This transcript was generated from the episode audio and may contain minor errors.
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Today's listener wants to create a guide for government grants. Is this a good idea? And if so, what's the best path forward? Welcome to Seidl School, my name is Chris Guillebeau. This year in the US alone, probably some other places too, but in the US in particular, there has been a great deal of confusion regarding taxpayer grants for small businesses.
Largely under the program known as PPP, or Paycheck Protection Program, but also another one called EIDL. And figuring out the process has been difficult for a lot of people. There's also been confusion and some disappointment about who is eligible. A lot of really big businesses have gotten these loans, which are actually forgivable loans. So a forgivable loan is essentially a grant, free money.
And people are asking questions like, why should Kanye West and Outback Steakhouse and lots of other celebrities and massive corporations get free money from the government, when the whole point of these programs is to provide aid for small businesses? So that's another topic. Let's focus here on the side hustle idea of creating that guide for government grants. Because I do think this is interesting, whenever there is confusion, and even a sense of desperation in some cases, that then creates a market demand. But how would you go about it?
And what does Sarah, our listener, need to know? That's what we're gonna talk about in this episode, right after this message from our sponsor. [Music]
Hey, Chris, this is Sarah from Boise. I'm looking for some help or a guide to government grants. I know so many businesses applied for special assistance loans from the government this year, that it kind of made me wonder, is there a market to serve those business owners who are working through the process?
Maybe there is value in creating a directory of government grants organized by category or eligibility. Thanks, Chris. I've really enjoyed this new format, and I can't wait to hear your thoughts about this. [Music]
Hey, Sarah, what's good? Thank you so much for listening in Boise.
You're awesome. And as for this idea, I actually think it is much needed, or at least let's say clarity is much needed for this problem. And it's not just related to PPP and the stuff happening related to COVID-19, and it's something that is a long-term need. And for our listeners who are not in the US, this probably applies to them too, because various countries have different forms of assistance for various people. So when there is confusion, there's a need for clarity.
It reminds me somewhat, Sarah's idea, reminds me somewhat of one of my favorite side hustle stories, Danielle Feng in Washington, DC, who I've mentioned several times on the show. Danielle makes YouTube tutorials to help immigrants study for the US citizenship exam. We did a throwback episode with her recently, see episode number 1146, 1146, or the original episode with Danielle was number 94. So you go to sidehustleschool.com/1146 or 94. And one key feature of her project is that it's on YouTube so that it can be frequently updated.
She's always making new videos in response to changing laws and new practices whenever people ask questions. That then provides inspiration and essentially content for new videos. Now, of course, a digital guide could be updated as well. It doesn't have to be in video form. But one thing that will help is getting clear on the market because there are lots of government grants out there, grants for side hustlers, grants for people in different industries.
I also thought about grants and scholarships for students. That's a lot different and not quite what Sarah's referring to, but it's another active market that maybe someone else can consider. And again, if you're listening elsewhere, I think the same idea applies. What are grants or assistance available for Canadian small business owners or Australian small business owners or some other group of people in some other country or region or state or province? There are lots of different ways to look at that, but I do think it's valuable, at least potentially so.
Therefore, I think it's worth trying. So good luck, Sarah. Good luck to any of our other listeners who are working on something like that. And if you have a question of your own, just come to sidehustleschool.com/questions. We're gonna continue to feature them throughout the rest of the year, along with updates from other listeners as they launch and grow their projects.
Thank you so much. More is coming up tomorrow and every day. Be sure you're subscribed wherever you get your podcasts. My name is Chris Guillebeau. This is "Side Hustle School." [Music]
