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What It's About
An ex-NFL fullback gets tired of lukewarm water at the gym and creates a container that becomes the solutionto his problem.
Business Model
Skills Required
Complexity
Profit Potential
Words of Wisdom
Chris set up his Amazon seller account ahead of time so that he wouldn’t be marked as a “New Seller” once he had products to sell. He wanted to look like an established seller that had been there for a while. There's a lot to be said for starting before you're ready, and in this instance, a buyer may be more wary to purchase a new product they've never heard of before from a seller that is green and potentially unvetted.
Fun Fact
Chris’ side hustle started on a super hot day in Texas. His old plastic shaker bottle had made a mess with all the condensation dripping everywhere and the drink inside was warm and didn’t taste good anymore. So when he couldn’t find a satisfactory replacement, he decided to make his own so he would get exactly what he wanted.
Notes from Chris
Episode 261
Chris Gronkowski’s side hustle started in 2016, on a 100-degree day in Texas. He was headed to the gym with his plastic shaker bottle, but by the time he got there, condensation was everywhere—his car’s cupholder, his hands, and his clothes. To add insult to injury, when he took a drink of the water, it was warm and tasted bad. So when he got home from the gym he went straight to his computer, hoping to find and purchase an insulated shaker bottle to replace his uninsulated plastic bottle. He couldn’t find anything that fit his needs. So he decided to make his own. Chris was already working with a manufacturer for his day job, Everything Decorated, an online shop that personalizes just about everything. So once he had a basic design in mind, he reached out to his manufacturer to see about getting a prototype made. In total it only took him six months to go from idea to Ice Shaker:—an insulated stainless steel bottle that can hold ice for over a day and doesn’t create condensation on the outside. The first month he launched, he brought in about $3,500 in revenue. Things continued that way for a couple months, and as Chris shared, “I thought I was instantly going to sell a ton of products the day we launched. But I quickly realized that you need to build a brand and customer's trust before they want to buy your new product that they never heard of before. Once we had about 30 reviews on our product, our sales really started to pick up. It takes a lot of time and hard work to build a brand and I am figuring out more and more everyday how to do it.” He quickly grew his brand and gained his customer’s trust. When we talked, about six months into it, he was bringing in $20,000k in revenue a month. MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:- Ice Shaker: Say so long to your room temperature water woes—visit Chris' website!
- Everything Decorated: Chris' day job that helped him connect with a manufacturer for his side hustle
- Shopify: Chris used Shopify to set up the storefront for Ice Shaker, and they're offering a 21-day trial and exclusive discount for all Side Hustle School listeners!
- How To Find a Manufacturer or Supplier for Your Product Idea: Learn more about how you can find a manufacturer for your product
- Clothing Store Salesman Invents Baby Harness, Earns $100k Per Year: An innovative salesman creates a baby harness that benefits both parent and child, all the while creating a six-figure side income for himself
- Hair Salon Owner Designs Mittens for Cold Runners: An avid runner has a difficult time finding gloves or mittens that feel comfortable enough for running while also keep her fingers warm in the winter. She decides to make her own and pursues a patent for her idea
