I started making $10,000 a month from user-generated content in 5 months. I didn't need to pitch or do any outreach.

Cara Torchia.

Ian McLaren Cara Torchia transitioned from nannying to thriving as a UGC creator, earning $10,000 monthly.

From Broadway to cruise ships, Torchia used her performance skills to excel in UGC creation.

Her UGC business soared on Fiverr, and she now has some clients on retainer.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Cara Torchia, a 25-year-old actor and UGC creator based in New York City.

The following has been edited for length and clarity.

In four months, I went from earning nothing from freelance user-generated content (UGC) work to fully supporting myself, which allowed me to forgo traditional employment.

I used to be a nanny for a family on the Upper East Side.

I'm also a performer.

I was drawn to UGC for the flexibility and financial freedom it offered as I pursued a creative career, and I've since focused on building my business full-time.

I started making content in January and had my first $10,000 month in May.

I wanted a flexible way to make income Before launching my UGC business, I performed in the Broadway national tour of Hairspray from summer 2023 to summer 2024, then worked as a performer aboard a cruise ship for nine months, visiting 31 countries.

After getting off the cruise ship, I didn't want to get a traditional job and wanted to use my current skill set as a theatre performer.

I worked part-time as a nanny from fall 2024 to February 2025.