What It's About
A fascination with plants leads a man in the UK to a side hustle building terrariums.
Business Model
Skills Required
Complexity
Profit Potential
Words of Wisdom
Adam now has a 9-5 job as a Marketing Assistant for a startup called Shiply which he enjoys, but he continues to work on Geodesium. But with each terrarium taking between 3 and 4 hours to complete, the side hustle can be extremely time-and labor-intensive. He cuts the glass himself, which is then copper foiled and burnished; then the terrarium is soldered together, polished and waxed.
It's definitely a labor of love. Adam's advice to listeners: etsy is a great platform to get started, but make sure that your product or service is not terribly labor-intensive.
Fun Fact
Each one of Geodesium’s handmade geometric terrariums takes a few hours to create. They range in size and shape, with one of the priciest made up 80 different triangles of glass and costing £135 ($174).
Founder Adam Shafi cuts the glass himself, coats it with copper foil, and solders it together—following the Tiffany technique traditionally for stained glass. Terrariums not only look cool but also help create humidity, which allows plants to grow in areas they don’t normally belong.
Notes from Chris
Episode 135
About a decade ago, while researching how to tend his plants, Adam Shafi had come across terrariums. They looked like reptile tanks, or clear plastic pots. But they achieved an important goal: improved humidity for growing the plants. Fast forward to two years ago. Adam had just graduated with a master’s degree but was initially unable to find work because of a turndown in the industry. So, while applying for jobs, he was also looking into buying a terrarium for his plants. He had seen lots of the so-called “geodesic domes” online and in the shops since the geometric-shaped terrariums were steadily gaining popularity. Adam’s interested was piqued, and—with time on his hands—he decided to attempt making one. So far, he has sold over 100 terrariums. Though his profits dropped slightly as he lowered his pay-per-click budgets, he averages about £600 ($770) in monthly sales. MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:- Geodesium: Learn more about Adam and his gorgeous terrariums on his website and Etsy!
- wikiHow: The "learn anything" website Adam used to learn how to construct his glass terrariums
- Shopify: Adam used Shopify to create his main website, and they're offering a 21-day trial and exclusive discount for all Side Hustle School listeners!
- 7 Steps to a Successful Start on Etsy: Starting a new business on Etsy can feel overwhelming. Find out how to make the process more manageable (and fun!) by following a few simple tips.
- GE Engineer Sells Hand-Crafted Slate Artwork to All 50 States: A GE engineer uses his skills to make and sell hand-crafted slate artwork to all 50 states. In addition to bringing in a great side income, it’s also given him more courage and security to make decisions at his day job.
- Hand-Stamped Feminist Jewelry Earns $25,000 Side Income: She’s loud, she’s proud, and she’s wielding a hammer to smash the patriarchy with her hand-stamped feminist jewelry line.
Download Episodes By Months: Season 8 (2024): JAN | FEB | MAR | APR | MAY | JUN | JUL | AUG | SEP | OCT | NOV | DEC | Season 7 (2023): JAN | FEB | MAR | APR | MAY | JUN | JUL | AUG | SEP | OCT | NOV | DEC | Season 6 (2022): JAN | FEB | MAR | APR | MAY | JUN | JUL | AUG | SEP | OCT | NOV | DEC | Season 5 (2021): JAN | FEB | MAR | APR | MAY | JUN | JUL | AUG | SEP | OCT | NOV | DEC | Season 4 (2020): JAN | FEB | MAR | APR | MAY | JUN | JUL | AUG | SEP | OCT | NOV | DEC | Season 3 (2019): JAN | FEB | MAR | APR | MAY | JUN | JUL | AUG | SEP | OCT | NOV | DEC | Season 2 (2018): JAN | FEB | MAR | APR | MAY | JUN | JUL | AUG | SEP | OCT | NOV | DEC | Season 1 (2017): JAN | FEB | MAR | APR | MAY | JUN | JUL | AUG | SEP | OCT | NOV | DEC |
Resources
WEB HOSTING @ $2.49/MONTH
Want to build any kind of website for your hustle? If so, you'll need somewhere to host it! This is the reliable company I've used for many websites. It's cheap, flexible, and offers support 24-7.
Get your own hosting plan for just $2.49 a month!
GET $625 IN FREE TRAVEL
Earn 50,000 travel rewards points (enough for 2 round-trip plane tickets or $625 in travel credit). You'll also earn 2x points on all travel and dining spend, with zero foreign transaction fees.
I use this card every day all over the world! ✈️
Quote of the Day
Sponsors & Gratitude
Try Harry's for FREE!
Side Hustle School is brought to you by Harry's. Get the close, comfortable shave you deserve!
Sign up by clicking the button below, and you’ll receive their most popular Trial Set—a 13 dollar value—for FREE when you cover the shipping.💈
Like the Show? Leave a Rating!
Side Hustle School is for you! If you’re enjoying it, please take a quick moment to leave a rating or write a quick review. It's really easy and it makes a difference! ✅
It also makes a huge difference when you tell your friends about the show. Remember, it's 100% free and listener-supported.
Here's How
Keep in Touch
There’s a new story every single day on Side Hustle School. Episodes are produced to be short and to the point—I know you’re busy. Be sure you subscribe to get instant notification of the day’s broadcast!
To infinity and beyond,
