When I was pregnant with my first child, my mind was still in work mode. Since starting my company Bridesmaid for Hire in 2014, I’d often worked 70-hour weeks, traveled all over the country for business opportunities, and attached my identity to my hustle. I didn’t want any of that to change just because I was becoming a mom. 

I planned to take six weeks of maternity leave, lining up childcare and business gigs — working weddings and speaking at conferences — right afterward. 

But after my daughter was born in early 2023, I no longer craved being pulled in a dozen different directions. I still wanted to run my company, but I also wanted to spend quality time with my baby.

At first, I put in 40 to 50 hours a week when my daughter was sleeping during the day and when my husband came home from work. But as she grew out of the baby phase, parenting became more hands-on and I could only manage about half of it. 

I decided that I needed to shift how I was working so that I could still earn money while giving my daughter the attention she deserved. Today, I make about $6,300 a month in passive income. Here’s how I made it happen. 

As an entrepreneur, I constantly want to create new products and services. But with less time, I looked instead at how I could monetize the resources and foundations I already established.

For example, I put Google ads on my website, which had about 463,000 users in the last year. Traffic swings mean ad income varies. When I have ads turned on, I earn on average $391 per month, with zero hours of work involved. 

DON’T MISS: How to start a side hustle to earn extra money

This monetization method can diminish the user experience on your website and distract from your own messaging and products. So whenever I have a big product launch coming up, I turn off this revenue stream to focus on quality and conversions. 

I send out weekly newsletters to over 100,000 subscribers and post several times a week on TikTok, Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook to over 90,000 social media followers. A lot of my content is centered around wedding and other suggestions and advice, so I use affiliate links.

Two programs I joined, Amazon Associates and RewardStyle, allow me to create curated storefronts and share links to those lists in my social media profile bios and newsletters. This takes about two hours a week.

If a person buys a product I’ve recommended (or other products on the same website) after clicking through my affiliate link, I receive a commission. The amount varies based on the platform, product, and other factors. The payout averages $129 a month.

Clients often hire me to write their maid of honor speeches. It’s a time-consuming process that takes five or six hours per speech. It wasn’t scalable and I frequently had to turn clients away because I didn’t have the bandwidth. Sometimes I said yes anyway. Just hours after giving birth, I sat in the hospital bed trying to finish drafting one.

I decided to team up with a developer who helped me build an AI maid of honor speech writing tool. He took over 200 speeches I’d composed and programmed the tool to replicate the writing style, format, and structure I used.

This allowed me to offer my service at a lower price point ($35 instead of $397) and scale it to work with an unlimited number of customers. In the past year, we’ve expanded to different types of wedding speeches and vows, and even created a similar tool for eulogies. 

These tools bring in an average of $5,380 a month. I usually spend around five hours a week working on marketing, writing SEO-related blog posts, and designing or filming social media content related to these tools. 

One of my first sources of passive income was an online course I launched in 2017. The idea came from a popular request I got from people wanting to start a wedding side hustle like mine. It took me a few weeks to write, film videos, and create the assignments.

I’ve since launched over a dozen courses, including one on public speaking and another on personal branding. They’re available on my website and I often promote them via social media and newsletters. I spend two to three hours a month updating my courses and creating content to market them. 

I also have three books and a newlywed card game. And early last year, I started monetizing my weekly newsletter. I offer a paid subscriber tier that comes with added benefits, like access to newsletter archives, surprise gifts in the mail, and free copies of my books. This takes only an additional hour of time a month to manage.

All together, these digital and physical products generate about $380 a month. 

These passive income streams allow my business to stay afloat and give me time to focus on the projects I’m most excited about, like new products and a podcast. 

Most of all, I don’t regret working less so I can spend more time with my toddler.

Jen Glantz is the founder of Bridesmaid for Hire, the author of ”Finally the Bride: Finding Love after Walking down Everyone Else’s Aisle,” and the creator of The Pick-Me-Up newsletter. Follow her adventures on Instagram @jenglantz.

