Some entrepreneurs are earning enough from Airbnb to cover their expenses
From Airbnb to Instagram, tech platforms are changing the face of self-employment and creating new opportunities for those who want to be their own boss. Business Advice looks at five inspiring examples of those going it alone.
And while YouTube fame or Instagram fortune might sound a lot more glamourous than the average 9-5 day for a small business owner, but with?cash flow problems and long working hours, these internet entrepreneurs have more in common with other micro business owners than you might expect, despite their stylish exteriors.
Kayla Itsines, fitness guru
Her mini-tour of three events in London, New York and Los Angeles in June 2016 are sponsored by fitness giant Adidas, and Time magazine recently named her one of the most influential people on the internet. With help from the marketing agency which her boyfriend created to promote her brand, Itsines has developed a passionate community of 3.8m Instagram followers who call themselves BBG girls? and use her workout ebooks and videos to get fit. Her success hasn’t been without its challenges she admitted in an interview with Business Insider Australia in 2015 that getting to grips with the technical side of her business has been a challenge.
Fleur de Force, vlogger
With a degree from the London School of Economics, there’s no doubt that de Force could have had her pick of traditional careers but instead she chose video blogging about beauty, which began as a hobby she pursued as a student, but quickly became a full-time job. Her YouTube channel has over one million subscribers, and her online presence has earned her two book deals and a branded collection of false eyelashes though she recently confided in the Guardian that she works far more hours than she would have put into a more conventional job.
Rosie Llewellyn, pop up chef
The top-rated chef on pop up dining platform Grub Club, which connects cooks to empty venues and hungry customers to create unique foodie events, Llewellyn is also an award-winning food blogger. Since 2014, she has gone from hosting supperclubs at home to holding them trendy London spots including Barts cocktail bar. Like all the best entrepreneurs, she’s using her business to do good, too having teamed up with comedian Hardeep Singh Kohlito raise money for refugees through her cooking.
Saima Khan, Airbnb superhost
After discovering Airbnb when she needed short term flood accommodation in New York, Khan started renting out her London flat when she took the plunge to start her own catering company and earns enough from doing so on a regular basis to cover her expenses.
most definitely having Airbnb to cover my monthly bills, including my company car, allows me to solely focus on my business, she told our sister publication Real Business in 2015. Like many of the burgeoning array of services popping up offering professional Airbnb hosting do, Khan provides toys, sim cards and Oyster cards to make the stay as pleasant as possible for her guests as well as offering to book experiences and restaurants for them.
