Mum with 'simple' £300-a-month side hustle shares her secrets to success

Embracing a bit of entrepreneurial flair can boost both your wallet and your self-esteem, a welcome relief amidst the ongoing squeeze of the cost-of-living crisis. Starting a side hustle that pairs with your passions and fits around life's other demands is key, and becoming an Avon representative. is an attractive, ready-to-go business venture.

Ever wondered what being an Avon rep involves? It's straightforward: you distribute brochures among contacts, gather orders, deliver products, collect payments, and earn commission on every item sold. Your commission rate climbs with your sales figures.

Avon's leading saleswoman, Ashleigh, once raked in £26,000 in one month and her success has taken her on trips to Canada, South Africa, and Thailand. "The biggest thing for me is that I've been to every school play, I've been to every appointment," she told the Liverpool Echo. "I can spend time with my family and on my business and I don't have to feel guilty."

READ MORE: Boots shoppers can save £50 on 'beautiful' perfume that 'lasts all day into night' in Black Friday deal

READ MORE: Save 50% on 'luxurious' Marks & Spencer wellness gift set which is great for Christmas presents

Another rep, Gemma, works between three and seven hours a week on her Avon project, earning roughly £300 each month. “As a busy mum who works full time, I don’t have lots of extra hours to put into Avon,” she said. “I maximise what I do have by using my time wisely to generate that extra income. I love what Avon has given me; the training available is phenomenal and you can pick and choose when you work.”

According to Avon, the brand is committed to empowering women to get involved in entrepreneurialism. Sara Davies, Chief Inspiration Officer at Avon, champions this cause with workshops aimed at improving representatives’ performance and take-home pay. Her workshops have yielded an average uplift of 18% in sales amongst her students.

“The country is filled with women from all walks of life with entrepreneurial flair and potential, and now the rigid nine-to-five job has been replaced by more flexible work - becoming an entrepreneur and managing your own business is even easier,” she said. “Avon’s business model enables everyone to have greater choice, flexibility, and freedom to take control of their finances and realise their potential – it’s easy to become a Rep or Leader and start your own business.”

She continued: “I’ve now worked with almost 1,500 independent entrepreneurs who have their own Avon businesses and most of these are mums who are working it around family commitments or women selling Avon as a side hustle. So many of them are doing it because they are passionate about beauty and feeling good, and selling what they love to other women is so empowering.” While not everyone will reach the heights of tens of thousands of pounds per month from their Avon work, a little goes a long way in terms of giving your finances a handy boost.

Working as an Avon representative has been a great fit for countless people, with a 4 out of 5 average rating on Indeed. “The most important part of my job and enjoyable things is that I can stay at home, make a side income and still get paid for doing something I love, selling Avon!” said one five-star review. “Avon products provide me with the flexibility to stay at home and watch my children and still work a 9 am to 5pm schedule.”

“All in all, if you're consistent and cognizant of your strategy and interpersonal skills, you will succeed long-term as an Independent Avon Representative,” said another review. A third said: “Amazing if you're a real business-minded person. It's a purposeful job, great for girly girls. There is no limit to how much you can make, it all depends on your ability to communicate, advertise/market and deliver the goods.”

However, one reviewer did say that they found it "hard to find customers". Another said they found the "work-life balance intrusive", but it's worth noting that at Avon you're in charge of how many hours you want to put in.

If you’re considering other options, trading clothes at Vinted can be a lucrative side hustle. For the writerly types, working as a transcriptionist for Rev can be an easy way to pick up some extra cash. But, if you’re interested in learning more about becoming an Avon representative, click the link and see how it easy it is to get started.