How one Calgarian went from makeup artist to thrifter and tripled income during pandemic

For some, the pandemic either forced a career change or offered a chance to rethinkhow to make a paycheque, and for one Calgary woman, that's how what started off as selling a few pieces of used furniture has turned into a full time job.

Kacie Charlton, founder of Bohosy Thrift and Bohosy Rentals is a makeup artist by education, but also the single mother of two children. And,when the pandemic beganshe was still pregnant with her youngest.

"When the COVID-19 pandemic first hit I got laid off, and thenI found out that my job wasn't going to be available when I would come off maternity leave," she said during an interview on the Calgary EyeopenerTuesday. "Istarted this whole business in fight or flight mode. Ijust had to figure something out."

Charlton said she started off by going to thrift stores and purchasing and reselling furniture on Etsy.

"I realized that it was a big turnaround for vintage furniture, so I cancelled my Etsy and started reselling vintage furniture on Instagram," she said.

"I didn't know the response would be so great and since January I have been able to make it into a full time career for myself, which is amazing. I just never really thought that after COVID, when I lost my job, that I would be here."

Charlton doesn't just resell wicker, rattan, bronze and macrame finds, she also has a curated collection of hundreds of vintage pieces she's beenrenting out for parties and events since March.

Making this move has had a positive impact on Charlton's bottom line, too.

"Iwas making about $18an hour as a makeup artist before and now I'm basically, like, tripling my income, which is awesome," she said.

But, Charlton said she still has to hustle and even travel a little bit for work.

"I find a lot in Edmonton and smaller towns where there is an older population. I'll put out ads on Kijiji and Marketplace and I'll tell people what I am looking for and I tend to get a great response,"she said.