Hi Reader, Nearly half of American workers now have multiple income streams. For many, it feels like the only way to stay afloat. Others are chasing the flexibility and control that side hustles promise. But there’s a catch. Gig work may offer freedom, but it can also stall careers, flatten pay, and leave people running on empty. We call it the Freedom Trap — and it’s a growing reality for millions in 2025. In our latest feature, we break down: Why gig work is booming right now The surprising...

Hey Reader, Side hustles today come with a lot of pressure — build a brand, grow an audience, scale to six figures. But what if that’s not the only way? Lately, more people are turning to a different kind of extra income: old-school W-2 jobs. We’re talking bookstore shifts, museum front desks, wine tasting rooms — low-lift, local gigs that offer steady pay and a break from the chaos of gig apps and freelancing. No self-employment tax. No chasing invoices. No late-night client emails. Just...

After her divorce, Melody Morton-Buckleair wanted something simpler — a way to work at her own pace, on her own land, without the overhead of a commercial lease. The answer was sitting in her backyard. She transformed a tiny home into a fully equipped Pilates studio, now netting $23K a year while keeping a part-time schedule. In our latest success story, Melody shares: Her exact startup costs (and how she avoided spending $20K on equipment) How she gets new clients without spending hours on...