This Facet Hustle Highlight Q&A options Marisa Risden, 32, of Denver, Colorado. Risden has constructed a versatile, thriving enterprise finishing historically male-dominated jobs on Taskrabbit. Responses have been edited for size and readability.
Picture Credit score: Courtesy of Taskrabbit. Marisa Risden.
What was your day job or main occupation while you began your facet hustle?
Earlier than Taskrabbit, I spent 9 years in public service as a 9-1-1 dispatcher, a task that strengthened my skill to problem-solve underneath stress, talk clearly and construct belief with individuals in high-stress conditions. Whereas I discovered the work significant, I needed a brand new problem that supplied flexibility and the chance to use my abilities in numerous methods.
When did you begin your facet hustle, and the place did you discover the inspiration for it?
I moved out west in 2020 and, in 2022, found Taskrabbit as a solution to take management of my schedule and leverage my current experience. My mother and father owned a building firm, and my mother instilled in me the assumption that I may be taught and do something I set my thoughts to. Lengthy earlier than DIY turned a pattern, she was tackling residence enchancment tasks herself, exhibiting me firsthand that ladies can do something! She made certain I knew the way to use energy instruments, paint and tackle residence tasks with confidence. What began as a solution to apply these abilities quickly developed right into a specialised enterprise providing superior mounting and minor electrical work, combining technical precision with problem-solving to ship high-quality installations for my shoppers.
What have been a few of the first steps you took to get your facet hustle off the bottom?
Initially, I centered on tasks inside my talent set, however as I gained expertise, I expanded into extra technical providers like electrical fixture installations and superior mounting — duties usually assumed to be dominated by males. Taskrabbit has allowed me to ascertain a extremely rated, in-demand service enterprise the place repeat shoppers belief me for precision, reliability and experience.
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In case you may return in your enterprise journey and alter one course of or method, what wouldn’t it be, and the way do you want you’d completed it otherwise?
Two issues stand out: Optimizing my scheduling. Early on, I wasted lots of time driving forwards and backwards between Denver and Boulder for a number of duties in a single day. Now, I proactively ask shoppers if they’ve the flexibility to change time slots with others, permitting me to streamline my route. Studying to ask for changes has been a game-changer.
I would even be extra cautious with plaster partitions. Once I first began, I did not understand the potential well being dangers of drilling into plaster, significantly in older houses the place asbestos could also be current. Plaster was generally used earlier than the Nineteen Seventies, and publicity to asbestos mud poses well being dangers. Now, I all the time put on an N99 drywall masks whatever the materials I am working with — there’s lots of dangerous stuff in building supplies that I would fairly not breathe in.
In the case of this particular enterprise, what’s one thing you have discovered significantly difficult and/or stunning that individuals who get into such a work ought to be ready for however doubtless aren’t?
One of the vital neglected challenges is asking the fitting questions upfront. The extra info I collect earlier than a job — equivalent to wall kind, consumer expectations and any potential obstacles — the smoother the job goes. This additionally helps keep away from pointless journeys to Residence Depot mid-task for a singular software or {hardware}.
Are you able to recall a selected occasion when one thing went very unsuitable — how did you repair it?
As with all hands-on work, you by no means actually know what you are up in opposition to till you get to the duty and consider what you are working with. Scoping the duty forward of time can solely get you thus far; surprises can and can inevitably occur. What units me aside is my skill to pivot and problem-solve on the spot. All through my years of tasking, I’ve discovered that my dedication to precision and triple-checking my work earlier than executing has been integral to stopping errors. And, in fact, by performing each job with that very same non-negotiable dedication, I am in a position to make sure that my work is finished proper each time and, most significantly, that my shoppers are glad.
How lengthy did it take you to see constant month-to-month income? How a lot did the facet hustle earn?
Once I first began, I had no opinions and set a decrease hourly charge to construct demand. I took on each job accessible, working lengthy hours to realize momentum. Inside a month or two, I used to be persistently booked, and by the third month, I had a transparent thought of my earnings potential. Initially, I made round $2,000 per 30 days, working what felt like 24/7. However that hustle paid off; I constructed my fame, gained tons of of opinions and referrals and was capable of scale my enterprise considerably in a comparatively quick time frame. Now, I can take pleasure in a work-life steadiness with my experience fetching a extra substantial hourly charge, and I can schedule time without work to understand my arduous work.
What does progress and income appear like now?
Taskrabbit has been a precious supply of earnings that I have been capable of scale up or down based mostly on my targets over the past three years. At occasions, I’ve labored full-time, finishing 40-45 duties per 30 days, which equates to 70-80 hours of labor. The platform offers the pliability to tackle as a lot or as little as you need, making it an amazing possibility for these trying to construct a enterprise on their very own phrases. I will sometimes earn round $3,500-4,500 a month after I’m working “full-time” at 60-80 hours a month.
How a lot time do you spend engaged on your enterprise on a day by day, weekly or month-to-month foundation?
Taskrabbit operates on a client-request mannequin, that means I do not all the time know what my week will appear like prematurely. I normally mark myself as accessible and look ahead to bookings. Not like a conventional job with set days off, I construction my downtime round my bookings. For instance, if I solely have a morning job scheduled, I’d take the afternoon off to satisfy associates or take pleasure in a relaxed break day. Seasonal demand additionally performs a task — busy durations like Amazon Prime Day, Black Friday and the vacations convey in additional duties. My advertising primarily occurs by word-of-mouth and consumer referrals. The sport-changer for me was after I began asking for opinions each time earlier than leaving a job — the vast majority of my shoppers do not thoughts taking a couple of minutes to share their experiences.
What do you take pleasure in most about working this enterprise?
I really like seeing a venture by from begin to end, however my shoppers are the true motive I take pleasure in this work a lot. I’ve had the prospect to satisfy and assist so many unimaginable individuals, and I take pleasure in making their lives simpler. Nothing beats a contented consumer who refers a buddy as a result of they’d an amazing expertise with me.
What’s your finest piece of particular, actionable enterprise recommendation?
Particularly for ladies fascinated with comparable work, my recommendation is:
1. Begin inside your consolation zone however push your self to develop — studying new abilities has allowed me to tackle higher-value duties.
2. Spend money on high quality instruments — having the fitting tools makes any job extra environment friendly {and professional}.
3. Professionalism units you aside — shoppers prioritize experience, communication and reliability over anything.
4. Do not be intimidated: Simply get began. Each knowledgeable was as soon as a newbie, and the easiest way to construct confidence is thru hands-on expertise. Abilities will be realized, however willpower, problem-solving and a willingness to determine issues out as you go will take you far.
Take each alternative to be taught as a result of even small jobs matter. Smaller duties construct confidence, refine your abilities and lay the inspiration for larger alternatives. Each job teaches one thing new, and the extra expertise you achieve, the quicker you will develop into higher-value work.
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