Side Hustles Are About More Than Money 💼

TODAY’S EDITION

Nearly half of US professionals are earning income from side hustles (sometimes called the “5-to-9”), according to new research from Canva. Forty-four percent say they are making money from something outside their 9-to-5, and most of these side hustles are digital-first.

Top categories are:

Social platforms are powering many of these, with TikTok (41 percent), YouTube (40 percent), and Instagram (37 percent) cited as the biggest contributors. AI tools are also playing a major role, with 80 percent of respondents using them to support their side hustles.

While extra income tops the list at 55 percent, other major motivations include creative expression (36 percent), turning a passion into a business (32 percent), and personal growth (28 percent). Side hustles are also leading to meaningful career gains. Thirty-three percent have gained new clients, 29 percent built their personal brand, 17 percent landed freelance or consulting work, 15 percent went full-time as a creator, and 14 percent earned a promotion.

Side hustles are also blending into the traditional workday. Seventy-five percent work on them during their 9-to-5. Sixty-five percent say they would leave their full-time job if their side hustle became sustainable, although 28 percent prefer keeping both for balance. Thirty-three percent say their employer supports or encourages side projects.

Why it matters: Side hustles are now a defining part of the modern workforce. They are no longer only about earning extra income. They reflect creativity, autonomy, identity building, and a desire for more stability than a single full-time job can provide. With the growth of social platforms, the rise of AI tools, and the increasing appeal of the creator economy, side hustles are becoming a long-term fixture.

This shift brings both opportunities and challenges. Employees need to avoid conflicts with their primary jobs, while employers should recognize that side projects can lead to new skills and fresh insights. The smartest companies will embrace this reality rather than resist it.

YouTube creators are reaching millions more viewers and increasing revenue by dubbing their videos into new languages. But which languages should creators start with?

After reviewing a dozen case studies from AIR Media-Tech, which helps creators localize content through professional human dubbing via AIR Translation Labs, here is what stood out:

Learn more: Join AIR Media-Tech for their free live webinar on Wednesday, December 3. They will share growth tactics for creators looking to expand their channels and reach global viewers.

TikTok now lets creators schedule shoppable videos for TikTok Shop. Videos can go live anytime from 30 minutes to 30 days in advance. Accounts can schedule up to 50 videos at once and view everything in one place. While scheduled videos cannot be edited, creators can delete them if needed.

The feature mirrors what Amazon introduced last year, allowing creators to schedule shoppable videos for their storefronts.

Why it matters: With the holiday season underway, this gives creators a way to plan content strategically for high-impact moments, including holiday shopping, product launches, brand campaigns, and evergreen sales. Higher content volume often correlates with higher revenue, which makes this a win for both creators and brands.

TikTok Shop continues to gain momentum. EchoTik estimates $19 billion in product sales in Q3, nearly matching eBay’s $20.1 billion. Major brands like Samsung, Disney, and Ralph Lauren have recently joined TikTok Shop, boosting trust and credibility. Once the U.S. TikTok sale or ban situation is officially resolved, expect even more growth as U.S. creators and brands feel confident investing in the platform.

YouTube is testing a Custom Feed that allows users to personalize the recommendations on their Home Feed. People in the experiment will see a “Your Custom Feed” chip and can enter prompts to guide what appears.

Why it matters: Custom Feed gives viewers more control over what they see, similar to features Instagram is currently testing. Along with TikTok’s Manage Topics and Pinterest’s AI content controls, this reflects a broader shift toward letting users directly shape what the algorithm shows them, instead of relying only on past behavior.

More user control should lead to more personalized feeds, which helps platforms keep viewers engaged. Creators and brands with clear content pillars may benefit the most.

Instagram is testing new features to make it easier to find Reels. A filter on the Reels tab of user profiles now lets viewers sort by Latest or Most Viewed. Additionally, after tapping a creator’s account on a Reel in the feed—which takes users to that creator’s Reels tab—they may see a Scroll to Just Watched option, taking them directly to the Reel they just viewed on the creator’s grid. These simple updates give people more ways to discover recent content, popular videos, or Reels they were already watching.

Facebook launched a YouTube channel for Facebook for Creators. The channel features videos on new features, creator trends, and case studies of how creators are using Facebook for their businesses. It adds to a growing set of educational resources from Facebook, including a dedicated Instagram account. Alongside recent product updates, it supports Facebook’s push to show creators the value of the platform.

Threads added a new way to invite people to Group Chats. Admins can now generate an Invite Link that can be shared in messages, dropped into Threads DMs, included in posts, or shared on other platforms. It removes the friction of adding people one by one and reflects ongoing efforts around private messaging across platforms.

Threads is rolling out a feature that lets users quote posts they’ve saved or liked. A new quotation-mark icon in the composer opens a list of these posts, allowing users to select one, add their own take, and publish it as a quote post. By making it easy to reference content they’ve engaged with, this should encourage more users to share their perspectives and spark additional discussions.

TikTok launched the Foundry Program, an exclusive full-service accelerator designed to help investors at VC and private equity firms grow and scale the brands in their portfolios on TikTok. Participants receive ad incentives, custom playbooks and toolkits, one-on-one onboarding, early access to features and tools, and co-marketing opportunities. The program brings TikTok directly to the people who influence where brand budgets go and positions TikTok as a growth engine.

YouTube introduced its first ever YouTube Recap. It highlights user interests, deep dives, and viewing moments from across the year based on watch history. Recap includes up to 12 cards that spotlight top channels, interests, and how viewing habits have evolved. YouTube said it tested 50 concepts and went through nine rounds of development before landing on this version. Much like Spotify Wrapped, which has inspired recap features across multiple platforms, YouTube Recap gives users an easy, shareable summary of their year in content.

LinkedIn published a guide for growing LinkedIn Newsletters. Recommendations include focusing consistently on a unique topic, using Article and Newsletter ads to reach target audiences, promoting newsletters across other platforms, and partnering with creators through interviews, collaborations, and cross promotion. LinkedIn Newsletters have received fewer product updates recently and have seen reduced visibility compared to when they first launched, but these tips can help with incremental growth.

Acast announced a new YouTube program for podcasters in the UK. In partnership with Little Dot Studios, the program helps podcasters grow and monetize the YouTube versions of their shows through an accelerator that includes sponsorship and video ad opportunities. With video now playing a much larger role in podcast consumption, programs like this help creators and brand partners maximize reach across both audio and video.

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