Passive income: NO

Earning passive income from a technical support side hustle is challenging and rare. Most people in this field provide active, real-time support, which requires ongoing engagement. To make it passive, one would need to create a system where support is automated or outsourced, such as developing a comprehensive knowledge base, chatbots, or hiring a team to handle queries. However, setting up such systems requires significant upfront effort and investment, and maintaining them can still demand active involvement. From my experience and observations on platforms like Reddit and YouTube, only a few outliers manage to achieve true passivity, often by scaling their operations significantly or by transitioning into software development or product creation that supports the technical support function. Most people continue to provide direct support or move into related fields like consulting or training to increase income. Misleading expectations often arise from oversimplified success stories that don't account for the complexities and ongoing work required to maintain a passive income stream in technical support. Realistically, it becomes passive for those who can leverage technology and resources effectively, but not for those who rely solely on their personal time and effort.