“I’ve got to say it was really cool getting a business card from Jamie Raskin … I met him, and I thought that was just a really cool connection,” senior Evyia Makrodimitri said. After winning the flyer design contest for the Wheaton Arts Parade, she was awarded a spot as a vendor alongside professional artists at the fair. There she represented the beauty of the arts and showed first-hand the success and impact that a student-led business can make.
Students are already involved in numerous all-consuming tasks, between an immense amount of studying, extracurriculars and homework. But ones who want to get a taste of working in the real world often opt to engage in what are known as “passion projects” or “side hustles” that allow them to break away from the rut of school, learn life skills and focus on their talents.
From baking delectable treats, to spending Friday nights tutoring kids, a student side hustle can be small or extensive. However, the most interesting part of these businesses isn’t just their impact, but the journeys of their student founders and their hard work, creativity and determination throughout.
While some side hustles are started with the goal of making profit, others begin from a hobby turned business. This is the case for Makrodimitri, a freelance artist who has done commissions, self-publishing of books, stickers and even booths at art festivals. “I think I always knew I was going to do something with my art, but I never really saw it as becoming a business,” she said. “I think it’s really in the last few years, I’ve decided to start making it a business as I’m seeing what careers are like in the arts.”
Makrodimitri has made money by being a freelance artist since 2021, but only recently established herself as a fully-fledged art business by using her official name. “Recently, I was a vendor at the Wheaton Arts Parade, and I started using my Instagram username as my brand name, evyiart, … that’s when I really started making my business have a brand for itself.” Makrodimitri’s official page expresses a medley of colors, showing her unique art style and adaptations of classical books, ranging from pencil, to marker and even digital creations.
Throughout managing her business, Makrodimitri mentioned the various organizational and marketing skills she picked up in her journey. “I realize a lot of the time I spend making art is by myself and consulting myself and my own thoughts and stuff, but once I have to move into marketing my art, I have to learn about how advertising works, how confidently talking to a potential buyer works and … it took me a second to gain that confidence,” Makrodimitri said.
When talking about the little known facts about having a side hustle, Makrodimitri referred to the opportunities and rewarding aspects, highlighting some special moments in her journey. “It’s really gratifying to go to my local printer in Kensington, he’s been helping my family print stuff for generations, and …seeing all the stuff I’ve worked on my tablet there and printed, it’s just really gratifying.”
A major aspect of a side hustle that aids in proving its impact and success, is how it affects and gives back to the community. Through the tutoring side business she started this year, freshman Aanan Rana does just this, practicing the skill of teaching while simultaneously having a positive impact on fellow students.
“I tutor kids, my orthodontist has 2 daughters, one is in 7th grade, and one is in 5th grade, and I tutor them often as well as others too,” Rana said. Even though students often learn and comprehend topics well, teaching and passing down that knowledge takes an extra step. Therefore, even if one is engaging in past material, it requires a re-wiring of the brain and an understanding of how a student’s mind works.
Rana mainly centered around two speVisit Sitecific points one has to be aware of when embarking on such a task: communication and organization. “Communication because I’m helping someone with topics that I haven’t learned in 3 years and you’re re-teaching it to someone so it really helps with explaining,” Rana said. Organization, on the other hand, plays a crucial role by not only helping with lesson and session planning, but balancing her side hustle with academic responsibilities.
From the skills Rana has gained to the confidence she has built, her business has been more than just another side hustle. It has combined personal development, alongside community contribution and a learning platform, serving as a reminder that even the smallest ventures can lead to personal growth.
As a freshman in high school, Crystal Liu set a goal by launching her own baking business, called “CL Baked Goods.” What had become a small interest for her, had quickly turned into something big. “A few years ago I had really gotten into baking and I found my love for baking, which is basically why I wanted to start,” Liu said. With the support from her family and friends, she was able to create a whole menu of delectable treats for others to enjoy. More than just a business, Liu’s purpose goes outside the realm of providing desserts. “I started my business because I wanted to raise money for kids with cancer and donate for ST. Jude hospital,” she said.
Liu’s inspiration for starting a business was due to her exposure of seeing other entrepreneurs, with her passion for baking bolstering it along. “I used a lot of social media, like Instagram. I also told a lot of friends about my business so they’re aware,” Liu said. Like other small businesses, she promotes on Instagram, with her account, clbakedgoods, being dedicated to posting images of her treats and various updates.
Balancing school, along with a side hustle is never easy. That’s why Liu’s efficient usage in a to-do list comes in handy at all times. “I have a school and home to-do list, and I write in it everyday so I know what I have to do each day, so I won’t get super overwhelmed,” Liu said. Even though slower and struggling times are also always present, Liu encourages others with a similar dream to not shy away from pursuing it. “I would say just go for it, and do not look back because you’ll regret it, and just start because there’s no perfect time to start.”
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