Photo by Ryan Shiver.
Sergio Avedian is a senior contributor at The Rideshare Guy. He is an active rideshare driver, and a consultant and advocate. Before sitting on a panel for the Zócalo/The James Irvine Foundation public program in Oakland, “What Is a Good Job Now? In Gig Work,” he stopped by the green room to talk about his days on Wall Street, swinging a golf club, and some of his most memorable rides.
What’s the best gig you ever had?
Being a trader on Wall Street from around 1985 to 2005.
Anything you miss about Wall Street?
Not much. It’s a very difficult, high-burnout situation. Although it’s easier these days, mostly computerized trading. In my days it was physical. We were in the pits fighting—literally, punching people out for a quarter of a point. You can only do it when you’re young.
You’ve got more than 10,000 rides under your belt. What is one memorable one?
I could write a book about memorable trips. I have some hairy situations. Some funny situations. I’ve been in L.A. for like 30 years. And after I started driving, I discovered places in L.A. I’ve never seen. It’s part of the gig.
You’re also a golfer and golf instructor. What do you like about it?
I like golf because there is no perfection in golf. You can’t perfect it. Even Tiger Woods couldn’t do it. It’s a very mental game. It’ll last around like five hours. So you have to keep your focus.
What have you learned from being in the rideshare community?
I’ve learned quite a bit. I’ve met tens of thousands of drivers from all walks of life—all backgrounds, all educational levels, all religions, all colors. It’s an amazing, amazing community. I learned how to deal with people.
What’s some advice you would give somebody wanting to start driving for Uber/Lyft today?
Don’t. All of us are doing this to earn a living, to put food on the table, to pay our rent, to pay our bills. When I first started in 2016, I would make, like, 60 bucks an hour with my eyes closed. Today, I am about $21 to $22 per hour before expenses. So now I’m under minimum wage. I’d rather go flip burgers for 20 bucks. So I would say don’t do it as a career. But if you have a job, a steady job and you want to make a couple hundred bucks a week extra, by all means, knock yourself out. It’s a perfect side hustle right now.