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McKinsey Global Institute, 2024

High Earners Are the Fastest Growing Segment of Side Business Owners

KEY FINDING

Professionals earning over $75K annually now represent the largest growth segment in independent work.

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR SIDE BUILDERS

The side business story used to be about making ends meet. The data now tells a different story. Educated, experienced professionals are building independent income streams not out of financial desperation but out of strategic intent — diversifying income, testing ideas, and building assets outside their employer. This shift has significant implications for what products, tools, and resources these builders actually need.

ORIGINAL SOURCE

McKinsey Global Institute, The Rise of the Human-AI Workforce

RELATED READING

Start Without Permission covers the strategic decisions behind building independent income while fully employed.

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