Parenthood with a Side Gig

It’s a wonder more of us aren’t generating millions with the number of money-making schemes revealed by a simple “side gigs” search. Online promises aside, side gigs require commitment, time, and preparation.

The side job (or hustle, project, gig, or venture) has been around for decades, with the term moonlighting coined in the 1950s to indicate a second job performed during non-traditional working hours. Jennifer Nahrgang, professor of management and entrepreneurship at the University of Iowa and a Palmer professor at the Tippie College of Business, says technology has made it easier and improved access for people to participate in the side hustle culture (think Uber, Airbnb, Etsy, and the like).

While the gig economy has its critics, it’s attractive to moms for its flexibility and autonomy. Nahrgang interviewed a gig worker who, due to health issues, could only work on days she felt well. A side gig versus traditional employment allowed her to do that.

And though making money is obvious incentive for a side gig, it’s not the sole objective nor even the primary motivator for many of the moms we surveyed. Most gig workers are seeking to be free agents or casual supplemental earners (30 to 40 percent), while a smaller percentage chooses gig work out of necessity (14 to 16 percent) based on a 2016 report from McKinsey Global Institute.

Still, as satisfied as gig workers are with their work arrangements, financial volatility is a  downside. How can you ensure your side gig is a success? Nahrgang was part of a small research team whose results of a study of 337 full-time employees with side hustles were recently published in the Academy of Management Journal (Vol. 64, No. 1, 2021). In addition to her expertise, we surveyed more than a dozen moms to glean the best side-gig practices for parents.

1. Know your motivations. What do you hope to gain besides cash? New skills? A creative outlet? A larger network of colleagues and friends? It’s helpful to know your motivations — it’s empowering, Nahrgang says.

Samantha Peterson’s cookie decorating hobby during COVID quickly turned side hustle. A mother of three girls ages 5 to 16, Peterson found herself sometimes lonely and without purpose, even with a part-time position as a court clerk. “I thought if I could make extra money doing what I’m passionate about, it would be a win-win,” she says.

Laura Luidahl, also a baker was seeking a creative outlet when money and time were tight and her kids were preschoolers. Baking filled that gap, plus ingredients counted as grocery money. Her boys are now 16 and 13 and her side gig is a full-time venture. “The fact that people were willing to pay me to bake for them was ‘icing on the cake’ for me,” she laughs.

2. Do your research. Once you’ve nailed your motivations, look for the sweet spot where those motivations and your passions, talents, and available time intersect. Will you provide a service? Utilize an app such as Uber? Or rely on a capital platform such as Etsy or Airbnb?

Consider the things you do every day that might have income opportunities attached. As a mystery shopper, you may need to check prices, take photos of displays, or conduct customer service checks. Is there a store you visit regularly seeking these services?

For 11 years, Lindsay Moe has found synergy with family life as a food blogger at The Live-In Kitchen (easily customized vegetarian recipes). “Food blogging incorporates beautifully into parenting,” Moe says. “With four kids at home I always have plenty of interesting food on hand for them to enjoy or expand their palettes. I can cook and photograph something during the day and serve it for dinner in the evening.”

Next, read the small print, Nahrgang says. Some opportunities are strict in their procedures and you must follow them to a T in order to be paid.

If you’re considering a direct sales company, such as Avon, Pampered Chef, Tupperware, or Norwex, be clear about what you’re purchasing if there are fees for enrollment or initial kits, says direct-sales veteran, Rita Koch-Thometz. In addition, Nahrgang advises not to invest anything beyond what you’re willing to lose. Watch for pyramid schemes. Know and understand minimum sales expectations. And beware of being lulled into more inventory than you need by company incentives.

Be honest with yourself about whether you plan to treat the venture as a business, hobby, or simply a personal discount, Koch-Thometz says. Rachel Truax, mother of four, admits she initially became a Norwex consultant seven years ago for discounts on her purchases. Extra money from sales to others was just an added bonus until the pandemic hit and she found herself not only in need of income, but offering products especially appealing during COVID.

“If you want it to thrive as a business, you must treat it as a business,” Koch-Thometz says.

Share your plans and goals with your family, she adds, who are much more likely to encourage and support you if they are included and informed.

3. Be strategic. Nahrgang says the most successful folks at side gigs are strategic. They consider not just how much they’re earning but the amount of time it takes to make that money and at what expense. They shop the available opportunities (and sometimes take advantage of more than one, such as Uber and Lyft) and consider how they’ll get paid, Nahrgang says. And they know when they can maximize making money, whether it’s certain hours of the day or times of the year.

Strategizing can have a significant impact on the bottom line for a side gig. One driver Nahrgang interviewed drove for two major companies, each offering incentives. The driver Nahrgang spoke with would carefully consider whether those incentives truly added value. For example, she might make more in tips on multiple short trips over the one long trip the company incentivized.

4. Set boundaries. Because the nature of side gigs provides few boundaries, the most successful set limits for when or how they’ll work, Nahrgang says.

Kelsey Lyons holds a stressful full-time position as a nurse. The mother of two boys ages 15 and 16, Lyons was previously a massage therapist and wood-burning artist, which have now become relaxing side gigs. “It’s so calming to be in an environment that’s so different than my ‘real’ job,” Lyons says. “I don’t push my art or push my body to do more massages than I want to do. It’s got to be something you can manage and not create more stress. And time management is key.”

You can also set boundaries financially. Luidahl of Laura’s Baking Delights suggests setting up a separate bank account early on. Deposit side-gig sales into that account and purchase your supplies from it so you always have an accurate reflection of your income and expenses.

Support, whether it’s from your family or a Facebook group such as Side Hustle Nation, can help you keep your boundaries and priorities.

5. Feel the power, find the joy. Side gigs can make you more confident about your full-time work and parenthood, Nahrgang says. In reviewing responses from the moms we surveyed, their passion is contagious.

One social worker and mother became a wedding officiant when gay marriage was legalized in New York in 2011. “I just wanted to be part of that joy,” Lauren Gourley of NYweddingsbylauren.com says. “I’ve officiated about 100 weddings at this point, some for dear friends but mostly for complete strangers.”

Kristy Honaker, mother of two boys ages 11 and 18 months, has devoted herself to improving health and her side gig reflects that passion. Hona Goods utilizes herbs, plants, flowers, and produce from her home garden to create edible and wellness products, such as a lavender salve to soothe sore muscles.

Lastly, own your side gig. “Make it work for you,” Truax says. “The perk of a side gig is you make it work for your own life.”

Lissa Carlson found it humorous that her side gig this month is writing about side gigs.