This transcript was generated from the episode audio and may contain minor errors.
[Music]
Welcome to Cytosol School. My name is Chris Guillebeau. We are kicking off today a brand new month, a month of August, 2023, episode 2,404. This is an exciting month for me. My new book is coming out on August 22nd, Gonzo Capitalism.
I'm excited to share it with you. Of course you can pre-order it now. I'll be doing a book tour. Check out chrisguillebeau.com/gonzo for dates, info, all kinds of fun stuff. But of course the podcast also continues every single day.
30 days this month, 31 days. I always forget how many days there are in a month. I think it's 31. However many days there are in this month, there's gonna be a podcast episode every single day, of course, right? So let's jump in here today and thanks so much for being out there, by the way.
I really do enjoy making this show for you. So what if you wanna start a side hustle but you don't have a lot of cash to invest? Well, you're not alone. And I love starting this month with this question because we've got all kinds of people out there who want to create something for themselves but feel constrained or have some kind of limitation. It's not always monetary.
Could be some other limitation. But in this case, we're gonna hear from a single mom. So that's another limitation. Or let's just say it's a factor, right? I don't wanna say that being a single mom or a single parent is a limitation but it definitely affects your life in terms of being a constraint, in terms of time, in terms of resources, attention, energy, for sure.
So this is Aaliyah. She is getting ready to start her entrepreneurial journey but only has $100 to spare. So if you've ever wondered about how to start a business on a shoestring budget, well, this question might just resonate with you. Or you might be interested to see how somebody else handles it. Long ago, I wrote another book called "The $100 Startup." So I know a little bit about this topic.
Let's jump in and explore the possibilities. Shout out to our sponsor and then Aaliyah's question. [Music]
Hello, I'm Aaliyah from Detroit. I'm a single mom working two jobs and I've been looking for ways to supplement my income without stretching myself too thin. Your podcast has been great and I listen every day.
But my biggest hurdle is the initial investment. I don't have a lot of disposable income right now and could probably spend about $100, but not much more. Given these constraints, what would you say is the best business or side hustle for me to pursue? Aaliyah, I'm so glad you called in. Thanks for listening.
And speaking of listening, I want you to listen to this. Starting a side hustle or even something that becomes a real business with a budget of $100 is absolutely achievable. I have profiled so many people over the years who've done that. So it's great to hear that you're ready to get started. Having the limited resources in a lot of ways I believe can be a benefit.
More than a handicap because when you have limited resources of any kind, it could just be time. It could be something else. You have to really leverage. You have to really think, okay, what is this core business model that I'm going to offer? So one of the things that we do here on side hustle school really try to encourage people to focus on what you already know and the skills you already have.
And I really believe everyone has a skill that can be taught or some kind of knowledge that can be leveraged into an e-commerce business or anything else, okay? So a couple of examples, you could consider offering online tutoring sessions or lessons in something that you're good at. That could be a subject you teach, a musical instrument, a language, a craft. There are platforms like Udemy and Skillshare that allow you to create and sell courses for almost no money. If you have a laptop, at least in a webcam, you might need to buy a microphone, some very small expenses.
Zoom or Skype, of course, can be used for one-on-one lessons. That can be completely free or very low cost. Maybe you're a great cook or baker. So starting a home-based food business could be another option. And we've profiled a lot of people who've done that.
They always start small. They sell to friends and family at local events, farmers markets and so on. So your initial investment goes towards ingredients, packaging, but again, without spending much money. If writing is more your style. Well, freelance writing, copy editing.
You can get started with that on Upwork or Fiverr. You could also start a blog on a platform like WordPress, which can be completely free or very low cost, depending on which version you use and so on. And then you can monetize that through sponsored posts, advertising, affiliate marketing. There are many options. And what I'm coming to here is, the most important thing is to do something that aligns with your interests and skills.
That doesn't require a lot of investment. You don't have money to spare. So don't worry about any particular idea that requires a lot of money. Focus on all the ideas that don't. That's my encouragement to you, Aliyah.
Thank you again for being out there. Let us know how it goes. Listeners, thank you for being out there. You're awesome. I'm excited to spend this month with you.
We've got a new episode every day. I'm gonna be on book tour in about three weeks. That's gonna be fun too. Much more to come. For now, my name is Chris Guillebeau.
You're listening to Side Hustle School. [Music]
From the Onward Project.