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With tariffs creating economic uncertainty, many Americans are rethinking their emergency savings — and whether to keep some physical cash at home.

Not every financial planner thinks physical cash is essential, but some say it’s wise to keep a small amount on hand in case of power outages, natural disasters or payment disruptions.

“I would be comfortable with $500 to $1,000 in cash for unforeseen issues” like a hurricane, says Matthew Saneholtz, a certified financial planner at Tobias Financial Advisors in Florida.

Keeping $300 to $500 at home for emergencies or unexpected cash-only expenses is reasonable, says Crystal McKeon, CFP at TSA Wealth Management.

Keeping cash at home is “a personal choice,” says Melissa Caro, CFP and founder of My Retirement Network. While she says it can be “useful” in some situations, she cautions against relying too heavily on it.

“I wouldn’t go overboard with physical cash, since it’s not FDIC-insured and doesn’t earn interest,” Caro says. FDIC insurance covers up to $250,000 per person, per bank, across all accounts, if the FDIC-insured bank fails.

There are other downsides, too. “It can be subject to loss, theft, destruction or even impulse,” says Nicole Sullivan, CFP and co-founder of Prism Planning Partners. “If you have a significant amount of physical bills on hand, you may be more tempted to spend on ‘extras’ that you otherwise would avoid.”

If you do keep cash at home, be discreet about it, says McKeon: “Even if you think these items are safely stored in a safe, spreading this information is likely to make you a target for thieves.”

Beyond a small stash of cash at home, now is a good time to revisit your emergency fund. Financial planners typically recommend saving three to six months’ worth of essential expenses in a checking or high-yield savings account — someplace accessible, but separate from your day-to-day spending.

But with greater economic uncertainty, you might want to extend those savings to as much as a year’s worth of expenses. “If you are in an industry with layoffs likely ahead … shoot for more like nine to 12 months,” Saneholtz says.

Still, many Americans fall short when it comes to emergency savings. About 42% have no emergency savings, and 40% couldn’t cover a $1,000 expense, according to a 2025 survey from U.S. News & World Report.

If you’re starting from zero, remember that having any sort of financial cushion is better than none. “If you start at $50, it’s more than you had last month,” McKeon says. From there, try to increase your savings as your budget allows, especially by trimming non-essential spending, she says.

For an initial goal, savings of $1,000 is useful “to have on hand to fix your car, to cover small repairs on the house and minor medical situations,” says McKeon.

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Erim Kaur, entrepreneur and influencer, made $4 million in sales after founding a hair-oil brand rooted in ancient Indian traditions.

London-based Kaur has over 700,000 followers on Instagram and TikTok combined, and founded ByErim in 2019 — a luxury haircare brand known for its flagship hair growth oil containing eight pure oils, including Amla, Argan, Coconut, and Castor oil. It has raked in £3.3 million ($4.2 million) since its launch, CNBC Make It has verified.

The 30-year-old pinned the popularity of her hair growth oil on having social media savvy and building a core audience of young Indian women and men turning to her for beauty and life advice.

“I think one of the strongest messages I’ve always had has been that I want to do it for girls or boys that have grown up without a mum and sisters,” Kaur told CNBC Make It in an interview about the popularity of her content.

Kaur was only eight when her mother died of breast cancer, and a memory she always cherished was her mother’s long hair, which she said was a defining part of her identity.

“I really wanted to emulate the way that my mother looked,” she said. “It was scary to see her lose the identifying part of what people saw as something that contributes so heavily to her beauty.”

Kaur recalled that her father, who was only 29 at the time, took her to the barber’s for a haircut. “I didn’t even know how to tie my hair. She died before she taught me,” Kaur said.

That was when she decided to turn to her paternal grandmother, who would apply different oils and ingredients on her hair through her early teens, before landing on a formula that Kaur continued to use as an adult and is the current formulation of the ByErim oil.

Those experiences formed the foundations of Kaur’s social media journey, where she shared her story of growing up without a mum, as well as how she learnt to take care of herself as a woman.  

