. There is an actual strategy behind IG marketing. Many “pros” will tell you they can help you expand your brand if you pay them a fee; but no need for that. The internet is full of knowledge. You don’t have to pay someone else when you can learn for free.
Become a tutor
If you’re a math whiz, prolific writer, English grammar guy or gal, science or tech geek (coders are in high demand right now), become a remote tutor. The hours are flexible and you can determine your own rate. On top of that, you can teach students from anywhere in the world! I can’t begin to tell you how my students’ parents wished they had a tutor to help their kids with extra reading support or exposure to a new subject like the arts and coding. If you have a degree in a “hot” subject like the ones mentioned, you can even charge up to $100 an hour; you just have to find the right clientele in the right locations. Ofcourse, make sure you know the subject enough to be able to teach it and work with students and around their needs. Also note that teaching a subject and being good at or knowing a subject are not synonymous. If you’ve never tutored or taught students before, do your research on effective instructional strategies, watch teaching videos, and learn how to assess students to identify their skills and effectiveness of your instruction before you start advertising yourself as a tutor.
If you are highly proficient or an expert in a subject, consider tutoring. It’s convenient, and safe.
When I started my own tutoring service, I started with one family; that family recommended me to another family; I was also able to use both as references. This helped me build my clientele. Additionally, I advertise my services to local Facebook groups. The key is starting small, and working your way up. This is a surefire way to bring in additional income your way, while helping others! If you’re the ambitious type, take it a step further and create a Facebook page or website that advertises your service. I created a website using Squarespace.com to legitimize my other side business — ResumesbyZahra.com. Building a website allowed for potential clients to learn about my experience, review work samples, and read testimonials before investing in my services. A website can be as simple or as fancy as you would like for it to be, but regardless of its level of aesthetic appeal, it can boost families’ perception of you and your standards, as well as allow for a platform for people to honestly rate your services. If you’re relatively tech savvy, SquareSpace and Wix are user friendly websites to use. If you’re less tech savvy, try using Weebly.com; it’s even more user friendly than the latter websites.
Promote yourself the old school way
Sometimes doing what others aren’t doing is a great strategy to promote your brand in a saturated market. While everyone’s promoting online, go old school, and print out business cards and fliers and disperse them in neighborhoods that have demographics specific to your business’s niche. Because of social distancing and the risk of catching the COVID-19 virus, you may want to ask establishments if you can leave your business card or flier on their counter. I used this tactic this past November, for both my resume and tutoring business, and received four calls and five emails within one week of handing them out. I use Canva.com to print out my business cards and fliers. Canva allows so much freedom in terms of how I can create both sides of my business card, and it even provides you with a test model to see how both sides look before you pay for printing. The card and print quality are excellent, too.
Whatever side hustle(s) you choose, remember two things:
Cover all your bases. Never put yourself in a situation where you can get yourself in physical or legal trouble. Read the fine print and learn your rights, but also understand boundaries you can’t or shouldn’t cross when working with clients or customers.
Before choosing a gig, reflect on why you’re choosing that specific one, and whether it’s the right one for you.
Patience is key. Don’t be discouraged when you don’t experience immediate results. Reflect on what you have accomplished and learned, and analyze what your next steps might have to be. Starting your own business is never easy. If it was, everyone would quit their job and open a business. Understand that mistakes and rejection simply mean you are learning what works and what doesn’t, and you’re navigating the path to the right doors. Learn from those who are doing what you want to do, or those who utilize a similar or the same process you need to run your business. Lastly, read. Read as much as possible and learn the parts of the business you don’t understand or need to become better at, otherwise you will never run your business to its fullest potential.
Have fun! If you’re not trying to implement some fun, you will have a hard time making your side gig last. Before you choose a side gig, reflect on why you’re choosing that specific one, and whether it’s the best one for you. If you have the option of doing something you love, go for it! If not, choose something that won’t take up your entire day. That way, after you’re done working, you still have time for yourself. Your mental health should always come first, so keep that in mind!
This is the time to make waves and be your own boss. There is opportunity even in the hardest of times. While others may be sitting back, watching Netflix to pass the day, or simply waiting for this time to pass over, you can take this time to become your own boss.So what are you waiting for? Make it happen!
Zahra Khan is an NYC Department of Education teacher ESL tutor, résume writer, and owner of ResumesbyZahra.com. Connect with her via www.linkedin.com/in/ZahraKhan212 or Instagram.com/ResumesbyZahra, or email her at resumesbyzahra@gmail.com .
