What It's About
Travel-friendly dry shampoo for busy people.
Business Model
Skills Required
Complexity
Profit Potential
Words of Wisdom
Even if you have a great idea, you may need to put that project on hold until you secure what you need to launch. In this story, Laura used one side hustle (walking dogs) to generate enough money to invest in her other side hustle (Dirty Blonde).
Fun Fact
Laura started a side hustle to pay for her side hustle! She used Rover.com to walk dogs, bringing in $500 a month to keep her out of debt as she invested in Dirty Blonde.
Notes from Chris
Episode 1090
As a Senior Account Manager for a marketing agency, Laura Armstrong is most often found on a plane or in a hotel. The time, effort, and supplies needed to bring her hair to life on the road was a constant struggle. She turned to dry shampoo, but the traditional aerosols constantly made a mess. The alternative shake powders were just as frustrating, and they all came in one shade: white. Unable to find any options that met her needs, she set to the task of creating her own dirty blonde natural dry shampoo, super packable in a small tin with a no-mess applicator brush. Wash, rinse, and dry turned into dip, dab, and go. Little did she know the long-haul journey it would take her on. Her side hustle, aptly named Dirty Blonde Dry Shampoo, started with a Rover account, where she walked dogs as a means to save up the money she needed, avoiding any debt. From there, she set up her website on WordPress, paid for social media ads, and invested in enough inventory to make 500 units of dry shampoo. Buying in bulk was key to her profit margin. After researching the market of regular aerosol dry shampoos, and taking into account the elevated experience she hoped to provide, she set the price at $22 per unit. Laura’s first sale was to her sister! But it was far from her last. Soon she was dedicating her weekends to making more product, rising early each morning to ship out packages, and sometimes even doing a second run to the post office late in the afternoon. Her second product was another natural outgrowth of her own needs. Frustrated with how expensive and damaging most hair oil is, Laura again created her own version, and added it to her product line. This addition led to the formation of her Hair Kit, coming with dry shampoo, the application brush, and hair oil to take care of any mane from root to tip. One year in, monthly profits range from $600 to $2,000, depending on the season and on what marketing experiment she’s trying that month. For now, Laura continues to build and expand, investing much of the profits into growth. This side hustle is a mane attraction.MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
- Dirty Blonde: Check out Laura's hair products at here website.
- Laura uses Shopify to sell her products. (use the link to start a 21-day trial and get 10% off for an entire year!)
- To bootstrap this hustle, Laura used Rover.com to walk dogs and save enough money to invest in Dirty Blonde.
- Oncology Nurse Creates Products to Regrow Hair After Chemo; Earns $80,000: After kicking cancer to the curb, a Texas oncology nurse discovers the power of essential oils for hair regrowth and launches her own handmade hair care line.
- Frustrated Mom Grows Hair Brush Hustle to Seven Figures: Hoping to work the tangles out of her kids’ morning routine, a Colorado mom creates her own solution to the struggles that come with having curly hair.
- Beard Oil Behemoth Expands to 35 Countries: How one man grew his $46 idea into a six-figure monthly sales machine selling beard oil.
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Resources
CREATE YOUR ONLINE STORE
Create your online store with Shopify using an exclusive discount for Side Hustle School listeners. For a limited time, get a free 21-day trial and a 10% discount for a whole year.
Many Side Hustle School listeners are building sites using Shopify's easy-to-learn platform. Try it free today!
Learn More
GET YOUR FIRST 1,000 EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS
Social media is nice, but building an email list is still the single best way to get customers and clients for your hustle. It's not hard to get started—sign up for a 30-day trial and join the list-building challenge! You’ll be up and running in no time.
Quote of the Day
Sponsors & Gratitude
Don't Do Business Without It
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No matter what you do in business, from working nine-to-five to working five-to-nine, it’s easier when you don’t go it alone. Get the powerful backing of American Express—don't do business without it! 💳
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