Woman makes over Rs 5 crore from side hustle she launched in 2022, gives it 40 hours a week

Alexandra Rutkay now dedicates 40 hours a week to Citymouse on top of her demanding day job. (Representational)

When Alexandra Rutkay, a New York-based makeup artist, reached a parenting milestone — her son turning 18 months old — she was eager to swap her utilitarian diaper bag for her long-neglected designer purses. But during a family dinner outing in August 2021, the practical demands of parenting clashed with her fashion aspirations.

“I realized I couldn’t shove wet wipes, snacks, and an emergency pull-up into my sleek Saint Laurent crossbody,” recalls Rutkay, now 41. “I was so mad about it. I thought, ‘There has to be something better for us moms. Everything is so frumpy and stupid and nothing is cute.’”

This frustration led to the birth of Citymouse, a brand of stylish yet practical cross-body diaper bags with changeable straps. Launched in June 2022 as a side hustle, the venture has since generated nearly $600,000 (over Rs 5.08 crore)  in revenue this year alone through platforms like Shopify and TikTok Shop, as per documents reviewed by CNBC Make It.

Rutkay, who juggles 16-hour days on movie and television sets, initially kept Citymouse a secret from her husband, David. “My previous side hustles weren’t always successful,” she told CNBC. But as the business gained traction, David joined as the company’s sole full-time employee, managing logistics, operations, and customer service — even taking a pay cut to support the venture. Together, they plan to draw a combined salary of $150,000 this year.

The determination to make Citymouse a success stems from a deeply personal place. In 2020, Rutkay was diagnosed with a rare soft tissue sarcoma. After undergoing surgery and chemotherapy, she was declared cancer-free in 2021. “Not to be morbid, but if I had died before [my son] even got to know me, what would I have left him?” she reflects.

Rutkay now dedicates 40 hours a week to Citymouse on top of her demanding day job. “Once I start a project, I can’t let it go,” she says, noting that her health scare has fuelled her drive to build wealth for her family.

Rutkay believes her success stems from addressing a specific need at the right time. “Creating a business that fills a need is the best way to grow and sustain a brand,” she says. However, she emphasizes that success requires a combination of effort and timing, admitting that consistency was the missing ingredient in her past ventures.

Her entrepreneurial journey hasn’t been without missteps. A failed attempt at selling pizza-themed baby milestone blankets cost her $6,000. “I thought strong SEO alone would drive sales. That was absolutely not the case,” she recalls. The venture collapsed within four months.

Reflecting on her failures, Rutkay highlights the importance of knowing when to pivot. “When I started Citymouse, I took a six-week course with a spiritual life coach who helped me understand that walking away from something that isn’t working is actually a superpower,” she explains.