I’m a big fan of casseroles. An entire meal in one dish? Sign me up. (Shepherd’s pie is my favorite, but lasagna is a very close second!) Until recently, I’d only considered casseroles as a meal, not as a career, but hear me out.
When I was in my master’s program back in the early 2000’s, I first heard the term “casserole career.” Just like a shepherd’s pie, a casserole career is layered with different jobs and revenue streams – but all within the vein of the career you’re building for yourself.
In the current tech job climate (there are dozens, if not hundreds of applicants for each job listing, especially following so many corporate layoffs), finding one job that fills your financial needs while still scratching your creative itches can be difficult.
So while I (and many more like me) are searching for a great place to land (i.e., a full-time role with health benefits, a 401K, and an awesome team), I’m not one to sit around and wait to earn an income. So let’s talk about how you (and I) can create a perfect casserole career.
“Passive” Income Streams
Yes, I put “passive” in quotation marks. Anyone who has ever created so-called passive income, knows that it still requires a lot of up-front work, and hustle to keep the funnel filled. That said, once you have created such a product or service, selling it shouldn’t require a full-time commitment to keep it going. Hence the word “passive” coming into play.
Here are some forms of income you can set and (kind of) forget.
- Downloadables for your audience.
- Instructional content/how-to’s
- Posters
- Audible content
- E-books
- Artwork
- Marketing resources
- Online courses
- Affiliate sales
The idea here is you only have to create it once, then perpetually market it to keep the sales flowing. You can earn anywhere from tens to thousands of dollars monthly this way.
Consulting
Consulting on your areas of expertise can truly help others who lack the depth of knowledge you have, or are too close to their own issues to see resolutions.
Every company and every company leader (and team) can benefit from learning from others. Consulting with a team on problem solving from management to product development and design to marketing can help them grow, and helps you gain experience and knowledge, too. Every time you consult on an issue, you learn more possible problems clients can have, making your wealth of knowledge even greater.
Coaching
1:1 coaching can be truly rewarding to you as a coach, while helping others learn and grow. Seeing your client grow and succeed is a wonderful way to earn money, too!
Coaching can be centered on any number of areas. Here is a list of potential coaching subjects.
- Management
- Design
- Marketing
- Public Speaking
- DEIB Initiatives
- Career Development
- Finding a Job
- Brand Development
- Accountability
I have both paid for coaching and been a coach. (Even Serena Williams has a tennis coach, right?) Coaching can be so very rewarding for both parties.
Contract Work
What do you do well? How can you do that for others on a short-term basis without being an employee? Contracts.
I won’t go in depth on how to create a contract or how to find companies to contract with. That would be a whole series of posts, and there are a lot of websites and YouTube videos to help you with that.
Creating a revenue stream with contract work allows you to work when you want on your own terms (as defined in your contract) without punching a 9-5 job clock.
Some important things to remember when contracting:
- Keep a spreadsheet or other record of time worked.
- Use your calendar for reminders of deadlines (with reminders set days and weeks ahead so nothing is a surprise).
- Find a way to track what work you’ve done and when. Share that doc or spreadsheet with the business.
- Do check-ins to make sure you’re on track with their goals.
- Send invoices in a timely manner in accordance with your contract.
Good communication and record-keeping will help you be a good contractor.
Other Services
Other possible income streams:
- Pick my brain sessions
- Marketing plans
- Business plans
- PR Kits
- Blog posts/writing
- Mastermind group facilitation
- Other specialty group facilitation
- Freelance web building
What’s In Your Casserole?
However you choose to layer your casserole, with whatever services and products you choose, remember to keep good track of all that you’re doing and all that you spend. Creating an LLC (here in the USA, anyway) will help you separate your personal assets from your business assets and allow you to take business deductions, so good record-keeping is very important.
And no matter how you choose to move forward, good luck! You’ve got this!
