If her 6 million TikTok followers are any indication, she's getting it done.
Ekros launched the account MorganDrinksCoffee in June 2019 as an experiment to hone her social media marketing skills. She never intended to make a living from it, but now she earns up to $9,000 a month from videos of her recreating orders and coffee shops. According to documents reviewed by CNBC Make It.
The 24-year-old's side hustle includes posting on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. Her income comes from advertising, brand deals, and merchandise sales. It takes her only eight hours a week, and she says it's much more lucrative than other time-consuming jobs.
Ms. Eklos is also a competitive barista and marketing strategist for coffee brand Onyx Labs, and earns an annual salary of $45,000. Her total income last year was $141,000. But turning what she loves into her job can be dangerous.
“I had to set boundaries so I didn’t burn out,” she says.
Here, we break down how Ekros built his six-figure side hustle, what the boundaries are, and what you need to know before trying to make money on social media. Masu.
CNBC Make It: How did you learn to create content that attracts over 6 million followers?
Eckroth: My high school experience was heavily shaped by my experience on Tumblr, so I was always aware of social trends and trends online.
while earning a degree [at Oregon State University], I always wanted to work in media marketing and digital advertising. I started making TikToks as an exercise and it was a very natural progression.
My content on TikTok and Instagram is short-form vertical sketches focused on the life of a barista. For example, when a barista says, “Enjoy your drink,” and you respond, “So do you!” and your actual reaction.
I started a YouTube channel for my Capstone project in February 2020 and gradually gained traction. My YouTube has always been about what's next. [videos about] Skill improvement and the actual technique of making coffee.
Social Media How does the success of your business impact how you use social media?
I try my best not to consume my content or other coffee content online. Otherwise, social media will always feel like work. It was a small change that really made a big difference.
There are times, such as during a shoot, when you need to scroll through the platform for analysis, research, and inspiration. Now that deadline has become stricter. I don't have to delay shooting until the evening when I haven't made coffee yet.
An award-winning competitive barista, Ekros won the 2022 United States Barista Championship and was runner-up in 2023.
CNBC Make It
I track and pay attention to numbers, but I think much less than others [content creators]. I only create content that feels authentic to me, and that I think connects with others in the service and hospitality industry, in hopes that people will follow suit.
I also had to carve out a hobby for myself that I couldn't monetize. When I'm not doing a lot of work, I can usually be found at used bookstores looking for his science fiction and fantasy books.
I also like creative writing. And I have a lot of writing projects in progress that aren't listed anywhere on the internet. They are just for me.
What should people who want to start their own social media side hustle know?
Social media [as a side hustle] It's great because the barrier to entry is pretty low. However, I hesitate to say that anyone can do it, or even that everyone should do it.
It's very easy to lose yourself and your voice if you're just posting the same things as everyone else online. I think you need a thesis as to why you are creating content. If that means “I want to sell more of my products,” that's great. For me, I want to translate the coffee experience online.
It's really helpful to write it out yourself so you can adjust all your videos to that theory. I always ask myself, “Am I achieving what I set out to achieve here?”
It's also a kind of boundary line. Set boundaries as soon as possible to avoid triggering burnout.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
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