When I lost my business, I started renting out my indoor pool to earn money. Now, it's my full-time job.
A Portland resident shares his experience transitioning from a struggling marketing business to earning a full-time income by renting his indoor pool on the Swimply app. He notes that the venture has become more lucrative than his previous gig work.
Why it matters
It highlights the rise of the 'gig economy' and peer-to-peer rental platforms as viable income alternatives for individuals facing economic displacement.
Rick Neuhoff rents out his pool house on Swimply, charging $75 an hour. Courtesy of Rick Neuhoff After his business declined in COVID, Rick Neuhoff began renting his indoor pool out on an app. The Portland, Oregon, resident said he's making more money than driving for Doordash. He charges $75 an hour, and said he can make up to $15,000 a month in busy times. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Rick Neuhoff, 65, a homeowner in Portland, Oregon, who rents out his indoor pool using Swimply. The following has been edited for length and clarity. Before COVID got bad, I was doing marketing for law firms. COVID had pretty much killed my business, because the lawyers didn't want to expand their portfolio because the courts were closed. So I was at home, and I was stuck.
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