What It's About
An opera singer hits all the right notes as a home improvement contractor.
Business Model
Skills Required
Complexity
Profit Potential
Words of Wisdom
Try to get one to two clients as quickly as possible so you can get reviews, and then make your offerings as attractive as possible so you stand out more. And whenever possible, find a way to combine your job or skills with your side hustle to add a unique twist to your profile.
Fun Fact
The Practical Diva also offers classes in basic lighting and electrical, plumbing, drywall repair, and mounting applications. She can also teach you to sing, really—which is a win-win for all!
Notes from Chris
Episode 847
Taerra Pence came to New York City to live the stage artist and performer life. Starstruck by the bright lights of the Big Apple, she had high hopes of being an opera singer and performing on all over the city. But like many artists before her, she set out to get a waitressing job to support her while she pursued singing gigs and voice teaching work. Should be simple, right? But her confidence began to waver after receiving a steady stream of rejections. The final blow was when she applied for a job at the three-Michelin starred TGI Fridays in Times Square. She was turned down and left feeling like nobody would hire her. As the old saying goes, “If you build it, they will come,” so Taerra shifted her attention to what she could build with the skills she already had in her toolbox—literally. Because Taerra wasn’t just an Opera singing diva. Growing up in her home state of Virginia, Taerra knew her way around said toolbox, and she spent much of her free time helping her dad with remodeling projects. She took this as her cue, and The Practical Diva officially took to the stage! With $150, Taerra purchased some more tools and printed up some simple cards to hand out at hardware stores. In the beginning, she’d get hired to do odd jobs like hanging TVs and curtains—but she soon found herself rolling up her sleeves for more large-scale projects like remodeling bathrooms, replacing tile and countertops, and hanging light fixtures as well. Today, Taerra gets the majority of clients from HomeAdvisor and through an abundance of word of mouth referrals. But what really sets this diva apart? Taerra says that it’s the fact that she is a handy woman in a male-dominated field. She has found that women who hire her are oftentimes more comfortable having a hardworking diva in their home than a man. And Taerra has a great track record building this side hustle to a comfortable number as well. She earned about $14,000 in her first year, $36,000 her second year, and now is averaging about $4,000 a month in profits. With the move to HomeAdvisor, she was able to secure more high-quality jobs and income with fewer commitments. She started out with about 10 jobs a week and now averages 2-4 depending on the workload. Moving forward, Taerra has launched her own website for Practical Diva and is expanding her business to hire two more artists/performers to split her workload so she can focus more on her singing career. She’s intentionally choosing to hire within her industry because her goal is to change the conversation from “Starving Artist” to “Succeeding Artist.” As for her opera career, she still hopes to sing in concerts around the city and all over the world. There’s nothing but high notes for this Practical Diva!MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
- The Practical Diva: Learn more about Taerra's services and business on her website
- Thumbtack & TaskRabbit: Two of the platforms that Taerra used to list her services
- HomeAdvisor: The platform that really helped take Taerra's services and business to a new octave
- Yoga Teacher Cleans Up with Home Organizing Business: After attending a live podcast taping, this longtime side hustler starts a new project that helps people declutter while donating items to local refugees
- Operations Manager Manages to Make Heavy Furniture Light: A Maine university employee uses her logistical savvy to deliver IKEA enthusiasts their goods at greatly reduced rates
- Construction Company Owner Creates Gig Platform for Contractors: When he can’t find someone to help him install a TV, this former construction company owner sets out to create a platform that connects homeowners and contractors
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