Being Spider-man Saves Teen From A Boring Job (Nate Frindall as Spider-man) Nate Frindall used to have a job in a supermarket, until he gave it up for a side hustle as Spider-man. He started his superhero gig three years ago after he dressed as Spider-man to see the latest film. "When I walked in, someone shouted 'do a flip,'" the 19-year-old said. "I did one, and everyone started clapping." And so he decided, with his parents' encouragement, to turn this impromptu performance into a side hustle as a superhero impersonator. The teenager from Dorking in Surrey invested in an "expensive, custom-made" costume and started working evenings and weekends as Spider-Man. He soon quit his job as he got more pay for one hour as Spider-Man than an eight-hour shift at the supermarket. Of the supermarket job Nate says, "When I got paid at the end of the month, it felt like it wasn't worth what I put in." He continued, "I was not happy there. Time went so slowly." Working at the supermarket checkout he was paid £12.40 an hour, but now, he charges £75 for a 30-minute meet-and-greet and £150 for an hour. Some folks pay £250 for an hour ‘party package’ with games and photos or £300 for a two-hour party. However, he said he can end up working far more hours than before since he now needs to do unpaid promotional work and advertising. "It really does take up a lot of time," Frindall said. “I absolutely love doing it." he continued. "To see these kids really happy that I have made their party, and turned up to surprise them, is great. It has paid off, too, I am booked up for children’s parties every weekend in March. It’s lovely to see kids smile. Because of the realism of the suit, they genuinely think I am Spider-man. So, they get a big shock.” In a commitment to his performances, which involve walking on his hands and back flips, he’s now purchased two more suits. To promote his business, Nate attends lots of local events in costume and gives out his business cards, and he also posts on local Facebook groups. For his long term dreams, Nate works with music on the side, with hopes of becoming a producer, has taken up acting as an extra, and dabbling in comedy with his cousins on TikTok, where they’ve tallied 10,000 followers. He encourages other young people who have business ideas to take a super-hero leap and start their own businesses. “I would 100 percent recommend doing a side hustle or a freelancing gig. Not many people that I know are doing what I’m doing, so if you can find a niche gap in the market then you’re going to get better money for it.”