This 24-Year-Old's Creative Side Hustle Surpassed $1 Million in Sales: 'Definitely Doing Something Right' Content creator and actor Alyssa McKay saw the perfect opportunity to innovate.
By Amanda Breen Edited by Jessica Thomas
Key Takeaways
- McKay co-founded streetwear brand Beyond Lost with her team in December 2021.
- Through exclusive drops and "owning the process," the brand will close out 2024 with more than $1 million gross revenue.
This Side Hustle Spotlight Q&A features content creator and actor Alyssa McKay, 24. McKay co-founded Beyond Lost, a streetwear brand offering sweat sets with unique embroidery and rhinestone designs, in December 2021 and has since grown the business beyond $1 million in sales. Responses have been edited for length and clarity.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Beyond Lost. Alyssa McKay.
What was your day job or primary occupation when you started your side hustle?
While growing up in Portland, I worked at a local yogurt shop and paid my way through college at Portland State University, where I earned my BA in communications. For the past five years, I have been a full-time content creator and actress.
When did you start your side hustle, and where did you find the inspiration for it?
Three years ago (almost to the day), we launched the streetwear brand Beyond Lost alongside my management team at The Network Effect. My team and I are big streetwear fans and knew there was room for innovation. We wanted to establish a brand that was both high-quality and accessible. We also wanted to open the line of communication between my audience on social platforms and involve them in all the everyday processes.
What were some of the first steps you took to get your side hustle off the ground?
Even before our first exclusive "drop," I asked my audience (specifically on Snapchat) what they liked and disliked: colors, design, fit, etc. We needed to confirm our gut instincts before we put our first design into production. On Snapchat, I post somewhere between 150-300 pieces of content every day. Part of this narrative is bringing this specific community on a behind-the-scenes journey from inception to design completion to delivery to release.
What were some of the biggest challenges you faced while building your side hustle, and how did you navigate them?
What has been most important to our venture is what we call "owning the process." Instead of outsourcing aspects or elements of our business to third parties or agencies, we own and operate ourselves. We all contribute to the designs, work directly with the manufacturers, ensure quality control, manage relationships with our creator ambassadors, analyze all backend analytics and finances and work with the social platforms directly on best practices and optimizations (just to name a few). While it was challenging to build this infrastructure, it has been a blessing to understand the ins and outs of building a modern-day "creator-led business."
Image Credit: Courtesy of Beyond Lost
How long did it take you to see consistent monthly revenue? How much did the side hustle earn?
We sold out our first drop in a few hours. From there, we have been off to the races. As we close out 2024, we're excited to report that we have now seen over $1 million in gross revenue (with high quality and low quantities in mind), all without spending a dollar on marketing or paid social.
Related: She Started a Side Hustle That Earned More Than $1 Million in Year 1: 'Manifest Your Best Life'
What does growth and revenue look like now?
More frequent drops will increase our revenue. But we have been very careful to make sure that we sample everything at least two to five times until the quality is right. That being said, we are looking to double the number of new items in 2025. We have been extremely tactical since launch on building an authentic brand with the right quality that speaks with and to the audience.
What do you enjoy most about this side hustle?
Running a business like this is very fulfilling on so many levels. What I enjoy the most is the direct positive feedback we receive. Our monthly returning customer rate ranges from 40% to as high as 70% month to month. It is very satisfying that people are not just buying one of our pieces but coming back to purchase again. It means we are definitely doing something right.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Beyond Lost
What's your advice for others hoping to start successful side hustles of their own?
I have learned so much from building Beyond Lost. Here are a few significant takeaways: First, make sure you partner with the right people. I have been working with my team at The Network Effect for the past five years, and we have amazing levels of collaboration and trust. Second, take a second to enjoy the ride and celebrate wins (both big and small). Finally, ideas are just ideas until they are executed.
This article is part of our ongoing Young Entrepreneur® series highlighting the stories, challenges and triumphs of being a young business owner.
