Rising friction for American citizens dealing with inflation combined with rapidly increasing interest rates, and a stagnant minimum wage has caused many people to get creative in order to make ends meet- and then some.
Jourdan Skirha’s experience working two or more jobs and still struggling to find financial peace is all too common. She creates content on TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter. Those who saw her post left encouraging words:
Working three jobs at the same time may seem outrageous to some, but relatable to others who have faced the threats of eviction, credit card debt, repossession and other threats that occur when not making enough money.
Stats were compiled by Profile ReDefined and can be confirmed by the US Department of Labor, Forbes, CPI Inflation Calculator, Moody’s, The 2023 Work in America Survey, and the American Psychological Association.
Em Huff has been a manager at Panera Bread in Orlando, Florida for over two years, and shares her personal experience with the housing crisis, burnout, and her financial struggles as a college graduate. Hear her story below:
Brian Westfall is the principal HR Analyst at Capterra, and he shared with BusinessWire in regards to a study on manager burnout where they found 71 percent of middle managers feel stressed, overwhelmed, or burned out.
“Unless employers can solve the issues causing such high levels of burnout soon, there won’t be enough managers to go around as older managers retire,” said Westfall.
Working one or more physically and mentally demanding jobs is way too normalized in today’s world, and the people are getting fed up, struggling to stay housed and fed.
Nicholas Sumners’ post on TikTok had almost nine million views, over one and a half million likes, and almost four-hundred thousand comments.
These #rants on TikTok and other platforms are impactful to those who find them on their For-You-Page, and sparked anger and hope simultaneously. On one hand, anyone can see the injustice dealt to the working class, and on the other, platforms like TikTok and YouTube have proven to be beneficial in ways that extend beyond a method of escape, but as a form of supplemental income.
Instagram creators are effective in showing the rewards that can come from creating quality content. It’s led others to share their own experiences and to see social media as a salvation instead of an escape.
Dori Boyd is a mother of two with less than ten thousand followers on TikTok. “I want to make money as a stay-at-home-mom,” Boyd said in a post on TikTok encouraging other moms to participate in a challenge to earn five-hundred dollars a month with social media, while staying home and actively raising their children.
Another creator pursues her passion of travel and photography to promote products and services like alcoholic beverages and destination resorts. She discusses her own methods to approach potential brands and negotiating her terms, while encouraging others to do the same.
Alexandra Hallman uses TikTok and Instagram as a primary form of income, but clearly loves what she does.
While there are many e-commerce opportunities to promote products in cooperation with big brands willing to pay big money for advertising, it can be argued that the creator’s service is invaluable. Mega corporations spend millions on marketing campaigns that air on antiquated television, but can reach hundreds of thousands of people almost guaranteed, if the right influencer promotes their product.
“Content creators use social media to share a message, advocate for a cause, start a business, share a hobby,” said Julian Sarafian in a TedTalk. A Harvard Law graduate with a firm For Creators By Creators, Sarafian advocates for the treatment of influencers and the like.
“They’re the pioneers of digital world, leading and creating communities around content as diverse as anime, physical health, mental health, politics, speeches,” said Sarafian. “They’re modern era community organizers and leaders.”
Joannie Betancourt uses Instagram to promote her Puerto Rican inspired bakehouse in Orlando, Florida called Dulce Spells. She had quit her part-time job because she wasn’t passionate about it, and the stress wasn’t worth barely affording rent. She gets her inspiration from her mother who passed a little over a year ago.
Betancourt is a great example of self-promotion, creating videos and posting photos of her adorable and delicious pastries to attract her audience to the various pop-up festivals she attends multiple times a month all around Orlando, selling out often.
An Ohio Communication Journal published an article based on a survey of college students that found small-businesses that use social media are more popular with the college age group because they feel more authentic and establish relationships with the consumers. Using social media to market a small business is proven to be effective.
Following your passions and sharing them with the world can be very rewarding. Not only do these social media platforms encourage a sense of community, but the profits can change a life.
Popular platforms like Pinterest, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, X, and YouTube have programs designed to monetize each interaction on a post that fits their requirements. With intention and ambition, these platforms can provide a supplemental form of income in cooperation with one another.
According to an in-depth analysis by Datareportal.com, 5.61 billion people use social media just since the beginning of 2024. Even ten thousand of those will allow you to profit from all the platforms listed. One hundred thousand followers multiply those profits by ten.
There are more paths than chasing the college degree in exchange for crippling debt, or settling for a minimum wage job doing anything you don’t absolutely love.
It may be time to consider a creative solution to the challenges of today’s America. The route may be contemporary, but the destination could be in your hands, and not of aging corporate America.
PROFILE REDEFINED 
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