Real Time Creator | A Career Break Diary
I spent years chasing success and money while shelving my creative dreams. I was a $200K+ earner in tech and a secret weapon inside of a 7-figure creator business. Then EVERYTHING changed.
I decided to give myself a minimum 1 YEAR career break and creative sabbatical to reinvent my life.
I'm Alison Kinsey, and each week I share a raw and unfiltered glimpse into my career break, money transparency after getting laid off, and the messy work of creative reinvention. I also share the stories of other inspiring women who have built a portfolio career after a career pivot.
If you've been asking yourself, "is this IT for my life?!" this is your weekly voice note to inspire you through the in-between.
New here? Start with Episode 1: "I Lost My $200K Tech Job... and Everything I Thought I Wanted."
Connect with me on Instagram: @alisonkinsey
Or email me: alison@alisonkinsey.com
Real Time Creator | A Career Break Diary
From 6-Figures to $1,127 in Gig Work: 3 Humbling Months of Being "Busy"
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Seven months ago, I was googling “how to make extra money from home.” I had just been laid off, my nervous system was buzzing, and I needed proof that I could still be “valuable” and generate income if I had to.
Over 3 months, I experimented with three different gig-style income streams: market research studies, restaurant mystery shopping, and wedding event support, and made exactly $1,127.
Some of it felt empowering. Some of it felt absurd.
In This Episode:
- What it was like having a post go viral on LinkedIn last week
- Why I felt like I needed to be “busy” and “useful” after getting laid off
- How I landed seven paid market research gigs, one of which paid $200
- The unglamorous aspects of restaurant mystery shopping
- The mindset shift that made me stop gig work completely and commit to building visibility and leverage
Resources & Links:
Episode 2: Why I Almost “PANIC-SOLD” My House, and How I’m Saving Over $1,500/Month
Sign up for Dscout and make money doing research studies.
Check out these mystery shopping companies: A Closer Look and iSecretShop.
Let's Connect:
Follow me on Instagram: @alisonkinsey or send me an email: alison@alisonkinsey.com.
Connect with Alison on LinkedIn.
I also help entrepreneurs and thought leaders launch and grow their podcasts through my boutique podcast editing agency, Podcasting for Creatives.