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☆ No. 1 skill you need to run a money-making side hustle: ‘A gigantic portion of’ your success depends on it, says expert
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-20 | by ( Megan Sauer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

More than a third of all U.S. adults have a side hustle, recent data shows. The people who make the most money have something in common: lots of emotional intelligence. "A gigantic portion of [side hustle] work involves emotional intelligence pretty heavily," says M.K., who ran Austin-based customer experience consulting firm The Heart Company for eight years before joining Indeed. The more you understand what other people need in their lives, the more you can build your product or service to be a useful solution, he notes. "I think [emotional intelligence] is going to be a big pillar of the future of work, especially with AI taking care of a lot of operational things," M.K.

Persons: Kyle M.K, they'll Organizations: The Heart Company Locations: Austin

An unemployed UX designer, Lei had taken it upon herself to create the perfect work bag. Today, Lei is the 28-year-old CEO and founder of Freja, a New York-based company that sells work totes, shoulder purses and travel accessories. A 'really, really slow' startIn February 2019, Lei was a soon-to-be-unemployed graduate student at Cornell University preparing for a job interview in New York. She tried pairing three different work bags with her outfit, and none of them worked. "It was really, really slow for the first two years," says Lei.

Persons: Jenny Lei, She'd, Lei, —, Freja, Louis Vuitton, Dior, Celine, Loewe, Sandy Liang Organizations: CNBC, Cornell University Locations: Hoboken , New Jersey, New York, Bryant, Brooklyn, Guangzhou, China

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailI launched a business from my living room - now it brings in $9 million a yearJenny Lei, 28, is the founder and CEO of Freja, a company that sells work totes, shoulder purses and travel accessories. The 4-year-old startup brought in more than $9 million in revenue over the last 12 months, including $2 million in profit. Here's how Lei built a trendsetting brand, despite her lack of experience in the industry.

Persons: Jenny Lei, Lei

☆ 41-year-old teacher used her last $99 to start a living room side hustle—now her business makes $1.9 million a year
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-06 | by ( Megan Sauer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The day Lisa Collum started her side hustle in 2011, she went to OfficeMax and bought five binders with the last $99 in her checking account, she says. She filled them with copies of her fourth- and fifth-grade writing curricula, sliding pages reading "Top Score Writing by Lisa Collum" into the front plastic covers. Today, Collum, 41, is the CEO of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida-based Top Score Writing, which sells K-12 writing curricula and consulting services to schools and teachers across all 50 U.S. states, she says. That same year, Collum used funds from her business to buy Coastal Middle and High School, a nonprofit private school in Lake Park, Florida. Top Score Writing now has six full-time employees, 10 part-time staffers and nearly $1.9 million in annual profit last year, according to documents reviewed by CNBC Make It.

Persons: Lisa Collum, Collum Organizations: High School, CNBC Locations: Collum, Palm Beach Gardens , Florida, Lake Park , Florida

☆ Mark Cuban reveals the best side hustle, in-demand job skills and traits of highly successful people
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-31 | by ( Megan Sauer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Mark Cuban knows what sets successful people apart from the crowd. Cuban, 66, is both a self-made billionaire and a longtime startup investor who's listened to many business pitches in more than a decade on ABC's "Shark Tank" and mentored dozens of entrepreneurs he's helped fund. You could land a coveted job, negotiate like a "Shark Tank" investor or launch a lucrative side hustle by mastering a specific handful of hard and soft skills, says Cuban. Here are three pieces of advice from the billionaire:Focus on 3 soft skills to land a jobWhenever the job market seems daunting, you can always fall back on the same three soft skills, Cuban says: agility, curiosity and adaptability. "I can pretend that I'm going to be able to predict where AI's going and the exact impact on the job market, but I'd be lying," he says.

Persons: Mark Cuban, who's, he's Organizations: Cuban, CNBC

☆ 41-year-old's living room side hustle brings in $121,400 a year: It's 'the right balance between hustle and happiness'
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-31 | by ( Megan Sauer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

And it inspired the part-time endoscopy nurse's lucrative side hustle, which she launched from her living room in Manahawkin, New Jersey. Walsh, a lifelong crafter, opened her Etsy shop MegansMenagerie in 2009. If her Etsy income falters, she can pick up more nursing hours, she adds. Here, Walsh discusses juggling her side hustle with her nursing job, avoiding burnout and why she's happy with a side hustle isn't guaranteed to make money forever. It's not easy, and you need to find the right balance between hustle and happiness.

