Opinion

My Generation Isn't Lazy. We've Just Learned to Call Our Side Jobs a Personal Brand.

For a lot of young workers, the side hustle is real work and real skill. For some, it's also a second paycheck dressed up as self-expression. We should be able to say both.

BY Mara Lewis · Nov 08, 2026

A barista pours oat milk into paper cups behind a café counter — A barista pours oat milk during a shift at a café. Photo: Eilis Garvey / Unsplash (Unsplash License)

Some of us aren't building empires on the side. We're covering the gap, and calling it a brand because it sounds better.

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