'Being my own boss is what I love': 30-year-old reduced her income by half to pursue her side hustle full-time.

In 2023, Anna-Marie Ortiz was employed by a fintech startup and earned $60,000 annually while working remotely.

"She was content with her job, but uncertain about her future at the company. However, after realizing she couldn't rely on others' dreams, she decided to pursue her own," she said to CNBC Make It.

In July, Ortiz utilized her last $2,000 in savings to launch a cleaning company on the side. By November, she had made the business, Cool Aunt Cleaners, her full-time occupation.

Despite earning only $29,000 this year, which is a substantial reduction from her previous job, she is content with her decision to start her own business.

"Being my own boss gives me the freedom to choose my own path and establish a work environment that aligns with my beliefs."

Becoming an entrepreneur in her 20s

Cool Aunt Cleaners isn't Ortiz's first experience with entrepreneurship.

In her early 20s, she worked at several tech startups before opening a plant store in Wichita, Kansas, in 2020. Despite closing the store in early 2021, the experience taught her valuable lessons in inventory management, customer service, and budgeting, which she later applied when launching Cool Aunt Cleaners.

Instead of opening another retail store, Ortiz opted to launch a cleaning business due to its low startup costs and promising return on investment. The low overhead allowed her to start the business solo and later expand, hiring employees as demand grew.

She found comfort in the fact that cleaning is a reliable service with a long history, which made her believe the business would provide stability for her future.

Since its inception, Cool Aunt Cleaners has consistently generated revenue, with monthly earnings of approximately $10,000 in 2024.

In November 2023, Ortiz took over Cool Aunt Cleaners full time and was eager to expand. She hired four employees, but soon realized the difficulties of growing too quickly. As a result, she scaled back her team to run the business alone during the summer of 2024.

"Starting a business is uncertain, but you persist because you believe in what you're creating."

The future of the business

Since stabilizing, the business has maintained a client base of about 15 to 20 recurring clients. In August, Ortiz hired a part-time worker on a commission-based pay structure.

As she acquires more cleanings, she intends to keep expanding and eventually turn Cool Aunt Cleaners into a multi-million dollar enterprise.

She states that a long-term investment is required when you have a vision for your business, as it cannot be hurried.

Despite earning less than her previous roles, Ortiz views her $29,000 salary as a small sacrifice for the long-term independence her business will provide.

"She argues that people often have a false sense of security with their 9-to-5 jobs, as they can become accustomed to being told what to do every day, which can be dangerous and lead to staying in a place where they're no longer happy."

Building something that lasts is more fulfilling for me than taking on more risk as a small business owner.

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