How Etsy candle seller brought in six figures from passive side hustle [Video]

Francisco Rivera’s “original plan” after college graduation was to work in music and travel.

But after he finished his degree in music production at Full Sail University in 2017, he couldn’t find a job in the industry. So, Rivera made money where he could: He worked in an Apple Store, then nabbed a part-time gig for online tutoring company Outschool.

Those jobs weren’t satisfying or lucrative — at least compared to what he does now, he says. In February 2023, Rivera started selling print-on-demand candles on Etsy. At first, he worked four to five hours a day, and only brought in a couple hundred dollars a month.

Two months later, Rivera was on a date when his side hustle catapulted into popularity: He received over 70 orders that day, compared to his usual 10, he estimates. “I was so distracted because my phone wouldn’t stop buzzing.”

Now that Rivera’s shop is up and running, and has garnered …