Notes from Chris

Episode 766

Samuel Curry is no stranger when it comes to side hustles. From a young age, he learned the value of earning money. From selling soda cans on the street corner to selling watches and jewelry through e-commerce sites years later, he’s continually upped his game. After learning e-commerce, he shifted his interests further to learning about computer security. What started as a hobby quickly turned into a fascination.

When Samuel was in high school, a friend introduced him to a website called HackerOne which provides training, resources, and assignments for those wanting to learn about the world of ethical hacking and what’s known as “bug bounty.” If you’re confused by the term “ethical hacking” or think I just said “bugs bunny,” let me break it down for you.

Ethical hacking is sort of like being a vigilante for computer security. You’re doing something that’s good for companies and in some ways the world. Ethical Hackers help find bugs or security breaches on websites, which is extremely important when protecting consumer information.

Bug Bounty is a system that rewards friendly hackers who uncover vulnerabilities in some of the most important internet software. The program is managed by a panel of volunteers selected from the security community. Basically, they provide compensation to people for finding problems across various platforms and websites. And the outcome can be very profitable for some.

Samuel spent six months learning the basics and began allocating the extra time he had outside of school to focus on his new hobby. He would spend about 30 hours each week practicing on various platforms and studying about security. Most of his time working was spent between the hours of 4 pm and 2 am. [Information about his grades was not accessible at the time of recording.]

Samuel spent about 3 years using these platforms to find clients and projects. His biggest success to date earned him $17,000 as a result of compromising an entire website and reporting his findings to the company! In 2018, he brought in an extra $110,000 entirely through bug bounties.

His earnings haven’t always been so grand, though, and they do fluctuate. Some months he might make $20,000 and other months he won’t make anything at all.

He struggled in the beginning with spending too much time working on his hustle. It created an obsessive work ethic that would leave him feeling burned out. Once he finally let go of the need to spend excess hours on this, he found more freedom in his work. He went from working on it every day to only a few days a week. He found that by having more concentrated focus, he was able to produce better results, and in turn, make more money.

Samuel plans to continue working as a security consultant while maintaining his bug-hunting side hustle.

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MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• SamCurry.net: Learn more about the anti-hacking services that Samuel offers over on his website!
• HackerOne & Bugcrowd: Two sites that offer training for hacking beginners and resources for those wanting to level up their knowledge
• WordPress: Samuel used WordPress to setup SamCurry.net, and here you can learn how to install your own WordPress site in 5 minutes

SEE ALSO:

• College Student Hacks Into $40,000/Month Side Hustle: In her search for a side hustle, this college communications instructor turns to her love of journaling. She then learns to manufacture a custom product from overseas and sell it back at home
• Database Expert Helps Students Solve Real Problems: She wanted to influence the next generation in her field. But after first teaching at a local university, this database consultant decided to design her own curriculum in the form of a book and online course
• Engineer Reprograms Herself, Finds Confidence to Start Over: After two failed attempts, a software developer’s passion for web development puts her on the path to profit

Inspiration is good; inspiration combined with action is better. Now get back to work!

Yours in the revolution,

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