Friday 20th October Newsletter

Hello Friday! 🍫 It’s Office Chocolate Day, so share some with your colleagues and read about:

• The pet memorial maker: How a family business brings in $ 20k a month.

• The greatest at work: How to be a standout employee.

• Regaining your balance: A handy planner to organize your days.

THE BIG IDEA

The $ 200k-a-year pet memorial business

55-year-old Rodney Melton built a six-figure side hustle in just one year. While working 60-hour workweeks as a maintenance lead at Mars Petcare, that is. So, what does he do and how does he do it? 🐾

In May 2021, Melton made use of the self-built workshop outside his house and started making headstones for pet memorials with his wife. Selling them on Etsy, he was able to grow his side hustle enough over time to acquire more specialized tools like a granite saw and a laser engraver. 🔨

With these tools, he minimized his production time, which allowed him to take on more orders. With his daughter and daughter-in-law joining in, Melton’s four-person family business brought in more than $ 200k in 2022. “Anyone can do this,” he told CNBC Make It. “It’s just a matter of having the passion for it.”

Do you have a side hustle or have you thought about starting one? Reply and let us know! Read the full story ➜

DAILY INSPO

How to advance with lifelong learning ➜

TODAY’S ADVICE

How to be awesome at work 😎

When you’re the greatest you can be at work, you develop stronger, healthier relationships and you’re rewarded with more promotions, raises, respect and appreciation.

So, how can you be the greatest?

• Manage your time effectively. Strive to meet your deadlines and fulfill your responsibilities.

• Be a good team player. Help out your coworkers, and share your knowledge and resources.

• Go above and beyond. Ask for more responsibilities when you can.

• Solve problems. Don’t just identify them — find solutions for them.

• Keep learning. Take classes, attend workshops and read industry literature.

More workplace hacks ➜

DON’T MISS

🚧 Warning: confidence under construction.

❌ These mistakes can ruin your career.

🏠 Selling homes for a living: how to become a real estate agent.

🧊 Break the ice with these conversation starters.

WEEKLY GIFT

Find your balance 🧘

With so much to do and such little time to do it, it can be easy to neglect our needs outside of work. That increases our likelihood of burning out, however. To help you preserve your wellbeing and strike the right balance, we’ve created this handy planner so you can keep track of what’s important.

Another useful career gift coming your way next Friday ✌️

ASK AN EXPERT

I just want a day away from work…

Everyone’s got questions about their job, career or job search, and our experts are on standby to answer them!

This week, Jeff S from Seattle, WA asks:

My manager will not ever let me take PTO. What should I do?

While your employer can decline requests for PTO, this sounds a little extreme. 😱

There are a few things you can do:

• Ask them about dates they will approve your PTO.

• Ask them about getting paid in lieu of PTO.

• Ask them why they will not let you take PTO.

If these fail, consider speaking directly to HR. And if nothing changes, it might be time to look for another job that respects your need for work–life balance.

🧐 Got your own question? Hit “Reply” to feature yours next week.

MEME IT

Catch you on the flippity flip :)

Created with care by Chris Leitch and Electra Michaelidou.
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