In this Side Hustle Spotlight Q&A, we feature Angelina Licari, a 23-year-old college graduate living in Dallas, Texas. PoshmarkA social commerce marketplace for new and used clothing and other products.
Image courtesy of Poshmark. Angelina Licari.
When did you start your side hustle and what inspired you to start one?
I originally started my side hustle on Poshmark in 2016 when I was in high school and saving up for college. I remember researching “best side hustles for high schoolers” and finding Poshmark. I thought it would be a fun way to make money selling clothes I no longer wear. I continued selling on Poshmark in college and had the opportunity to become a campus representative, which involved introducing other students to the platform. After a few months of living life after graduation and trying to decide what was next for me, I decided to take some mental time off and take some time to think and make a plan. However, I still had bills to pay and I couldn’t move forward without an income. I remember having an “Is that so!” moment as I was trying to figure out what to do: Poshmark, of course! I decided to start again in August 2022.
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What was the first step you took to start your side hustle?
When I started on Poshmark after college, I was just selling items from my closet that I no longer wore. I created an Instagram account for my business and followed other sellers, and I started to learn more and more about the opportunity to turn a seemingly simple side hustle of selling my clothes into something much bigger. In September 2022, Poshmark announced the beta launch of Poshmark Live Shows, and I immediately applied. I was approved to host Poshmark Live Shows, where I could interact with my audience and show off my items in real time, and I thought it was worth a try. After a few shows, I was hooked. I saw the potential to build my own business and never looked back.
What was the biggest challenge you faced in starting your side hustle and how did you overcome it?
After doing a few shows consistently, I realized that if I really wanted to build my own business, I had to lay a lot of groundwork. I quickly became a bulk seller and could only sell so many of my own clothes. I needed to build up my inventory to provide the items my audience wanted. Around this time, I started sourcing more inventory from other second-hand clothing retailers. In the process of starting my side business, I experienced a lot of growing pains, such as getting home from sourcing and realizing that some items had stains or holes and couldn’t be sold, optimizing my time as a one-man bulk sales team, and lowering my overall cost of goods.
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How long did it take you to start earning a steady income each month? How much did you make from your side hustle?
Thankfully, I was able to achieve consistent monthly revenue pretty quickly, but it wasn’t until January of this year that I realized I’d found the consistent strategy that worked best for me: I decided to pursue my Poshmark side hustle full time and am now bringing in nearly $60,000 in sales each month and growing steadily.
What is your current growth and revenue situation?
As of 2024, revenues are double what they were at this point in 2023. Q1 2024 saw over 90% growth compared to Q1 2023.
What do you enjoy most about this side hustle?
I love the creative freedom that my Poshmark side hustle gives me, and working in the secondhand clothing industry gives me the opportunity to curate affordable, sustainable inventory based on what my customers like and current trends.
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What advice would you give to people wanting to start their own successful side hustle?
If you’re wondering which side hustle is right for you or whether you should follow that creative idea you’ve had, why not just give it a go? There are endless opportunities to create anything you want, even if it seems out of reach. My biggest advice to anyone wanting to start a successful side hustle is to stay true to yourself. Follow your heart, trust your intuition, and have fun. Give yourself room to feel the growing pains, but don’t let those pains discourage you from getting up and trying again.
This article is part of our ongoing Young Entrepreneur® series, showcasing entrepreneurial stories, challenges and successes. Young business owner.
