The Verge presents a second edition of Making It Work, a special issue about how small businesses and creators have found clever and creative ways to adapt to the current climate and get paid. Whether it’s taking farmers markets online, becoming a tour guide on TikTok, or moving bike part sales from Amazon to the real world, these are stories about how the internet has enabled scrappy underdogs and thoughtful problem-solving.
Making It Work 2021
How creators and businesses are trying to thrive
Illustration by Claudia Chinyere Akole
The pandemic brought rampant growth for local food distribution platforms
Alexandra Marvar
A bike parts company ditched Amazon to support indie shops instead
Decca Muldowney
TikTok tour guides will show you their city — and the places hooking them up
Mansee Khurana
Viral fame, IRL customers
Kate Lindsay
There are built-in calculator, camera, and to-do apps — but small devs can make them better
Chaim Gartenberg
Tinder doesn’t quite work for those living a ‘nomadic’ lifestyle
Kudrat Wadhwa
It’s a lucrative opportunity many don’t want to take
Sophie Hurwitz
Generative profile picture NFTs are all the rage, but creators say it’s not just about the money
Jacob Kastrenakes
But the risk of trading means anyone can lose money trying
Amelia Harnish
The hidden costs behind your favorite apps, games, and more
Ian Carlos Campbell and Julia Alexander
The pandemic brought rampant growth for local food distribution platforms
Alexandra Marvar
A bike parts company ditched Amazon to support indie shops instead
Decca Muldowney
TikTok tour guides will show you their city — and the places hooking them up
Mansee Khurana
Viral fame, IRL customers
Kate Lindsay
There are built-in calculator, camera, and to-do apps — but small devs can make them better
Chaim Gartenberg
Tinder doesn’t quite work for those living a ‘nomadic’ lifestyle
Kudrat Wadhwa
It’s a lucrative opportunity many don’t want to take
Sophie Hurwitz
Generative profile picture NFTs are all the rage, but creators say it’s not just about the money
Jacob Kastrenakes
But the risk of trading means anyone can lose money trying
Amelia Harnish
The hidden costs behind your favorite apps, games, and more
Ian Carlos Campbell and Julia Alexander