Persons: they've, Megan Walsh, Walsh, it's, she's, I've, tasker Organizations: CNBC, Dodge Locations: Manahawkin , New Jersey

☆ 41-year-old nurse spent $40 on her Etsy side hustle—now it brings in $9,800 a month: I no longer need 'a full-time job’
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-29 | by ( Megan Sauer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Walsh, normally a part-time endoscopy nurse, was working full-time to help with the influx of patients at her hospital during the Covid-19 pandemic. Aromatherapy calmed her at home, so she ordered a pound of fragrant eucalyptus online for $40, and used it to create some wall decor in her living room. DON'T MISS: The ultimate guide to earning passive income onlineA couple months into selling wall decor, Walsh scaled back her nursing schedule. She's personally profited about $60,000 from the Etsy shop so far this year, nearly as much as she'll make as a nurse, she estimates. "I don't have to have a full-time job because of Etsy," says Walsh, 41.

Persons: Megan Walsh jolted, Walsh, Aromatherapy, DON'T, She's, It's Organizations: CNBC Locations: Manahawkin , New Jersey

☆ Mark Cuban: If I was 16 again, I’d start this lucrative side hustle—it can pay 6 figures a year and doesn't require a degree
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-22 | by ( Megan Sauer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

First, he'd learn how to write prompts for artificial intelligence language models like OpenAI's ChatGPT or Google's Gemini. "Then, I would go to businesses, particularly small- to medium-sized businesses that don't understand AI yet," says Cuban. AI prompt engineering — or, the ability to phrase inquiries to chatbots to get desired responses — can be a particularly lucrative opportunity. The average pay for AI tutors starts at about $30,000 per year, and full-time AI prompt engineers can make up to $129,500, according to job board platform ZipRecruiter. Sign up for CNBC's online course How to Earn Passive Income Online to learn about common passive income streams, tips to get started and real-life success stories.

Persons: Mark Cuban, he'd, I'd, Zers, bartended, Cuban Organizations: CNBC, Vanderbilt University, Indiana University, CompuServe, Yahoo, Cuban, Forbes Locations: U.S, Pittsburgh

☆ Change the power dynamic in any room with one strategy, says communication expert—it'll make you influential at work
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-18 | by ( Megan Sauer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

You have to use the strategy in moderation, and earnestly, for it to be effective, says Abrahams: "People can smell humblebrags." Think about your responsesThoughtfully responding to questions and compliments is an easy way to display humility, according to Abrahams. "When I say, 'I'm still working on my communication skills,' I'm really trying to take pressure off the other person and show that we're in this together," says Abrahams. Avoid being self-deprecating, or your colleagues will feel like you're fishing for compliments, he adds. Plus, sign up for CNBC Make It's newsletter to get tips and tricks for success at work, with money and in life.

Persons: Matt Abrahams, Abrahams, Charlene Li, I'm, Andy Jassy, Jeff Bezos, Jassy, Bezos, you've, it's Organizations: Stanford University, CNBC, Duke University, Amazon

☆ Kamala Harris says this lesson from her mom shaped her career—why parenting experts say it’s essential for success
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-13 | by ( Megan Sauer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Teaching your kids how to be self-sufficient, especially in a conflict, can help them gain confidence and increase their likelihood of success, experts say. "Every time I came home with a problem, the first thing my mother would do … [is ask] 'What did you do?'" "When you trust kids to make their own decisions, they start to feel more engaged, confident and empowered. Another way to build agency and confidence: encouraging your kids to stand up for what they believe in. Plus, sign up for CNBC Make It's newsletter to get tips and tricks for success at work, with money and in life.

