Could Your Hidden Talent Make You a Millionaire? 7 Ways To Make Money With Your Skills

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How many hours have you spent working on your hidden talent? Maybe it has been years of consistent effort. Now, you may be able to start cashing in on your expertise as a side gig.

Thanks to freelance apps and online marketplaces, it has never been easier to supplement your income with your favorite hobby. These examples prove it.

Photography

You can earn between $50 and $100 per hour as an entry-level freelance photographer — even more if you’re advanced. From weddings to graduation ceremonies and family events, there are always people who will want skilled photographers to capture their big day.

Start by advertising your services to family and friends on social media. You can also create a website or dedicated Instagram page just for your photography. This can help you build a following and land more clients.

Once you have a portfolio, you can share your services on freelance sites or start selling photographs in an online store. You can also network with other photographers to get your name out there.

Crafting

You can also sell the crafts you make through hobbies such as woodworking, knitting or fashion design. Many creators do this on Etsy, where you can easily build an online store for the things you make.

The latest data shows the average transaction on Etsy is $42. That means even selling 10 crafts in a month could be enough to supplement your income by hundreds. If one of your designs or products goes viral online, you could earn thousands.

The key will be getting people to find and visit your online store. Social media marketing can help with this. Share Instagrams, TikToks and other posts that feature your products in fun ways to get started.

Comedy

Social media also has made it easier than ever to earn money through comedy. Your funny posts and videos can help you build a following, which can get you advertising deals.

The amount you earn per sponsored post will vary based on the number of followers you have, among other factors. It can range from under $100 if you have less than 10,000 followers to over $2,500 if you have more than a million.

Writing

Maybe you’ve always had a passion for the written word. If so, you may be able to find clients online who will pay for your writing. Beginners can charge anywhere from $0.03 to $0.10 per word. That’s between $30 to $100 for each 1,000-word article or blog post you write.

To find freelance writing clients, you’ll first need a portfolio of solid work. Share these samples on gig work platforms such as Upwork and Fiverr. You may have to accept a lower rate when you’re just starting. But as you get more positive reviews and build a larger portfolio of work, you can begin charging more.

Clients may be willing to pay you for everything from blog posts to fictional short stories. It all depends on your skill set and interests.

Tutoring

There also might be people willing to pay to learn what you already know. The average U.S. tutor earns $28 per hour. You could earn that by teaching:

• Music production
• Digital art
• Coding
• A foreign language
• Any other skills you have

Tutoring is a smart way to supplement your other hidden talent income. For example, you could teach improv while building up a social media following. Or you could teach knitting while creating your Etsy store.

Hair and Makeup

Are friends always asking for your help with hair or makeup? If so, you may be skilled enough to start charging for it. Freelance hair and makeup artists earn an average of $21 per hour, according to ZipRecruiter. People often hire them for weddings, photoshoots and other big events.

Start by putting together a visual portfolio of some of the looks you’ve created. You also can post tutorial videos on TikTok and Instagram to build a following and find new clients.

Cooking

Finally, consider putting your culinary skills to work by becoming a freelance chef. The average private chef earns $31 per hour, according to Indeed. You can get hired to make dinners for dinner parties, do meal prep for busy professionals or teach others how to cook like you do.

Once again, social media will be your biggest ally in building your client base. Post tasty photos of your food and some people will want to try it themselves. As with hair and makeup, you can also post cooking tutorial videos to gain more followers and spread your name.

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