Garage side hustle generates $148,600 annually: No business experience required

The Six-Figure Side Hustle series by CNBC Make It features individuals with successful side hustles who share their routines and habits for generating income in addition to their full-time jobs. If you have a story to share, email us at [email protected].

When Leena Pettigrew informs her friends that she makes more than $100,000 annually selling plants online, they often assume she's selling cannabis.

The IT analyst in Houston spends 20 hours per week sourcing, growing, packaging, and selling houseplants, including variegated micans, Anthurium luxurians, and Philodendron Ring of Fires, in her garage.

In 2022, Pettigrew, with little gardening experience, began purchasing plants to decorate her home. However, when her office, bedroom, and living room became overwhelmed with eight-foot-tall Monstera plants, she sought ways to sell them.

In June 2023, she joined Palmstreet, an online marketplace for plants, crystals, and home decor, and generated nearly $148,600 in revenue in one year, according to CNBC Make It.

She is a 44-year-old paid consultant on the platform who assists in training new sellers, she states.

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Pettigrew auctions off plants on Palmstreet twice per week, with her husband Marquise sometimes joining her. They sell around 100 plants per stream, which ship nationwide.

"Pettigrew admits that when he first began, he was extremely anxious on camera and believed he needed extensive preparation to succeed. He also reveals that although he still experiences nervousness, he sometimes takes a shot of bourbon beforehand."

Pettigrew's business is profitable and earns enough for her husband to significantly cut his working hours at their co-owned automotive shop, she says. Marquise and five contract employees now assist Pettigrew with customer service, marketing, and shipping.

Pettigrew talks about how she developed her side hustle, the advantages and disadvantages of transforming her pastime into a business, and how others can follow her path to success.

Can your side hustle be replicated? What is the cost of starting it?

Pettigrew: I think almost anyone can do it — but not everyone.

Palmstreet is competitive, with a cost of approximately $1,000 to build an inventory sufficient for the platform to accept your application. There is a commitment involved in using Palmstreet, whether it's selling on livestreams, caring for plants, or posting on social media.

To attract viewers to your livestreams, you must have enthusiasm and joy for what you do, and be yourself. While good customer service and unique plants can also help, I believe personality is the most important factor.

Does that level of enthusiasm and joy come naturally to you?

Although I'm introverted and shy, my husband initially accompanied me on livestreams to help me feel more comfortable. We share a similar sense of humor, which allows us to have fun and not take ourselves too seriously while connecting with customers.

After livestreams, I need some downtime to avoid irritability.

What sets running an auto shop apart from selling plants online?

Selling plants is a lot less stressful.

We were the go-to place for customers to fix their cars and get to work on time. However, when their cars broke down and they had to pay for repairs, it could be the most stressful day of their lives. Our workers also depended on us for their livelihoods, and working in the hot and dirty conditions was not an easy task.

People are spending their disposable income on things they want when we sell plants. Our contract workers are part-time, and while there's still some dirt involved, it's at least more concentrated.

Have you experienced any downsides to turning your hobby into a business?

Our remote jobs and side hustle are all done from home, making it challenging to disconnect from work.

To escape the stress of work and connect with each other, we take weekend trips around Texas, even if we don't always have time for our spiritual needs.

Owning a business means there's always something more to do.

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