At Solo, we recognize the remarkable individuals who form our community of gig workers and content creators. Our “Friends of Solo” series highlights inspiring stories from those balancing multiple jobs, family life, and personal passions.

This week, we feature Sara Elizabeth, a dedicated gig worker and YouTuber who has integrated her gig work with content creation while maintaining a balanced life for her family.

Sara’s journey into gig work began out of necessity. She was between jobs with two kids to support and needed a way to earn money while maintaining flexibility for her family. "I was between jobs and behind on bills," she recalls. "With two kids, I needed something that I could do on my own time."

This flexibility is one of the biggest advantages of gig work, particularly for parents like Sara. By spreading her workload across the week, she can meet financial obligations and take care of her children without the constraints of a traditional 9-to-5 job.

As someone who has successfully navigated the ups and downs of the gig economy, Sara offers practical advice for beginners. Her number one tip is tracking mileage for tax purposes. "The most important thing to do when starting is track mileage for taxes," she says.

Sara has taken her gig work further by documenting her journey on her YouTube channel. The idea started when she found herself needing help with various gig apps she was using. "I wanted to document my experience with using the apps and show people how it was going for me," Sara explains.

Managing both gig work and a YouTube channel may seem daunting, but for Sara, it's a system that works perfectly. She considers both roles part of her full-time job, allowing her to create a flexible schedule that fits in with her personal life.

"Doing gig work and running my YouTube channel have been combined into having a full-time job that I can spread throughout the week to have a more flexible schedule for everything else," Sara says.

One memorable moment involves taking her young son on a shift: "I took my young son with me on a couple of shifts, and he had the best time."

Like many in the gig economy, Sara uses multiple apps throughout her day. Managing earnings from various sources can be challenging, but Solo makes it easier. "The most useful feature for me [on the Solo App] is the Automatic Mileage Tracker," Sara says.

Solo's ability to consolidate data from multiple gig apps is another advantage: "I use multiple apps per day, so it's nice to look on Solo and see my total earnings without having to calculate it myself."

During slower weeks in gig work, Sara stays motivated by watching other Gigtubers: "When it's slow, I stay motivated by watching other Gigtubers do deliveries and share their struggles."

Sara's must-have tech includes a magnetic phone mount: "A magnetic phone mount cuts down on the time of having to clip it in between every stop."

Sara’s story illustrates the flexibility and opportunities offered by the gig economy. From juggling work and family life to documenting experiences on YouTube, she has created a career on her own terms with tools like Solo.