Introduction
In a world where most people struggle to balance a demanding job with even the smallest passion project, Sundas Khalid has pulled off something extraordinary. By day, she’s a Principal Analytics Lead at Google, earning nearly $292,000 in 2024. But outside of her 9-to-5, she built a content creation business that brought in $302,000 last year — and she did it by working just four to five hours per week.
This is the story of how Sundas went from a $77,000 salary at Amazon in 2015 to becoming a multi-six-figure content entrepreneur and an inspiration to women in tech everywhere.
From Amazon Intern to Google Leader: Building Tech Credibility
Sundas’s career began at Amazon in 2013 as an intern. By 2015, she was hired full-time as a data engineer, earning around $77,000. Within just three years, her salary had tripled to over $232,000, thanks to promotions and her transition into data science.
In 2019, when offers from both Microsoft and Google landed on her desk, she smartly leveraged Microsoft’s proposed $255,000 salary to negotiate her way into Google. By 2024, she was making $292,000 at the tech giant.
This Big Tech background didn’t just provide financial stability — it also gave her the credibility and personal brand she would later leverage as a content creator.
The Birth of a Side Hustle: Sharing Wins, Inspiring Women
Her side hustle started innocently enough. In 2016, Sundas began posting career milestones on Instagram, mostly as a way to connect with other women in tech.
When Instagram Reels launched in 2020, she pivoted to short educational videos about breaking into tech, career growth, and data science. Soon after, she expanded to YouTube, where she could post in-depth content about her journey.
Audiences loved her authenticity. Many saw themselves in her story: a woman from a lower-middle-class background who wasn’t financially literate growing up, now breaking barriers in tech and building wealth.
Turning Content Into a Business
Like many creators, Sundas initially thought only YouTubers with millions of views could make money. But as her platform grew, brands began reaching out for paid partnerships.
By 2024, she had amassed over 878,000 followers across platforms and nearly 40 million YouTube views a year. Around 90% of her revenue now comes from sponsorships, with brands eager to associate with her reputation for career growth, women empowerment, and financial literacy.
Her income breakdown looks roughly like this:
- Ad revenue: Small, but steady.
- Brand partnerships: The lion’s share (~90%).
- Courses & workshops: Career coaching and data science upskilling.
- Speaking engagements: Leveraging her thought leadership.
Scaling With Systems: The Power of Outsourcing
One of Sundas’s smartest moves was recognizing she couldn’t do everything herself. In 2023, she hired a virtual assistant to manage her inbox and handle brand negotiations. She also brought on video editors to lighten her workload.
This freed her up to focus on what she enjoys most: brainstorming ideas and writing scripts. With support in place, she maintains her side hustle with just 4–5 hours per week — typically after work or on weekends.
Financial Milestones: Outearning Google
Here’s the remarkable twist: in 2024, her side hustle outpaced her day job.
- Google salary: $292,000
- Side hustle revenue: $302,000
For the first time, Sundas made more as a creator than as a Googler. Yet she hasn’t quit her job. Why? Because as she notes, “content income can be patchy.” Having two kids and knowing how volatile tech can be, she values the stability of a corporate salary — especially with the wave of layoffs in recent years.
Lessons From Sundas’s Journey
- Start where you are. Sundas began by sharing career wins on Instagram, long before she thought of monetization.
- Leverage credibility. Her Big Tech career gave her the authority to speak on data science and careers.
- Invest in systems. Hiring support let her scale without burning out.
- Diversify income. With brand deals, ads, courses, and speaking, she isn’t dependent on one revenue stream.
- Play the long game. It took nearly eight years of balancing work and content before the side hustle crossed into serious money.
Why Her Story Resonates
Sundas Khalid isn’t just another influencer flaunting numbers. Her story strikes a chord because it’s relatable: she built something on the side without giving up her career, family, or stability.
At a time when many professionals feel stuck between choosing corporate careers or entrepreneurship, Sundas shows there’s another path — one where you can have both.
FAQs
Q: How much time does she spend weekly on content?
About 4–5 hours per week, outside of her 40-hour Google job.
Q: Where does most of her revenue come from?
Around 90% comes from brand sponsorships, with the rest from ads, courses, and speaking.
Q: Why hasn’t she gone full-time as a creator?
Because content income can be inconsistent. She values stability and benefits from her tech role, especially as a mother of two.
Q: How big is her audience?
Over 878,000 followers across Instagram, YouTube, and other platforms; nearly 40 million annual views on YouTube.
Q: What’s her biggest piece of advice?
Treat your job as a launchpad — not a limitation. Sundas leveraged her Google brand and tech skills to fuel her creator success.
Final Thoughts
Sundas Khalid’s journey from $77,000 at Amazon in 2015 to $594,000 combined in 2024 (Google + side hustle) is more than just an income story. It’s a blueprint for how professionals can use their skills, credibility, and consistency to create parallel income streams.
She’s proof that the new definition of success isn’t about choosing between a job and entrepreneurship — it’s about designing a life where both can coexist.
