Notes from Chris

Episode 1473

Ryan Cron’s inspiration for his side hustle came from a close source: his wife, Jessica.

In late 2018, Jessica restored their dining room furniture to reflect a farmhouse style. One morning shortly after, Ryan was getting ready for his job in call center management and they got to talking. Jessica mentioned that people would pay good money for refurbished furniture.

“Like how much?” Ryan replied.

“Probably $500 for a dining room table,” Jessica said.

Intrigued, Ryan asked her to teach him how she painted their table. She did, and within a week, Ryan was restoring an old dresser they purchased for $30 off of Facebook Marketplace.

The restoration involved Ryan putting on a new coat of paint, which only took a couple of hours, as well as $50 in supplies. This included $10 chalk paint and a $10 paint brush from Amazon, along with $20 in paint from Lowes.

Although he had no previous experience painting or working with his hands, Ryan realized he loved the task. Once he listed the dresser on Facebook Marketplace, it sold within two hours for $150.

He and Jessica were shocked at how quick it happened. It wasn’t too much work for a $70 profit—and even better, this was the first time they’d tried. Might they be able to replicate or even improve these results?

So for the next piece Ryan refurbished, he upped the sale price. It sold in less than a day.

The most challenging part of this project was learning the technique of making furniture reflect a farmhouse style. He messed up a bunch of pieces because he didn’t apply the paint or stain a certain way, or sometimes he would distress the coats too much. But through trial and error, Ryan perfected the skill.

He finally got his own truck and focused on the furniture business, bringing in between $2,000 and $3,000 per month. Although this was less than he made at his corporate job, he was much more content.

 

---

  SEE ALSO:

• Couple Turn Unwanted Furniture Into $1,000 Per Month: A couple in Ottawa learn to “upcycle” unused furniture, working extra hours whenever they want and getting paid for something they’d do for free.
• Rustic Wall Hangings Rack Up Worthwhile Profits: A self-taught manufacturer of home decor transitions her part-time curiosity into a full-time woodworking business.
• Shopify Employee Manufactures Handmade Desk Accessories: A couple brings their love of handmade wooden accessories, technology, and design to life with a side hustle manufacturing handmade wooden desk accessories and phone cases.

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

Yours in the revolution,

---

Download Episodes By Months:

Season 8 (2024): JAN | FEB | MAR | APR | MAY | JUN | JUL | AUG | SEP | OCT | NOV | DEC |

Season 7 (2023): JAN | FEB | MAR | APR | MAY | JUN | JUL | AUG | SEP | OCT | NOV | DEC |

Season 6 (2022): JAN | FEB | MAR | APR | MAY | JUN | JUL | AUG | SEP | OCT | NOV | DEC |

Season 5 (2021): JAN | FEB | MAR | APR | MAY | JUN | JUL | AUG | SEP | OCT | NOV | DEC |

Season 4 (2020): JAN | FEB | MAR | APR | MAY | JUN | JUL | AUG | SEP | OCT | NOV | DEC |

Season 3 (2019): JAN | FEB | MAR | APR | MAY | JUN | JUL | AUG | SEP | OCT | NOV | DEC |

Season 2 (2018): JAN | FEB | MAR | APR | MAY | JUN | JUL | AUG | SEP | OCT | NOV | DEC |

Season 1 (2017): JAN | FEB | MAR | APR | MAY | JUN | JUL | AUG | SEP | OCT | NOV | DEC |