A man who joined an odd-jobs website after quitting his full-time work says becoming his own boss has helped him clear £20,000 of debt and even buy his first home.
Fais Chaudry, 35, from West London, ditched his job in sales to start offering his handyman services full-time on “sharing community” website Airtasker.
Airtasker allows freelancers and self-employed workers to list their skills and services - including things like cleaning, marketing and DIY jobs - so people can hire them.
Fais discovered Airtasker in 2018 after he started looking for ways to boost his income in the evenings when his wife Diana, 37, became pregnant with their daughter, Nerea, now 2.
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As work started picking up, Fais decided to quit his job at the end of 2018 so he could become his own boss.
Despite earning less to begin with, Fais says he now makes more than his sales job and has used this extra income to clear £20,000 worth of debt, built up on credit cards and through payday loans over the last 10 years.
He is also now in the process of getting his foot on the property ladder having recently completed on his first home with Diana.
Speaking to The Mirror, Fais said: "I was always looking for freelance work to do in the evening or weekends, on top of my job. Airtasker popped up so I gave it a try.
"It was scary to leave my full time profession but once I made the jump, I knew business would come in and only get better as time went on.
"I was originally making less money but didn’t have a manager breathing down my neck with targets, KPIs and constant one-to-one and internal meetings.
"After two years I am now making more than I did in my last office job."
Fais, who offers painting and decorating but also some minor carpentry and assembly work, admits that many people he has recommended Airtasker to have been reluctant to give up their full-time job.
This is because there is no guarantee that you'll always get work through an odd-jobs site, meaning it can be risky and any income isn't guaranteed.
You may also have some months that are better than others.
This means you should always be prepared and have back-up savings before deciding to give up any full-time work.
Thankfully for Fais, he has no regrets about becoming his own boss and says giving up his job was the right decision for him.
He can make anything from £200 per day, but some jobs can sometimes bring in double this amount.
He said: "I wish I was in this position 15 years ago, but I made a few bad decisions that got me into debt.
"Using the sharing economy and becoming my own boss has given me financial stability for the first time ever."
If you're thinking about becoming self-employed, do your research first to make sure there is a market for what you want to do.
If you don't know what to base your business on, you could consider something which uses your experience or skills or something which you have previously done as a hobby.
You may be able to get ideas by looking at books and leaflets in the local library or job centre. Consider freelancing, or even turning your favourite hobby into a small business.
It could also be a good idea to start your new business on the side of your existing job so you can see if it is likely to take off.
