These Gen X job seekers are sick of the job hunt - and building businesses instead

"After months of rejections, he decided to launch TeenyTown, an indoor play space for kids in Union City, California. "I had to do something," Perdue told Business Insider. "And it was something that I had always wanted to do." Perdue wanted to focus on his four children. He said he used his severance package and bonus from his last job to build a business while he was out of work."

"While attendance at TeenyTown has been steady, he said it isn't enough to support his family yet. Perdue said he makes enough to cover rent and utilities at the play space, but has had trouble affording anything else. His fiance9e, who is still employed, has taken on most of the burden, he said. "I'm basically two months away from losing my business if I don't find a job soon, because I can't keep eating off of that money," said Perdue."

Five Gen Xers turned to self-employment after struggling to find full-time work. Some use personal ventures to supplement lower-paying jobs; others have effectively left the job market. One example: 50-year-old DJ Perdue lost a Walmart manager job, applied to about ten positions daily for 18 months, then launched TeenyTown, an indoor play space in Union City, California. Perdue used severance and a bonus to start the business, faces insufficient revenue to fully support his family, and has sold his home and moved to a cheaper rental. Census data show 12% of employed people aged 44–59 were self-employed in 2024.

Read at Business Insider