How to Make 6 Figures As A Barista? (11 Best Ways in 2024)
So you want to make six figures as a Barista? Good for you! Being a Barista is a highly respectable and well-paid profession, and there's no reason why you can't earn a high income if you put your mind to it.
In this blog post, we'll look at some of the best ways to make more money as a Barista - business ideas you can start to achieve such income. Keep reading to learn more!
1. Become a social media influencer ($57.4K/month)
Supplement Your Income Through Social Media Influence
As a barista, you could capitalize on your unique position and love for coffee by becoming a social media influencer. By leveraging platforms like Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and TikTok, you could attract a large following interested in coffee culture, innovative drink recipes, and behind-the-scenes café life.
Brands are keen on partnering with social media influencers to reach their target audiences. With the right strategy, your engaging content could draw sponsorship deals, collaborations, and ad revenue, transforming your coffee passion into a profitable side business. Becoming an influencer not only supplements your barista income but could also pave the way to reaching six figures by sharing what you already love doing every day.
How much you can make: $2,500 — $166,666/month
How much does it cost to start: $800 (?)
How long does it take to build: 155 days (?)
How one mother built a profitable frugal motherhood, life, and travel blog from scratch, using Instagram, Pinterest, and paid sponsorships to grow from 0 to 18.5K followers and generate $1,500-$3,000 per month in less than two years.
2. Start a career coaching business ($48.5K/month)
Starting a career coaching business could significantly supplement your income as a barista, potentially helping you to reach a six-figure salary. By leveraging your knowledge of resume building, interview preparation, and workplace advancement, you could offer personalized guidance and strategy services to clients seeking professional growth and transitions.
With the ability to offer customized coaching sessions either in-person or virtually, you could build a diverse client base and foster meaningful professional breakthroughs. This entrepreneurial venture allows you to monetize your natural motivational abilities and human resources insights, all while enjoying the flexibility to set your own schedule and balance your barista duties.
How much you can make: $1,000 — $235,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $1,500 (?)
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
Wall Street Oasis, the largest online community focused on careers in finance, has over 100 million visitors during its 14-year history and is currently receiving over 2 million visits per month, offering interview courses and mentorship services, in addition to building and investing in a thriving online community.
3. Start a podcast ($97.9K/month)
Starting a podcast could be a fantastic avenue to make six figures as a barista by leveraging your unique position and experiences in the coffee industry. By choosing a niche related to coffee culture, barista skills, or running a coffee shop, you could attract a dedicated audience that shares your passion. With basic recording equipment and minimal upfront investment, you could share tips, interview industry experts, and review coffee products to grow your listener base.
As your podcast gains traction, you could monetize through sponsorships, advertisements, and affiliate marketing. Sharing your podcast via social media, online communities, and word of mouth can help build a loyal following. Over time, this additional income stream could significantly supplement your earnings, possibly propelling you into the six-figure range.
How much you can make: $400 — $1,020,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $2,000 (?)
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
Time commitment per week: Min. 2 hours/week
A successful podcast production company that grew from one client making $15/hour to a team of 10 contractors producing over 30 shows per week with revenue of over $10k/mo, primarily through referrals and with a focus on providing high personal touch and being picky about working only with clients who are a good fit.
4. Start a freelance writing business ($65.5K/month)
Starting a freelance writing business could significantly boost your income as a Barista. This flexible online job allows you to work from home and define your own schedule, making it possible to balance your barista duties with writing assignments. By leveraging your strong writing skills and staying up-to-date with current writing tools and trends, you could carve out a lucrative side hustle or even transition into a full-time freelance writing career.
Freelance writers have the opportunity to work across various niches, catering to different clients' needs, which could diversify your experiences and income sources. Being a self-starter with the ability to meet deadlines and communicate effectively will make you thrive in this field. With dedication and smart management of your time, you could see your earnings skyrocket, moving you closer to that six-figure goal.
How much you can make: $700 — $500,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $500 (?)
How long does it take to build: 56 days (?)
How David Tile turned a freelance writing gig into an $80k/month business, discussing lessons learned through managing growing demands and maintaining a remote team operation.
5. Start a social media marketing agency ($116K/month)
Starting a social media marketing agency could be a lucrative side hustle for a barista aiming to break into the six-figure income bracket. With the right strategy, you could supplement your daily earnings by offering services such as social media management, content creation, and automated marketing solutions for small businesses. By leveraging social media tools, you could efficiently manage multiple client accounts without dedicating too much of your time.
Moreover, developing a solid marketing strategy and creating a compelling agency portfolio could help you attract and retain customers. This additional income could help you clear your utility bills, finance your education, or save up for a dream vacation. For the entrepreneurial-minded barista, investing time in developing these skills could turn a side gig into a full-time business venture.
How much you can make: $1,000 — $500,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $7,500 (?)
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
Time commitment per week: Min. 30 hours/week
How David Tile turned a freelance writing gig into an $80k/month business, discussing lessons learned through managing growing demands and maintaining a remote team operation.
6. Start an ecommerce store ($287K/month)
Starting an ecommerce store could provide you with a significant opportunity to supplement your income as a barista and potentially make six figures. With the booming convenience and efficiency of online shopping, launching an ecommerce business allows you to reach a wide audience without the high overhead costs associated with brick-and-mortar stores. You could sell anything from artisanal coffee supplies and unique mugs to handcrafted items or niche products.
