Hi, I’m Faiza Shahid — welcome to The Income Pilot.
I started this site after spending 3 years figuring out freelancing, side hustles, and online income the hard way — through trial, error, and a fair number of wasted weekends. I’ve tried freelancing on Upwork & Fiverr, run a side hustle, experimented with digital products and used AI tools to speed up my workflows. Now, The Income Pilot is where I share what actually worked, what didn’t, and what I wish someone had told me before I started.
Why I Started This Site
I started this site because I saw that most articles I found were either recycled listicles with no real numbers, or written by people who’d clearly never tried the thing themselves. I wanted to write the version I wish I’d had. So I started this to share my real life experiences and issues that I faced in these 3 years.
What You’ll Find Here
The Income Pilot covers four main areas:
- Freelancing — getting clients, avoiding beginner mistakes, and building a sustainable freelance income
- Side Hustles & Online Income — practical, tested ways to earn extra money outside a 9-to-5
- AI & Automation — how to use AI tools to work faster and smarter, without the hype
- Digital Products — creating and selling digital products, from ebooks to templates to online courses
Everything I write comes from either direct personal experience or careful research when I’m covering a tool or platform I haven’t personally used — and I’ll always be upfront about which is which.
My Approach
I don’t publish “get rich quick” content, and I don’t recommend tools or platforms I haven’t actually looked into. If a strategy has downsides or took longer than expected to pay off, I’ll say so — the goal here is realistic, useful advice, not hype.
A Bit About Me
I studied for a BBA and, like most people, started out in a standard corporate job — 9 to 5, someone else’s schedule. Three years ago I decided to change that. It wasn’t fast or easy, but today I freelance full-time — selling digital products, provide AI Automation services, and writing blog content — and I write here about everything I learned getting from there to here.
Let’s Connect
Have a question, a topic you’d like covered, or feedback on something I’ve written? I’d love to hear from you — reach out through the Contact page.
Thanks for reading — I hope something here helps you make real progress.
— Faiza Shahid
Founder, The Income Pilot