“I wanted to create a shortcut for any girls or boys that had grown up without a mum, which is why I started to speak about that experience on my page,” she explained.

After gaining 100,000 followers in 2019, she decided to monetize her social media and build ByErim as a homage to both her mother and grandmother while also capitalizing on a growing social media trend.

Hair oiling is an Indian tradition recorded in ancient Sanskrit medicinal texts like Charaka Samhita, and passed on through the centuries. Indian women are taught by their mothers and grandmothers to massage oils into their hair from a young age.

With the influx of Indian immigrants to the U.S. and Europe since the 20^th century, hair-oiling has transcended India’s borders.

Cosmopolitan U.K.’s deputy beauty editor Hanna Ibraheem recently wrote that having her hair oiled as a child resurfaced memories of shame about her identity.

“I’d noticed my peers would get teased for their oiled hair on the school playground. Sure, the oil made my hair soft and strong. I know it’s the reason I have healthy hair today. But at the time, I found the whole thing … well, embarrassing,” Ibraheem said in a piece for the magazine.

Once a marker of shame for many children of South Asian immigrants, hair oiling has filtered into beauty trends on social media.

The hashtag #hairoil has almost half a million posts on TikTok, with mainstream influencers sharing their oiling routines, including what hair oils they use and application techniques.

Tips on hair oiling have made the pages of Vogue in recent years, and a range of brands have surfaced alongside Kaur’s ByErim, including Nikita Charuza’s Ayurveda-inspired Squigs Beauty, Akash and Nikita Mehta’s Fable & Mane, and Kuldeep Knox’s Chāmpo.

“How funny is it that ‘to oil’ never used to be a verb that was in everyone’s daily communication but then this morning I was going to my grandparent’s and I was going to say ‘can you oil my hair for me?’ Back in the day, it would have been people from England saying ‘would you mind putting oil into my hair, or would you mind applying oil to my scalp?’ But it’s now a verb,” Kaur said.

Unlike traditional Indian oiling, which includes the use of greasy, thick oils with a pungent odor, the appeal of brands like ByErim is that it’s fragranced and lightweight, Kaur said.

“I have it in my hair right now. Could you ever tell? I could go to Tesco. I could go to the gym. I could go for dinner with my hair like this,” she said.

Kaur says ByErim’s success isn’t just about the rising popularity of hair oiling but because her followers are “emotionally invested” in her brand.

“Influencers cast a very wide net, but the problem is when you’re trying to reach people who don’t already follow you, you’re alienating the people that do. So, I was very focused on my followers. They’re focused on me,” Kaur said.

Influencer-founded brands have increased in recent years, but not all are cut out for success. Famous influencer brands range from TikTok darling Addison Rae’s makeup line Item Beauty to Instagrammer Arielle Charnas’ clothing brand, Something Navy.

However, Rae’s Item Beauty was discontinued by Sephora in 2023, with Rae failing to promote the brand consistently. Meanwhile, Something Navy faced financial troubles and stopped selling clothes through its website.

“People can sniff out authenticity, and they can sniff out fake very quickly,” Kaur explained. “If your followers really genuinely love you and would support you, they don’t want to feel like they’ve been palmed off with a quick, cheap product that just has your name on it.”

She sets herself apart by sharing the highs and lows of building ByErim on social media, from posting about factories accepting her orders to packaging ByErim bottles by hand.

“So by the time I launched it, people were buying regardless because they wanted to be part of that journey,” she said.

The company, which sold 250 units in its first four hours of launching and another 500 units in January 2020, has played a part in keeping the hair-oiling trend alive.

“I can’t take full credit for anything,” Kaur said of the normalization of hair-oiling. “I think there are some amazing brands out there that are pushing the needle when it comes to sharing what was a secret of our grandma’s kitchen to the masses, but I would like to hope that ByErim has played even a 1% part of that.”

Growing up, I was the quiet kid who never raised her hand in class. Today, I’m a global keynote speaker for companies like Amazon, LinkedIn, and McKinsey. I regularly appear on podcasts, do TV interviews, and speak in front of large audiences. I’m a LinkedIn Top Voice and author of the forthcoming book “Unforgettable Presence,” which teaches professionals how to get seen and gain influence at work.

