This transcript was generated from the episode audio and may contain minor errors.
[Music]
Hey there, hello, greetings. What's up, welcome to side hustle school. I hope you are doing well wherever you are in the world. Hope you're taking some time for yourself. Hope you're setting goals and working towards them.
And just in case you have any setbacks, hope you know that that's normal. That's part of the process. So that's why I started this whole segment called Failure Friday, which we will touch on in the next episode tomorrow. But as I worked on this one, I just thought I would say, hey, you know, if you're struggling, it's okay. You're not the only one, we all go through stuff.
Okay, so this is Throwback Thursday, where we take an in-depth look at someone whose story has evolved since we first featured them. I love doing this segment as well. And last week we heard from the owner of ColorHype, initially a local painting class business based in Dallas. ColorHype adapted during the pandemic and sold more than 8,000 painting kits to customers nationwide. Well, today in our latest feature, we'll hear from Rachel Park, the creator of the Park Puff, a go-anywhere seat belt pillow for cancer and surgery patients.
This was a really creative project. It's done well for her and also made life so much better, more comfortable for people in difficult situations. Again, cancer and surgery patients. We first told her a story back in episode 1032. She's also a breast cancer survivor herself.
So what has happened since 1032 has been a while? Let's hear directly from Rachel and I'll come back at the end briefly to wrap us up. [Music]
Hi everyone. My name is Rachel Park. I'm a small business founder and owner of Rachel Park Designs.
And I'm located in LA. And I was so thankful to have my story previously featured on "Side Hustle Schools" episode 1032. My side hustle is I'm a made to order Thai designer and breast cancer survivor. During treatment, I used my sewing skills to help my fellow breast cancer survivors and created the Park Puff as stylish chest comforting go-anywhere seat belt pillow for cancer and surgery patients worldwide. With its portable and stylish design, the Park Puff seat belt pillow allows your chest to travel in comfort while in the car, whether you're driving or riding in any country.
I made one for myself after surgery and have been using it daily ever since. I'm not only the founder, but also a proud user. And all pillows are handmade with love by me in Los Angeles. My main hustle by day is I am a Salesforce consultant. My tech background served me well when creating the pillow.
Working with one of my surgeons, we beta tested it by giving samples to her breast cancer patients with the understanding that they would provide feedback for my market research. Before I was diagnosed, I was let go from a very demanding, stressful, and unhealthy tech job. I was focused on the wrong things, such as title or paycheck, and was really miserable. I was surviving, but not living. After cancer, I reevaluated everything.
Now it's more important for me to work with meaning, purpose, and intention. I'm also a strong advocate for small businesses and diversity in tech, especially women of color. Since my first appearance on the podcast, I have been receiving more international orders, usually from someone based in the United States to be shipped to elsewhere. But recently I received an order from another country to be sent to someone in another country. I always knew that this product could help so many worldwide.
So it makes my heart happy to see it actually start happening, knowing that my pillow will comfort more patients in their time of need. My biggest and chronic challenge is keeping up with demand. In this society of immediate gratification, people need to remember that I am a one-woman show, doing everything myself, marketing, sewing, packing, shipping, et cetera, and I am doing my best to keep up. I also include handwritten cards and a lot of love with every single order. I often feel overwhelmed, but I just have to keep remembering why I do what I do and that my focus will always be on the patient and making impact over money.
As a small business owner on the constant quest for growth, I struggle with these questions. How do I not be focused on sales, KPIs, or key performance indicators, followers, likes, et cetera? How do I stay authentic and true to my purpose in a culture that is constantly telling me that I need to hustle and grind 24/7? How do I live well and have a healthy life beyond work, which is the most important for me after cancer? It's constant work to make balance and stay focused.
As a part-time business owner, I'm often told I am not a "real" business, but says who. I have customers, besides my mom, friends, and family, that actually pay for my product that helps comfort patients during healing and recovery all over the world. Recently, I spoke to a friend who is running her business full-time, feeling like I'm never doing enough, even though I have a nine-to-five and two-side hustles. And she told me, "I have always admired how you've set such clear boundaries around your business and have done it your way. Honestly, I'm tired, I need a break, and I needed to hear that." Isn't one of the benefits of owning your own business that you don't have to follow what anyone else is doing and that you can create your own rules?
Isn't the hope that it'll allow you to live a life that you want? So run your own race and try not to compare yourself to others. Although someone may be offering something similar to you, no one has the same story. That's what makes you and your product or service unique. I'm proud to represent for a slide hustler out here.
I'm not trying to be a starving artist. I like that my day job gives me stability and scratches a completely different edge than my business. [Music]
Well, I love that perspective. I just know somebody out there probably needed to hear that perspective today. How do I say authentic and true to my purpose in a culture that is constantly telling me that I need to hustle and grind 24/7?
Wonderful quote. Even though this is called side hustle school, I don't think you should hustle and grind 24/7. I do think some perspective and alignment is helpful. It's actually gonna help you be more successful, enjoy your life more and hopefully just like Rachel's doing, also make a difference in other people's lives. These are not values you need to choose between.
Hopefully there's something out there that allows you to accomplish all of that, just like Rachel has found. So check out the Park Puff Seatbelt Pillow and her website at survivormoda.com, survivormoda.com. Or if you just Google Park Puff Seatbelt Pillow, I'm sure you'll find her. You can also follow her on social at survivormoda. I believe on Instagram specifically, it is survivormoda.rachel.
But again, the Park Puff Seatbelt Pillow, survivormoda. This was one of our most popular new features of 2020, Throwback Thursday. So as you have heard, we have kept it going this year as well. Let me know what you think and who you'd like to see featured from our archives of more than 1,000 stories. Thank you for tuning in today.
I hope you will subscribe or follow wherever you get your podcasts, maybe let your friends know as well. It's completely free coming out every morning. My name is Chris Guillebeau, this is Side Hustle School. [Music]
