Women, Millenials Hit Up Side Hustles
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) - More and more women and millennials are working outside of their day to day jobs to make ends meet.
On top of her full-time job as a waitress, Sarah Pengitore is "taking orders" for doTerra, an essential oils company.
"I have sleep issues so essential oils are something I've been interested in for quite a while," she said.
She recently started the side gig because of her passion for the product and wanting to make a little extra money.
"Everything is going up in price, and the wage moves only every once in a while," Pengitore said.
After they leave work and head outside, 44 million Americans now have side gigs, or 'side hustles' as they are known. New research from Harvard finds women are more likely to do it than men.
"I just needed something to supplement our income," said Mary Johnson who started selling Tupperware 26 years ago.
Since then, she's noticed more people are doing the same.
"We're our own bosses really. We own our own companies. That's a big draw because most people go to work and do whatever they're required to do at work. In a direct sales business you can really do what you want to do, and make as much of it as you want," she said.
"Every time I go on my own social media I see so many friends and family members and people I'm friends of friends with that have their own businesses, whether it's selling skin care or things on Etsy or photography," said Morgan Hauck.
Hauck works for Lemonly, which does social media marketing and networking. She said Facebook Instagram, and Twitter have allowed people to click into second jobs more quickly.
"I think it makes it so much easier to be accessible to your friends, your family and extended networks without having to go door-to-door like you used to or make phone calls. It's just right in the palm of your hand," she said.
But with so many side hustles, what can those just getting into one do to stand out.
"People are using social media kind of as a megaphone to say, 'Here's what I'm selling.' It should be more of a conversation. People need to interact with their audiences a bit more," said Hauck.
Audiences that are themselves becoming their own bosses.