Mechanic Quits His $70K Job With Ford To Pursue His Side Hustle And Now He Earns Over $170K A Year
His entire life has changed because of one decision he made.
LightField Studios | Shutterstock Very few people would say they don’t dream of making more money. It’s something that we could likely all use a little bit more of — especially in this economy.
One man took a leap and left his traditional job behind for his lucrative side hustle. Now, he’s earning more money than he could have ever imagined.
A mechanic quit his job to pursue his online side hustle.
Chris Pyle, a 45-year-old mechanic who lives in Tennessee, took a leap of faith and now makes $100,000 more a year than his previous income.
That’s according to CNBC Make It, who interviewed Pyle for an article.
Pyle said that he began answering questions about car maintenance and mechanics on the website JustAnswer in 2006. Six years later, he made more on JustAnswer than he did at his traditional job at Ford.
That’s when Pyle left Ford to pursue what had started as a simple side hustle to make some extra cash.
CNBC Make It reported that Pyle made $170,500 in 2023, nearly $100,000 more than his $75,000 salary at Ford.
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Pyle said he still works “eight to 10 hours per day, seven days per week.” To keep his income consistent, he does not take holidays. However, he is able to choose the hours he wants to work. “I could log off right now and go play a video game with my son or go swim in the pool,” he said.
Anyone can get help through JustAnswer.
FlexJobs stated, “Andy Kurtzig created JustAnswer (previously known as ExpertAsk and Pearl.com) in 2003 when his wife was pregnant. Andy had a lot of questions but couldn’t connect with a doctor who had enough time to answer all of his queries.”
JustAnswer partners with professionals like mechanics, doctors, and others to answer the questions of the masses.
On the JustAnswer website, you can enter a question about “any category.” Then, you’re connected with an “expert” who can help you with your inquiry.
To ask a question, you have to become a member. This includes a $5 “joining fee” plus the price of the expert. (Mechanics are $45 a month.)
Unlike other websites and subscriptions that do everything possible to keep your business — and your money — JustAnswer openly states on their website that if you only have one question, you can always “sign up for membership, get your answer now, and simply cancel before the next billing period to avoid further monthly charges.”
As nice as it sounds, not just anyone can become an expert on JustAnswer.
According to FlexJobs, “To prove that you know your stuff, JustAnswer uses an eight-step verification process to vet and verify all applicants.”
There’s also the downside of experts not actually being employed by JustAnswer. Instead, they are freelancers who are reviewed and graded weekly.
While some may be skeptical of a website that allows you to get answers to just about any question, JustAnswer has a fairly good reputation, with a B+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.
Pyle is not alone in his choice of career.
Pyle is certainly not the only person who has decided to take on a side hustle. In an ever-changing economy that's hard to depend on, many people have taken on extra work for extra income.
Market Watch noted that 54% of Americans have side hustles to supplement their primary source of income.
Furthermore, more people are saying no to having a boss to answer to. “2024 data estimates U.S. freelancers are estimated at 76.4 million,” said Tech Report.
We could very well see a day where nearly all employees are freelancers, making all of their money off of what they once considered to be their side hustles.
Maybe Pyle’s life is just a vision of the future rather than an anomaly.
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer for YourTango who covers entertainment, news and human interest topics.