5 Celebrity Gigs to Consider

A recent MarketWatch survey found that 54% of Americans took up a side hustle for extra income in the past 12 months. Of these, 57% did so to supplement their income because they were living paycheck to paycheck before taking on a side job.

Discover: Barbara Corcoran’s 5 best passive income Ideas

Read Next: 5 Unusual Ways to Make Extra Money (That Actually Work)

But it’s not just low- and middle-income people struggling to pay the bills who are looking to diversify their income sources. Dozens of celebrities have moved beyond their acting, sports or music careers to open a side business.

You probably won’t come across a famous artist delivering groceries for Instacart or driving an Uber. Instead, these wealthy celebrities invest money to launch brands, revitalize older buildings, or write books.

Are they profitable? In general, are side gigs worth the average person’s time? As with any investment, it depends. Famous business owners are like any other entrepreneurs: sometimes they succeed and sometimes they lose money.

Let’s look at some examples of celebrity side gigs that you might consider turning into a second income or even a full-time business.

Rich people know the best financial secrets. Learn to copy them.

Comic shop

Filmmaker and actor Kevin Smith purchased Jay and Silent Bob’s Secret Stash, a comic book store located in Smith’s hometown of Red Bank, New Jersey, in 1996. The store was named after two characters from the first Smith’s film, Clerks, as well as other films from Smith’s “View Askew” universe.

Smith is worth $25 million, according to CelebrityNetWorth.com, but there are no details on how much money the comic book store makes Smith. In 2020, Smith paid for all “pull lists” – sort of like a layaway for comic book fans – in the store, allowing fans to receive the books they wanted while still using their money to pay necessities during the pandemic, MovieWeb.com reported. .

Candy store or bakery owner

Avengers actor Paul Rudd and his wife Julie, along with Jeffrey Dean Morgan of Supernatural and The Walking Dead, along with his wife Hilarie Burton Morgan of One Tree Hill, purchased Samuel’s Sweet Shop in the village of Rhinebeck, New York, in 2014 to save the store after the death of owner Ira Gutner.

Similarly, actress Sandra Bullock purchased Walton’s Fancy and Staple in Austin, Texas, a flower shop, deli and bakery with a friendly, local vibe. In either case, the real estate investment may be worth more than the store itself; the famous owners purchased the stores to preserve a piece of local history.

Bullock told the Austin American-Statesman: “Acting helps fund what I do here in Austin… In the end, I may not make a dime… But look what we’ve done to this building . It’s an investment and a reward in itself.

Restaurant/bar/cafe owner

Many celebrities are getting into the hospitality industry, from Jimmy Buffett and his Margaritaville chain of restaurants, hotels and resorts, to Bruce Willis and Sylvester Stallone, co-owners of Planet Hollywood restaurants.

Financial success in these efforts varies, as does the level of involvement of superstar owners. Donnie and Mark Wahlberg, along with their brother Paul, a professional chef, started Wahlburgers as a fast-casual burger chain. With 90 locations around the world, the restaurants generate $105 million in annual revenue, according to Zippia.com.

Mark Wahlberg earned $40,000 in franchise fees and 6% of profits for each new franchise location, making it a lucrative side hustle.

Beauty or fashion brand entrepreneur

Many celebrities take up side hustles doing what they do best, from beauty to fashion. Jennifer Lopez launched JLO Beauty, a line of skincare and anti-aging products to help other women maintain their timeless beauty, like the singer and actress did.

Superstar singer Rihanna has launched the Fenty beauty line, an original brand under the luxury LVMH banner.

Kate Hudson is co-founder and partner of fitness fashion brand Fabletics. Zippia reported brand revenue of $500 million in 2023, making Hudson’s 20% stake in the company quite profitable.

Author of children’s books

The shelves in the children’s section of Barnes & Noble are filled with books written with names you might recognize, even if your kids don’t know them.

Famous children’s book authors include performing artist and international icon Madonna, talk show host Jimmy Fallon, actress Jamie Lee Curtis, and Grammy-winning singer Kelly Clarkson.

With low start-up costs, a side hustle as a children’s author can be accessible to anyone with a vivid imagination and a story to tell. However, don’t expect to make millions from this side gig. ZipRecruiter.com reported that the average children’s book writer earns about $24 an hour.

Should you take part in a side gig?

If you have money to invest, you might explore your own “passion project” side gigs. However, if you don’t have a lot of money to cover startup costs, consider one of these 16 side gigs you can start to generate passive income.

More from GOBankingRates

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 5 Celebrity Gigs to Consider