Setting up an ecommerce store requires creating a website for customers to browse your inventory and purchase items. You'll need payment processing software to accept credit card payments and shopping cart software to manage sales. By tapping into the growing online market, you could transform a passion or hobby into a lucrative side business, paving the way towards that six-figure mark.
How much you can make: $350 — $13,500,000/month
How long does it take to build: 120 days (?)
Time commitment per week: Min. 5 hours/week
Southern Elegance Candle Company, founded by D'Shawn Russell, started as a side hustle making around $200 per weekend at a local Farmers Market, but now averages approximately $20,000 per month in sales across their retail site, wholesale site, and Faire.
7. Start a youtube channel ($146K/month)
Starting a YouTube channel could open up a new revenue stream, complementing your barista income and propelling you towards six figures. By creating coffee-related content—such as brewing tutorials, latte art demonstrations, and behind-the-scenes café life—you could attract viewers who share your passion. With consistent effort and creativity, you could grow your subscriber base and potentially meet the requirements for YouTube's monetization program, which necessitates at least 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours over the past 12 months.
In addition to ad revenue, you could explore other income opportunities through sponsorships, merchandise sales, and affiliate marketing. Sharing your unique insights and expert tips could position you as an authority in the coffee community, leading to collaborations with brands and other influencers. For entrepreneurial-minded baristas, leveraging YouTube's established popularity and monetization system could transform your passion for coffee into a lucrative side business or even a full-time venture.
How much you can make: $800 — $1,000,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $750 (?)
How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)
Time commitment per week: Min. 5 hours/week
Learn how this entrepreneurial couple made $5-7k a month by helping others find legitimate work from home jobs and creative ways to make money online through their blog and YouTube channel, as well as offering two flagship products designed to help beginner freelancers and new bloggers accelerate growth.
8. Digital products ($261K/month)
By creating and selling digital products, you could potentially transform your barista job into a six-figure income. Digital products like eBooks, courses, and membership sites can be created with minimal overhead and cost. Imagine packaging your unique coffee brewing skills into an informative online course or crafting a beautifully designed eBook about coffee art techniques.
The beauty of digital products lies in their scalability. Once you've created them, they can be sold endlessly without worrying about physical inventory or manufacturing costs. This means you could earn passive income on the side, supplementing your barista salary and opening the door to achieve substantial financial goals.
How much you can make: $10,417 — $1,766,666/month
How much does it cost to start: $5,000 (?)
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
FilterGrade is an eCommerce platform offering digital assets such as photo filters and video templates; attracting over 450,000 monthly users and generating approximately 30k a month, the founders worked hard to build a valuable marketplace for creators while focusing on digital marketing, partnerships, and content creation.
9. Create an online course ($91.9K/month)
Starting an online course could help you make six figures as a barista by leveraging your unique skills and experience into a lucrative digital venture. You could create engaging video lessons and supplementary materials focused on barista techniques, coffee brewing methods, or even managing a coffee shop. By identifying educational gaps and offering expertise, you cater to coffee enthusiasts and aspiring baristas seeking specialized knowledge.
With the flexibility to create self-paced or cohort-based courses, you build a student base that generates passive income over time. This entrepreneurial approach not only allows you to share your passion for coffee but also monetize your talents with minimal startup costs, tapping into a market of eager lifelong learners looking for convenient access to expert-level insights.
How much you can make: $350 — $1,000,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $2,000 (?)
How long does it take to build: 88 days (?)
Learn how one couple created a successful personal finance blog, The Savvy Couple, that now makes over $20,000 per month and has sold thousands of digital workbooks and courses, by focusing on purposeful content and optimizing their ROI with efficient time management.
10. Become an affiliate marketer ($55.3K/month)
If you're a barista with an entrepreneurial mindset, becoming an affiliate marketer could be a lucrative side business that helps you reach six figures. Affiliate marketing allows you to promote other companies' products or services and earn a commission for every sale made through your referral.
This venture is ideal for those who want to start a business with minimal upfront costs, as you don't need to create or own the products yourself. By signing up for affiliate programs and utilizing your marketing skills, you could drive traffic and sales, significantly supplementing your income.
How much you can make: $18,000 — $83,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $100 (?)
How long does it take to build: 150 days (?)
This case study explores how Spencer Mecham founded Buildapreneur, an affiliate marketing business, and has made over half a million dollars in profit with no employees, relying solely on content marketing through platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
11. Start a blog ($44.9K/month)
Starting a blog could be an excellent way to boost your income as a Barista, tapping into the massive online audience that exists today. With around 77% of internet users reading blogs, you have a substantial opportunity to reach coffee enthusiasts looking for insights, tips, and personal stories. By creating engaging content around your experiences, favorite recipes, and industry trends, you could build a loyal following eager to read what you have to share.
Blogging not only serves as a creative outlet but also can become a location-independent business, allowing you to make money from anywhere. By monetizing your blog through ads, affiliate marketing, or sponsored posts, you could gradually grow your side hustle into a profitable venture that might even rival or surpass your current income. Remember, a well-planned blog with quality content could become a trustworthy source for many, potentially propelling you toward that six-figure mark.
How much you can make: $100 — $650,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $500 (?)
How long does it take to build: 30 days (?)
Time commitment per week: Min. 5 hours/week
Learn how one couple created a successful personal finance blog, The Savvy Couple, that now makes over $20,000 per month and has sold thousands of digital workbooks and courses, by focusing on purposeful content and optimizing their ROI with efficient time management.
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Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
