This superyacht captain's side hustle could be my retirement job, earning $10,300 a month and taking only 5 hours a week.

In 2007, Kelly Gordon recalls her initial experience on a yacht: She ascended the metal ladder steps, placed one foot on the aft deck and inhaled the briny scent.

Despite not knowing the difference between port and starboard, Gordon, 42, pursued becoming a yacht captain for 11 years, taking summer breaks from his full-time job as an adjunct chemistry professor at Carteret Community College in North Carolina.

Currently, she serves as a superyacht captain for affluent clients, typically working with one client at a time. She is currently based in Palm Beach, Florida, where she is stationed aboard a 108-foot yacht.

Since 2019, Gordon has been documenting her adventures on Instagram. Her videos have gained popularity beyond the yachting community, and she now considers content creation as her side hustle. On average, she spends five hours per week on it when she's not working.

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Last year, her side hustle generated $124,000 in revenue, as per CNBC Make It's review of documents. This revenue came from various sources such as sponsorships, public speaking gigs, ads and affiliate marketing on social media, and merchandise sales, she claims.

Gordon is using most of the revenue to pay for a video editor, PR manager, speaking coach, and three other part-time employees, and she hasn't yet started keeping any of the money for herself, she claims.

Captain Kelly J. Gordon has big goals for her business, and she has built her side hustle in this way. She plans to grow it in the future.

From classrooms to boat decks

At 26, Gordon discovered yachting during her first semester of teaching. She was invited to a wedding reception on a boat by one of her students and didn't know anyone else there, she says.

The captain appeared overwhelmed by the number of guests, so she offered to assist him in setting up. Later in the evening, she mustered the courage to jest with him, "I believe I could operate this vehicle."

Although the captain initially dismissed Gordon's offer to mentor her, he eventually agreed to do so the next day. He emphasized the importance of familiarizing herself with every part of the boat, from the deck to the engine room, in order to effectively communicate with the crew if she ever became a captain herself.

Gordon says that operating the yacht felt like working on tractors on his family farm in Indiana. Being on the water provided a peaceful escape from his mental health struggles, including depression and anxiety throughout his 20s, and contemplating suicide shortly before the wedding reception.

She worked with a psychiatrist, took anti-depressants, and checked herself into intensive care before feeling confident in her ability to manage her life at age 29.

In the following year, she became a fully-fledged boat captain and balanced yachting with her teaching role until 2018.

An accidental social media following

In 2019, Gordon was convinced by her siblings to join Instagram and Facebook in order to facilitate easier communication.

She began sharing more content, including videos about mental health, after one of her early posts about a trip up the Mississippi River during the Covid-19 pandemic received comments from beyond her friend group.

Young people often fill entry-level roles on yachts, taking a gap year between college and job hunting. Living together 24/7 with co-workers can make it challenging to consistently get along, says Gordon.

In 2021, she discovered that her videos had gained popularity beyond the "yachtie" community when a follower from France shared how the content had motivated her to continue battling a serious illness.

"At that moment, I realized I had something valuable," Gordon remarks.

'I'm hoping this will be my retirement job'

Gordon devotes eight to 16 hours daily to her client's yacht, which amounts to roughly four days per week. She shares posts on social media every day, filming when she's not occupied with work.

Last month, her side hustle generated nearly $24,000, surpassing her highest-earning month of the previous year by approximately $4,000. She has over 10,000 followers on Instagram and has recently started a podcast on mental health, boat safety, and yachting careers.

Gordon aims to achieve two objectives by May 2025: generate enough income to cover her expenses and increase her revenue at a rate of doubling annually until she reaches $1 million.

She aims to increase her income by expanding her current projects, forming partnerships and sponsorships, and raising the fee for speaking engagements, according to her.

Gordon doesn't plan to leave yachting for the foreseeable future, as she says her appeal to followers depends on being onboard and she loves being on the water every day.

"I hope to make this my retirement job, traveling the world, attending events, motivating people, and continuing my social media presence," says Gordon, adding, "I'm not ready to retire from running boats yet."

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