How 39 year old left full time job and build $279,000 a year side hustle without working ‘all the time’

Bernadette Joy launched her money coaching side hustle with the goal of working fewer hours, not more. In 2019, she was running a bridesmaid dress rental business called Dressed in Charlotte, North Carolina. As her business expanded, so did the demands on her time and finances. Initially, she enjoyed being an entrepreneur, but it eventually became less fulfilling.

So, she decided to close Dressed and pivot to a money-coaching business called Crush Your Money Goals. This idea stemmed from her podcast about how she and her husband paid off $300,000 in student loans and mortgages. With degrees in psychology and business from Boston University, and an MBA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, she was well-prepared to help others manage their finances.

Crush Your Money Goals officially launched in 2020 and quickly became successful, earning Joy $279,000 last year. The business also gave her the flexible schedule she always wanted. Joy works 20 hours a week from Monday to Wednesday, leaving plenty of time for sleep, travel, and hip-hop dance classes. This balance has been a lifelong goal for her.

“I’m incredibly lazy ... I don’t want to work all the time,” says Joy, 39. “I always try to find the path of least resistance.”

The Art of Efficient Work Habits

To make the most of her time, Joy works very efficiently. She avoids multitasking, preferring to meet with clients for longer sessions every other week rather than shorter weekly meetings. This helps her save energy and avoid mental fatigue.

“I work 20 hours a week, but it’s a very intense 20 hours,” Joy explains. “I know how to work very intensely, then just relax. There’s no in-between for me.”

Joy’s approach is about maximizing effort for the least amount of work. In high school, she practiced just enough to make the volleyball team. In college, she chose her majors to get the most value with the least effort. During her MBA program, she noticed her classmates often tried to out-hustle each other. One even attended a board meeting shortly after being hospitalized, while another took an exam while in labor. Despite their efforts, Joy graduated with the same degree, reinforcing her belief that you don’t need to be constantly busy to succeed.

This philosophy is central to her coaching program, where she encourages people to rethink their attitudes toward money and time.

The Less-is-More Approach

Joy’s perspective isn’t unique. Many Americans are considering shorter work weeks. For example, the sports performance company Exos allowed its 3,000 employees to take Fridays off for rest or personal tasks. After six months, employees reported being 91% more productive.

Senator Bernie Sanders recently introduced a bill to reduce the standard work week to 32 hours without a pay cut. While the bill faces opposition, some, like billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban, have long valued time over money. Cuban has always focused on controlling his own time rather than becoming rich.

“I never, ever thought in terms of money,” Cuban told GQ in 2022. “I always thought in terms of time. That’s always been my driving motivation: How can I control my own destiny? How can I control my own time?”

Bernadette Joy’s story and her approach to work reflect a growing desire to find balance and efficiency in our lives, proving that sometimes, less really is more.