Anti 9-to-5 profile: Jennifer Dziura

March 6th, 2007

The anti 9-to-5er: Jennifer Dziura, New York City

My job: I am a comedian who, when not being funny, tutors teenagers for the SAT. Aside from the money I make directly from comedy, my websites generate a bit of cash (in addition to my comedy blog at JenIsFamous.com, I review ridiculous sex toys on SarcasticSex.com).

What makes my gig anti 9-to-5: I write jokes and plot world takeover in my pajamas until about 3 p.m., when the kids get out of school and I go do some tutoring at dining room tables across the Upper West Side [in NYC], and then I head off to a bar or comedy club to tell some jokes. Every couple of months I head off on tour — I hit the East Coast in March, and then Ohio and Los Angeles in April, and Portland, Oregon, in July.

What I did in my former 9-to-5 life: I was a Director of Marketing for a social networking site for graduates of top universities.

How I made the anti 9-to-5 leap: I was laid off by my dot-com, which had no particular revenue model. I tried art modeling, which requires standing still for hours at a time. I wasn’t making money from comedy yet — that happened slowly, over a few years.

My biggest obstacles: Cash. In 2005, I donated eggs for $8,000, and having a little cushion in the bank was what allowed me to focus on the long-term and develop my comedy and tutoring businesses.

My tips for other cubicle expats: Sell expensive things to people who have much more money than you do. Most businesses that focus on extracting money from people in your social circle are, in my experience, not very profitable.

What’s that link again? JenIsFamous.com

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Entry Filed under: Anti 9-to-5 profiles