115
8 min 59 sec

Graphic Designer Turns Side Hustle into $80k Project

A longing for expression and self-love pushes one woman into a successful side hustle helping others live more fulfilling lives through the practice of breathwork.
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What It's About

A graphic designer teaches others how to harness the power of breathwork for healthier lives.

Business Model
Coaching
Skills Required
Design & Meditation Knowledge
Complexity
Low
Profit Potential
Medium

Words of Wisdom

After teaching a virtual workshop for her friend, Michelle realized that she could do something similar under her own name. In 2016, she launched a series of virtual workshops as well as a self-led course that people can go through at their own pace.

That was the point she realized that this was something she could do full-time because the self-led courses are scalable—she made the course once and can continue to market it—and the virtual workshops can take taken by anyone around the world.

Fun Fact

Michelle had another side hustle selling dog bandanas that she designed and marketed. She sold via etsy, got into some retail stores and also sold at some craft fairs in Los Angeles.

She realized it was time to stop that side hustle when instead of talking to people at the craft fairs about the dog products, she was talking to people about Pushing Beauty, her new website.

Notes from Chris

Episode 115

What does it mean to be authentic? In the most general sense, it means to not be false and do no harm, but then, beyond that, it also means something more positive...to tell your story.

Before her side hustle turned into her main job, Michelle D’Avella was working as a graphic designer in Los Angeles by day and writing on her website, Pushing Beauty, on the side. It started organically toward the end of 2012, and she began by writing about what felt most important to her.

She didn’t do much research as to what would do well or get the most traffic to the website that she created; she just surrendered to the process, trusted her intuition and wrote. Her intuition led her to start by write about things she was curious about and things she’s learned along the way that have shaped her life.

Michelle described it by saying, “It felt like it was something I had to do. It was more about satisfying this deep longing to express something, rather than creating an idea in my head.”

Three years later, Michelle is now bringing in around $80,000 annually and has been able to quit her day job in order to dedicate herself to Pushing Beauty and the power of breathwork full-time. This work feels more fulfilling and authentic to Michelle, and it all started because she felt the need to express herself and share her journey with others.

What message do you have to share?

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

Yours in the revolution,

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Quote of the Day
"You don’t need to have a grand vision. Pushing Beauty was never grand. It was a seed I kept nurturing, and it has grown into one of the most important things in my life."
—Michelle D’Avella #SideHustleSchool

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To infinity and beyond,

Chris Guillebeau