Here at Jetson, we advocate for passive income and hustle mentality. And what's not to love about the concept of passive income, you can earn money while you sleep!
Let's explore the different types of side hustles and passive income streams the Jetson team has done growing up.
CEO - Will Rush
Selling desirable screen names as an industrious middle schooler that was often up late at night on AIM — I quickly realized the value and scarcity of names with no letters.
Despite the popularity of adding “<3” or your favorite number to a screen name I figured (similar to domain names) someone would be willing to pay for simplicity/originality. I focused on popular word combinations (like “Lacrosseguy”) or popular nicknames (like “Master” followed by a letter due to the popularity of Master P at the time). Then I would publish something like “this screen name is for sale” in the AIM profile. Unfortunately, Tom founded Myspace and people stopped using AIM before I could cash in on my millions but I did get to sell one screen name for $20. In 2023, I imagine this could be applied to anything you are an early user to. If the platform takes off, your OG handle or name might mint you $$$ without lifting a finger!
Co Founder, CTO & Head of Digital Marketing - Natalie Young
Growing up, I worked a sales associate at a local electronic store to hustle for some side money. My job was to help people shop computer monitors and assist in all that was needed in the store. Although this job was demanding and I had to face customers upfront, it taught me so many skills that I wouldn't have learned at any other job.
Another side hustle I did was through photoshop. I taught myself how to work the program and how to get good at it. Through self taught and learnings, I ended up working as a graphic designer for a non-profit organization in Seattle. I think this was a lesson in itself because by expanding my knowledge and being curious, I was able to get good in what I first thought would be a hobby. So let this be a lesson and to just try because you don't know where it could go!
Content Marketing Specialist - Kat Tulak
As a curious teen, I got myself into many side hustle gigs that led me to many life lessons and skills that I wouldn't have learned through a basic school education. Loving the youtube world and era, I wanted to be a mini self influencer through selling clothes online. I was so inspired by so many girls that I looked up to and I knew I could be them if I just pushed myself and did what I wanted to do. Well, not long after getting inspiration, I became a member of the thrifting community. I first started to create a thrift instagram account and called it "KaatThriftzz" (Yes, very cringey username). Well that instagram profile didn't make business and I knew I had to switch it up. So I decided to download Poshmark. My sister and I decided to work on this account and called it "S & T Wardrobe", which this stands for the first initial of our last names. Our Poshmark account definitely started slow as we started to put up clothes we weren't wearing anymore. But after a month hiatus of not making anything, we started blowing up and people bought off all our clothes. So then we started going to thrift stores and finding good brands that we knew we could resell for more. We even found a Celine bag that ended up selling for $500 (Now thinking about it, we should've definitely sold it for more). But this just shows to never give up in your curiosity adventures. I think that just by doing, you never know where it can end up!
Digital Marketing Specialist - Murat Akyuz
This Minecraft kid made $$$. When I was just 10 years old, I discovered my first side hustle, and it was all thanks to my love for playing video games. My obsession with Minecraft was real, and I spent hours upon hours watching Minecraft YouTubers. Eventually, I decided to try my hand at making my own videos and uploading them to YouTube. I couldn’t believe it when, after just a few months of consistent uploads, a check for $500 showed up on my doorstep... in my mom’s name. Hey, I was underage at the time, so she was kind enough to let me use her account! It was then that I realized that I could actually make money from doing something that I loved. It may have been my mom’s name on the check, but the thrill of earning money for something I enjoyed so much was all mine. Looking back, this experience taught me that with hard work and dedication, you can turn your passions into a side hustle that’s both fun and rewarding.
Product Strategy & Design - Max Lieberman
Growing up in Silicon Valley, it felt like being an entrepreneur was the ultimate lifestyle. During math class one day, I overheard a classmate discussing a search engine they were developing - a student-focused product with unique features to enhance research and learning. Luckily I had the skill they were looking for and I joined the project and took charge of marketing, arranging meetings with the local library and high school district officials, and even securing a front-page article in the local newspaper. Our ambitions were high, but unfortunately, we struggled to gain traction and the project eventually failed. However, this experience taught me valuable lessons. Great ideas are out there, waiting for the right team to bring them to life.
Senior Software Developer - Brian Wang
My side hustle was tutoring services for university or high school students. I used to help students who were struggling with their programming homework. I used to advertise my services on university bulletin boards, online forums, social media platforms, or words of mouth. This business came to life. I used to charge by the hour or per assignment, depending on the level of assistance required. I would also offer flexible scheduling options, such as weekend or evening hours, to accommodate busy student schedules. And to make myself stand out from other potential tutors, I used to focus on specific programming languages or areas of expertise, such as mathematics analysis or JavaScript web development. Furthermore, I also offered personalized study plans and additional resources, such as video tutorials or code samples, to help them succeed. I knew where my strengths were, so I used that to my advantage with my side hustle.
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