This Side Hustle highlight Q&A features content creator and actress Alyssa McKay, 24. McKay Co-Founder Beyond being loststreetwear brand offering tracksuit sets with unique embroidery and rhinestones in December 2021 and has since surpassed $1 million in sales. Responses have been edited for length and clarity.
Image credit: Courtesy of Beyond Lost. Alyssa McKay.
What was your day job or major occupation when you began working on the side?
Growing up in Portland, I worked at a local yogurt shop and paid my way through college at Portland State University, where I earned a bachelor’s degree in communications. For the past five years, I have been a full-time content creator and actress.
When did you begin your side business and where did you discover the inspiration for it?
Three years ago (almost to the day), my management team and I at The Network Effect launched the streetwear brand Beyond Lost. My team and I are huge fans of streetwear and we knew there was room for innovation. We desired to create a brand that was each prime quality and accessible. We also desired to open communication between my audience on social media platforms and involve them in all each day processes.
What were the first steps you took to interrupt away from the game?
Even before our first exclusive drop, I asked my audience (especially on Snapchat) what they liked and what they didn’t like: colours, design, cut, etc. We had to verify our hunches before we put our first design into production. I post between 150 and 300 pieces of content on Snapchat every day. Part of this narrative is to take this particular community on a behind-the-scenes journey from inception, through project completion, delivery and release.
What were the biggest challenges you faced in building your side team and how did you overcome them?
What was most vital in our endeavor was what we call “owning the process.” Rather than outsourcing features or elements of our business to third parties or agencies, we own and operate ourselves. We all contribute to projects, work directly with manufacturers, provide quality control, manage relationships with our creator ambassadors, analyze all backend analytics and financials, and work directly with social platforms on best practices and optimizations (to call a few). While building this infrastructure was a challenge, understanding the ins and outs of building a modern “creator-led business” turned out to be a blessing.
Image credit: Courtesy of Beyond Lost
How long did it take for you to realize stable monthly income? How much did the side hustle earn?
We sold out the first drop inside hours. From there we were off to the races. As we end 2024, we’re excited to report that we have now achieved over $1 million in gross revenue (taking into account prime quality and low volume), all without spending a dollar on marketing or paid social media.
What does growth and revenue appear to be today?
More frequent declines will increase our revenues. However, we very fastidiously tried all the pieces at least two to 5 times until the quality was right. With this in mind, we intend to double the number of recent products in 2025. Since launch, we have been extremely tactical, building an authentic, quality brand that speaks to and with our audience.
What do you enjoy most about this side hustle?
Running such a business gives satisfaction on many levels. What makes me most pleased is the direct positive feedback we receive. Our monthly returning customer rate ranges from 40% to even 70% month after month. It’s very rewarding that individuals not only buy one of our products, but come back to buy again. This means we are definitely doing something right.
Image credit: Courtesy of Beyond Lost
What is your advice to others who want to begin their very own successful side hustle?
I learned a lot while building Beyond Lost. Here are some necessary takeaways: First, make sure you are working with the right people. I have been working with my team at The Network Effect for the last five years and we have an incredible level of collaboration and trust. Second, take a moment to enjoy the ride and rejoice your victories (each big and small). After all, ideas are just ideas until they are implemented.
This article is a part of our ongoing Young Entrepreneur® series highlighting the stories, challenges and triumphs of being… young business owner.