I lost my job right before having my first child. My wife and I took the opportunity to level up our side hustle.

Rachel Calaj and Felipe Rochi run a camcorder rental business for weddings.

Felipe Rochi Felipe Rochi lost one of his jobs while his wife was pregnant with their first child.

They decided to take the leap and grow their side hustle — a rental camcorder business — together.

As new parents, the two of them split the tasks involved in running the business.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Rachel Calaj and Felipe Rochi, a married couple in their 30s.

Together, they run a wedding camcorder rental business that they started as a side hustle.

The following has been edited for length and clarity.

Rochi: I'm an SEO supervisor.

I also had a second job in the SEO space, but I was terminated this summer, in early June.

Calaj: I've been a school psychologist, typically hired through an agency to work for a district on a contract basis.

We found out we were pregnant last December, and my contract ended in May.

We were trying to think throughout that time what we would do next year.

Felipe lost his job before our baby shower Calaj: As a first-time mom , I wanted to stay home with my child.

We were trying to see if Felipe's two jobs would be enough for me to do so.