Unclocked
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1001 original paths off the 9-to-5

Live without a 9-to-5 — on purpose, with a craft.

Unclocked is a field guide to 1001 ways of earning and dwelling that are not a conventional 9-to-5. Each path has a name, an honest description, a step-by-step start, skills, materials, capital, a public source, and people or communities who have walked a version of it.

Filter by craft, capital, and whether the work travels. Save anything that tugs — it lands in your collection.

Minimum initial capital

34 paths

Open Tool Library Director: Paid coordinator for memberships, a garage, a catalog
Care & Community

Tool Library Director

Paid coordinator for memberships, a garage, a catalog

Tool Library Director

Paid coordinator for memberships, a garage, a catalog

You get paid to coordinate memberships, a garage, a catalog. Memberships or hours are priced so the coordinator is not unpaid labor.

Place-based1–4 weeks

Minimum initial capital None

Open Inclusive Playgroup: Run a playgroup with a few paying families and sliding-scale spots
Care & Community

Inclusive Playgroup

Run a playgroup with a few paying families and sliding-scale spots

Inclusive Playgroup

Run a playgroup with a few paying families and sliding-scale spots

You run a playgroup with a few paying families and sliding-scale spots. Families pay hourly or as a package after training, checks, and insurance.

Place-based2–8 weeks

Minimum initial capital $200

Open Hospitality for Caregivers: Cook meals and run errands as a paid circle for caregivers
Care & Community

Hospitality for Caregivers

Cook meals and run errands as a paid circle for caregivers

Hospitality for Caregivers

Cook meals and run errands as a paid circle for caregivers

You cook meals and run errands as a paid circle for caregivers. Families pay hourly or as a package after training, checks, and insurance.

Place-based1–4 weeks

Minimum initial capital None

Open Hospital Bag Concierge: Pack hospital bags and handle local logistics for due dates
Care & Community

Hospital Bag Concierge

Pack hospital bags and handle local logistics for due dates

Hospital Bag Concierge

Pack hospital bags and handle local logistics for due dates

You pack hospital bags and handle local logistics for due dates. Families pay hourly or as a package after training, checks, and insurance.

Place-based2–8 weeks

Minimum initial capital $50

Open Museum Sleepover Producer: Produce museum sleepovers for institutions that still run them
Care & Community

Museum Sleepover Producer

Produce museum sleepovers for institutions that still run them

Museum Sleepover Producer

Produce museum sleepovers for institutions that still run them

You produce museum sleepovers for institutions that still run them. Families or members pay hourly, as a package, or as dues.

Place-based2–8 weeks

Minimum initial capital None

Open Childcare Co-op Coordinator: Paid coordinator for families trading hours with a paid admin spine
Care & Community

Childcare Co-op Coordinator

Paid coordinator for families trading hours with a paid admin spine

Childcare Co-op Coordinator

Paid coordinator for families trading hours with a paid admin spine

You get paid to coordinate families trading hours with a paid admin spine. Memberships or hours are priced so the coordinator is not unpaid labor.

Place-based2–6 months

Minimum initial capital $200

Open Companion Driver: Drive people to appointments, licensed and insured
Care & Community

Companion Driver

Drive people to appointments, licensed and insured

Companion Driver

Drive people to appointments, licensed and insured

You drive people to appointments, licensed and insured. Families pay hourly or as a package after training, checks, and insurance.

Place-based1–4 weeks

Minimum initial capital None

Open After-School Micro-Hub: Run a tiny licensed after-school group with small ratios
Care & Community

After-School Micro-Hub

Run a tiny licensed after-school group with small ratios

After-School Micro-Hub

Run a tiny licensed after-school group with small ratios

You run a tiny licensed after-school group with small ratios. Families pay hourly or as a package after training, checks, and insurance.

Place-based2–6 months

Minimum initial capital $500

Open Grief-Circle Facilitator: Host peer grief circles (not therapy)
Care & Community

Grief-Circle Facilitator

Host peer grief circles (not therapy)

Grief-Circle Facilitator

Host peer grief circles (not therapy)

You host peer grief circles (not therapy). Families pay hourly or as a package after training, checks, and insurance.

Place-based2–8 weeks

Minimum initial capital $100

Open Memory-Book Maker: Record life-story sessions and print a book
Care & Community

Memory-Book Maker

Record life-story sessions and print a book

Memory-Book Maker

Record life-story sessions and print a book

You record life-story sessions and print a book. Families pay hourly or as a package after training, checks, and insurance.

Place-based2–8 weeks

Minimum initial capital $100

Open Care-Team Coordinator: Keep specialist calendars for families in a care tangle
Care & Community

Care-Team Coordinator

Keep specialist calendars for families in a care tangle

Care-Team Coordinator

Keep specialist calendars for families in a care tangle

You keep specialist calendars for families in a care tangle. Families pay hourly or as a package after training, checks, and insurance.

Place-based1–4 weeks

Minimum initial capital None

Open Neighborhood Mutual-Aid Ops: Paid coordinator for paid coordinator, not martyrdom
Care & Community

Neighborhood Mutual-Aid Ops

Paid coordinator for paid coordinator, not martyrdom

Neighborhood Mutual-Aid Ops

Paid coordinator for paid coordinator, not martyrdom

You get paid to coordinate paid coordinator, not martyrdom. Memberships or hours are priced so the coordinator is not unpaid labor.

