Bernadette Joy generated $279,000 in revenue (Rs 2.3 crore) last year, averaging around Rs 2 lakh per month. This success stemmed from her venture, Crush Your Money Goals, originally conceived as a podcast chronicling her journey with her husband to erase over $300,000 (approximately Rs 2.5 crore) in debt.
Ms Joy, who now earns through coaching, freelance work and speaking engagements, disclosed this CNBC Make it that she spends 20 hours a week on her efforts.
In her interview with the media, Ms. Joy shared her top recommendation for aspiring side hustlers: leverage your innate talents to create income streams.
Her approach mirrors the career advice often given by billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban, a judge on Shark Tank.
“The things I ended up being really good at were the things I put effort into,” Mr. Cuban said. “If you look at what you put your time into, what you put your effort into, those are usually the things you're good at.”
Ms. Joy told CNBC Make It that revealed the hard-earned lesson she learned in 2019: trying to make money
Speaking to CNBC Make It, Ms. Joy shared a valuable lesson she learned in 2019: the importance of pursuing what comes naturally to her. This insight came after the closure of her thriving business Dressed, which initially started as a side project connecting bridesmaid dress owners with potential tenants.
Initially, Dressed helped her pay off her student loans and allowed her to quit her full-time job, open a store and even hire employees. However, as the business flourished, Ms. Joy found it increasingly time-consuming and personally less satisfying. That's why she decided to quit in 2019. After tasting the autonomy of entrepreneurship, she was unwilling to return to a situation that could lead to what she described as an “existential midlife crisis.”
Shortly thereafter, Ms. Joy attended a personal finance conference that offered her new opportunities. Inspired by the speakers' presentations, she recognized her desire to empower others to feel more confident about their financial affairs, even if she had not yet fully mapped out the path forward.
“I spend [three months] wrapped in my blanket on the couch, thinking, “What am I going to do?” because I didn't have a business anymore,” Joy said.
During that moment on the couch, she gained a crucial insight that she now considers her most important piece of advice for starting a side business: “Try to make money from what you take for granted, rather than selling something just because you can.” .”