Side hustles have become a way of life, according to a 2021 consumer spending survey. Nearly half (43%) of the survey respondents said their reason for taking on more work was to supplement their primary income.
That’s why Anthony Ivory picked up his gig with DoorDash in 2017. He dashes four or five days a week, making deliveries in and around Elizabeth, New Jersey.
“I get my schedules for my [full-time] work two weeks in advance. It allows me to schedule my dashing times around the peak times in my area,” he says. “It gives you the freedom to be able to work based on your schedule.”
The flexibility allows Ivory to prioritize family life with his wife and 8-year-old daughter.
“Getting [my daughter] to dance class and gymnastics and theater — those are a lot of the things that I’m balancing.” Ivory says dashing has also helped him meet financial goals and “put some money aside for things that I wouldn’t have been able to [buy] without having this particular stream of income.”
In addition to providing flexible earning opportunities, DoorDash wants to support local communities by increasing financial literacy. In 2021, the food delivery app partnered with the National Urban League to launch the Financial Empowerment Program for dashers. The curriculum includes courses on credit, saving money and coaching in entrepreneurship and building assets.
DoorDash has been committed to understanding what gig workers, like Ivory, need to move forward for a long time. This is best evidenced by the on-demand delivery platform’s creation of the Dasher Community Council (DCC) in 2019. The group is a pipeline for receiving feedback on products and offerings such as the Financial Empowerment Program. Council members serve six months and then become DCC ambassadors who are eligible for ongoing DoorDash perks.
Ivory joined the council because he wants to be a voice for other dashers.
“We have open conversations that include some of the folks from the corporate departments. They’re looking to gain some more information before they push out certain programs. They look to us for input first. We’re kind of like the front line of the front line.”
Learn more about increasing your earnings by delivering with DoorDash.
This editorial is brought to you in partnership with DoorDash.
