This transcript was generated from the episode audio and may contain minor errors.
[Music]
From spreadsheets to secret shopping. In this week's first $1,000 segment, we're gonna hear from an accountant who turns her attention to detail and data collection skills into a side gig as a mystery shopping evaluator. This is fun because guess what? Long, long ago, in one of my early, early side hustle days, I did exactly this. Well, I wasn't an accountant.
I actually tried to study accounting in college and it didn't go very well. I changed to sociology. But I did do mystery shopping as a side hustle. It was really fun because I was super young. I was like 18 and 19.
And I got to go to all of these fancy restaurants. By fancy restaurants, I mean like Outback Steakhouse and Olive Garden, you know, like big chain restaurants. But for me, it was a big deal because I could spend a lot of money. Like you had to go and buy an appetizer and an entree, a main course and a dessert. And this was all just reimbursed.
It was incredible. I was like, wow, what a world. Just had to like write a little survey and make some notes and such. So I did this myself way back in the day. Let's hear the story of how Lyra was able to do it.
And I think she actually made more money from it than I did because I mostly got my meals reimbursed. I think there was a small payment each time, but I was just happy to eat for free. You know, I was 18, I was a college student. So maybe another time I'll tell you the story of, you know, my first 10 free meals. But for now, Lyra has the story of her first $1,000 in an actual business.
So it's not just free meals, she's getting paid. Let's hear it from her. I'll come back at the end with a few words of wrap up. [Music]
Hi, I'm Lyra. And by day I'm an accountant who spends a lot of time analyzing numbers and preparing reports.
Outside of my regular job, I found a side gig that adds some excitement to my routine and also brings in extra income. A few years ago, I started working as a mystery shopping evaluator and I've managed to keep doing it ever since. It started when I was looking for a way to make some extra money without taking on a second job that would eat up all of my free time. I came across an ad for mystery shopping and was intrigued. As an accountant, I'm used to paying close attention to details and gathering data, all skills that seem to fit perfectly with what mystery shopping required.
I decided to apply and was given a trial. My first assignment was evaluating the customer service at a local restaurant. The process was straightforward. I visited the restaurant, observed the staff's interactions, noted the cleanliness of the establishment and then wrote up a detailed report based on my experience. It was a lot of fun and I realized I could apply my accounting skills to this new context, ensuring that my reports were thorough and accurate.
After completing a few more assignments, I became more familiar with the process and started picking up more complex evaluations, such as visiting retail stores, banks, and even car dealerships. The work wasn't just about making observations, it was about being meticulous, collecting data in a structured way and providing feedback that businesses could actually use to improve their operations. I was surprised at how quickly the assignments added up. Each one paid anywhere from $20 to $150, depending on the complexity and the time required. Within a couple of months, I had earned my first $1,000 from mystery shopping.
I also found that it fit seamlessly into my schedule. Many assignments could be done in the evenings or on the weekends and the flexibility allowed me to take on as much or as little work as I wanted. Plus it added a bit of variety to my life. One day I might be evaluating a new retail store and the next I could be testing customer service at a bank. The extra income has been a nice supplement to my regular salary.
While I'm not looking to replace my full-time job, the additional $1,000 every couple of months from mystery shopping has been great for covering unexpected expenses or treating myself to something special. And because the work is enjoyable, it doesn't feel like a burden. Finally, all the meals I enjoy while on the job are reimbursed. In short, it's been a fun and profitable way to use my existing skills in a different context and I've gained a deeper appreciation for how businesses operate from the customer's perspective. [Music]
All right, all right, thank you to Lyra.
Thanks for sharing the story and thanks for giving me a little throwback there. I had completely forgotten all about this mystery shopping thing that I did long ago. I have no idea if the business I worked for at the time is still around, but there are many others. So perhaps some of our side hustlers will get inspired to go out there and try something like this themselves. Obviously you need this in lots of different areas or companies are looking for it in lots of different areas.
So listeners, I'm always encouraging you to try new things, come up with different ideas, pursue possibilities, just see what happens. You never know. If you have a question and update about your hustle, anything else, sidehustleschool.com. This was episode 2,865. Thanks for tuning in.
My name is Chris Guillebeau. You're listening to Side Hustle School. [Music]
From the Onward Project.
