The evolution of the side hustle, and the women who make it happen

TAKING RISKS

- MAYA JAGJIVAN KALICHARAN

“IT’S just something small, you know. I enjoy doing it, and it can help us buy odds and ends, and on rainy days at home.”

And with those words, countless side hustles were born.

Our grandmothers and mothers created magic with their bare hands — whether it was stitching that sari blouse to the perfect fit, or rolling round, butter-soft rotis, preparing freshly-made pickles that danced in your palate, and, of course, dishing out symmetrical samoosas, oozing with flavour and spices.

True to the cyclical nature of life, and with an inherent nurturing and entrepreneurial mindset, women today are also forging ahead with side hustles.

Amid the rising cost of living, a two-parent income sometimes falls short, so a side hustle becomes a necessity. It's what women juggle, along with their 9am to 5pm jobs, housework and children’s homework.

In other cases, the stay-at-home mom decides she wants to finally pursue her lifelong passion project, turning her side hustle into a flourishing entrepreneurial business.