This transcript was generated from the episode audio and may contain minor errors.
[Music]
Hello, hello. Thanks for tuning in today. I hope you're doing well. I hope you're taking care of yourself. I also hope you are working to create more freedom for yourself in the form of economic empowerment.
That's what we're all about here on "Side Hustle School." I'm your host, Chris Guillebeau. And of course, today is Friday. At least that is the day this episode's going out, episode 2,323. So Friday is "Failure Friday" over here, a collection of short stories about mistakes, missteps, disasters, and of course, failure. You know, when I started this segment, I was worried that nobody would like it.
Like when we first came out with "Failure Friday," I thought people would find it kind of depressing or discouraging. But the interesting thing is it was kind of in response to a lot of, you know, listener feedback that I had over the years of people who said, "Well, it's great to hear all the success stories, but we actually like to hear about things that go wrong." And I said, "Well, that's actually a great idea because not everything does go amazing, you know, just right out of the gate." And very often in your entrepreneurial journey, you have to try different stuff and some of your ideas don't work out. Or sometimes an idea is working out just fine, but something outside of your control, some external circumstance comes along to derail you. And, you know, your only response then is, what are you going to do? Like, how are you going to, in fact, respond to that situation, which is outside your control?
So all that to say, it's been really fun to hear some of these stories and I know from other listeners that they find it encouraging. I hope you do as well. And without further ado, let's get into today's story. This one features, let's see here, we've got Manny Solomon from Ohio, Cleveland, Ohio specifically. Manny had an idea and, you know, how to put it, it's good to have ideas, right?
But not every idea is good. And that's just reality, you know, not every idea is good. If you ever hear somebody that says, "Every single idea is good," you know, they are not a side hustler because not every idea is going to, in fact, make money or be profitable or even be feasible. So keep that in mind as you hear Manny's story. Manny is actually, or formerly, the aspiring puzzle master of Cleveland.
So with that, I'm going to hand it over to him. [Music]
Desperate to find the perfect side hustle, I had a eureka moment that I believed would make me the talk of the town. I would become the puzzle master of Cleveland. My business model revolved around bringing puzzles and entertainment to events like corporate retreats and family reunions, offering a unique and engaging experience for all. Little did I know my ambitious endeavor would result in a tale of mishaps and misfortunes.
I started by crafting a diverse range of challenging puzzles, riddles, and brain teasers that would cater to all ages and skill levels. I invested in props, puzzle books, and even designed a puzzle master costume complete with a cape that a quirky hat adorned with question marks. I was all set to bring the joy of puzzle solving to the people of Cleveland. To promote my business, I distributed flyers at local businesses, showcasing my services as the ultimate icebreaker in team building activity. I eagerly awaited bookings, excited to share my passion for puzzles with others.
Soon enough, I received my first booking, a retreat for a marketing team. Excited to prove my worth, I arrived at the retreat with my puzzles and props ready to dazzle the attendees. However, things took a turn for the worse when I realized that my puzzles, though meticulously crafted, were far too challenging for the group. The cryptic riddles and perplexing puzzles left them frustrated and disengaged rather than entertained. At one point, the boss leading the retreat even asked me to wrap it up.
Determined to learn from my mistakes, I made adjustments, ensuring a better balance between difficulty and enjoyment. However, as luck would have it, my next gig was a family reunion and it presented a whole new set of challenges. I arrived to the venue to discover that the majority of attendees were young children, uninterested in solving puzzles and more inclined to chase each other around the park. My once prized collection of puzzles was swiftly abandoned, leaving me the puzzle master to chase after windblown riddles and missing puzzle pieces. Despite my efforts to adapt and improve my services, my journey was fraught with one blunder after another.
From poorly timed fire alarms, interrupting puzzle solving sessions to language barriers at international events, my dream of becoming the go-to puzzling entertainment guru continued to elude me. Ultimately, the puzzle master of Cleveland concept failed to gain traction in a world where high-tech entertainment and fast-paced activities reigned supreme. My puzzles simply couldn't compete with the allure of virtual reality, escape rooms, and video games. As I look back on my short-lived side career, one word stands out, adaptability and perseverance. Okay, that's actually two words, but mostly I'm glad I tried.
The ability to laugh at oneself are all essential qualities for any entrepreneur. Although my puzzling side hustle flopped, it provided me with countless anecdotes and taught me the importance of understanding my audience. I hope to use this lesson for my next project. [Music]
All right, I love the story. I really appreciate many, just his positive attitude in sharing the story and also tackling the challenge in the first place, but then also being wise enough to recognize that perhaps this wasn't the right side hustle for him at this time, or maybe we could say he was ahead of his time.
The great people of Cleveland were not ready to recognize, you know, the brilliance of the puzzle master idea. But of course, the theme of failure Friday is never confuse a single defeat with a final defeat. So we know he's gonna be back in some other form. Many, I wish you well, listeners, I wish you well as well. Today's notes, sidehustleschool.com/2323.
You can also send me a question there. There's some free resources, some other stuff. And of course, a new episode coming out tomorrow. My name is Chris Guillebeau. You're listening to "Side Hustle School." [Music]
From the Onward Project.
