The side hustle is a trend that’s here to stay. This past year quickly showed us all the importance of having a plan B. This has been especially true for Millennials, who have been some of the hardest hit by job loss during the pandemic.
It should come as no surprise that they’re more likely to have a side gig. More than 50% of millennials have a side job and while many of them rely on the extra income, the majority also consider it a passion project.
That’s what the Slim on Starch Program was for Emmie Keefe, the founder and CEO of Healthy Emmie. Keefe studied for 4 years to become a math teacher, even graduating Summa Cum Laude. She landed a job in Boston shortly after graduation and eventually moved to Australia to teach full-time. To fill her time outside of school, she launched a YouTube channel, Healthy Emmie. “I made YouTube videos for fun. My plan was to be a teacher for the rest of my life.” Keefe was a picky eater as a kid but learned to love plant-based eating as an adult. She was passionate about plant-based nutrition and started sharing tips about plant-based eating on the platform. It was just a hobby, but as her followers continued to grow, Keefe realized she had an opportunity.
She decided to enroll in the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and pursue her dream of health coaching and it became an instant hit with her audience. “I had an exponentially growing business on my hands… and it was just my side gig!” Her situation is not unusual. About 20% of American teachers have a second job, and just over half work in a field outside of education. In Keefe’s case, the opportunity to do something she was passionate about outweighed the risks. “I bravely quit teaching and went full-time in my business without a drop of knowledge about how to run a business.”
For the first few years, she worked every day—even on Christmas—to get her business off the ground. “My business became my obsession.” She developed the Slim on Starch Program, a 6-Step System that promises to help you lose weight and teach you how to eat plant-based. The Healthy Emmie YouTube channel has over 55,000 subscribers and the Slim on Starch Program has helped over 1,500 people lose weight on a plant-based diet. “I like to upload testimonials from my clients, so people can see the results for themselves.” Even her parents—known as Healthy Mummy and Healthy Dad—have benefited from the
program. Her mom lowered her high cholesterol and her dad lost over 60 pounds.
These success stories remind Keefe to have faith that her business will continue to grow—even if she takes a break every now and again. “I completely take Sundays off. This has been key in preventing burnout.”
Her advice for other aspiring business owners is simple. “Be obsessed in the beginning and be willing to rest once you find your groove.” The experience has been a whirlwind. Keefe was a full-time teacher only 3 years ago, and now is the CEO of her own company with a massive team supporting her.
Her plans for the future? “I have no idea where this will be in 2-3 years and I’m not going to try to plan it. It will grow however it’s supposed to.”
