{
  "id": 15166259,
  "title": "I lost my job right before having my first child. My wife and I took the opportunity to level up our side hustle.",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/17/i-lost-my-job-right-before-having-my-first-child-my-wife-and-i-took",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-17T09:10:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Business Insider",
    "slug": "business-insider",
    "url": "https://www.businessinsider.com/side-hustle-rental-wedding-camcorder-business-sudden-job-loss-2026-10"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Rachel Calaj and Felipe Rochi, a married couple in their 30s, lost their jobs right before having their first child. The loss of Felipe's two jobs significantly impacted their income, especially as they prepared for their baby. They decided to take the opportunity to grow their side hustle - a rental camcorder business for weddings.\n\nFeeling inspired, Rachel started creating videos showcasing their idea to rent camcorders and edit footage for weddings, even before discussing it with Felipe. She created a website and a TikTok account for their business, Pass the Cam. Initially, she tried various side hustles, but the camcorder rental business showed real momentum from the start.\n\nTheir first client reached out to them when their videographer canceled just a few weeks after they launched the business. Overwhelmed by the urgency, Rachel immediately bought a Sony 4K camcorder and memory card, shipped it to the client within a day, and edited the footage herself since they didn't have the budget for a professional editor yet. The positive feedback from this first client gave them the confidence to continue and explore the business further.\n\nFelipe had already started working on marketing and handling client communications, while Rachel managed the operational side of the business, including managing bookings, handling shipping logistics, and ordering packaging. Together, they manage the finances and reinvest profits into their growing business. They price their packages slightly lower than competitors, offer monthly promos, and include everything without extra charges. They also adjust prices for their more expensive packages to stay competitive.\n\nAs of April, they have nearly 100 clients and have made over $50,000 in net volume since starting in May. They aim to reach 100 clients by the end of 2026, believing there is room for more camcorder rental businesses in the growing market of weddings in the US.",
  "summary": "Felipe Rochi's wife was pregnant when he lost one of his sources of income. The two decided to build up a side hustle they'd started working on.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}