Persons: Kamala Harris, Shyamala Gopalan Harris, Harris, Alex Cooper, Esther Wojcicki Organizations: CNBC

☆ 31-year-old made $27,000 this year from her LinkedIn side hustle—it helps pay her mortgage
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-12 | by ( Megan Sauer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Jayde Powell started her social media career over a decade ago, working for wellness brands and big name companies like Delta Airlines. The money she earns from LinkedIn helps her pay her mortgage and utilities bills, and offset monthly business expenses, while she grows her own company, she says. Powell has made $32,700 through The Em Dash Co. and another $2,750 from other social media content so far this year. "There have been times where I haven't been able to pull in new client work [at the Em Dash Co.]." Here's how Powell developed her voice on social media and leveraged it into a lucrative LinkedIn side hustle.

Persons: Jayde Powell, Powell, Powell —, —, It's Organizations: Delta Airlines, LinkedIn, Twitter, CNBC, Em Locations: America, Atlanta, U.S

☆ This simple brain trick can help you make better decisions, says neuroscientist: 'It has a huge effect on your performance'
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-09 | by ( Megan Sauer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

It's harder to answer questions or solve problems when you're asked to choose between more than four solutions, research shows. Neuroscientist Paul Glimcher has a simple strategy to cut through the noise and consistently make smart decisions: Instead of trying to pick the best choice, start by picking the worst. Process of elimination isn't exactly a new concept — you might have learned about it in elementary school — but it can help you avoid mistakes and improve your accuracy making everyday decisions, Glimcher said. "We're just good at the binary choice task — pick your best and eliminate your worst," Glimcher added. That's because picking from fewer options can help us make more accurate decisions, said Glimcher.

Persons: Paul Glimcher, Glimcher Organizations: New York University, Fast, CNBC

☆ 36-year-old’s Etsy side hustle brings in up to $54,000 a month, takes 10 hours a week—it paid off her student loan debt
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-30 | by ( Megan Sauer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Emily Odio-Sutton started her Etsy side hustle on her couch while watching a "Real Housewives" TV show in December 2022. She doesn't recall which one, but she does remember the months of research fed into that moment. When a customer places an order, a third-party manufacturer prints the design onto the product and ships it out. DON'T MISS: The ultimate guide to earning passive income onlineIn her best month so far, the side hustle — which takes roughly 10 hours per week, she says — brought in $54,900. It padded her family's finances, paying for vacations and her $20,000 in student loans, she says.

Persons: Emily Odio, Sutton, couldn't, — Organizations: CNBC Locations: Odio

☆ 36-year-old’s Etsy side hustle brings in $220,000 a year—and costs under $40 to start: ‘You really can make a very good living’
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-27 | by ( Megan Sauer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

She started a print-on-demand shop, using Canva software to create designs for Etsy-friendly products like T-shirts and candles. Last year, Odio-Sutton opened a second Etsy shop — selling downloadable event materials, like sign-up sheets and schedule templates — that's brought in $17,200 in sales so far in 2024. I'll batch design 10 candle labels one day, then make the listings for them on Etsy the next day. I follow what I'd call a template method: I do a lot of black-and-white designs, a lot of plain text. Then, if I have a template that sells really well, I'll just go in and swap in new words.

Persons: they've, Emily Odio, Sutton, She'd, She's, that's, —, I'm Organizations: CNBC, Gold City Ventures Locations: Melbourne , Florida, Sutton, Odio, U.S

☆ Microsoft CEO: Ignore 'conventional wisdom' about AI—it can already help you be more productive at work
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-25 | by ( Megan Sauer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella is defending the role of artificial intelligence — particularly in the workplace — like it's his job. AI can help people boost their productivity right now, Nadella said during a virtual appearance at the Fast Company Innovation Festival 2024 last week. Longer-term, it could help take on roles, even involving decision-making, across "healthcare or in finance or any other domain," he said. All that money has yet to yield a tool that actually helps most businesses earn more revenue, the Goldman Sachs report said. Plus, sign up for CNBC Make It's newsletter to get tips and tricks for success at work, with money and in life.

