As Australia grapples with yet another costly wave of living expenses, the allure of side hustles has escalated—some fueled by passion, others by sheer desperation. Really, who doesn’t want to maintain their avocado toast habit whilst begrudgingly watching their bank account plummet?
Enter Tim Grimes, a Sydney hospitality worker who decided to circumvent the nine-to-five grind and dive headfirst into his love for producing non-alcoholic wine. Yes, folks, you heard that right. Tim is on a mission to create a utopia of sober sips.
Tim, a former musician, spent his days at a swish Sydney restaurant—experimenting with non-alcoholic beverages like some mad scientist—but never quite envisioned starting a business until an eager customer casually left his number on a napkin. The most romantic partnership since “Hey, I’ll call you” was verbalized when Tim remarked, “That’s just how business ideas are born, isn’t it? Napkin notes!”
In August, Tim finally took the plunge and launched his brainchild, Bynomeans, because nothing screams ‘I mean business’ like a name that’s a convoluted way of saying “not by any means.” He describes his product as a botanical drink with an air of grape sophistication—leading us all to wonder, is he really trying to trick people into believing they’re enjoying a fine wine while completely sober?
While non-alcoholic beer sales have been booming faster than Australians can say “why not?”, Tim believes there’s a gaping void in the market for quality non-alcoholic wine. You know, something for the connoisseur who doesn’t want to wake up with a headache after a night of deep, thoughtful debate about the latest Netflix series. According to ANZ, non-alcoholic beer has seen a staggering 20% annual growth, so what’s next? Alcohol-free tequila? The mind boggles!
Surveys hint that Gen Z is turning to sobriety at record rates—20 times more than Baby Boomers. Apparently, they aren’t just skipping cocktails; they’re also trying to skip their financial woes through savvy side hustles, because what fresh-faced Millennial needs to pay off student loans when they can dabble in artisanal cheese-making on weekends?
However, this burgeoning side hustle trend isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. Enter the Fair Work Commission, which recently threw cold water on a side hustler’s dreams by ruling against an employee fired for operating a life coaching business while trying to fulfill their recruitment duties. Shockingly, it turns out coaching others about their lives might distract you from your own job! Who would have thought?
Despite the bumps on the entrepreneurial road, Tim has hit the ground running. He’s already selling to posh venues and even snagged a spot in corporate offices. What’s next—retail partners featuring his creations? All this while keeping his new venture under wraps from his main gig? The thrill of balancing a cocktail of a new business and a regular job keeps things interesting, as does the anxiety of getting caught. In a country where 87% say they spend 10 hours or less on side hustles, half of them hide it from their bosses. Deceptive? Perhaps. Pragmatic? Absolutely.
But here’s the kicker: whether you’re sipping on a floral concoction or flipping artisanal candles on the side, it seems all roads lead to one truth: when the rent is due, the hustle continues. So, perhaps it’s time to embrace those napkins and start jotting down your own business ideas—without the pressure of expectant consumers. Cheers to that!
