Vinay Joshi

Junior Vinay Joshi working on his business, AIOResailors through the software CyberAIO

Pleasant Valley (PV) students have used their creativity to their advantage and to step away from traditional jobs. An increasing number of students have been turning their hobbies into businesses.

For some, a traditional after school or weekend job is not suitable. Whether it is due to an odd schedule or the student’s skill set, students do not let this hold them back from finding ways to make money.

Senior Uma Kasichainula has found some success for herself selling stickers of her art online. “I started drawing years ago but it only turned into a business after Mrs. Peters made a joke about something, so I made a design and turned it into a sticker. Then, I ended up making more of my art into stickers,” she explained.

While Kasichainula’s business is not reliable for consistent income, it is something she enjoys doing. “I may not make a lot of money doing it, but it’s nice to know that I am putting my art out there,” she stated. “It’s super laid back, I wouldn’t mind doing it for a while.”

Already having a very busy schedule with school and extracurricular activities, this small hobby-turned-business is a perfect fit for Kashichaniula. She is not the only one who has taken this route. 

Junior Vinay Joshi had a similar idea of turning his talent into a business. He runs a software investment consulting group, called AIOResailors. He provides members with investment calls on various limited software. 

His group tells members when to sell and keeps them updated throughout the duration of the investment. They also provide additional benefits such as partnerships with tools to make members more profit. They are also partnered with a company that provides security and helps members in case they are scammed while making a deal. 

This business is still pretty new to Joshi. “I started investing in software last summer when I was bored and wanted to make a little extra money. I joined a group that provides the services my group now does as a paying member,” he stated.

“I found success making my own investments, so I eventually applied as a staff member at the group I was in and got hired. I kept making good calls and rising up the ranks, so eventually when the previous owner wanted to move on from the group, he offered to sell it to me and I bought it from him,” Joshi explained.

Although it is perfect for him now, Joshi does not believe it is sustainable long-term. “As fun and profitable as this is, I see myself selling off my server before I start college. It’s a large time commitment and after a year, I’ll probably want to move on to different endeavors,” he said.

While many students want to find ways to make extra money during high school, especially with college coming up, a job is not an option for many. With the overload of school work, athletics, the arts and other extracurriculars, many cannot fit a normal after school job into their schedule. For students like Kashichainula and Joshi, creating a business of their own that they are passionate about is the perfect option.