Persons: Satya Nadella, Nadella, Microsoft's, —, Goldman Sachs, Jim Covello, Gary Marcus, CNBC's, Marcus, you'll Organizations: Fast, Microsoft, New York University, Workforce, CNBC

☆ Ryan Reynolds credits his business success to 1 skill: It's a 'precious commodity' in any job, expert says
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-20 | by ( Megan Sauer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Ryan Reynolds' storytelling abilities aren't just a quirky element of his public persona — they're the bedrock foundation of his success across multiple industries, he says. The movie's budget didn't leave much room for marketing, so Reynolds shouldered some of the load himself, filming and posting comedic advertisements on social media. Multiple of Reynolds' posts went viral, and "Deadpool" grossed $782.6 million in box office sales against a $58 million budget, according to IMDB-owned Box Office Mojo. Mint Mobile's parent company, Ka'ena Corporation, was similarly purchased for up to $1.35 billion by T-Mobile last year. "Reynolds will continue in his creative role on behalf of Mint," T-Mobile said at the time.

Persons: Ryan Reynolds, aren't, —, Reynolds, Kraft, Mint Organizations: Fast, Mojo, Mint Mobile, Aviation, Diageo, Kraft Heinz, Ka'ena Corporation, Mobile, Mint

☆ To influence people, make 1 key change in how you talk, says communication expert: It puts you 'in a position of power'
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-18 | by ( Megan Sauer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Some people think asking questions — to friends, peers or bosses — can make you look weak or insecure. But the simple act can actually help you garner influence and even get the people around to you change their minds, says communication expert Matt Abrahams — if you know the right questions to ask. "Asking a question puts you in a position of power," Abrahams, a Stanford University lecturer, tells CNBC Make It. Asking good questions "demonstrates you care, it demonstrates empathy, it demonstrates you're willing to learn and, in some cases, admit you don't know everything," he adds. Here's how to ask the right questions, at work, home and in your social life, to get ahead and strengthen relationships, he says.

Persons: —, Matt Abrahams —, Abrahams, Here's Organizations: Stanford University, CNBC

Charles Coristine used to revel in working at Morgan Stanley. At a barbeque, Coristine met an owner of snack company LesserEvil, who talked about wanting to sell his "flatlining" business. A 'scrappy' reinventionWhen he bought LesserEvil, Coristine was working at TD Bank and pursuing an MBA at Cornell University Graduate School. It brought in roughly $2 million that year, accounting for a third of LesserEvil's annual revenue, the company says. A year later, the company got its first outside funding — about $3 million, the company says — from sustainable food and agriculture investment firm InvestEco.

Persons: Charles Coristine, revel, Morgan Stanley, Coristine, that's, Andrew Strife, welders, LesserEvil, Homer, Henry David Thoreau, — Organizations: CNBC, U.S, TD Bank, Cornell University Graduate School, packers, Kroger, LesserEvil, Growth Locations: Tokyo, London, Danbury , Connecticut, Wilton , Connecticut, Danbury, New Milford

☆ 45-year-old mechanic quit his full-time job for his side hustle—now he makes $14,200 a month: My paycheck is 'very consistent’
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-07 | by ( Megan Sauer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Pyle started answering strangers' questions about their gas and diesel engines on JustAnswer as a side hustle in October 2006. He quit his full-time $75,000-per-year job at Ford Motors when JustAnswer outpaced his salary in 2012, Pyle says. Pyle made $170,500 in 2023, an average of $14,200 per month, on JustAnswer, according to documents reviewed by CNBC Make It. His monthly income is more than three times as much as the national median monthly side hustle earnings and mechanic's salary combined. Pyle also bought an RV and is building a second home, largely by himself, on the property — all funded by his JustAnswer work.

Persons: Chris Pyle, Pyle, JustAnswer, …, Ford, Pyle's Organizations: Ford Motors, CNBC, Cub, Bass Pro Locations: JustAnswer, Dickson County , Tennessee

☆ We left the U.S. and opened a bar in Paris that brings in up to $34,100 a month: 'There's an ease to living here'
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-06 | by ( Megan Sauer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Kave and fellow American ex-pat Jennifer Crain are the co-founders of Abricot, a cocktail bar in Paris' 10th arrondissement. The bar has a small staff: three hourly employees and three contract employees. A mutual connection virtually introduced Kave and Crain shortly after, and the pair started expanding Crain's idea for a Parisian cocktail bar. They found a location and named their business Abricot, which is French slang for female genitalia. The delays ate up most of the initial investment, Crain says, as Abricot paid rent for over a year before it opened.