Place-based1–4 weeks

Minimum initial capital None

Open Sliding-Scale Therapy Practice Ops: Run operations for a sliding-scale therapy clinic
Care & Community

Sliding-Scale Therapy Practice Ops

Run operations for a sliding-scale therapy clinic

Sliding-Scale Therapy Practice Ops

Run operations for a sliding-scale therapy clinic

You run operations for a sliding-scale therapy clinic. Families or members pay hourly, as a package, or as dues.

Hybrid2–8 weeks

Minimum initial capital None

Open Artist Studio Collective Lead: Paid coordinator for keys, heat, fairness
Care & Community

Artist Studio Collective Lead

Paid coordinator for keys, heat, fairness

Artist Studio Collective Lead

Paid coordinator for keys, heat, fairness

You get paid to coordinate keys, heat, fairness. Memberships or hours are priced so the coordinator is not unpaid labor.

Place-based1–4 weeks

Minimum initial capital None

Open Pet Hospice Sits: Sit with dying animals in partnership with a vet
Care & Community

Pet Hospice Sits

Sit with dying animals in partnership with a vet

Pet Hospice Sits

Sit with dying animals in partnership with a vet

You sit with dying animals in partnership with a vet. Families pay hourly or as a package after training, checks, and insurance.

Place-based2–8 weeks

Minimum initial capital $100

Open Credit-Union Storyteller: Paid coordinator for freelance comms for cooperative finance
Care & Community

Credit-Union Storyteller

Paid coordinator for freelance comms for cooperative finance

Credit-Union Storyteller

Paid coordinator for freelance comms for cooperative finance

You get paid to coordinate freelance comms for cooperative finance. Memberships or hours are priced so the coordinator is not unpaid labor.

Place-based1–4 weeks

Minimum initial capital None

Open Rainy-Day Child: Indoor play that is not a screen warehouse
Care & Community

Rainy-Day Child

Indoor play that is not a screen warehouse

Rainy-Day Child

Indoor play that is not a screen warehouse

You indoor play that is not a screen warehouse — licensed childcare or drop-in per local law. Clients pay a posted rate, ticket, dues, or commission.

Place-based2–6 months

Minimum initial capital $1,000

Open Food-Buying: Paid coordinator for wholesale cases split among households
Care & Community

Food-Buying

Paid coordinator for wholesale cases split among households

Food-Buying

Paid coordinator for wholesale cases split among households

You get paid to coordinate wholesale cases split among households. Memberships or hours are priced so the coordinator is not unpaid labor.

Place-based1–4 weeks

Minimum initial capital None

Open Access Documentarian: Help households map ramps, meds, and emergency contacts
Care & Community

Access Documentarian

Help households map ramps, meds, and emergency contacts

Access Documentarian

Help households map ramps, meds, and emergency contacts

You help households map ramps, meds, and emergency contacts. Families pay hourly or as a package after training, checks, and insurance.

Place-based2–8 weeks

Minimum initial capital $100

Open Repair Cafe Producer: Paid coordinator for monthly, with volunteer fixers and a budget
Care & Community

Repair Cafe Producer

Paid coordinator for monthly, with volunteer fixers and a budget

Repair Cafe Producer

Paid coordinator for monthly, with volunteer fixers and a budget

You get paid to coordinate monthly, with volunteer fixers and a budget. Memberships or hours are priced so the coordinator is not unpaid labor.

Place-based1–4 weeks

Minimum initial capital None

Open Library of Things Keeper: Run a lending library of drills
Care & Community

Library of Things Keeper

Run a lending library of drills

Library of Things Keeper

Run a lending library of drills

You run a lending library of drills, cake tins, and guest beds for a town that is tired of owning. Clients pay a posted rate, ticket, dues, or commission.

Place-based2–8 weeks

Minimum initial capital $400

Open Co-working in a Strange Place: Paid coordinator for a church basement, a theater daytimes
Care & Community

Co-working in a Strange Place

Paid coordinator for a church basement, a theater daytimes

Co-working in a Strange Place

Paid coordinator for a church basement, a theater daytimes

You get paid to coordinate a church basement, a theater daytimes. Memberships or hours are priced so the coordinator is not unpaid labor.

Place-based1–4 weeks

Minimum initial capital None

Open Sibling-of-Patient Support: Run structured hangouts for siblings of patients
Care & Community

Sibling-of-Patient Support

Run structured hangouts for siblings of patients

Sibling-of-Patient Support

Run structured hangouts for siblings of patients

You run structured hangouts for siblings of patients. Families pay hourly or as a package after training, checks, and insurance.

Place-based2–8 weeks

Minimum initial capital $100

Open Death Doula / End-of-Life Sitting: Sit with dying people and families, with referrals to clinical care
Care & Community

Death Doula / End-of-Life Sitting

Sit with dying people and families, with referrals to clinical care

Death Doula / End-of-Life Sitting

Sit with dying people and families, with referrals to clinical care

You sit with dying people and families, with referrals to clinical care. Families pay hourly or as a package after training, checks, and insurance.

Place-based1–4 months

Minimum initial capital $200

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