Portsmouth mum sets up online community to encourage performers to start 'side hustles'

Nicole Louise Geddes, who runs Portsmouth-based Manic Stage Productions, has established an online community of like-minded performers to encourage them to use newly-free time to make money on the side of their performing jobs.

The pop-up entertainment provider had to suspend all business due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The Facebook group, Performer-Preneur, The Side Hustle Hub has over 200 members, many of whom are professional performers who have been put out of work due to the pandemic.

Nicole said: ‘As you can imagine I have had to pivot like many other business owners and at 2am three weeks ago I found myself wondering how I could support my team of professional performers. That’s when I started my closed group.

‘The idea is to help performers create side hustles and ideas away from performing so that they can rise from the big C feeling like they have found a new path to hustle on alongside their performing careers once everything gets back to normal.

‘I will admit I didn't think this would take off as quickly or as positively as it has and right now I have 219 members and 205 of those are active. In under three weeks I have just under 5,000 interactions too. From what I have read the group is really taking a lot from myself and each other.’

She has also been inviting business professionals to give online talks to the group on Wednesday evenings.

So far, collaborators have included a productivity expert, a confidence coach and a Canva certified creative.

The mum-of-one uploads live videos every morning on the page at 10am, giving members advice on how to survive the pandemic as well as tips on picking up a business on the side.

She is also still running her weekly Manic performing and dance sessions online.

Nicole, who has run Manic Stage Productions for 15 years, has had a long career as a performer, appearing on TV as well as in the circus in New York for several years.

The business provides entertainment for events across the south, including dancers and singers, as well as running workshops, classes and courses for people of all ages.

Nicole runs workshops for serious performers to improve their skills in several genres of dance, but also offers workshops and classes for private events, such as hen dos and birthday parties.

She also works alongside schools, offering classes specifically for children.