How the working world is changing as hobbies see people finding new ways of earning

This post was written in collaboration with All Day PA

When I was entering the world of work, I had a variety of different jobs. From waitressing to housekeeping, to a checkout clerk at the local supermarket. I then ended up working in a call centre, law firm and even had my own cleaning business.

Nowadays, I work from home. Pre-covid, if you’d have told me that working from home would be the ‘new-norm’ I don’t think I would have believed you. However, the way the working world works is changing. More and more people are working from home, and even more impressive is that more and more people have turned their hobbies into big earners.

All Day PA looked at how young people in the UK are turning their hobbies and interests into a business. The campaign ties in with the recently released Forbes 30 Under 30 List of 2022 and discusses the different ways in which many young people are making money, whether that is a side hustle that has taken off or a hobby that they are passionate about. You can find out more about the campaign here. 

All Day PA looked at 15 young entrepreneurs from the Forbes 30 Under 30 List 2022 and 15 from the Hurun UK U30s Young Entrepreneurs 2022 list to compile an index of 30 of the most successful business men and women. 

Take Ben Francis for example. His name may not ring a bell, but I’m pretty sure you, or someone you know will have heard of his business – Gymshark. Ben is just 30 years old, has 13.6 million social followers and his net worth is estimated to be around £900m.

Then there’s Stephen Bartlett who started his own social media company called Social Chain. Stephen is also 30, has 15.3 million social followers and has a net worth estimated to be around £68m.

According to All Day PA’s research, retail and e-commerce is the most common industry among our 30 under 30. In fact, a third of our young entrepreneurs have earned their success through founding this type of business. 

In this category is 28-year-old Finn Lagun – co-founder of Pasta Evangelists, which boasts a net worth of £40 million. While the idea of the now-successful fresh pasta subscription box service was initially dismissed as a “pasta la disaster” before being rejected on Dragons’ Den, Lagun and his co-founders have since opened a London restaurant, as well as securing acquisition by Barilla – the world’s largest pasta maker. 

I’ve often thought of turning my own hobbies into a business. In my spare time, I like to crochet. I learnt during the first lockdown and would class as myself as an expert. All Day PA’s campaign has some useful tips about how you can become a young entrepreneur. From creating a business plan, networking and watching your spending to using your time wisely and learning from your mistakes.

Do you plan to turn any of your hobbies into a business? Perhaps you already have. I’d love to hear all about it in the comments below.