An alternative version of the headline could be: "A 50-year-old's side hustle in their backyard generates up to $8,400 monthly: 'Everyone has the potential to do this'."

Elizabeth Morosani wakes up at 5 a.m., puts on her sun sleeves and spends three hours on a John Deere lawn mower.

She has transformed 11 acres of her land, which is spread across three properties in Asheville, North Carolina, into private dog parks. She leases out the areas to local pet owners through an Airbnb-style platform called Sniffspot.

Sniffspot hosts rent out their backyards, including Morosani, who rents out parts of her 108-acre farm to board horses. She makes a majority of her personal income from this side hustle and has four dogs. She started her business just to connect with nearby pet owners in November 2020.

The side hustle generated $7,100 in monthly revenue during the first half of 2024, with May bringing in $8,400. Morosani states that about half of these earnings are profit. Sniffspot takes approximately 25% in commissions and fees, and the rest is used for maintaining the dog parks.

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Morosani, who spends six to eight hours weekly on the platform, has used her earnings to hire an assistant, purchase a $6,500 lawn mower, and cover expenses for fostering up to 14 dogs at a time, she states.

"Morosani, 50, tells CNBC Make It that he didn't expect his business to be as popular and successful as it is. He says that it has allowed him to earn money and be more aggressive in helping local humane societies. If you have space and the ability to provide a private experience to individual dog owners, there is definitely room for everyone to do this."

She describes her process for establishing and maintaining her side hustle, as well as her plans for expanding it in the future.

A use for open acres of land

Morosani's professional life centers around her farm, where she manages horses and occasionally sells goats. Additionally, she serves as a dressage technical delegate for the United States Equestrian Federation, acting as a horse show referee.

In 2014, she and her husband, a dentist, purchased 40 acres of the farm, and in 2019, they bought the remaining 68 acres. Although they didn't utilize most of their land, Morosani wanted to alter that. As an Asheville native, she recognized that the city's increasing number of apartment complexes was exceeding the number of dog parks.

In 2020, she discovered Sniffspot from a segment on ABC News' "Good Morning America". Currently, her most popular rental location is a four-acre plot in Fletcher, North Carolina, which her father leased to her in late 2022. It's an old airstrip that Morosani and her husband built a fence around, and it had its first reservation within 30 minutes of opening.

The private, flat plot with a small creek running through it is easily accessible to visitors coming from out of town, as it is located near the highway, according to Morosani.

The grass now covers almost the entire asphalt, which was previously used for farming and model planes. There are no umbrellas or mini pools, but you may find a doggy teeter-totter and some weave poles, according to Morosani.

A couple keys to success

Anyone seeking to rent out their backyards as private dog parks must adhere to Morosani's two rules.

Instead of purchasing expensive dog toys and accessories, "I placed Adirondack chairs from Lowe's, believing they could provide shade for people," she remarks. However, several of them were found in ditches and near a creek, she adds.

"Most clients appreciate the freedom their dogs have from societal expectations and other dogs, which enables them to enjoy the outdoors," she explains.

Morosani inspects her dog parks with Ring cameras after every visit, ensuring guests don't leave behind too much debris. She communicates with her guests through Sniffspot messaging.

Morosani is leasing three more acres of land from her father in nearby Hendersonville for a fourth dog park, which will generate more revenue. The project is funded largely by her past Sniffspot earnings, costing $18,000 and taking nearly three months to level the ground, build a fence, and hydroseed it.

She aims to assist local dogs and their owners by including the expenses and additional effort in her objective.

"Morosani admits that reading positive reviews nearly brings them to tears. They recall a recent conversation where someone shared that their visit would be on their dog's final day on Earth. Owners have hosted birthday parties and invited all their friends, which makes Morosani feel like they are contributing to something meaningful."

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