And yes, I’m still very much an introvert.

People often assume it’s the extroverts who are natural-born leaders — the ones who know how to speak to big crowds, exert influence, and communicate with ease.

But I believe it’s the introverts who thrive in these roles and are perfectly positioned to excel. Being an introvert isn’t a limitation. Introverts are equipped with so many superpowers — it’s just about knowing what they are and how to use them.

Whether you identify as an introvert, work with introverts, or are raising one, you should know about three of the most underrated strengths introverts bring to the table, both at work and in life.

Introverts are rarely the most talkative people in meetings or social settings. That’s exactly what helps them build deep, meaningful relationships.

Because they’re often active and intentional listeners who thrive one-on-one, introverts tend to notice subtle cues and remember the small things, like a friend’s favorite coffee order, a client’s hesitation during a meeting, or a change in demeanor that may signal a colleague’s burnout.

That kind of attentiveness can build trust and loyalty over time.

Ultimately, people want to work with, advocate for, and spend time with people they like. In a world full of people waiting for their turn to speak, being someone who truly hears others is rare and valuable. 

To harness this superpower: 

• Do: Ask thoughtful follow-up questions that show you were paying attention, such as, “How did that big client call go?” or “Is your workload any better this week?”
• Don’t: Stay quiet the entire time and assume passively listening will build connection. You have to show people you listened. Embrace conversational threading to help.

Introverts may speak less often, but when they do, their words tend to carry more weight. That’s because they don’t speak just for the sake of it. They’ve taken the time to consider their message.

In a fast-paced, distracted world where people are bombarded with noise, introverts have a unique advantage: the ability to cut through the clutter with clear, intentional communication.

This applies to meetings, presentations, emails, and even social media. I’ve coached professionals who’ve grown their visibility not by speaking more — but by speaking with more clarity and purpose.

To harness this superpower: 

• Do: If you’re participating as an introvert, ask for the agenda in advance so you can identify where you want to contribute. Prepare one or two points ahead of time so you’re ready when the topic comes up.
• Do: If you’re leading, share discussion topics and questions ahead of time. When people know what to expect, they’re more likely to contribute. And give people different ways to participate. Invite comments in the chat or offer time at the end for written follow-up. 
• Don’t: Wait too long for the perfect moment or second-guess yourself into silence. You’ll miss your window — and your perspective won’t be heard.

Introverts tend to feel more confident when they’re prepared — so they prepare exceptionally well. Though it may sound counterintuitive, this positions them to become excellent public speakers.

While others wing it, introverts rehearse. They anticipate questions before a big meeting. They take time to understand the audience and use that insight to connect during the actual session. They’re thoughtful about gathering all the ideas in the room, not just the loudest.

This kind of preparation is often invisible. But it’s a secret weapon in high-stakes situations, like job interviews, presentations, and difficult team conversations.

To harness this superpower: 

• Do: Practice in an environment that mirrors the real thing. Rehearse in the actual room if possible, or simulate it by presenting in front of peers or your manager.
• Don’t: Prep alone without feedback or recording yourself. You’ll miss out on small but important tweaks that can make a big difference.

When introverts understand and own their strengths, they become standout communicators, leaders, and collaborators at work and beyond.

Introversion isn’t a barrier to success — it’s a different path to it.

Lorraine K. Lee is an award-winning keynote speaker and CEO of RISE Learning Solutions. She’s also the best-selling author of “Unforgettable Presence: Get Seen, Gain Influence, and Catapult Your Career,” which was named a must-read by the Next Big Idea Club. She teaches popular courses with LinkedIn Learning and Stanford Continuing Studies. Past clients include Zoom, Cisco, LinkedIn, ASICS, McKinsey & Company, and many others.

