This transcript was generated from the episode audio and may contain minor errors.
Hey friends, welcome to Side Hustle School. My name is Chris Guillebeau. Welcome as well to Throwback Thursday. It is that time again, that weekly segment where we take a look at someone whose story has evolved since we first featured them. We've had all kinds of stories.
Last week we heard from a Shopify seller who earns passive income every day from sales of his city art prints. Passive income is always good. In that episode, he told you a bit about how he did it, how he decided on his pricing, how he markets the business without using social media. So all good things there. Today though, in our latest feature, we're going to hear from a remote programmer, a coder who works for a company, but is able to kind of work on his own terms, as many of us do these days, at least his own location.
And this remote coder pet sits in different states for weeks at a time. So he is in fact a roving pet sitter and he's doing pretty well with it, making a couple thousand dollars a month on the side. What has happened since we first heard his idea in the spring of 2020? Let's hear directly from Jordan. He's got a quick story for us. I'll be back at the
end with a quick wrap up. My name's Jordan. And when I'm not writing code for my nine to five remote job, you'll find me surrounded by a variety of furry friends. Cats, dogs, bunnies, and even an eccentric gawkatoo named Pepper. Well, they aren't always around me, but I've managed to turn my love for animals into a profitable side hustle. It nets on average $2400 a month,
all while keeping my day job. Alright, here's how it all started. The first gig was helping a friend look after their dog while they were on vacation. The joy of having a canine companion around was enough to make me think I could do this more often. But how did I turn an idle thought into a profitable venture? Well, it was about being resourceful, flexible, and most importantly,
a genuine animal lover. Rover, a popular pet sitting platform became my launchpad. I created a profile, underwent the necessary checks, and voila, I was open for business. Setting competitive rates was tricky at first. I researched a couple local pricings and decided on a tiered structure, charging more for puppies and pets with special needs. And overnight's
extended stays had a discounted rate, incentivizing longer bookings. As for clients, they trickled in slowly at first. My first client, or at least my first client's pet, was an adorable but mischievous little beagle named Max. He had a knack for hiding my slippers and would only reveal their location once he had been adequately walked and played with. Let me tell you, it is a unique way to remember the importance of exercise for dogs. My lesson from Max was one that helped me to grow my pet sitting business.
Every pet has its quirks, and managing them effectively makes clients trust you and refer you to others. I soon had regular clients who booked me months in advance. And then there was Pepper, the cockatoo with an attitude. Pepper was a picky eater who only ate her seeds if I pretended to have a dinner party with her. So there I was in a bird-sized party hat, hosting with a thimble. Pepper taught me the most valuable lesson
though. Patience and a sense of humor are indispensable when working with animals. Marketing was straightforward enough. I let my services speak for themselves. Happy clients shared their experiences and my rover profile did the rest. I literally did nothing else
besides that. No website, no email campaign. As the side hustle grew, time management became crucial. Juggling a full-time job with a pet sitting gig required a delicate balance. I learned to set aside boundaries and only accepted bookings that fit comfortably with my work schedule. Despite the occasional late night dog walk, I've managed to maintain this harmony.
Starting a pet sitting side hustle has been an incredibly rewarding journey. It's taught me about animals, business, and even about myself. And the best part? I get to spend my days working alongside the best and most diverse set of co-workers anyone could ask for. If you're an animal lover with a flexible schedule, this could be the perfect side hustle for you too.
Alright Jordan, I really appreciate you sharing that update with us. Hopefully it's helpful and interesting to some of our listeners who are trying to find an idea of their own or take action on an existing idea. Listeners, let me know what you think, who you'd like to see featured from our archives of more than a thousand stories coming up on episode 2500, in fact, more than a thousand case studies. If you have a question or an update for us about your hustle, you know where to go, sidehustleschool.com/questions. We're shortly heading into a new month here on Side Hustle School. I'm excited to share a lot of stuff with you over the next
few weeks as I get ready for my book launch, Gonzo Capitalism. More on that in a bit. For now, have a wonderful day. My name is Chris Guillebeau. This is Side Hustle School.
