Turning side hustles into a dream
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Photo illustration: Maura Losch/Axios. Photos courtesy of Jarrod Young
Jarrod Young set out to earn $100 per day for 100 days earlier this year by completing odd jobs all over town.
- He not only achieved his goal, but a life's dream in the process.
Catch up quick: The local native began his journey in August, signing up for odd jobs like moving furniture and mowing lawns to save up for a trip to his wife Boonsita's native Thailand.
The intrigue: After enjoying initial success, Young left his steady job at a mattress company to turn his side hustle into a full-time pursuit.
Why it matters: He started J Young Handyman LLC in September and registered for freelance labor service platforms like TaskRabbit.
- As the work grew more complicated, like the week-long repair of an entire deck, Young learned new skills and purchased better equipment.
- Most days, the $100 per day objective was cleared several times over.
- Young hired additional skilled workers this fall to handle the increased workload ā a major milestone for an entrepreneur at heart who always wanted to delegate and scale a business.
What he's saying: Young tells Axios he was able to afford the trip despite reinvesting some of his earnings into the new business.
- "I didn't come (to Thailand) with $10,000 in cash like I was hoping," he says. "But I came here with a business that has some assets."
The latest: The couple arrived in Thailand last month to visit Boonsita's home town of around 5,000 residents.
- The two now plan to stay in the capital city of Bangkok for a few months before returning to Columbus.
Yes, but: Young is still hard at work during his travels, organizing jobs and helping develop a company website and job booking app.
- Already looking ahead, he sees big money in snow removal and plans to ramp up his lawn care services next spring.
The bottom line: The initial three-month goal will, he hopes, end up being worth a lot more in the end.
