What It's About
A web administrator turned chef rolls his passion for sushi and concern for the environment into a perfectly served portfolio.
Words of Wisdom
Bryan has some advice for those looking to launch your hustle; "Start sooner rather than later. It might feel scary to start without a full business plan, but plans change and the hardest part is taking that first step anyway."
Fun Fact
From building websites to designing graphics, Bryan has always kept a few side hustles spinning. But for the past five years what he’s been spinning has been on fire—literally! He performs and teaches at fire festivals, twirling flaming torches, and other props en flambe. He tells everyone he’s the fire-spinning sushi chef.
Notes from Chris
Episode 1326
Bryan Sekine has been rolling sushi for over a decade, but after learning more about the environmental impact of his industry, he took a step back, did some soul-searching, and then returned to the craft with a fresh commitment to sustainability. A full-time web administrator, Bryan has developed ways to share his passions for sushi and environmental responsibility—on the side—through his website, YouTube channel, and live sushi classes. But let’s back up to 2008, when Bryan walked into a sushi bar in Oklahoma—that wasn’t even hiring—and asked if they needed a chef. He didn’t have any professional experience, but he was familiar with the rolling process and some Japanese terms from his childhood. He and his family used to make sushi at home. As chance would have it, the restaurant hired him, though not as a sushi chef. Bryan worked for months in the back kitchen, washing dishes and making rice, before he was allowed to handle the fish and roll sushi for customers. Bryan invested $100 in making a website where he could publish articles and teach people how to roll sushi ethically—and create some income on the side. Revenue started to trickle in through display ads, but after a few years, writing articles wasn’t enough. He needed to teach people in a different way. So, in 2014, he started offering live training events. He started off charging $10 for tickets, then he gradually increased that to $55 per person. But his message still wasn’t gaining enough traction, so Bryan overcame his fear of being on camera and put about $600 toward launching a YouTube channel, Secrets of Sushi. He recorded and published his first YouTube video in 2015. About nine months later, he got an email from Venmo. He didn't know what Venmo was at the time, but the company had found him through his website and wanted to hire him to come teach their interns how to make sushi! They flew him out to New York, bought all-new equipment for the class, and paid for everything. It was the first high-paying gig for his sushi business and he was ecstatic. After that, Bryan started to think that his side hustle could turn into something more. His sushi classes earn anywhere from $800-$2,200 per month, depending on the season. But as of summer 2020, Bryan hasn’t been able to teach any live classes for several months due to COVID-19. He plans to start teaching digital sushi classes before the end of the year — something he wishes he’d started sooner. However, he’s rolling with it—and his web content is still bringing in about $400 in passive income per month.
MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
- Learn more about Bryan and his sushi classes at his website, SecretsofSushi.com and his Secrets of Sushi YouTube channel.
SEE ALSO:
- Subscription Box Service Delivers Candy from Japan: An expat living in Japan packages candy twice a month and sends it around the world to hundreds of people who pay $29/month.
- Mochi-Making Empire Produces Profits and Delight: Drawing on her Japanese heritage, a Bay Area teacher offers mochi classes using Airbnb Experiences.
- Japanese Designer Folds Profitable Paper Wallets: After spending his twenties studying in Europe, a Japanese graphic designer returns home to a small village where his story of making paper wallets unfolds.
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Resources
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