Hi, I’m Michael Leitner
I’m the founder, writer, and editor of First Extra Dollar.
I’m a finance professional based in Vienna, Austria, with more than 10 years of experience in financial analysis, corporate finance, investment analysis, forecasting, and strategic planning.
I created First Extra Dollar to help beginners evaluate side hustles and extra-income opportunities more realistically.
My aim is not to make every opportunity sound exciting. It is to help readers understand the costs, time requirements, risks, limitations, and practical steps involved before deciding whether an idea is worth pursuing.
Professional Background
I have worked in finance since 2014.
My experience includes financial planning, investment analysis, budgeting, forecasting, financial modeling, performance reporting, and risk assessment.
Over the course of my career, I have worked with financial information from different business units and European markets. My responsibilities have included:
- Building financial models and forecasts
- Reviewing revenue, expenses, profitability, and cash flow
- Comparing expected results with actual performance
- Supporting budgeting and capital expenditure planning
- Analyzing financial risks and business scenarios
- Preparing reports and dashboards for management
- Identifying the assumptions behind financial projections
- Evaluating how costs and uncertainty affect an expected outcome
I previously worked as a financial analyst at ÖBB, where I supported financial reporting, budgeting, forecasting, variance analysis, and capital expenditure planning.
I later worked with CBRE Retail Investment Group, supporting regional financial planning and analysis for a European portfolio. That work included forecasting, performance analysis, financial modeling, management reporting, and strategic scenario planning.
I currently work as a finance manager and investment analyst at a mid-sized European investment firm.
Education and Qualifications
I studied at WU Vienna University of Economics and Business.
I hold:
- A Master’s degree in Asset Management
- A Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, with a focus on Accounting and Finance
My additional professional qualifications include:
- Financial Modeling & Valuation Analyst certification from the Corporate Finance Institute
- Financial Planning & Analysis certification from the Corporate Finance Institute
- IFRS financial reporting certification from the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants
I work professionally in German and English and also have working proficiency in French.
How My Background Shapes First Extra Dollar
My finance background influences how I evaluate side hustles, platforms, tools, and income opportunities.
When I research an idea, I do not look only at the amount someone might earn.
I also ask:
- What does it cost to start?
- How much time is required?
- Which expenses are easy to overlook?
- How realistic are the earnings claims?
- What assumptions need to be true for the idea to work?
- What could cause the result to be worse than expected?
- How quickly can a beginner get useful feedback?
- Is the possible reward worth the time, effort, and risk?
- What evidence would justify investing more money?
- Who is the opportunity not suitable for?
A side hustle can generate revenue and still be a poor use of someone’s time.
Travel costs, platform fees, equipment, software, taxes, unpaid preparation, revisions, customer acquisition, and inconsistent demand can all affect the real result.
That is why First Extra Dollar focuses on the full picture rather than headline income figures.
You can read more about this process on the How We Evaluate Side Hustles page.
My Side-Hustle Experience and Focus
My experience with side hustles comes from a combination of personal projects, online income experiments, freelance and client-work research, content systems, financial analysis, and practical evaluation of beginner income opportunities.
I focus especially on the parts of side hustles that beginners often underestimate: choosing the right idea, testing demand, understanding startup costs, tracking time and expenses, avoiding overinvestment, comparing real hourly profit, managing inconsistent income, and knowing when an idea is not worth continuing.
First Extra Dollar covers areas such as freelancing, local gigs, gig apps, online income, blogging, Pinterest, affiliate income, side-hustle systems, tracking tools, and beginner-friendly ways to earn extra money. I do not claim to have personally completed every side hustle, used every platform, or tested every product mentioned on the site.
When an article is based on firsthand experience, I aim to make that clear. When an article is research-based, I aim to explain the reasoning, sources, assumptions, risks, and limitations behind the guidance.
My goal is not to present myself as an expert in every possible side hustle. My role is to help beginners evaluate opportunities more carefully before spending time, money, or energy on the wrong thing.
My Role at First Extra Dollar
I am responsible for the content published on First Extra Dollar.
My work includes:
- Researching side-hustle opportunities and common beginner questions
- Reviewing startup costs, time requirements, fees, risks, and limitations
- Consulting official platform information and other appropriate sources
- Writing tutorials, comparisons, decision guides, checklists, and templates
- Reviewing income claims and identifying unrealistic assumptions
- Explaining important disadvantages as well as potential benefits
- Updating articles when relevant information changes
- Correcting meaningful errors when they are identified
I want readers to understand how a conclusion was reached.
A recommendation should not depend on blind trust. A useful article should explain the evidence, assumptions, risks, and tradeoffs behind it.
Firsthand Experience and Research
I do not claim to have personally completed every side hustle covered on First Extra Dollar.
Some articles may draw on firsthand experience. Others are based on research, official documentation, financial analysis, comparison, and evaluation of the available evidence.
When I have not personally used a platform, tested a product, or completed a particular side hustle, I will not present the article as a personal success story.
Research-based content can still be useful, but readers should be able to distinguish it from firsthand experience.
Important Limitations
The information published on First Extra Dollar is intended for general educational and informational purposes.
Although I work professionally in finance and investment analysis, I am not acting as your personal financial adviser, investment adviser, accountant, tax professional, attorney, or business consultant through this website.
The site does not provide personalized financial, tax, legal, or investment advice.
Your circumstances may differ from those described in an article. Consider your own finances, location, responsibilities, skills, and tolerance for risk before making a decision.
Accuracy and Transparency
I aim to publish information that is accurate, practical, and clear.
However, mistakes can happen, and platforms, fees, rules, products, and opportunities can change.
When a meaningful error is identified, I review it and make an appropriate correction.
You can learn more about how content is researched, reviewed, and updated in the Editorial Policy and Corrections Policy.
Connect With Me
For questions, feedback, corrections, partnership inquiries, or advertising inquiries, please use the Contact page.