A Simple Household Chore Turned Into a Side Hustle — Now She Earns Up to $24,000 Per Month Christian Sanya, 44, was working as a medical laboratory technologist in 2019 when she discovered a side gig that would change her life.
By Amanda Breen Edited by Jessica Thomas
Today, anyone looking to earn some extra cash outside of their 9-5 can choose from a near-endless list of side hustles. Drive for Uber or Lyft. Rent your spare room on Airbnb. Tutor over Zoom. Sell products on Etsy. And on and on.
It's hardly surprising: Americans have been more inclined to secure an additional income stream than ever before amid inflation. Forty-four percent report having a side hustle (up 5% from 2020), and 43% say they need the extra money to pay their primary expenses or bills, according to a recent LendingTree survey.
Related: Retirees Earn Up to $20,000 Per Month With One Side Hustle
In 2019, Maryland woman Christian Sanya was one of those side-hustlers. Sanya was working as a medical laboratory technologist, picking up shifts with Uber and Instacart in her spare time when she landed on another intriguing opportunity to make money — Poplin, formerly known as SudShare, a nationwide on-demand laundry delivery service.
Starting work with Poplin is simple. You sign up for an account to accept jobs in your area; pick up your customers' laundry; wash, dry and fold it; and return it the next day. Then get paid through the app. Sanya, 44, tells BIZ Experiences she made $300-$400 per week on average with Poplin.
But Sanya had her sights set on an even more lucrative possibility: opening her own laundromat. It was always one of her goals, she says, and the extra income from Poplin helped make it a reality.
Sanya opened her laundromat last September and saw up to $24,000 in monthly revenue within the first five months.
And the side hustle that started it all continues to play an important role. Sanya "still very much enjoys" working with Poplin — and has even incorporated it into her business model.
Related: 44 Side Hustle Ideas to Make Extra Money in 2023 | BIZ Experiences
Any side hustler or aspiring BIZ Experiences can take a page out of Sanya's playbook for success, but her journey hasn't been without some challenges. One of the biggest hurdles? "Finding employees that love doing laundry just as much as I do," she quips.
