Side-hustle hero: surgery meets symphony - one woman’s double life

At 28, Dr Puroshini Pather has mastered something many people only dream of: turning the things she loves into things that pay.

By day, she’s a full-time hair transplant surgeon at the Treatment Rooms in London. By night, she composes award-winning music scores for films, documentaries and webcomics - earning passive income from royalties along the way.

If you’re dreaming of turning a passion into a meaningful side income, Puroshini’s take on making money from the things you love may well provide the inspiration you need to stop dreaming and start doing.

Two careers, one philosophy: do the work you love

Puroshini trained as a doctor before specialising in hair restoration. She loves her day job, especially seeing patients grow in confidence as they regain their hair.

But while medicine is her vocation, music has always been her first love, with the cello, piano, flute and ukulele representing just a selection of the instruments she’s mastered.

And despite the dedication it takes to become a high-flying doctor, Puroshini’s music has never taken a back seat. Today, she composes original orchestral scores and sees music as an essential part of her wellbeing.

“I make sure I work on my music three or four times a week. Like exercise, if I stop, my mental health suffers.”

How a creative passion became a paying side hustle

You don’t need to be a musician to take inspiration from Puroshini’s second career. What matters is the approach:

✔ Start with something you genuinely love

For Puroshini, that’s composing. For you, it might be baking, woodworking, graphic design, fixing bikes or storytelling.

✔ Build your skills with consistency

A two-minute film score can take Puroshini 25-30 hours of focused work. “Don’t underestimate the hard work,” she says. “People think inspiration just appears. It doesn’t.”

✔ Invest in a few key tools

Her setup is simple: a computer, a digital audio workstation and a keyboard. Most side hustles start with equally modest kit.

✔ Create something people value

Her compositions have earned awards - including Best Original Score at the Culver Film Festival - but the important part is that someone needed what she could create.

✔ Let your work earn for you

Music royalties now provide Puroshini with steady passive income - the holy grail of side hustles. If you can create something that keeps providing a steady stream of money after the hard work’s done, let’s face it, you’ve nailed it.

Juggling a demanding job with a profitable passion

Full-time surgery is no small undertaking. But Puroshini doesn’t see her two careers as competing - she sees them as supporting each other.

“Music keeps my mind free-flowing and creative. Surgery can be strenuous, so staying limber in body and mind is essential.”

She emphasises that you don’t have to quit your day job to build something meaningful. You just need a few hours a week and a reason to start.

“Why choose one when you can choose both? By day, I dedicate my life to patients. By night, I follow my creative passions.”

Build your life around things that matter

Puroshini’s journey has taken her across continents - South Africa, Singapore, Canada and finally the UK - but her mindset has always stayed the same: build a life filled with the things that matter to you.

Her message to aspiring side-hustlers is simple:

“Dedication and mental fortitude are everything. People will question you, they always do. But if your heart says this is right for you, what could be more important than pursuing your own happiness?”

She believes that music, and passion projects more generally, bring light during difficult times:

“Life is supposed to be beautiful. There’s lots that’s stressful or difficult. Doing something you love can make everything feel lighter.”

What lights your fire?

Not everyone can compose orchestral music. But everyone has something that lights their fire.

Something worth doing.
Something people might pay for.
Something that could bring purpose, pride or even passive income.

Dr Pather proves that your passions don’t have to stay hobbies - and your job doesn’t have to be your only source of fulfilment or financial security.

So the real question is:
What do you love doing - and what could it become?