Days in the Life of Mo

We live in a world where side hustles are the new designer handbags; everyone’s got one, and somehow, they’re all “limited edition.” But while some people are selling custom candles or flipping thrift store finds (respect to the Etsy warriors), I’m here to tell you why your next “extra income” move should be learning a new tech skill.

Before you roll your eyes, no, I’m not saying you need to become the next Elon Musk, build a rocket, and accidentally buy Twitter. I’m talking about real, achievable, I-can-start-this-tonight skills; things that can actually put more money in your pocket, level up your career, or help you finally understand what that one cousin is talking about when he says “I just pushed to production.”

The Math Just… Maths

According to CompTIA’s Tech Industry Outlook 2024, the global tech workforce is projected to grow at twice the rate of the overall labor force. And not just for software engineers, there’s demand for UX designers, data analysts, cybersecurity specialists, cloud engineers, and even no-code app builders.

And the salaries? A Dice Tech Salary Report found that average tech salaries in the US hit $111,348 in 2023, and similar growth trends are showing in South Africa, the UK, and Australia. Even freelance developers can command $30–$100+ an hour depending on their stack.

You can still make money from traditional side hustles, but tech skills can pay you long after you log out for the day.

Tech Skills = Freedom

You know that dream where you’re working from a beach in Bali, sipping a cocktail, answering emails with one hand? Yeah… the “digital nomad” lifestyle isn’t a scam (although it is sometimes just Bali with bad Wi-Fi). With the right tech skills, you can literally work from anywhere.

The great thing? Many of these skills don’t require a degree. Platforms like freeCodeCamp, Coursera, The Odin Project, and Scrimba are proof that you can learn full-stack development, UI design, or even data science without stepping foot in a lecture hall.

Side Hustle Energy Without the Burnout

I get it, the thought of learning something new after a long day of work sounds about as appealing as updating your LinkedIn profile. But here’s the thing: tech skills aren’t just about working more, they’re about working smarter.

• A social media manager who learns automation can handle more clients.
• A small business owner who picks up basic HTML can customize their own site instead of paying someone R5,000 for a minor change.
• A teacher who learns AI prompt engineering can prep lessons in half the time.

This isn’t “just another job”, it’s upgrading your existing one.

But, Isn’t Tech… Scary?

Yes. But so is filing your taxes. You still do it.

The secret is to start small. Learn one thing. Build one thing. Break it. Fix it. Break it again. Cry a little. Fix it again. Boom, you’re now a tech person.

The Pep Talk You Didn’t Ask For

Let me ask you, in five years, do you want to look back and say, “Wow, I’m so glad I kept scrolling TikTok for four hours every night”? Or do you want to say, “Wow, I learned something that made my bank account look healthier than my Monstera plant”?

Your side hustle could be something that grows with you. Tech skills don’t just expire like old avocado, they compound. You learn one thing, which makes it easier to learn the next thing, and suddenly you’re the go-to person in your network for anything digital.

So yeah, sell your candles. Bake your cupcakes. But also… maybe learn Python.

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P.S.
If you made it this far, you’re already my kind of reader. You like stories, real talk, and maybe a little sarcasm with your morning coffee.