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 job that strengthened my capability to problem-solve below stress, talk clearly and build trust with folks in high-stress conditions. Whereas I discovered the work significant, I wished a brand new problem that offered flexibility and the chance to use my expertise in several 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 option to take management of my schedule and leverage my present experience. My dad and mom owned a building firm, and my mother instilled in me the assumption that I might study and do something I set my thoughts to. Lengthy earlier than DIY grew to become a development, she was tackling residence enchancment tasks herself, displaying me firsthand that girls can do something! She made positive I knew the best way to use energy instruments, paint and tackle residence tasks with confidence. What began as a option to apply these expertise 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 targeted 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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For those who might return in your small business journey and alter one course of or method, what wouldn’t it be, and the way do you want you’d performed it in another way?
Two issues stand out: Optimizing my scheduling. Early on, I wasted loads 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. After I first began, I did not understand the potential well being dangers of drilling into plaster, significantly in older properties 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 loads of dangerous stuff in building supplies that I would fairly not breathe in.
In relation to this particular enterprise, what’s one thing you have discovered significantly difficult and/or stunning that individuals who get into this kind of work ought to be ready for however doubtless aren’t?
Some of the ignored challenges is asking the fitting questions upfront. The extra data I collect earlier than a job — resembling wall sort, shopper expectations and any potential obstacles — the smoother the job goes. This additionally helps keep away from pointless journeys to Dwelling Depot mid-task for a novel software or {hardware}.
Are you able to recall a particular occasion when one thing went very fallacious — how did you repair it?
As with all hands-on work, you by no means really know what you are up towards till you get to the duty and consider what you are working with. Scoping the duty forward of time can solely get you to this point; surprises can and can inevitably occur. What units me aside is my capability 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, after all, by performing each job with that very same non-negotiable dedication, I am ready 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?
After I first began, I had no opinions and set a decrease hourly fee to build demand. I took on each job accessible, working lengthy hours to achieve momentum. Inside a month or two, I used to be constantly booked, and by the third month, I had a transparent concept of my revenue potential. Initially, I made round $2,000 per 30 days, working what felt like 24/7. However that hustle paid off; I constructed my popularity, gained lots of of opinions and referrals and was in a position to scale my enterprise considerably in a comparatively brief time period. Now, I can get pleasure from a work-life steadiness with my experience fetching a extra substantial hourly fee, and I can schedule break day to understand my onerous work.
What does progress and income appear to be now?
Taskrabbit has been a useful supply of revenue that I have been in a position to scale up or down based mostly on my targets over the past three years. At instances, I’ve labored full-time, finishing 40-45 duties per 30 days, which equates to 70-80 hours of labor. The platform offers the flexibleness to tackle as a lot or as little as you need, making it an awesome possibility for these trying to construct a enterprise on their very own phrases. I will usually earn round $3,500-4,500 a month once I’m working “full-time” at 60-80 hours a month.
How a lot time do you spend engaged on your small business on a each 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 to be prematurely. I normally mark myself as accessible and look ahead to bookings. In contrast to 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 fulfill associates or get pleasure from a relaxed break day. Seasonal demand additionally performs a job — busy durations like Amazon Prime Day, Black Friday and the vacations carry in additional duties. My advertising and marketing primarily occurs by way of word-of-mouth and shopper referrals. The sport-changer for me was once 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 get pleasure from most about operating this enterprise?
I really like seeing a undertaking by way of from begin to end, however my shoppers are the true cause I get pleasure from this work a lot. I’ve had the possibility to fulfill and assist so many unbelievable folks, and I take satisfaction in making their lives simpler. Nothing beats a contented shopper who refers a good friend as a result of that they had an awesome expertise with me.
What’s your greatest piece of particular, actionable enterprise recommendation?
Particularly for girls excited by related work, my recommendation is:
1. Begin inside your consolation zone however push your self to develop — studying new expertise has allowed me to tackle higher-value duties.
2. Put money into 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 the rest.
4. Do not be intimidated: Simply get began. Each professional was as soon as a newbie, and one of the simplest ways to construct confidence is thru hands-on expertise. Abilities will be discovered, however dedication, problem-solving and a willingness to determine issues out as you go will take you far.
Take each alternative to study as a result of even small jobs matter. Smaller duties build confidence, refine your expertise and lay the muse for larger alternatives. Each job teaches one thing new, and the extra expertise you achieve, the sooner you may develop into higher-value work.
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