How Ambitous Students Are Turning Hobbies Into Side Hustles

By Bella Vassoller, News Staffer

Published: May 22, 2025

(Credit to Alayna Clement)

St. Charles Lawn Care LLC

Sometimes people are gifted with passions and skills that can be easily combined into something beneficial. For Jack Rudden, a junior at FHN, that realization came very early on.

“I had been cutting grass since I was four years old, cutting my own and all,” Rudden said. “So, nine years ago, my neighbor asked me if I wanted to cut their lawn, and I have just been doing it since.” Cutting just neighboring lawns in the beginning, Rudden soon realized that this could become much more and that he had the skill for it. He began his business, “St. Charles Lawn Care LLC”, and has progressively reached customers beyond just in his neighborhood.

“I don’t really have a target market, mostly residential. But now that I got my LSC, and I am insured, I am sort of targeting commercial property, but, for the most part, it’s just anyone that owns a house or property that needs to be cut,” Rudden said.

When you have a goal to succeed in what you do, it’s easy to work hard for it so that it can be a stable part of your life.

“My current goal is to do this for the rest of my time working,” Rudden said.
(Credit to Raiyn Kent)

DOLLED BY RK

Raiyn Kent and Skylar Moore, both sophomores at FHN, are close friends who share a hobby of hairstyling. Together, they began a home-based hairstyling business.

“I started as a hobby because I do my own hair, and then it just became a thing that I like to do, and it was quick money,” Kent said.

Kent and Moore work to make sure their business is organized and need good communication in order for that to happen.

“Whoever the client booked with is whoever does the client’s hair,” Kent said.

If their client books with one of them, they will make sure they are prepared and their day is set to do their job. Usually one of them styling someone’s hair is enough, but there are exceptions. “If we have a head that is going to take longer than 12 hours, we will call each other and do the head together, but normally we braid the head separately,” Kent said.

Kent does not see herself doing this in the upcoming future but claims that for now, it’s what fits in with her high school routine and life priorities.

“You know, it’s just something to just pass time,” Kent said. “But I do love seeing the end product, how good it looks, how pretty the hair looks after. It’s a good feeling.”
(Credit to Eashaan Patel)

Bouquets By Bells

Jaslene Troncoso, a sophomore at FHN, has recently found a passion for flower bouquets. Her story is an example of how boredom can lead to the springing of something new and favorable.

“I think I had a little too much free time, and I had seen people making bouquets, and I was like, ‘you know what, I wanna try,’” Troncoso said. “And so, I tried a bouquet for my mom and realized that it was a lot of fun.”

Troncoso doesn’t see herself doing this in the future, but it fits nicely with her day to day at this stage of her life.

“I think that this is just a hobby that I have,” Troncoso said. “I’ll keep it going for as long as I can because it’s good side money.”

Whenever Troncoso receives bouquet orders on her Instagram page, she looks to see if the person requested fake flowers or real flowers. She then works hard to make the bouquet perfect, all while having fun with the process.

“I, most of all, like seeing the finished product when people come to pick them up, or I drop them off,” Troncoso said. “It’s really nice to see their reactions.”
(Credit to Submitted)

Frosted Bunny

For America Fritz-Williard, a junior at FHN, it was her search for having more gluten-free and vegan food options, and baking passion that combined.

“I own a custom logo cookie business,” Fritz-Williard said. “So, kind of like a bakery, but it’s custom cookies, so I print on my cookies with people’s logos.”

Whoever reaches out and is looking for cookies for a special occasion, Fritz-Williard is happy to help.

“I like what I do. Besides printing people’s logos, I really like making new design ideas by myself,” Fritz-Williard said.

Along with having always enjoyed being in the kitchen and baking, Fritz-Williard has also always had a strong creative drive.

“I hope to keep doing this as long as I can make it last honestly,” Fritz-Williard said.

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