The Way We Work
Nicaila Matthews Okome: This is the side hustle revolution
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Past generations found a company to work for and then stayed there for decades. But today, we rarely stay in the same job (let alone on the same career path) and we don't rely on a single income stream. The tools and resources are out there for us to do our own thing, and more of us are going with the entrepreneurial spirit -- even if it's on the side of a traditional job. Podcaster and marketer Nicaila Matthews Okome helps survey the scene.
Nicaila Matthews Okome - Podcaster, marketer
Nicaila Matthews Okome is the creator and host of "Side Hustle Pro," the first and only podcast to spotlight bold, black women entrepreneurs who have scaled from side hustle to profitable business. Full bio
Nicaila Matthews Okome is the creator and host of "Side Hustle Pro," the first and only podcast to spotlight bold, black women entrepreneurs who have scaled from side hustle to profitable business. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
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I can't think of anyone
who just has one interest in life,
who just has one interest in life,
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and that's all they want to do
for the rest of their life.
for the rest of their life.
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[The Way We Work]
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Around 15 percent of American workers
don't have traditional full-time jobs.
don't have traditional full-time jobs.
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They're half-time, part-time,
contract workers or temps.
contract workers or temps.
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The term "side hustle"
just seems to fit with this ethos
just seems to fit with this ethos
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where people are putting together
a few different things to make a living.
a few different things to make a living.
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The word "side hustle" has its roots
in popular African American newspapers.
in popular African American newspapers.
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In the 1920s, these papers
used the word "hustle"
used the word "hustle"
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to refer to some kind of scam.
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By the 1950s, they were
using "side hustle"
using "side hustle"
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to refer to legitimate work, too.
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A side hustle is a little different
than a second job.
than a second job.
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A second job is about necessity.
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While a side hustle can certainly
bring in extra income,
bring in extra income,
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it's a little more aspirational.
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Side hustle captures a certain kind
of scrappy, entrepreneurial spirit.
of scrappy, entrepreneurial spirit.
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I've interviewed more than
100 women of color
100 women of color
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on Side Hustle Pro
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who started successful side hustles.
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Nailah Ellis-Brown started
Ellis Island Tea out of her trunk.
Ellis Island Tea out of her trunk.
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Arsha Jones started her famous
Capital City Co Mambo Sauce
Capital City Co Mambo Sauce
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with one product and a PayPal link.
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All these women are running side hustles.
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What exactly does this tell us?
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First, that people are seeing opportunity
within their communities.
within their communities.
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The goal here isn't necessarily
to be the next Coca-Cola or Google.
to be the next Coca-Cola or Google.
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Scale is great, but there's also beauty
in a successful business
in a successful business
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that's built for a specific audience.
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Second, people are increasingly interested
in being their own boss.
in being their own boss.
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Being your own boss takes discipline.
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Self-made millionaires tend to have
one big trait in common:
one big trait in common:
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they make decisions,
hold themselves accountable
hold themselves accountable
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and push through
in the face of challenges.
in the face of challenges.
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A side hustle is a great way
to try out being your own boss
to try out being your own boss
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and see if you have those skills
before fully stepping out on your own.
before fully stepping out on your own.
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Third, people are multipassionate.
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I want to stress that not every
side hustle is started
side hustle is started
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because someone hates their job.
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Many are started simply
because people are interested
because people are interested
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in lots of different things.
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Lisa Price, who started a hair
and beauty company, Carol's Daughter,
and beauty company, Carol's Daughter,
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was working in television production
when she started side-hustling.
when she started side-hustling.
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She says she actually loved her job.
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It was the fact that she came home
every day feeling good
every day feeling good
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that led her to start experimenting
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with making fragrances
and hair oils in her kitchen.
and hair oils in her kitchen.
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We're always being taught
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that we're supposed to know
what we want to do when we grow up.
what we want to do when we grow up.
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But when you're multipassionate,
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you want to dip and dabble
in those different things.
in those different things.
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It doesn't mean that you're not
committed to your job,
committed to your job,
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it just means that you have
other outlets that bring you joy.
other outlets that bring you joy.
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And that brings me to the final thing
the side hustle revolution shows us:
the side hustle revolution shows us:
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people want to make a bet on themselves.
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Side hustles are appealing
because it's easier to take that chance
because it's easier to take that chance
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when you have some kind
of income coming in.
of income coming in.
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Even if a side hustle doesn't take off,
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it's still an investment in yourself.
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Forty-one percent of millennials
who have a side hustle
who have a side hustle
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say they've shared this information
with their employers.
with their employers.
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They're not worried about
their managers reacting negatively.
their managers reacting negatively.
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They recognize all the learning and growth
that comes with running a side hustle.
that comes with running a side hustle.
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Everyone is looking to feel fulfilled.
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Thirty-eight percent of baby boomers feel
some kind of regret about their career.
some kind of regret about their career.
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No one wants that.
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The truth is that there are
many different ways to find happiness
many different ways to find happiness
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through what we do.
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Side hustles are about embracing that hope
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that we can be the ones
making the decisions
making the decisions
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in how we spend our work lives.
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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Nicaila Matthews Okome - Podcaster, marketerNicaila Matthews Okome is the creator and host of "Side Hustle Pro," the first and only podcast to spotlight bold, black women entrepreneurs who have scaled from side hustle to profitable business.
Why you should listen
Launched in 2016, Nicaila Matthews Okome's podcast Side Hustle Pro has been named "the perfect entrepreneurship podcast" by Mashable, amassing more than one million downloads and a loyal social media following of more than 50,000 aspiring entrepreneurs.
Matthews Okome is also the Founder of Side Hustle Pro, LLC, a podcasting and marketing agency that shines a light on untold narratives. She works intensively with emerging podcasters to create and launch their own podcasts, grow their influence through targeted social media marketing, and build a profitable business.
Born in Jamaica and raised in the Bronx, Matthews Okome is an alumna of the University of Pennsylvania (BA) and the University of Michigan (MBA). Her professional experience spans digital marketing, ad sales and social media strategy for NPR, Google, MTV Networks and more.
Nicaila Matthews Okome | Speaker | TED.com