This Facet Hustle Highlight Q&A options Marisa Risden, 32, of Denver, Colorado. Risden has constructed a versatile, thriving enterprise finishing historically male-dominated jobs on Taskrabbit. Responses have been edited for size and readability.
Picture Credit score: Courtesy of Taskrabbit. Marisa Risden.
What was your day job or major occupation if you began your aspect hustle?Earlier than Taskrabbit, I spent 9 years in public service as a 9-1-1 dispatcher, a job that strengthened my capacity to problem-solve below stress, talk clearly and construct belief with individuals in high-stress conditions. Whereas I discovered the work significant, I needed a brand new problem that supplied flexibility and the chance to use my abilities in numerous methods.
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When did you begin your aspect hustle, and the place did you discover the inspiration for it?I moved out west in 2020 and, in 2022, found Taskrabbit as a technique to take management of my schedule and leverage my current experience. My mother and father owned a development firm, and my mother instilled in me the idea that I may study and do something I set my thoughts to. Lengthy earlier than DIY grew to become a pattern, she was tackling residence enchancment tasks herself, exhibiting me firsthand that girls can do something! She made certain I knew methods to use energy instruments, paint and tackle residence tasks with confidence. What began as a technique to apply these abilities quickly developed right into a specialised enterprise providing superior mounting and minor electrical work, combining technical precision with problem-solving to ship high-quality installations for my purchasers.
What have been a few of the first steps you took to get your aspect hustle off the bottom?Initially, I centered on tasks inside my talent set, however as I gained expertise, I expanded into extra technical providers like electrical fixture installations and superior mounting — duties usually assumed to be dominated by males. Taskrabbit has allowed me to determine a extremely rated, in-demand service enterprise the place repeat purchasers belief me for precision, reliability and experience.
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In the event you may return in what you are promoting journey and alter one course of or strategy, what wouldn’t it be, and the way do you want you’d executed it otherwise?Two issues stand out: Optimizing my scheduling. Early on, I wasted a variety of time driving backwards and forwards between Denver and Boulder for a number of duties in a single day. Now, I proactively ask purchasers if they’ve the pliability to change time slots with others, permitting me to streamline my route. Studying to ask for changes has been a game-changer.
I might even be extra cautious with plaster partitions. After I first began, I did not understand the potential well being dangers of drilling into plaster, significantly in older houses the place asbestos could also be current. Plaster was generally used earlier than the Seventies, and publicity to asbestos mud poses well being dangers. Now, I all the time put on an N99 drywall masks whatever the materials I am working with — there’s a variety of dangerous stuff in development supplies that I might relatively not breathe in.
Relating to this particular enterprise, what’s one thing you’ve got discovered significantly difficult and/or shocking that individuals who get into this sort of work must be ready for however seemingly aren’t?Some of the neglected challenges is asking the proper questions upfront. The extra info I collect earlier than a job — reminiscent of wall kind, shopper expectations and any potential obstacles — the smoother the job goes. This additionally helps keep away from pointless journeys to Dwelling Depot mid-task for a singular software or {hardware}.
Are you able to recall a selected occasion when one thing went very fallacious — how did you repair it?As with every hands-on work, you by no means really know what you are up towards till you get to the duty and consider what you are working with. Scoping the duty forward of time can solely get you to date; surprises can and can inevitably occur. What units me aside is my capacity to pivot and problem-solve on the spot. All through my years of tasking, I’ve discovered that my dedication to precision and triple-checking my work earlier than executing has been integral to stopping errors. And, in fact, by performing each job with that very same non-negotiable dedication, I am in a position to make sure that my work is finished proper each time and, most significantly, that my purchasers are happy.
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How lengthy did it take you to see constant month-to-month income? How a lot did the aspect hustle earn?After I first began, I had no opinions and set a decrease hourly charge to construct demand. I took on each job out there, working lengthy hours to achieve momentum. Inside a month or two, I used to be constantly booked, and by the third month, I had a transparent concept of my earnings potential. Initially, I made round $2,000 per 30 days, working what felt like 24/7. However that hustle paid off; I constructed my popularity, gained lots of of opinions and referrals and was in a position to scale my enterprise considerably in a comparatively quick time period. Now, I will get pleasure from a work-life steadiness with my experience fetching a extra substantial hourly charge, and I will schedule break day to understand my onerous work.
What does development and income seem like now?Taskrabbit has been a useful supply of earnings that I have been in a position to scale up or down primarily based on my targets over the past three years. At instances, I’ve labored full-time, finishing 40-45 duties per 30 days, which equates to 70-80 hours of labor. The platform offers the pliability to tackle as a lot or as little as you need, making it an important possibility for these seeking to construct a enterprise on their very own phrases. I am going to usually earn round $3,500-4,500 a month after I’m working “full-time” at 60-80 hours a month.
How a lot time do you spend engaged on what you are promoting on a each day, weekly or month-to-month foundation? Taskrabbit operates on a client-request mannequin, which means I do not all the time know what my week will seem like prematurely. I often mark myself as out there and look ahead to bookings. In contrast to a standard job with set days off, I construction my downtime round my bookings. For instance, if I solely have a morning job scheduled, I’d take the afternoon off to satisfy pals or get pleasure from a relaxed break day. Seasonal demand additionally performs a job — busy intervals like Amazon Prime Day, Black Friday and the vacations convey in additional duties. My advertising primarily occurs via word-of-mouth and shopper referrals. The sport-changer for me was after I began asking for opinions each time earlier than leaving a job — nearly all of my purchasers do not thoughts taking a couple of minutes to share their experiences.
What do you get pleasure from most about working this enterprise?I really like seeing a challenge via from begin to end, however my purchasers are the true purpose I get pleasure from this work a lot. I’ve had the possibility to satisfy and assist so many unbelievable individuals, and I take delight in making their lives simpler. Nothing beats a cheerful shopper who refers a good friend as a result of they’d an important expertise with me.
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What’s your finest piece of particular, actionable enterprise recommendation?Particularly for ladies fascinated with related work, my recommendation is:
1. Begin inside your consolation zone however push your self to develop — studying new abilities has allowed me to tackle higher-value duties.
2. Put money into high quality instruments — having the proper gear makes any job extra environment friendly {and professional}.
3. Professionalism units you aside — purchasers prioritize experience, communication and reliability over anything.
4. Do not be intimidated: Simply get began. Each professional was as soon as a newbie, and one of the best ways to construct confidence is thru hands-on expertise. Abilities will be discovered, however willpower, problem-solving and a willingness to determine issues out as you go will take you far.
Take each alternative to study as a result of even small jobs matter. Smaller duties construct confidence, refine your abilities and lay the inspiration for greater alternatives. Each job teaches one thing new, and the extra expertise you achieve, the quicker you may develop into higher-value work.
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