The Side Hustle a Mom Started in Her NYC Apartment Hit $50K in 3 Days, Then Surpassed $1.7M in Sales: ‘A Power Move’

This Side Hustle Spotlight Q&A options Alexandra Rutkay, 43, a New York City-based make-up artist who works on movie and tv units. Currently, she is Mariska Hargitay’s private make-up artist for Law & Order: SVU. Rutkay additionally runs a aspect hustle out of her condo: citymouse, which sells a minimalist crossbody diaper bag for fogeys. Her aspect hustle, launched in 2022, hit seven figures inside a few years — and even surpassed $50,000 in three days over one weekend. Responses have been edited for size and readability. 

When did you begin your aspect hustle, and the place did you discover the inspiration for it?
I launched citymouse on the finish of 2022 out of our New York City condo, and 2023 was our first actual yr. The night time I noticed the model wanted to exist was when my husband, son and I had been heading to dinner post-pandemic. I reached for a cute small bag and realized I couldn’t match my son’s sippy cup, diapers, child wipes and some of my issues inside.

I couldn’t discover a diaper bag geared towards these in-between years the place you don’t want every little thing however nonetheless want some issues. Especially a transitional bag {that a} lady would wish to seize or put on even when they didn’t have youngsters. The child gear trade provides what I name “single-serve items” as a result of so a lot of them by no means get touched once more after just a few months. I actually wished to vary that.

Investing about $8,500 to begin the aspect hustle: citymouse

What had been a number of the first steps you took to get your aspect hustle off the bottom? How a lot cash did it take to launch?
I invested about $8,500 from my very own financial savings to begin the aspect hustle. I started with a tough sketch of a crossbody-style bag that would maintain a drink inside and maintain every little thing organized. Then I despatched it to a provider I discovered on Alibaba, obtained a pattern made and as soon as that arrived, jumped proper on Tiktok (which I had been avoiding till that second), and it modified every little thing. Women had been very , and I launched on preorder, which helped to fund a number of the preliminary run. We are nonetheless totally bootstrapped. 

Are there any free or paid assets which have been particularly useful for you in beginning and operating this enterprise?
Social media was a should, not an choice. I additionally employed a publicist who labored with my finances proper off the bat to assist construct credibility. I make the most of the app Intro, which is an unbelievable useful resource — primarily paying for recommendation and mentorship of established entrepreneurs. Through that, I came upon about Newbook, which I’ve used time and again for fashions who I can rent inside my finances as effectively.

Set up methods for stock, success earlier than you go viral

If you possibly can return in your corporation journey and alter one course of or method, what would it not be, and the way do you want you’d performed it in a different way?
I’d have arrange methods for stock and order success earlier than we went viral, not throughout. When orders spiked, we had been scrambling and packing out of our front room and counting inventory by hand. We’ve bought out extra instances than I can depend, and each time we do, we have now to return onto preorder, which kills the momentum. 

When it involves this particular enterprise, what’s one thing you’ve discovered significantly difficult and/or stunning that individuals who get into such a work must be ready for, however seemingly aren’t?
How quick you get copied. We kicked off the small diaper bag development in 2022, and now Target has primarily duped us, in addition to random Amazon dropshippers. Both giant and small manufacturers noticed the development we began and made their very own knockoffs. If your product works, assume somebody will copy it inside a yr. Your model and your relationship with clients are what they will’t copy, so make investments and focus there early.

Can you recall a particular occasion when one thing went very improper — how did you repair it?
The first model of our bag isn’t what we promote at this time. We printed a rubber brand onto the regenerated nylon, and it was a catastrophe from the beginning: The logos saved peeling off. Luckily, that didn’t have an effect on how the bag labored, however it taught me {that a} design selection can look nice and nonetheless not maintain as much as on a regular basis use. Sometimes you need to make concessions. Now we sew the emblem onto our Classic luggage, and actually, it seems to be simply as cool.

Hitting $50k in 3 days, then $1.7m in whole gross sales

How lengthy did it take you to see constant month-to-month income? How a lot did the aspect hustle earn?
Sales grew to become constant month to month in 2024. Our first full yr, 2023, introduced in about $135,000. Then TikTok store took off in spring 2024, and we had our greatest three months ever — even a weekend the place we bought $50,000 in 3 days. Across our web site, TikTok Shop and wholesale, we hit seven figures in income inside the first 18 to 24 months.

What does progress and income appear to be now?
Tiktok virality isn’t a enterprise mannequin you’ll be able to financial institution on, so whereas the spikes are nice, we’ve reached extra regular baseline progress. We’ve surpassed $1.7 million in whole gross sales and have over 20,000 clients. My husband left his profession to run operations for the enterprise full time, and this yr, we launched on each Nordstrom.com and Maisonette.com. We simply positioned our largest vacation order but and are increasing the road with new bag types.

Keep your day job and bootstrap so long as you’ll be able to

What do you get pleasure from most about operating this enterprise?
It’s actually an unbelievable artistic outlet for me, however connecting with different mothers needs to be one of the best half. Hearing the way it’s given them extra confidence and made them really feel good in a fragile postpartum interval the place nothing feels such as you. Running into girls on the streets of New York City sporting it’s the largest journey ever. I additionally love that it’s a enterprise I constructed with and round my household, and even my 6-year-old may be very invested within the model and merchandise.

What is your finest piece of particular, actionable enterprise recommendation?
It’s not an attractive reply, but when I’m being actual, it will get previous scrolling on social, and each different video is a child in non-public fairness quitting their comfortable job to begin a model. I constructed mine whereas working greater than 50 hours every week from set. It wasn’t “sexy” or straightforward, however it let me take dangers and take a look at issues whereas nonetheless paying my payments. Keep your day job, and don’t take buyers till you really want them. My rule is straightforward: Don’t scale earlier than you’ll be able to afford to, and if one thing isn’t essential, don’t purchase it. It could be slower, however we’ve by no means answered to anybody, and each choice continues to be mine. Bootstrapping isn’t the fallback plan. It’s an influence transfer.

This Side Hustle Spotlight Q&A options Alexandra Rutkay, 43, a New York City-based make-up artist who works on movie and tv units. Currently, she is Mariska Hargitay’s private make-up artist for Law & Order: SVU. Rutkay additionally runs a aspect hustle out of her condo: citymouse, which sells a minimalist crossbody diaper bag for fogeys. Her aspect hustle, launched in 2022, hit seven figures inside a few years — and even surpassed $50,000 in three days over one weekend. Responses have been edited for size and readability. 

When did you begin your aspect hustle, and the place did you discover the inspiration for it?
I launched citymouse on the finish of 2022 out of our New York City condo, and 2023 was our first actual yr. The night time I noticed the model wanted to exist was when my husband, son and I had been heading to dinner post-pandemic. I reached for a cute small bag and realized I couldn’t match my son’s sippy cup, diapers, child wipes and some of my issues inside.

I couldn’t discover a diaper bag geared towards these in-between years the place you don’t want every little thing however nonetheless want some issues. Especially a transitional bag {that a} lady would wish to seize or put on even when they didn’t have youngsters. The child gear trade provides what I name “single-serve items” as a result of so a lot of them by no means get touched once more after just a few months. I actually wished to vary that.