Side gigs can inspire creativity, strengthen skills, and energise your main job. Stepping away from daily responsibilities often brings fresh perspectives, innovative ideas, and renewed energy. At Grain Sustainability, our team finds that their passion projects not only enrich their personal lives but also feed back into their professional roles. From restoring history to podcasting, here’s how our team’s side gigs are fuelling creativity in unexpected ways.
Reviving history through restoration
Mary’s passion project is restoring a 1949 ‘war house,’ a modest home built for affordability after World War II. These homes, often undervalued, are being replaced by larger, resource-intensive builds. By preserving one, Mary focuses on sustainability through measures like energy-efficient windows, insulation, and sustainable roofing. This restoration work sharpens her understanding of resource efficiency and circularity, which she integrates into her work at Grain. Each small change she makes reminds her that even minor efforts can have big sustainability impacts.
Leading a climate-focused charity
Laura balances her role at Grain with leading Caplor Horizons, a charity focused on helping businesses worldwide become more sustainable. As the chair, Laura engages in strategic planning, leadership training, and global collaboration. This work enhances her ability to think big-picture and tackle complex challenges. Her experiences at Caplor deepen her commitment to social justice and diversity, values she carries into her professional decisions. This dual role allows her to align her personal and professional purpose, enriching both aspects of her life.
Bringing strategy as a trustee
Mark takes on the meticulous role of trustee for a final-salary pension scheme, a position requiring long-term strategic thinking. He’s involved in making sustainability-driven decisions such as climate-resilient investment strategies. These responsibilities sharpen his focus on evidence-based decision-making, which he applies to his work at Grain. Balancing short-term and long-term priorities as a trustee enhances Mark’s ability to think critically about sustainability challenges, bringing clarity and structure to his professional contributions.
Writing stories of resilience
For Madelyn, storytelling is a creative refuge. She has written a short story collection inspired by her family history and the immigrant experience. Writing allows her to slow down, reflect, and connect with human resilience and emotion. These skills translate into her work, enabling her to authentically engage with others and bring empathy to her role. Madelyn’s writing not only enriches her perspective but also builds her ability to craft narratives, a crucial skill in sustainability advocacy.
A nature-writing focused bookshop
After a long career in corporate sustainability, Amber pursued her passion by launching FOLDE Dorset, a bookshop focused on nature writing. From classics like Silent Spring to books on rewilding and regenerative farming, her curated collection fosters meaningful conversations about environmental issues. Running the bookshop gives Amber direct insights into public attitudes toward sustainability, which she incorporates into her work. Her side gig bridges her professional knowledge with her personal interests, making her contributions at Grain even more impactful.
Podcasting: creativity in action
Rosie turned her writer’s block into an opportunity by launching a podcast, Never, Or Now. The show explores themes of grief, parenting, loneliness, and connection, offering vulnerability and realism to listeners. Podcasting helps Rosie express creativity in a different medium, enhancing her ability to connect with clients and approach challenges with empathy. Her openness and creativity make her work more relatable, improving her ability to craft messages that resonate.
A circular economy for toys
M.A.’s love for community building shines through her side gig as the local ‘Toy Dealer.’ She organises toy swaps, giving pre-loved toys new homes, while also working with groups like Sustainable Amersham and Parents for Future. Beyond this, she’s writing a climate-themed novel, blending her passion for storytelling with her sustainability mission. These dual pursuits teach her empathy and strengthen her ability to connect with people. The creativity she channels into her novel-writing balances the strategic thinking required at work, fostering a more holistic approach to problem-solving.
Final thoughts: the power of side gigs
Our side gigs go beyond being hobbies – they’re avenues for growth, learning, and creative expression. Whether it’s restoring a home, running a charity, or creating a podcast, these passion projects foster fresh ideas and strengthen critical skills. At Grain Sustainability, we see how side gigs allow us to tackle challenges with new perspectives, deeper empathy, and innovative thinking.
Engaging in a side gig isn’t just about work-life balance; it’s about blending your passions with your purpose. Whether you’re diving into history, storytelling, or strategic planning, these pursuits feed back into your professional life, creating a virtuous cycle of creativity and impact. At Grain, side gigs fuel not just our individual growth but also our collective success in driving sustainability forward.
