The Hustle Is Real: Why Side Hustles Are a Lifeline in New Orleans

In New Orleans, the beat of a second line may fill the streets, but it’s the steady rhythm of hard work and ingenuity that keeps the city moving. From pickup trucks with grills welded in the bed under Claiborne, to mobile bartenders setting up on the neutral ground during second lines, the spirit of New Orleans enterprise lives where culture meets community. This is more than tradition—it’s the kind of grassroots entrepreneurship that’s long defined how this city survives and thrives.

For generations, informal work has offered a path forward for those unwilling to wait on outside help. In 2025, that same self-starting mindset remains a lifeline—especially in neighborhoods where costs are rising and job opportunities lag behind. Many working-class New Orleanians don’t rely on government programs or big institutions to keep their families afloat—they rely on their own two hands. They cook, they cut hair, they fix things, they hustle. And in doing so, they exemplify the grit and creativity this city is known for.

Photo captured by Taryn C

Earned, Not Given

What’s often missing from policy discussions is an appreciation for the value of this kind of earned independence. Too often, government systems treat informal entrepreneurs as problems to regulate, rather than people to respect. The red tape required to access city-backed business support—paperwork, permits, LLCs—assumes that everyone starts from the same place. But New Orleanians have never waited for permission to solve their own problems. They do what works, with what they have.

A grandmother selling Sunday plates or a young artist designing online doesn’t need a handout—they need a fair shot. Simplifying the rules, cutting through bureaucracy, and offering tools—not obstacles—would go further than any top-down initiative.

Support That Honors Self-Reliance

We don’t need to rebuild the economy from scratch. We need to support the one that’s already here—working quietly, day by day, from porches, parking lots, and pop-ups. That might look like:

• Simplified, temporary vendor permits for small-scale sellers who contribute to the neighborhood economy.

• Micro-grants and business workshops, focused on building skills, not dependence.

• Access to shared-use kitchens and workspaces, created through local partnerships—not bloated bureaucracies.

• Flexible licensing pathways that help people formalize at their own pace, if and when it makes sense for them.

  
  

The goal isn’t to over-regulate or institutionalize grassroots enterprise—it’s to clear the way for it to grow, on its own terms.

Local Solutions Over Top-Down Promises

New Orleans doesn’t need a savior. It needs leaders who trust its people. Too often, public money chases flashy outside investments while ignoring the energy already alive in our own backyards. But it’s the neighborhood caterers, second-line vendors, and side hustlers who keep this city going between paychecks and policy cycles.

If we want a stronger, more resilient New Orleans, we don’t have to look far. The work ethic is here. The culture is here. The solutions are here. What’s needed is a city government that respects local enterprise, clears the path for it to thrive, and steps aside when necessary.

Because in New Orleans, the hustle isn’t just real—it’s responsible, rooted, and ready to grow.