Adam Nelson recently interviewed a leader in his queer community who maintains a double life. Meet Kevin Waters a full-time civil servant who also runs a successful antiquing business on evenings and weekends. As a motivational speaker, Adam was wondering what motivates and inspires others to start and run a small business. What he learned is that most people just wanted a little extra cash.

AN: Why did you decide to start a business?
KW: You know, I just wanted a little extra cash. Working for the state my income is fairly set. I also considered making a career change but I didn’t want to move either. So, this is an option that let me make more money but minimized the disruption to my regular life.

AN: How do you find the time to run your business?
KW: Very carefully! I’m pretty busy on the weekends of course because I have to travel a lot but that also happens to be one of the great rewards for me. I’ve managed to leverage busy travel weekends by finding opportunities to visit with far away friends and family I rarely had a chances to see before.

AN: Why antiques?
KW: This is something I’ve always wanted to do. This is the best thing I’ve ever done for myself. I plan on retiring soon and when I do I can keep this on the side as a supplement to my income…

AN: But, why antiques?
KW: It is funny you ask though because when I told my younger sister about starting a business she asked me the same thing. When I started to explain she just laughed and said ‘at least you’re sticking with what you know.’ I’m still not sure if she was making a wise crack about my age or what.

AN: What advice do you have for aspiring weekend entrepreneurs?
KW: Find a way to relate it to something you love. Being a so-called weekend entrepreneur is a great way to make some extra cash but I’ve seen others start similar projects thinking they’d get rich quick and be able to quit. Before they knew it they were sunk in debt and just wanted out. Don’t start a business for the sake of starting a business that is a waste of time and money.

AN: What do you do with the spare cash you earn?
KW: So glad you asked! I started out reinvesting most of it. Now that I’ve grown enough and my sales volume is steady I’m gonna buy a table for my friends at next month’s charity event”they complained at first I wasn’t paying attention to them anymore because I was always busy but now they are singing a different tune. I’m also saving to take my mom and sister on a trip next summer.

AN: Do you know any other weekend entrepreneurs?
KW: I know a few. I meet lots of folks who buy and sell antiques through the shops I consign in. A couple friends of mine do screen-printing. They focus on making and selling pride clothing and mostly market at area pride festivals. I think they have something going on every weekend in the summer. Another example actually ended up helping me a lot. My neighbors wanted a new lawnmower. To help pay for the new mower they talked to a handful of folks in the neighborhood and made agreements to mow our laws. It was perfect for me because I don’t have as much time on the weekends anymore.

Any Queercents readers who want to share about their weekend entrepreneurial experiences? Any hobbyists turned capitalists? I’m interested in the different strategies career-minded folks earn extra spending cash on the side.