**Rising Trend of Developing Side Businesses in Los Angeles**
Utilizing spare time to deliver packages, sell handicrafts, participate in online surveys, or learn skills such as beauty, nail art, and hairdressing to obtain professional licenses has become a common phenomenon in American society. With inflation and soaring housing prices, more and more Los Angeles residents are engaging in side businesses. Many recent mainland Chinese immigrants are also actively planning to develop their side businesses into full-time occupations.
Principal Xu of Temple City Beauty College stated that according to a statistical report from the American Consumer Association, the most lucrative side business in 2023 was beauty and hairdressing. While some people pursue side businesses solely for interest, as inflation continues to erode household budgets and wages remain stagnant, individuals are compelled to develop their interests into opportunities for earning extra income. The college trains students to obtain professional licenses in cosmetology, esthetics, and manicuring. Once they accumulate sufficient internship hours, they can start their own businesses.
Principal Xu believes that licensed professionals in the U.S. never have to worry about unemployment. The U.S. government welcomes skilled immigrants to work and pay taxes, so obtaining licenses in hairdressing, beauty, and nail art is also a pathway for applying for work visas. Graduates of the cosmetology program at the college typically earn around $3,000 in their first month working at a hair salon, with additional income from tips. Therefore, many mainland Chinese individuals coming to the U.S. consider obtaining a cosmetology license to prepare for future employment.
Currently working at the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), Ms. Wang expressed that although DMV jobs are stable and offer good benefits, she yearns for the freedom to schedule her own work hours and not be bound by various office policies. Therefore, she learned and obtained a beauty license, using her weekends and spare time to work as an “eyelash artist”. Initially, to gain experience, she helped family and friends with eyelash extensions for free. Later, through word-of-mouth referrals, she began officially charging for her services.
Ms. Wang’s personal studio operates by appointment, with most clients seeking eyelash services after work hours, thus not interfering with her regular job at the DMV. However, she is already planning to stabilize her eyelash studio and expand operations with more partners. Once the studio becomes more established, she intends to quit her DMV job and turn her side business into a full-time occupation.
After obtaining a cosmetology license, Mrs. Zhang worked at a hair salon run by Chinese owners for a period of time. However, she found that commuting consumed too much time, so she gradually reduced her working hours and started providing occasional services at home for familiar clients. Mrs. Zhang stated that she initially pursued the license to acquire a valuable skill. However, the salon’s salary fell short of expectations, and Chinese customers did not tip generously. To succeed in running a salon for profit, one must work on building a reputation, attracting clients, and ideally operate in non-Chinese neighborhoods to earn more tips.
Nevertheless, Mrs. Zhang does not regret obtaining the cosmetology license because she saves a significant amount each month by cutting her family’s hair. She believes that in the current trend of rising prices, saving every penny counts as earning. Amid economic pressures, people are actively seeking and developing new sources of income while also pursuing more flexible work arrangements.