Side Hustle Bustle: How one woman made her stress relieving slime hobby a money maker
Side hustles come in all shapes and sizes, but the best thing about them is getting the opportunity to work on something that makes you happy. That’s how Sasha, of the super famous musical-themed @someotherslime Instagram account, found her own hustle.
What started as an outlet for stress and a way to connect with other work-at-home women, her slime account suddenly morphed into something much bigger, and became not only a source of income but an entry way into a welcoming and compassionate community.
Also one of my best friends, when I started thinking about women who work hard and love what they do, she was the first person that came to my mind. I watched this Instagram account grow from a passion to a business in less than a year. Here’s what she had to say about turning her hobby into a hustle.
What set you apart from other slime accounts when you first started? How do you continue to be unique?
Without a doubt, my mixing music videos were what first set me apart from others. That was the idea that got me attention, people had never seen videos done that way, so it was new and exciting—to me it was obvious! Music is my life, why wouldn’t I incorporate it this way? I think I continue to be seen as unique, because I’m unabashedly me. I don’t snag my ideas from the latest trend, I use things that are meaningful in my own life and find a way to connect them with my followers who have the same interests—regardless of demographic.
When did you realize you could make a profit off of what you were doing and how did that change the way you looked at your account?
I don’t think it changed the way I look at my account, but I realized it when one day I said, “I’m not sure what I’m going to do with all the slime made from these crazy videos…” and the immediate response from a number of followers (I had less than 5,000 at that time, mind you) was “I’ll buy it!” I said, “Whaaaat?!” But I put some slime up on my already existing etsy shop as a test one night, and sure enough…they bought it—and FAST.
What unique challenges have you faced and how did you overcome them?
The constant algorithm changes implemented by Instagram make it difficult to get our content seen sometimes. On any given day, only a small portion of those who follow me are shown my content on their feed organically—and that SUCKS. They followed me to see it, not to have it hidden from them! I try to overcome it by making videos that are interesting enough to hit the explore page and hopefully be seen by more folks.
What tips do you have for anyone that wants to turn a hobby into a side hustle?
Be unapologetically you, love the things you love and people will appreciate the authenticity. Also, don’t just do it to make money. Tons of people I know lately have seen the slime craze and said off-handedly, “Why did I go to college when I could just make a killing on slime?” And it certainly doesn’t work like that. Not everyone who makes slime sells that much, and people recognize those who got into it directly for profit over initial interest. So, I guess my short answer is—choose something you already love. That makes it so much easier.
What do you love most about the Slime community?
Without a doubt, the people. I’ve made some of the most amazing friends. They’ve filled my life with a level of joy, community, and warmth that I wasn’t getting elsewhere in my life at the time when I started my account. This may sound silly, because you’re thinking, “Isn’t it a bunch of 15 year olds?” Wrong. There’s a huge network of adults, I’m close to many of them, have even taken vacations with some! We’re close. And it’s amazing.
Also? The ability to be creative in new and unique ways on a daily basis. No one can tell me what I can or cannot post on my account. Sometimes I do crazy stuff and it works, sometimes it doesn’t. But it’s always fun.
You can check out all of Sasha’s slime videos by following her on Instagram.
3,255 Likes, 145 Comments - The Singing Slimer (@someotherslime) on Instagram: "‼️WARNING: LOUD MUSIC AND PURE 90s KID OBSCURE NOSTALGIA AHEAD‼️ * * This song is from the 1994..."
Know someone that would be a great fit for a Side Hustle Bustle? I’d love to hear about her. Send me an email at autumn@autumninny.com.
