This essay, as said, was based on an interview with Chisom Okwulehie, who founded a consulting agency Member of the Board as a side hustle while she was an worker of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. This piece has been edited for length and clarity.
In 2017, I began working at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, where I design and manage infrastructure projects. At the height of the pandemic in 2020, I had my first child and was told we would not get a merit-based pay raise at work, so I wanted to search out a strategy to complement my income. My father at all times told me and my siblings that if your spouse dies, it’s essential to give you the chance to cover the mortgage and support the family. I’m a supporter of income diversification.
So I began Juntero as an accessory for my husband. Now it is a corporation that we co-own, divided into two subsidiaries or studios: Juntero Design and Juntero Technology. My husband is the owner of Juntero Technology; I’m the owner of Juntero Design. Today, Juntero is a full-fledged design and technology company, but it began with me doing small projects on various platforms and charging fees as little as $20.
Back then, I watched a lot of YouTube tutorials to arrange and experiment with my various talents – website design, photo editing, graphic design, architectural design, and interior design. People willingly used my services in the field of architecture and interior design. Initially, I kept my prices low to build a portfolio and gather strong references. This credibility is the most significant currency and has helped me increase my visibility; for every 10 positive comments I’ll increase my hourly rate by $20. Eventually, I learned to not trade time for money and switched to fixed rates.
I made about $55,000 that yr and over $200,000 the next yr. Then in 2023 I crossed $400,000.
Then, at the end of 2021, I spotted I could not help as many clients as I wanted, so I needed to put my ego aside and trust other people. I began hiring other designers based on the design. These are not employees; they are performers. So as of 2022, I’ll outsource over 90% of the work. This helped me expand my business even further. I made about $55,000 that yr and over $200,000 the next yr. Then in 2023 I crossed $400,000.
At the Port Authority, my salary is $125,000. The net profits at Juntero itself are higher than my 9-5 salary, but I plan to stay on the Port Authority. Some people think I’m crazy, but I’m in the public student loan forgiveness program and I have three years left. Moreover, I learn a lot due to the knowledge of my colleagues.
Now that I’m not on the production side of Juntero, I spend more time on marketing and customer management. We have two payment structures: one-time payment model and subscription-based model. I spent a lot of time marketing the subscription model. This is an concept that got here to me last yr. One of my principal clients is a developer, so with the subscription model he pays a monthly rate and have access to our services for a range of tasks.
A marketer can hire a designer for $100,000 a yr or enroll for my service and see much more results. So this is a huge saving.
I actually like the subscription model because it’s a game changer: it allows corporations that do not have creative teams to enroll to the membership program and gain access to my creative team for a consistent product flow, whether it’s drawings or 3D models. It also helps these corporations scale their operations. One of my clients uses my renderings to consistently sell multi-million dollar homes at asking price. Under the subscription model, these corporations can employ five people for one person’s salary; for example, a marketer can hire a designer for $100,000 a yr or enroll for my service and see much more results. So this is a huge saving.
Diversifying your income is necessary, especially in this economy. You must plan for your future and retirement, but you’ll be able to’t rely on your 9-5. If you have patience, due diligence, and organizational skills, it’s best to give you the chance to search out ways to monetize your talents. Take the time to focus on your craft, but only do it if you adore it – because you do not need to face burnout.
This WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS® this text is part of our ongoing series highlighting the stories, challenges and triumphs of running a business as a woman.
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