19 Feb How This 58-Year-Old from Essex Turned Side Gigs into a 5-Star, Flexible Career
While caring for her 94 year old father, Alison Goldsmith, 58, from Essex was unable to work and, through word of mouth, came across Airtasker in February 2024.
Alison started with a couple of tasks when she had the time, but after her father had sadly passed, she picked Airtasker back up to help pay off some debts she had accrued due to caring.
She had been self-employed for over 25 years working in marketing and retail, and is also a trained counsellor, so had become hugely multiskilled over the years and loved meeting and helping people.
She said, “The wide variety of tasks is great, I love that I don’t have to do the same job all the time, and my favourite thing is helping people, it is so rewarding to know you have helped someone and made their life just a little bit easier.”
Alison picked up more tasks on Airtasker from September 2024, and it is now currently her main source of income earning over £6K from tasks ranging from removals, gardening, decluttering & organising, pick up & delivery and helping at events, she even made an adult size Oogie Boogie costume for someone who loves Halloween.
“Most people live around their five day working week, but I’m able to fit my work around my life and whatever else I have going on. Airtasker has been a godsend, and I love the fact that even on the day I can find a task if I want.”
Alison has a 5-star overall rating with incredible reviews from grateful customers. One particularly memorable task involved Alison helping a family transport and set up their ‘Candy Cart’ for a Christmas event. The customer’s review reads, “Alison is someone who doesn’t work with you as a business but more of a family… Such a great human being.” They were so grateful for her help, and she now has a great relationship with them.
Alison recently helped out at a party so the host could spend time with her guests instead of doing all the catering and cleaning up. The host was impressed with her work ethic and skills and they’re now going to look at what other projects they can collaborate on.
Alison would like to encourage older people and especially women to use their skills and help others. The flexibility of Airtasker, including tasks that can be done from home, means that even carers and single mothers could complete a couple of tasks a week around their responsibilities, and it could really help. It could also help mothers wanting to get back into the workplace after raising a family and older people who may have been out of the workplace for a while. They have many skills to offer and Airtasker would be a way to build up their confidence and CV again.
