Dec. 9. Some 28 percent of American adults under the age of 45 started a side business/side hustle during the pandemic. All told, 17 percent American adults have joined the gig economy during the pandemic.

The survey was conducted online by The Harris Poll and commissioned by TextNow, a mobile app offering free cellular and WiFi-enabled phone service. A third of the more than 2,000 random US adults surveyed (age 18 to 45) had a side business/side hustle. Three-quarters believe that controlling business expenses is key to its success.

“Whether it’s setting up a virtual storefront with Shopify, marketing on Instagram, or communicating with customers and vendor…online services are allowing new entrepreneurs to follow their passions without large upfront capital costs,” said TextNow CEO Derek Ting.

About TextNow: Founded in 2009, the TextNow app has been downloaded more than 200 million times globally.