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Gen Z are done with school. They are also done waiting for a saviour and are now chasing the bag themselves. They hold jobs and they look good doing them.
But most remain in search of extra cash to stay afloat, ensure bills are paid, or to fund the ‘soft life’ dream.
Beyond corporate baddies, here are a few innovative ways young people are making some extra cash on the side;
TikTok live content creation
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Nearly every Gen Z is on TikTok. Some are cashing in on the ‘Live’ feature and in the process are not only growing their following, but also their pockets.
TikTok’s ‘Live’ feature allows users to send gifts to their favourite content creator ranging from $0.01 (Sh1.30) to $562.48 (Sh72,908.44) at once.
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Custom apparel and merchandise
You’ve seen them. You’re scrolling through Instagram, then a silhouette of KICC appears, but it’s on a t-shirt. Or you see your name in bold, but it’s on a mug. Or a picture of a cat, but it’s on a hoodie.
Young entrepreneurs are cashing in by offering you, the consumer, the chance to have your picture, your favourite landmark, your favourite saying or even your signature printed on an item of your choice, such as clothing, a pen or a cup.
This is all done online, from ordering to mailing the finished product, allowing entrepreneurs to pursue a career.
Podcasting with friends
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It’s not uncommon to have a 9-5 on the weekdays and a podcast with friends on the weekend. The upside is that you stand to make money simply for holding ‘fire’ conversations with your friends, as this generates listenership and, in turn, increases revenue generation.
The downside is that professional podcast equipment can be quite pricey, and it could take a while to make a profit as the audience grows.
Social media management
Gen Z has mastered every corner of the internet. So much, that some have now taken up managing the social media pages of their favourite small businesses.
This obviously requires meeting with the heads of these organisations and getting authorisation but once that’s out of the way, social media managers can focus purely on driving up the online traffic of these organisations even from the comfort of their homes.
Honourable mention: Photography and short-form videos
Even though this would require a lot of movement, picking up photography and videography can be a relatively affordable side hustle.
In the age of the smartphone and technological innovation, one can simply purchase a tripod, hook up their phone and offer their services to a range of clientele, from individual clients to events as big as wedding photoshoots.
Whatever your 9-5 is, Gen Zs are showing us that the hustle never sleeps, and neither do their dreams.