ESCAPING THE SALARY CYCLE

Every month, Ada lived the same exhausting cycle. Salary in. Bills out. Balance: zero. She worked as an administrative officer and lived in a modest two-bedroom flat. The pay was “okay,” but the stress was anything but. Every morning she sat in traffic, staring at endless red brake lights, inching toward a job that drained her more than it fulfilled her. Often, she wondered: “Is this what my life will look like for the next 30 years?” One Friday evening, after a particularly draining week, Ada checked her account balance and sighed. Once again, she had nothing left to save. Meanwhile, her colleagues Yemi and Fumi chatted casually about their “investments” and “financial goals.” Ada wondered, With what money? How are they doing it? Her salary felt like a trap—enough to keep her afloat, but never enough to move her forward. That night, scrolling through her phone, she stumbled on an old video of herself doing makeup for her cousin’s wedding. The comment section was full of compliments: “You made her look stunning!” “You’re really good at this.” “Do you take clients?” In that moment, something clicked. Ada realized she possessed something valuable—a skill people already appreciated. She didn’t need a fancy studio or huge capital to begin. She just needed to start. So she opened a simple Instagram page, posted before-and-after photos from past jobs, and shared short videos with makeup tips. Her first paid client was a colleague. Then a friend of that colleague booked her. Then came a bride. Then a full bridal train. The money wasn’t huge at first, but it was different. It wasn’t tied to office politics, work hours, or someone else’s decisions. It was hers, and she treated it differently. Ada split every payment into three parts: • A little to enjoy. • A little to reinvest in her makeup kit. • A little to save and eventually invest. For the first time, something her salary had never given her appeared in her life: options. A side hustle isn’t just additional work. When done right, it becomes a ladder—steady, personal, and powerful. A salary can disappear overnight with a single decision from an employer. But a side hustle gives you flexibility, resilience, and ownership over your financial future. Gradually, Ada realized she no longer needed her job to survive. She stayed only because she chose to. Eventually, she resigned on her own terms and focused fully on her beauty brand—Ada’s Glow. Her office tag was replaced by her own logo. Her single income stream became multiple. Your side hustle doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to start. Visit this page daily for your dose of financial sense to power up your wealth growth. Also, share with your family, friends and colleagues.