SILER CITY, N.C. — High prices for everyday items are leaving many Americans hunting for extra cash. The Bureau of Labor Statistics said more than eight million people in the United States had a second job or “side hustle," the highest that number has been since 2009.
What You Need To Know
- More Americans are getting side jobs or "side hustles" to help meet expenses
- This is the highest side gigs have been since the recession
- Yvette Cheek began her business, and second job, Mother & Daughter's Candy Apples, in 2019
- She hopes to one day have her own store front
Yvette Cheek is an employee at UNC Hospital’s cancer lab by day and a dessert maker by night.
She started her company Mother & Daughter's Candy Apples back in 2019 after seeing a family member make candy apples and getting some encouragement from her daughter, Hannah.
“She [Hannah] said, 'Mom, you ought to make some candy apples and sell them at the football games.' I'm like, 'Sounds like a good idea,'” Cheek said.
She made 30 apples to sell at her son’s football game, and sold out instantly.
“I’m like hmmm, I might be onto something,” said Cheek.
Cheek began watching YouTube videos on how to make different kinds of treats and perfecting the science behind melting chocolate and boiling the classic candy apple sugar coating.
“I learned how to take the inside of the apple and stuff it with cream cheese and all that kind of stuff,” Cheek said.
She uses the funding to help pay for her children’s travel sports, which could be thousands of dollars depending on the equipment, travel expenses and other fees.
“It gets real expensive for a single parent… this extra money coming in for tennis shoes, basketball gear travel…” said Cheek.
She says making her treats like candy apples, specialty apples, chocolate covered strawberries, pretzels, Oreos and more started as fun, but now she's seeing a profit.
“It's a business, and I have to keep it going. People expect me to put something out,” said Cheek.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics said as of October 2024, 4.3% of North Carolinians held a second job or “side hustle” over the past 12 months. That is about 1% less than the national average. It's the highest it’s been since the recession.
Cheek said the cost to start up her business is now outweighed by the profit. She recently got a trailer to bring her goods to others and one day she hopes to open a candy apple store.
“I want to be able to see it grow more,” said Cheek.
Cheek said Valentine’s Day and Halloween are some of her top grossing holidays. She had orders for over 250 chocolate covered strawberry sets and more than 25 gift sets of strawberries and candy apples for Valentine's Day weekend.
Cheek encourages others to start their own side hustle and to be patient, diligent and organized to see success.
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