您們是否有錢不夠用，想開創副業的想法，我相信，很多人都有過類似的想法，想用自己工作之餘的時間，開創自己的副業，時代不同了，人們不想被一份工作綁死，想把自己的時間用來做更有趣的事情，假如能賺錢的話，更好不過了，我有個朋友，本來就對手做物品很有興趣，她的手很巧，常常可以化腐朽而神奇，用一些不用的廢物，做成一件有巧思的實用物，如小零錢包等，我們常常鼓勵她出來創業，其實，我們只是開玩笑而已，因為創業從來就不是一件輕鬆的事情。
那天，她招呼我們，趁著周末去一個市集看看，那個市集叫做職人市集，朋友在網路上看到，有很多手作商品攤位在那市集擺攤，她想去觀察看看，「職人」這個用詞源於日文，意指擁有技術之人。 他們專注於自己擅長的領域，持續精進自己的技藝，讓自己的技術能更爐火純青，但是，我發覺到「職人」好像已經是個行銷字句，用來表示創作者專於技術及商品品質不錯。
當我們進入市集後，我直覺這就是一個到處可以看到的文創市集，有著眾多的個人品牌商品，手做設計的商品是大宗，說實話，來逛的人還蠻多的，很多攤位都有展示新奇小物，有家木作的攤位，利用古早時代使用的毛玻璃，改成首飾盒及小夜燈，是我第一次看到這樣的商品，還有一家店，把各式麵包，如波蘿麵包及紅豆麵包等，做成療癒小抱枕，很多女生一看到，就愛不釋手，但是想想，抱著波蘿麵包看恐怖片的場景，應該有點滑稽吧！還有不少店家，推出他們的特色烘培甜點，外型及餡料都很創新，不過價錢都偏高，至少，我是不會想買的。
其實，就我觀察的結果，來這個市集逛的人不少，但是消費的人不多，很多攤位的老闆都是年輕人，都是在推個人品牌，商品都很有創意，但是實用性不高，觀賞性十足，價錢偏高，這是大多數文創市集的狀況，他們的目標客群是那些喜好新奇刺激的年輕人，對於注重性價比的社會人士，應該是不太會買單，朋友買了幾樣感興趣的商品，並追蹤幾個攤主的社交帳號，我想她應該會慢慢地嘗試她的副業吧！
Have you ever felt like your money isn’t enough and thought about starting a side hustle? I believe many people have had similar thoughts—using their free time outside of work to create something of their own. Times have changed, and people don’t want to feel tied down by just one job. They’d rather spend their time doing things they find more interesting, and if they can make money from it, even better!
I have a friend who has always been interested in handmade crafts. She’s incredibly skilled and often transforms scraps and old items into creative, practical pieces like coin purses. We always encourage her to start her own business, but honestly, we’re mostly joking, because starting a business is far from easy.
One weekend, she invited us to check out a market with her. It was called the “Craftsmen’s Market” which she found online. She wanted to go and see what it was all about, especially since there would be a lot of handmade product stalls. The term “craftsman” (shokunin in Japanese) refers to someone who is highly skilled and dedicated to their craft, constantly honing their abilities. However, I’ve noticed that the word “craftsman” has become a bit of a marketing buzzword, used to imply high quality and attention to detail.
When we arrived at the market, it immediately gave off the vibe of a typical artsy marketplace. There were tons of unique personal brand products, mostly handmade or designed items. Honestly, the place was quite busy, with lots of people strolling through. Many stalls showcased creative and quirky items. One woodwork stall caught my eye—it repurposed old frosted glass from the past into jewelry boxes and nightlights. It was my first time seeing something like that. Another stall sold adorable plush pillows shaped like bread, like pineapple buns and red bean buns. Many women couldn’t resist picking them up, but I couldn’t help imagining how funny it’d be to hug a pineapple bun while watching a horror movie! There were also several stalls offering specialty baked goods with innovative designs and fillings. The desserts looked amazing, but the prices were pretty steep, so I didn’t feel tempted to buy any.
From what I observed, the market was packed with visitors, but not many people were actually buying things. Most of the stall owners were young, promoting their personal brands. The products were all very creative and visually appealing, but their practicality was often questionable, and the prices were on the high side. This seems to be a common situation for these creative markets—the target audience is usually young people who love novelty and excitement. For those of us who prioritize value for money, it’s harder to justify a purchase. My friend ended up buying a few items that caught her eye and followed some of the stall owners on social media. I think she might slowly start experimenting with her own side hustle after this experience!
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