The Augusta Metro Chamber hosted their monthly Women in Business event at Enterprise Mill on March 16, 2021 titled ‘Passionately Pursuing your Successful Side Gig.’
The event featured three panelists from the CSRA who work in various nine-to-five career fields while also maintaining a successful side gig.
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“My day-to-day is very crazy,” said Caroline Ashe who works for Ivey Homes as their sales and marketing director. Ashe described her job as fulfilling; however, she likes to stay busy. “I never want my employer thinking I am taking away time from my day job,” she adds about her side gig with Plunder Jewelry.
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She is a professional ballroom dancer in her spare time and this passion led her to Plunder Jewelry. Her side gig supplements her financial needs because dancing is not cheap, she said. Ashe’s biggest fear to overcome when beginning her side gig was the stigma surrounding multilevel marketing (MLM).
This is a direct sales strategy that encourages existing distributors to recruit new distributors who are paid a percentage of their recruits’ sales, according to Investopedia. It is a controversial strategy that many feel to be illegal or the businesses involved to be fraudulent.
Ashe credits her business’ success in her ability to believe in herself and the support she has received from her community and the ladies involved in Plunder Jewelry across the nation.
The second panelist was Stephanie Maciaszek. Maciaszek works full time as a provider relations specialist for AU Health at the Georgia Cancer Center. She promotes the communication between providers and their patients.
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Maciaszek was a competitive cheerleading judge that helped to financially supplement her children’s extracurricular activities. She is currently an independent ZYIA active senior representative. ZYIA is an activewear brand for all genders, ages and body sizes. Creating boundaries and having an organized schedule is the way Maciaszek manages her career and side gig. “That way it is not mixed,” said Maciaszek.
Her largest concern was the stigma of MLM too. “Cultural stigma was my biggest issue too,” she said. “Don’t doubt yourself. Take the plunge.”
Maciaszek was surprised by the rate of her success and the support of her community. Her advice for someone taking on their own side gig is that it is okay to be told no. A person should not take offense to that.
The final panelist was Pam Hunt who is an advanced practice nurse working at AU Health in a busy Perioperative area of the hospital. Hunt was honest in saying that she was coaxed into her side gig as a premier level executive consultant for Rodan + Fields by her daughter. It is a leading skincare brand.
“It changed my life and allowed me to become more visible to my family,” said Hunt. Her daughter represented the company and Hunt tried the product. She joined the company in 2015 and has over 300 members on her team.
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She advises new recruits to stay focused and work with the willing. She said the company has grown exponentially. “Success to me is not the perks,” Hunt said. “It’s more about a post or text saying, ‘I feel so comfortable without makeup outside my home’ and having a team member recognized by corporate for their success.”
The Augusta Metro Chamber will be hosting their next meeting on April 20, 2021. More details and information will be given at a later date.
Haley Knight is a contributor for The Augusta Press. Reach her at haley.knight@TheAugustaPRESS.com
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