Hey, everyone. And thanks for joining me this week. Depending on where you're listening,

I hope you're enjoying some spring weather where I am in Southeast Florida. We had a few

spring days, but it already feels like summer. I recently had a fantastic restaurant meal

with friends for the very first time since the pandemic. It was amazing. We sat outside

and it was a really windy night, but a beautiful evening. And I'm looking forward to doing a lot more

of that and taking a road trip to see family and friends in a few weeks after my second vaccine

dose kicks in. I hope you're also feeling hopeful or seeing some bright spots in your life. And if

you're a new listener, I'm thrilled that you've downloaded the show and hope you'll stick around

by subscribing. My name is Laura Adams. I'm a personal finance and small business expert, author,

and educator who's been writing and hosting MoneyGirl since 2008. My mission is to help you get the

knowledge and motivation to prioritize your finances, build wealth, and have more security and less

stress. While there are still millions of people who are unemployed or under employed due to the

pandemic, one upside has been a significant increase in the number of new businesses. Now whether

this is through necessity or opportunity, starting a full-time venture or even working a part-time

side hustle comes with lots of benefits. Years ago, I broke away from the traditional 9-5 world

and started working for myself. I wanted to do fulfilling work without fighting layers of bureaucracy

or having to attend hours of company meetings. But I started my entrepreneurial journey slowly

by creating a business on the side. I mean, I did it for probably over a decade before I really

went full-time. Keeping my day job allowed me to test out my business ideas while maintaining my

extra income. If you also want the freedom and flexibility to do truly gratifying work and

wake up excited about being your own boss, you can do what I did. Even starting a part-time

side gig to earn extra money is a fantastic way to create more security and accomplish your

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