Persons: Allison Kave, Kave, she'd, Jennifer Crain, Crain, Abricot Organizations: Abricot, CNBC, Crain, Employees Locations: U.S, Paris, San Francisco, Austin , Texas, Brooklyn , New York, Brooklyn, crowdfunding, France, Europe

At age 12, Bella Lin spent an hour every week "scraping, scrubbing and power washing" excrement off her two guinea pig cages. This year, GuineaLoft has brought in roughly $71,000 a month in revenue so far, according to documents reviewed by CNBC Make It. GuineaLoft's Amazon storefront sells hay feeders and no-drip water bottles for guinea pigs, but also acrylic cages and accessories for hamsters, rabbits and birds. While Lin considers herself to be a "veteran guinea pig owner," she's had to gain experience designing cages and products for the smaller pets. 'I'm kind of just the guinea pig girl'Outside of BizWorld, Lin's friend circle is void of other entrepreneurs: "To them, I'm kind of just the guinea pig girl," she says.

Persons: Bella Lin, Lin, GuineaLoft, Kevin Heinz Lin, isn't, TLeggings, …, Kevin Heinz, she's Organizations: CNBC, The University of Chicago Locations: Sunnyvale , California, Hangzhou, China

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailHow this 17-year-old's Amazon side hustle brings in $409,000 a yearBella Lin, 17, is the founder of GuineaLoft, a company that sells products for small pets, including guinea pig cages, bedding, food feeders and water bottles. In 2024, GuineaLoft has brought in an average of roughly $71,000 per month in revenue so far. That's up more than double compared to last year, when the company brought in $34,000 in average monthly revenue.

Persons: Bella Lin, GuineaLoft

☆ Simone Biles tells herself these 3 words before she competes—everyone should try it, Ivy League-trained expert says
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-02 | by ( Megan Sauer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Before Simone Biles jumped on the balance beam in Paris' Bercy Arena on Tuesday, she appeared to whisper: "You got this. Biles and Team USA went on to win gold in the women's gymnastics team all-around final. Plus, talking to yourself in the third-person — like Biles telling herself, "You got this" — can actually decrease stress and improve your performance, research shows. "If a friend comes to you with a problem, do you tell them, 'No way, you're going to suck. Plus, sign up for CNBC Make It's newsletter to get tips and tricks for success at work, with money and in life.

Persons: Simone Biles, Biles, Ethan Kross, Kross Organizations: Bercy, CNBC, Team USA, University of Michigan, University of Pennsylvania, Columbia University Locations: Paris

☆ 30-year-old’s kitchen-table side hustle makes $27,800/mo, takes 2 hours a day: This is the best way ‘to replicate success’
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-31 | by ( Megan Sauer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

When Domonique Brown was little, she and her dad could only buy greeting cards featuring Black people at a single Hallmark store in Upland, California. Across all mediums and materials, her designs primarily feature Black characters and aim to represent the Black experience, she says. Her business, still a side hustle, outearns her 9-to-5 job: She's a full-time graphic designer with a $90,000 annual salary, she says. Brown typically spends two hours per day maintaining customer relations and creating content for DomoINK and, when inspiration strikes, creating new work, she says. At every stop, art has offered her a reprieve from schoolwork, unfulfilling jobs or people who told her to make more "white art," Brown says.

Persons: they've, Domonique Brown, Brown, she's, DomoINK, I've Organizations: CNBC, Hallmark, Target, Sharpie, Walmart, Airbnb, Disney Locations: AskMakeIt@cnbc.com, Upland , California, It's, Jurupa Valley , California

☆ Career coach: This common habit can 'erode motivation' and sabotage your success—3 ways to fix it
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-27 | by ( Megan Sauer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Nearly everyone falls victim to "self-handicapping bias," or the psychological tendency to under-prepare or undersell yourself during new opportunities, says workplace performance coach Henna Pryor. "When we self-handicap, we essentially protect ourselves from the consequences of our own failure," Pryor tells CNBC Make It. Self-handicapping can can look like putting off prep for a big meeting or starting a presentation with "I'm bad at public speaking." Even high-performing employees self-handicap, Pryor says, and it's often driven by a fear of failure. Luckily, there are ways to stop self-handicapping, Pryor says.

Persons: Pryor, It's Organizations: CNBC

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