This Side Hustle Spotlight Q&A features Sam Ziegler, a 43-year-old New York-based drummer who has a side job providing support on Geeker, which offers on-demand help from IT and software experts.
Image credit: Courtesy of Sam Ziegler
When did you start your side business and where did you find the inspiration for it?
My passion is music, but the gigs, and therefore the income, are not always consistent, so relying on it as a full-time career is not realistic. I started with Geeker in July 2023. I have many years of IT experience and was hoping there was something like Geeker, a remote business where I could apply my skills to help people solve their IT problems. I was doing some Google searches and discovered Geeker. My inspiration is my family and the opportunity to help people. Knowing that you are making someone else’s life easier by solving computer problems is a very satisfying feeling.
What were some of the first steps you took to start working side by side?
I filled out the registration form to become a Geeker, answered some technical questions used to measure and qualify my experience and then had an interview on Zoom. After the interview, I was approved as a Geeker.
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What were some of the biggest challenges you faced during your hectic journey and how did you overcome them?
I’m 43 now and have been playing music for 28 years. I went to professional computer repair school in 1999 and took a job at IDT. While there, I gained skills in the telecommunications industry and became certified in Cisco networking technology. At the time, I split my time between the Newark office and the IDT offices in Manhattan. Then 9/11 happened and the towers collapsed next to the building I was walking towards, and I thought: Life is too short. I left IDT to pursue music full time. Since then I have played weddings, bar and bat mitzvahs, concerts and recorded music.
Along the way, I kept my tech skills fresh by taking jobs here and there, but they often didn’t have the flexibility I needed to continue pursuing my passion: music-related work. Last summer, I was looking for work as the summer music concert season was slowing down, and I was trying to put together something that would allow me to use my tech skills wherever and whenever I wanted. I have a family now and had considered driving for Uber and Lyft to earn some money, but I had some safety concerns and wanted to work from home. I came across Geeker and it was exactly what I was looking for. I make between $70 and $90 an hour and work as much and as little as I need, all from the comfort of home. I also get to help people, which I love.
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How long did it take you to see consistent monthly revenue? How much does secondary traffic earn on a monthly basis now?
It varies every month due to the nature of what I do, but I average about $2,700 a month for about 28 hours of work. In the months when I have more time, I log into Geeker to hire more, but on average I only work about an hour a day per month.
What is your favorite part about working on the platform?
Helping people from different parts of the world, no matter where they are. The monetary component is just a small benefit I receive from doing something good for someone else. For me, money is a plus and is secondary to the main reason I use Geeker for my side business.
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What is your advice for others hoping to succeed at Geeker or any side hustle?
If you have time, patience, a passion for helping people, and a basic understanding of how to troubleshoot computer problems, you can be on the right path to success on Geeker. “Success is about the journey, not the destination” is a life lesson I integrate into everything I do.