How to make money online:
With the economy in turmoil and layoffs making headlines, it’s a question many people are asking right now, as they seek out new income streams. But the smartest people know that making money online is a great way to release you from the 9-to-5 and give you the freedom to travel the world or live anywhere you like.
Take Rita Ting-Hopper, an immigrant from Hong Kong who was the first in her family to go to college. The former lawyer is the founder of Festi, a new consumer tech startup that helps people share and monetize their talents—from yoga and dance instructors hosting classes on Zoom while they are traveling to stay-at-home moms offering backyard yoga classes to celebrity chefs creating unique culinary experiences.
According to Ting-Hopper, the ideas are endless and some users have made over $30,000. “We’ve learned that following your passion can lead to self-employment instead of unemployment,” she says Festi is just one example of the new online economy that I’ve been documenting over the past few years (you can see the reports from :2022, 2021, 2020 and 2019). For 2023, I went wide with ideas that range from basic to surprising.
1. Convert your passion into money
A tool to help support the creator economy and the gig economy, Festi is an easy, fast and free way to earn money. Using Festi’s payment platform, creators can charge for online classes from anywhere at any time. “For example, if you are a fitness instructor and realize you have an hour to work out at the end of the day (or the next morning), you can post a pop-up workout (in person or on Zoom) and charge people to join you,” says founder Rita Ting-Hopper. Two of the top users are Bolivian sisters Jaz and Gabriela, who post high-intensity dance fitness classes. “With Festi, you can turn any idea into a business by posting your offer in literally minutes,” says Ting-Hopper. “There is no need to create a website, figure out a payment system or chase down Venmos to get paid.”
2. Make music
Have some musical talent? Check out Songfinch, which makes it possible for anyone to earn money by writing and producing music. Founded in 2016, Songfinch is backed by big industry names including The Weeknd, Quincy Jones and Doja Cat. Here’s how it works: People can order a personalized one-of-a-kind song from a Songfinch artist, from birthday jingles to holiday tunes to anniversary odes. The songwriters work on their own timeline and retain the full rights to everything they create. Some Songfinch artists have been able to earn up to $80,000 in one year.
3. Become a virtual assistant
As a virtual assistant, you can offer administrative, technical or creative services to clients from the comfort of your own home. And guess what—it pays well. You can find virtual assistant job opportunities through websites like Flexjobs, 24/7 Virtual Assistants and Fancy Hands.
4. Write a book
Whether you’re burning to pen the next great American novel or just have an idea for an e-book that will teach someone how to do something, it’s easier to write a book than you think. Gone are the days of agents and book publishers. These days, self-publishing has become simple and profitable, thanks to sites like Barnes & Noble Press (a free service that lets you sell print or ebooks to millions of readers), Blurb (which helps you create, print and sell professional-quality photo books) and Lulu (a print-on-demand platform with free tools to help create, publish and sell your story).
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