Side Hustles

Everyone has hobbies, but not everyone wants to, or finds a way to, turn their hobby into a business which generates profit. Mark Twain said, “Find a job you enjoy doing, and you will never have to work a day in your life,” but some people have more than one love and have to divide their time between tasks. Also, what Twain said many years ago was when the world was a different place, and even if you love what you do, there will likely be times what you love to do will feel like work—even if the work part is as simple as marketing your product.  

In the following pages, follow along with three SWLA residents who all have jobs at well-known companies, but get creative in their downtime. Their side hustles offer a different kind of fulfillment than their day jobs as it’s often a way of relaxing and decompressing from the business of life. 

It’s an added benefit that these creative endeavors also come with extra income.

Shayne Laughlin: State Farm Agent and Painter 

by Kerri Cooke

Shayne Laughlin is not only a well-known insurance agent for State Farm, she is also an accomplished painter. Though she has been an agent for 13 years, she didn’t realize she was skilling in painting until the COVID-19 pandemic when she bought paint and canvases to occupy herself and her five kids. 

“I’ve always been able to draw at a decent level, so I sketched a fish and threw on some paint,” Laughlin says. “I started posting my paintings on social media and received positive feedback. I would ask for recommendations of what to paint and people started asking for commissions. Over time I was asked to donate paintings for local auctions. When my first auction item went for over $600, I was shocked.” 

Painting is a far cry from her day job, which she considers to be God’s calling on her life. “My job centers around being there for people in their worst moments, whether it’s a hurricane, car wreck or death in the family,” Laughlin says. “In my job, I am the non-stop, multitasking, social go-getter that worries about my team and customers.” Meanwhile, painting is a way in which she can restore her energy. “When I paint, it’s all about me and relaxation. It’s truly the closest I get to meditating.” 

Selling her paintings happened by chance not intention, and Laughlin says she intends to keep painting as a hobby versus a main job because she doesn’t want to lose the joy in it. “What I enjoy most about painting is it is literally the only time I think about nothing else. It relaxes and calms me like nothing else ever has. There was a point where I was being commissioned to paint so often, I felt more pressure than joy, so I really pulled back.” 

It’s hard to manage time in the modern world with so many distractions and things to do. Extracurricular activities and methods of self-care are often the first activities to be cut. Laughlin hasn’t been painting as much these days as she went back to college in 2023. However, during her last semester, in May 2024, she took an oil painting class, which grew her skill set. Laughlin’s advice is “find the time to do the things that feed your soul. It is so important, so you just have to put it on the calendar and stick with it.” 

As for the future of her painting, Laughlin says, “My painting has been put on the back burner this year, but I honestly think about it almost every day. My hope is that when I get close to retirement, I will give myself the grace to put me first and paint more often, but I never want to consider it a job.” 

John Guidroz: Public Information Officer at DOTD and Musician

by Kerri Cooke

John Guidroz is a well-recognized face in the community—not only because he worked as a journalist for the American Press for a decade but also because he is an active musician in the Lake Area. Now working as public information officer for the Southwest Louisiana DOTD, he spends his days issuing press releases, taking pictures and videos of construction projects, and facilitating events to initiate or close the chapter on these projects. 

Music came naturally to Guidroz as he explains how he grew up in a family where music was a priority. “My grandmother and grandfather on my father’s side were accomplished musicians. She was a classically-trained pianist, and he played trumpet for many jazz bands, including the Lake Charles Community Band. My grandfather would, like me, spend evenings playing gigs with various bands.” 

While in school, Guidroz sang for the Dolby Elementary School choir and later with Barbe High School’s choir and Show Choir. He also began playing guitar while at Barbe. Once he became an adult, music became an important part of his career. 

“I began playing solo acoustic gigs in my early 20s to supplement my income while working part-time as a radio news anchor for KYKZ-FM,” Guidroz says. “I didn’t expect I’d still be playing gigs all these years later or have three albums of original music!” (Yesterday’s News was released in 2012, Misfit Me in 2017 and Another Shot in 2024, which includes a song about Hurricane Laura.) 

Guidroz mainly plays gigs on the weekends now. “The best part is entertaining people,” he says. “There’s something about singing for an audience and feeding off their reaction that motivates me to keep going.” 

Musical performances have helped Guidroz gain the skillset he needed for his work at DOTD. He says, “Sometimes I have to be on camera for media interviews and give presentations to local organizations. Some of my experience as a musician and being in front of crowds has helped in that regard.” 

Guidroz says during the workweek he could potentially have only a few minutes to write or practice a song, but he considers it time well spent, even if nothing is accomplished. “At least I devoted some time to my craft. Any time spent on your passion should be considered production.” To avoid burnout, he is careful to not overbook gigs. 

As to whether he can see a future as a full-time musician, Guidroz says he would love to pursue that avenue but “doing so would require a full commitment to promoting my music and playing shows, including shows in larger cities. Maybe a big-time record executive will hear a song I’ve written and sign me to a multimillion-dollar deal one day. I can always dream.” 

Noelle Mills: Speech Therapist and Photographer

by Kerri Cooke

Noelle Mills is a speech therapist working within the Calcasieu Parish School System. She went back to college at age 32 to finish her degree after having decided to work full-time instead at 18. She is now in her sixth year of working in speech therapy. 

Mills’ journey towards speech therapy was supported by her love of photography. “Photography became my sole source of income during the end of my college years when having a full-time job became overwhelming. When it was my sole source of income, I felt like I had to take every inquiry or opportunity that came my way, and I quickly felt burned out and uninspired. Now, I get to take the clients and jobs I want to take, and it’s so much more fulfilling.” 

Photography was a hobby Mills picked up after she had her children. She wanted a different type of picture of her children than your typical cell phone picture. This experience was the perfect training ground to hone her talent. “The biggest joy in it is the opportunity to photograph the same families year after year—to see their children grow or add new members to their family. It’s such an honor that I don’t take lightly.” 

There are similarities that Mills finds between both of her passions. “With both speech therapy and photography, communication is a huge aspect. I am able to use my communications skills to cue my photography clients with their posing and make them feel as comfortable as possible during our session.” 

Mills knows firsthand how hard it is to have one career, but juggling two separate endeavors is not for the faint of heart. She says, “You must learn when to say no. Learn which types of sessions bring you the most joy and fill your cup and try to specialize in those. I also found it helpful to implement setting working hours. Just because clients can reach you any hour of the day or night, does not mean you HAVE to respond right away. Protect your peace of mind, set working hours and know your limits.”