Want to earn some extra money on the side? Take CNBC’s new online course How to Start a Side Hustle to learn tips to get started and strategies for success from top side hustle experts. Sign up today and use coupon code EARLYBIRD for an introductory discount of 30% off $97 (+taxes and fees) through April 1, 2025.

Over the course of my career as a writer and host of The Richer Way podcast, I’ve interviewed over 100 millionaires.

I started the podcast because I wanted to help people take more control of their finances. My goal is to share advice from highly successful people about how they dealt with setbacks and came out stronger on the other end.

Getting to know these entrepreneurs, executives and industry leaders, I’ve had a chance to learn about what sets them apart. These millionaires are charismatic and commanding, know how to delegate and have razor-like focus. They don’t sit around waiting for anything, certainly not luck, because they make their own.

Here are four habits they all share:

Virgin Group founder Richard Branson told me that one of the biggest lessons he has learned over the course of his career is: “You don’t learn to walk by following rules. You learn by doing, and by falling over.”

DON’T MISS: How to change careers and be happier at work 

Real estate mogul Barbara Corcoran agreed. She said “you must learn not to second guess yourself.” She often uses a “fake it till you make it” mindset to work through her biggest fears.

Similarly, Kim Kiyosaki, an entrepreneur and the co-founder of the Rich Dad Company, recalled being fired from her first job at an ad agency. But rather than take it to heart, she realized she wasn’t meant to work for someone else, and devoted herself to building a career in real estate. 

When I asked Jaspreet Singh, CEO of Briefs Media and founder of the Minority Mindset, about the secret to becoming a millionaire, he attributed his success to a sense of discipline. 

“It takes a lot of discipline to get up when you don’t feel like it, get to work before everyone else, stay after everyone else, and keep working when people say you’re working too hard.” Singh said. “But if you want a life that most people dream of, you can’t keep doing what the majority of people do.” 

Tax and legal expert Mark J. Kohler agreed. He told me that “a lack of experience or knowledge can be mitigated with hard work and passion for what you believe in.”

Two self-made millionaires I interviewed, Derik Fay, the founder of 3F Management, and Lynette Khalfani-Cox, who is known as The Money Coach, spoke candidly about their experiences overcoming adversity in their youth.

“I grew up in Rhode Island, lived in Section 8 housing, and endured extreme poverty and abuse,” Fay said. “For the longest time, I thought my childhood was going to define me as a victim. Then I discovered that the exact things I thought had destroyed me, once I embraced them, had the power to redefine me.”

“My family was quite poor when I was growing up. My dad was a shoeshiner, and my mom was a cashier and secretary,” Khalfani-Cox recalled. “Together, my parents had five daughters and they were always struggling financially.”

Today, Fay runs a company that helps other entrepreneurs grow their businesses. And Khalfani-Cox is dedicated to helping others achieve their own financial success. 

While their past shaped them, and in many ways informed the careers that they have chosen, they made sure that they never felt trapped or defined by it.

Author, financial expert and self-made millionaire Suze Orman told me that learning to confront unexpected challenges can lead to even more growth and success, even if in the moment, it feels like an impossible task.

In 2020, Orman had a major health scare. She learned that she had a non-cancerous tumor that had been growing on her spine for the better part of 15 years. She was scared, but she knew that in order to feel better and heal, she had to adapt and act. She didn’t let fear paralyze her.

When I interviewed her during a difficult time in my own life, she shared one of her favorite phrases with me: “Fear, shame and anger are the three things that keep you from having more.”

She was right. I took that advice to heart and it helped me transform my life for the better.

Jaime Catmull is a personal finance expert with over 16 years of experience. She has worked with Fortune 500 companies, interviewed top CEO’s, celebrities and entrepreneurs, finding out their top investing and personal finance advice.

Want a new career that’s higher-paying, more flexible or fulfilling? Take CNBC’s new online course How to Change Careers and Be Happier at Work. Expert instructors will teach you strategies to network successfully, revamp your resume and confidently transition into your dream career. Start today and use coupon code EARLYBIRD for an introductory discount of 30% off $67 (+taxes and fees) through May 13, 2025.