Many of us are lucky enough never to have had life-changing medical complications catch us by surprise. We wake up, tackle our days (and tasks!), and arrive home at night safe, satisfied, and ready to start a new day tomorrow. But imagine for a second that you’re diagnosed with an illness that not only alters the way you live life, but also takes away your financial livelihood?
That’s what happened to Salt Lake City Tasker Robert H. When life threw him a medical curveball, he was forced to rethink it—including the way he made money and provided for his family. Luckily, he found TaskRabbit shortly after.
We’ll let you read the details for yourself!
How did you come to TaskRabbit?
I had a medical diagnosis of Crohn’s Disease that prevented me from staying in my construction career. When I left that professional world, my only good option was to become an independent contractor so that I could work with a flexible schedule. When I stumbled across a post about TaskRabbit, I immediately knew it was for me. I could make good money, set my own hours, and use all the tools and knowledge I’ve gained over the years to the benefit of myself, my Clients, and TaskRabbit. It’s a win, win, win. How often does that happen?
What types of challenges has TaskRabbit helped you overcome?
It’s helped me overcome my biggest challenge, which was being diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease. I lost the ability to provide for my family, because my chosen career path was taken from me. Now, I have the ability to provide for my family again, and that is everything! With the flexibility TaskRabbit provides, I can work around my medical limits—both the physical limits I have and the limits of how much time I can work.
What has your most memorable task been to date?
Creating an elegant backyard patio, with strings of lights hanging over a sitting area.
What life values have you taken into your tasking career?
I try to do my best at everything I do and try to conduct myself with integrity, honesty, and compassion.
What types of life changes have you noticed since becoming a Tasker?
When I realized what exactly TaskRabbit was, it felt as though it was meant to be, because I had the tools and experience to maximize so many different categories (I’m now up to 13!). Being a Tasker has improved my life ten-fold. I feel as if I have a purpose again. I’m able to provide for my family, and I can once again have pride and a sense of accomplishment in my work.
What advice do you have for other Taskers–or better yet, people considering becoming Taskers?
If you are serious about becoming a Tasker but still feeling nervous about it, just do it. Once you get over those initial “fear-of-change” nerves, you can get ready to start raking in the cash!
Robert’s story was a glimpse into the world we try to create for every Tasker in our network—one that’s inclusive, flexible, and best of all, happy. We wish him all the best along with heaps of tasking success!
