This transcript was generated from the episode audio and may contain minor errors.
[Music]
Hey there, friends. Greetings. Welcome to Side Hustle School. This is your host, Chris Guillebeau, bringing you episode 2,329. Every single day, seven days a week, it's all completely free.
Case studies, tips, stories, ideas, inspiration for you to turn into action and also into income, inspiration to income, but you have to take some action to achieve that income. And ultimately, what I hope to achieve is for every one of our listeners, for every one of our listeners to create economic empowerment for themselves so you can do more of what matters to you most, that's what it's all about. And again, every day. Now this is our Throwback Thursday segment. Last week in this segment, which is basically kind of a where are they now, taking a look at someone whose story has evolved since we first featured them.
Last week we heard from Amber, a startup employee who has a mobile pet grooming side hustle in Oakland, California. Let me make sure I got that right. Mobile pet grooming side hustle, that's correct. Okay, today in our latest feature, we're gonna hear from a woman named Ash who offers DIY home repair workshops. What has happened since she first got started?
I think it's been a couple of years at least, if not longer. She is a handy woman who started this DIY home repair workshop. So let's hear about it from her. I'll come back at the end with a quick wrap up. [Music]
This is the story how I started my DIY home repair workshop side hustle.
I was always that person who got a thrill out of fixing things around the house. Patching up drywall, fixing leaky faucets, you name it. So one day I thought, hey, why not share this passion with others and teach them the joy of fixing stuff themselves? The first thing I did was brainstorm a list of common home repair topics that most people could benefit from. I decided to start with basic workshops like plumbing 101, drywall repair for beginners and electric safety and simple fixes.
I knew I needed a space to hold these workshops. So I reached out to a local community center that agreed to let me use their facility for free. With a venue secured, I created a simple but engaging curriculum for each workshop, making sure to include hands-on practice and clear explanations of each step. I also invested in a few tools and materials that I needed to teach the classes. I wanted to keep the workshops affordable so I priced them at a reasonable rate that would cover my expenses and leave me with a modest profit.
I got the word out through flyers at local hardware and grocery stores as well as asking family and friends to spread the word. My first workshop had just five attendees but I was thrilled. They loved the hands-on approach and left feeling more confident about tackling home repairs. Over the last few years, my side hustle has grown and I've learned some valuable lessons. Keep it simple.
I found that focusing on the basics and breaking down each step made the workshops accessible to people with varying skill levels. Make it fun. I encouraged a laid back atmosphere, cracked some jokes and made sure everyone felt comfortable asking questions or making mistakes. This approach created an enjoyable learning environment that kept people coming back. Be flexible.
I listened to feedback from attendees and adjusted my workshops accordingly. For example, when people expressed an interest in learning about home security, I added a DIY home security workshop to my offerings. Offer follow-up support. I made myself available to answer questions and provide guidance even after the workshop ended. This extra support helped me build relationships with my students and encourage them to recommend my workshops to others.
Now my DIY home repair workshop side hustle is thriving with a steady flow of attendees and a fun supportive community of DIY enthusiasts. It's been a fantastic journey and I couldn't be happier sharing my passion with others. [Music]
Thanks so much to Ash for sharing those updates with us. Really appreciate that. And listeners, let me know what you think and who you'd like to see featured from our archives of more than a thousand stories so far.
We've been going for quite a while and it's such a privilege to bring you the podcast every day. If you've got any feedback, questions, updates for us about your hustle, sidehustleschool.com/questions. I am around working on this podcast all the time. I'm also getting ready for the launch of Gonzo Capitalism, my new book. So I'll share more about that as it gets closer but lots of good stuff on the way.
Today's notes, lastly, sidehustleschool.com/2329. Thanks so much. Take care of yourself out there. My name's Chris Guillebeau. This is "Side Hustle School." [Music]
From the Onward Project.
