Do you want to start a side hustle? More than half (54%) of Americans already have one, according to research from MarketWatchbut choosing between so many options can be overwhelming.
To keep it simple, enough hustler on the side take advantage of the skills they already have: cleaning, furniture assemblyTV mounting and just about everything in between.
of course starting a business from scratch is not easy, so many gig workers use third-party platforms such as Thumbtack OR task rabbitto market their services and connect with customers.
entrepreneur spoke to three people who built successful side rushes with Taskrabbit: Tom Saar, a former Starbucks employee with a moving business; Emely Cepeda, dental student who provides cleaning and organizing services; and Dan Weiss, a retired furniture assembler.
Related: How to start a multi-million dollar company, according to an IBM engineer turned founder
Read on to learn more about their journeys and secrets to success on the platform:
Tom Saar runs a moving business with Taskrabbit
In late 2020, Saar moved from Sweden to the US to pursue a computer science education. Saar settled in New York City and immediately noticed the abundance of moving trucks. After some research into the moving process revealed common pain points for customers, Saar saw an opportunity to do just that start a business that made it better.
Saar joined various concert platforms to offer his mobility services to clients, but Taskrabbit proved particularly profitable: As of June 2024, Sarr had completed more than 1,000 tasks on the platform in partnership with other tasks and earned over $70,000 in gross revenue during April alone .
Saar's Success Tip: “COMMUNICATION with your customers you need to be high on the list of things to become more effective. Customers don't want to be kept in the dark. If you are late for a meeting, keep them informed. If something goes wrong, be generous with refunds or compensation. This builds strong customer relationships. Finally, don't be afraid to fail. Failures are inevitable, but how you take responsibility for them and learn from them will set you apart and help you grow.”
Emely Cepeda cleans and organizes with Taskrabbit
Cepeda was in her second year as a full-time dental student when she started looking for ways to make extra money — and found Taskrabbit in August 2022. She wanted a gig that was flexible and no monthly fees so she could focus on her course load, and the platform provided just that.
Cepeda started it side hustle offering cleaning and organizing services on Taskrabbit. As of August 2024, Cepeda had earned more than $1,300 a month with the side hustle — and up to $500 a day for just a few hours of work, averaging $576 a month.
Cepeda's Success Tip: “You can make a lot of money on Taskrabbit if you put in the time and put to workas I have I also tend to work a lot during busy times of the year (like September moves, holiday seasons, etc.) because the need for Taskers is higher (and therefore I earn more). Use your time and resources wisely and you'll be set up for success in the long run. Take advantage of the time you have and make the tasks you take count.”
Dan Weiss assembles furniture with Taskrabbit
Dan Weiss, 79, managed a number of residential mortgage branches for a major bank before he retired. When he read a newspaper article about a young woman making money on Taskrabbit, he was intrigued and decided to start a side hustle assembling furniture on the platform.
It took about four or five months for Weiss' side hustle to become Taskrabbit profitablebut as of October 2024, he averaged $4,000 a month on the platform — all while working as much or as little as he wanted.
Weiss' success tip: “Be patient. Treat your customers with respect. Set your price according to your experience and customer base. Finally, do great work and be respectful and considerate.”