WorkMomSays that actively seeking ways to increase your value to your employer and exploring opportunities beyond your current position are key to making more money in 2025. In this episode, discover strategic steps you can take to earn a higher income. Themes discussed in this episode Taking on more responsibility to earn a raise Recognizing and overcoming barriers to promotion Exploring side gigs and commission-based opportunities Strategies for career advancement Episode Highlights Timestamped inflection points from the show 00:23 – Making more money in 2025: The importance of increasing your value beyond your current role and making yourself indispensable. 1:19 – It’s about performance, not time: Longevity alone doesn’t guarantee a raise; taking on more responsibility and making your boss’s job easier is crucial. 2:35 – Barriers to promotion: A personal story highlights the importance of developing essential skills like client communication. 5:05 – Exploring side gigs: Consider opportunities such as selling products on platforms like Etsy or taking on seasonal retail work. 6:30 – Commission-based roles: Finding commission opportunities can lead to higher earnings, especially for those initially hesitant about performance-based pay. 8:02 – Increasing your income: Evaluate your job performance, consider changing positions, monetize hobbies, or seek commission roles if feeling financially stuck. Top Quotes 3:35 – “Your current employer knows your strengths, but they also know your weaknesses, and that can be a problem.” 6:04 – “If you have an interest outside of what you do day to day, that you would enjoy something like that, feel free to add that to your roster. A lot of those kinds of positions, it’s commission based.” 7:06 – “I would advise that if you want to make good money, find a position that allows you to get compensated for bringing in business or for encouraging customers to make a purchase…” 8:12 – “Consider whether you’re doing enough at your current position. Consider whether it’s an appropriate time for you to move to a new position. Consider if you have a hobby or a passion you can monetize. Consider if you could take a job that offered commission.” Links Connect with me on LinkedIn. Order my book! Transcript 00:12 Hello, I’m Lori Jo Vest, also known as Work Mom. Thank you so much for joining me for this episode of Work Mom Says “Don’t Be an Idiot!” I am so happy you’re here. Today we are going to talk about what you should be doing in 2025 if you want to make more money.  A couple of things to talk about. In a lot of cases when people are earlier in their careers, they may not understand that it’s really, really important that if you want to get a raise, you have to make yourself more valuable beyond the position you’re currently holding.  Business owners and corporations have specific budgets for specific positions based on profitability and operations expenses, etc, etc. And if you can take the salary that you have and the job that you have to the very highest level, so you get to the top of that budget range and the top of the performance range, then you can talk to your boss about getting a raise or a promotion. 1:19 One of the things that I hear people say, as I’ve been doing this job for two years now, “I should get a raise.” It’s not a matter of time. It’s not about time. It’s about more responsibility. It’s about making your boss’s job easier, maybe being that one size fits all person that can volunteer to take on pop up projects. Those are the things that make you valuable to your boss in your current position, and it’s a great way to get a raise, is to just always be on, always have goals, always look toward getting the next promotion in how you perform your current position- yo