One woman revealed how she has been able to earn an extra $80,000 annually but not from her full-time job.
Genna Tatu, 26, works as a financial consultant in Meridian, Mississippi but also has an online Etsy business as a side hustle.
She sells crochet soft toys and plushies on the website after taking on the hobby during lockdown.
Her mom bought her a kit for Christmas and she started crocheting in January 2022, spending 20 hours per week making all sorts of toys.
As of today, Ms Tatu is selling her crochet plushies on Etsy for between $10 to $200 a piece, as well as digital design templates for $5 each.
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The side hustle has netted Ms Tatu $80,000 in just one year. This has all happened while she continues to work her full-time job as a financial consultant and she has made over 400 plushies.
She explained: “I fell in love with crocheting and I was hooked – now I’m earning $80k a year. I am an artsy person in general, I was a knitter as a child but it wasn’t as fun as crochet.
“With crochet, there is this world of arugami, where you make stuffed animals, I love stuffed animals so I started making my own.
“On Etsy alone, I have earned $80k this year. The crochet space is really getting popular and there is a tonne of opportunities for growth.
“I really want to think about where I want to take my business, there are so many different revenues. In the long run, I want to completely pivot to crochet as the market is there.”
On Etsy, the entrepreneur has started her own shop called Crochet By Genna which sells everything from plushie chickens to turtles.
Her business in making patterns has also proven to be a big success on Etsy which has helped bring in this extra income.
Despite her monthly earnings fluctuating, the businesswoman estimates she brings in $8,000 on average.
Ms Tatu added: “January of this year I had my highest month yet which was 100 plushies.
“My price range varies per plushie but on average they range between $30 to $40 for my regular-sized ones. My smaller ones are $10 to $15 and my jumbo plushies go up to $200.
“I have a flat rate of $70 for my custom orders so no matter what you want it starts at $70 and based on the complexity, the size, if I have to order materials, it can go up.”