This transcript was generated from the episode audio and may contain minor errors.
[Music]
Happy New Year's Eve, everyone. Happy New Year's Eve. It is episode 2,191 of Side Hustle School. Thank you for tuning in today and assuming this isn't your only episode of the entire year. Thanks for being around for much of the year as well.
All right, so next steps, let's all pack up our stuff in an RV and hit the road. Okay, we just need a tripod for all those hashtag van life photos we're gonna be taking. Actually, let's not do that. I kind of like to stay in hotels personally, but don't let me ruin the RV party because today's caller is gonna save the day. She's planning to take her family on the road in a few months time.
And like any good side hustler, she's wondering what she can do to turn this idea of a family trip, not really a business idea, but just a fun idea into income. Like why not get paid, right? Or can she get paid? I guess that's the question. Can she get paid for something she was already doing?
Let's talk about it. Thanks so much to our sponsor, then the detailed question and my answer. [Music]
Hi, this is Lauren from Omaha, Nebraska. My family is planning to rent an RV and drive across the country next summer. It's been our dream for at least two years and now we're making it happen.
I already work remotely, but naturally I'm trying to think of some additional ways to get paid during the trip. Do you know any company is interested in sponsoring something like this? We were thinking of volunteering along the way and sharing the journey, so hopefully there'd be some benefit for the right sponsor. I know that van life is a thing. Is there such a thing as RV life?
[Music]
Lauren, I love the hustle. I respect the hustle. What it's gonna come down to is your audience, okay? Just some real talk here. Like, do you have an audience?
Like, do you have a good number of followers, let's say? If so, maybe there's something you could do. And if not, it's kind of a hard sell. And just think about it from a company's perspective. Like, there are a lot of people right now that are touring the country in RVs.
There's gonna be a lot of people next year. The RV business continues to be strong. Like, they're not having a hard time selling RVs. So what are you offering? Like, you mentioned benefit for the right sponsor.
That's the right train of thought. I mean, that's exactly the right thing to be thinking of. So why will they benefit? What is that benefit? You know, and if you don't have any audience, then there's not much of one, right?
Unless a company just decides, hey, we're being very generous, here's some money. But assuming you want to follow the normal model of sponsorship is, there has to be something in it for them as well. So you have a couple of options at this point. And let me just put forward option one, focus on the trip and have fun. Like don't stress the sponsorship thing.
You know, you already work remotely. So it's not like, you know, you're trying to find a way to pay for it. Like it doesn't work unless you have sponsorship. I would say just focus on the trip, you know, enjoy it. But your second option, like if you really are committed to this, then the second option is to build an audience now.
Like to spend this next few months, you know, make it some kind of mission. You know, try to get that momentum going so you have something to pitch. And when I say some kind of mission, it's like our family is touring the RV because or for X, you know, there has to be some kind of goal attached to raise awareness of something, to set a world record of some kind, to explore maybe some places that most people don't go to. Maybe that's not quite as exciting, but the point is there has to be something there. You need some kind of mission.
And this second option really is a lot of work, just to be clear, but that is the path forward. Like if you really want to attract those corporate RV life dollars. So whatever you choose, good luck. I wish you well either way. Listeners, thank you again.
Happy New Year's Eve. Brand new year coming up tomorrow. Brand new season starting tomorrow. I hope you'll continue to subscribe or follow wherever you like to listen. It is such a joy to make this show for you.
So thank you for that. Big shout out to our producer, Chuck. He's been with me for years. Gonna continue next year as well. So on that, I will sign off for the year 2022.
What a year it's been. This is your host, Chris Guillebeau for Side Hustle School. [Music]
