WEEKLY RECAP: Simple, Boring, and … Highly Profitable?

Notes from Chris

Episode 1051

THEMES & TAKEAWAYS: We’ve just finished week 46 of Season III For now: let’s talk about simple, boring business ideas. Isn’t that why you listen to podcasts ... to hear about boring topics? I thought about this as I worked on two stories this week, one of them the ergonomic desk accessories, which is really a fancy way of saying “elbow pads,” and the other (#1048) about a guy who earns extra money mounting TVs and hiding the wires in people’s homes. What do these things have in common? They are simple, boring, and profitable ... highly profitable in the case of the elbow pad business. In my inbox on any given day I have a lot of people writing in about big tech projects—many of which will never see the light of day or be profitable. Meanwhile, my entire focus is on showing you examples of real people who are starting profitable projects by solving simple problems. A practical solution to a clear problem, a product or service that meets a specific need ... it may not always be sexy, but if your goal is to make money, not just talk about your cool tech idea, this is not at all a bad approach. I went back through some of the archives to make a list of other projects that fit this category… Ep. 280: Boring Desk Job Leads to $14,000/month Coffee Pod Biz Ep. 430: Choir Teacher Tunes Sight Reading Workbooks Into $20,000 Hustle Ep. 542: Graphic Designer Chalks Up Gripping Side Hustle [Crossfit] Ep. 611: Accountant Earns Six-Figures Selling Spreadsheets to Etsy Sellers Ep. 964: Knoxville Man Rents Reusable Packing Totes Be encouraged and inspired: if you haven’t found your idea yet, maybe you’re overthinking it. What can you do that compares to elbow pads, TV installation, choir workbooks, chalk for athletes, packing totes, or spreadsheets?

WHERE ARE THEY NOW: Today, we have an update from Caleb Kingston. Ep. 413, UX Designer Earns $1,000/Month After Posting in Facebook Groups. Listen to the Weekly Recap to hear from Caleb! Learn more about Caleb's online design courses on his website, App Design Tips, and check out his page at Udemy! .

EPISODES FROM THIS WEEK: Here's what we heard this week on Side Hustle School! Listen to this week's recap for a more comprehensive highlight reel.

Ep. 1045 - Trio of Friends Creates Ergonomic Desk Accessory: Former college roommates say goodbye to elbow pain by creating a new product designed to alleviate discomfort from working at a desk.
Ep. 1046 - Belgian Blogger Gets Paid to Wander Through Europe: A Belgian travel blogger gets paid by tourism boards to visit their destinations and report back to her readers.
Ep. 1047 - Event Planner Writes Her Way Into Custom Calligraphy Shop: Her friends encourage her to open her own Etsy shop, but this event planner ends up going further by quitting her job and publishing a book.
Ep. 1048 - Mega TV Installer Mounts Extra $1,000/Month: A home security systems installer mounts a profitable side hustle hiding wires and hanging TVs, using the profits for a family vacation to his home country of Senegal.
Ep. 1049 - Sports Videographer Finds Slam Dunk with Production Agency: What starts as a web series about eating and drinking around the State of Maine turns into a full media production agency.
Ep. 1050 - Retail Frustrations Inspire Upcycled Fashion Brand: A fashion designer turns a $20 sewing machine and donated denim into upcycled pieces—without sacrificing style for ethics.