This post is part of a series focused on the unique stories of independent workers. We spoke with Stride member Matthew about his experience as an Instacart shopper and his advice for other 1099 independent contractors.

Hi, Matthew! Could you start off by telling us about yourself and how you heard about Stride?

I live in Thousand Oaks, California and have been an Instacart shopper for about a year now. Outside of Instacart, I am a musician. My love for music most likely sparked from my parents. My biological father sings and plays guitar while owning his own business. My biological mother and stepfather are ministers and frequently sing in the church choir. I write daily lyrics to improve my writing ability, sing every day, and work on the clarity of my voice. I work out every morning bright and early to stay healthy. This also helps give me energy to achieve goals and helps with having a better mental well-being!

I heard about Stride through Instacart. When I started looking into paying taxes with income from Instacart, Stride was the suggestion to help simplify taxes.

What’s your favorite part about being self-employed?

What I love the most about being an independent contractor is being your own boss. There’s definitely a sense of autonomy that I feel when you can set your own schedule and plan out your monthly expenses accordingly. It’s all on you to decide how much to work on any given day. But that’s the best part. You can make as much or as little as you want!

When I adjusted to an independent contracting life, the transition for me was pretty seamless. I knew I was ready to take full responsibility for the hours I chose to work and be accountable for paying all my bills on time. Everything else, from shopping for a customer to figuring out how to do taxes, was pretty easy for me.

(If you want to sign up to be an Instacart Shopper, you can use this link and Matt will get a small referral fee.)

What are some of the biggest challenges you face while self-employed?

One of the only things that’s a real challenge is staying consistent with your work. It’s all up to you to put in the work and achieve your goals, whether it’s financially motivated or not. If you have a vision, it’s much easier to be crystal clear on what to do in order to succeed!

Some unique challenges I’ve faced with Instacart are usually locating items in grocery stores and developing my people skills. Like putting myself in their shoes and thinking, “Is this what I would buy?” for instance.

How about the other side of the coin: Were there any advantages you experienced as an independent worker?

This job has taught me to always be great with people. Being kind and very communicative, and having a great work ethic has its own rewards. Every so often, when I expect to not get anything for my services, customers may sometimes give extra tips on top of their order. Another advantage is that I know grocery stores very well and can create exceptional service and satisfaction with my knowledge.

What advice do you have for others who want to start doing 1099 work?

What helps me a lot is doing what I call a “pep” talk. Basically stand in front of the mirror, or put your face in front of any mirror, and psych yourself up for the day. Say things like, “Today I’m going to have a fantastic day,” or, “Remember to always be great with people and go about your day in a positive way.”

Anything else you want to share that I didn't already ask?

Whether you’re in this line of work for the short or long term, always make sure you have a sense of purpose. In my view, if you have this active element within you, it’ll be much easier doing great work and feeling a sense of fulfillment!

Thank you for sharing your story and advice with the rest of the Stride community, Matthew! You can find Matthew on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Want to sign up to be an Instacart Shopper? You can use this link and Matt will get a small referral fee.