This transcript was generated from the episode audio and may contain minor errors.
A comedy podcast editor creates recurring income. Hey, hey, what's up? Welcome to Side Hustle School. Welcome as we kick off a new week here. And of course, we always kick off Mondays with a segment known as your first $1,000. How did somebody in fact make that first $1,000?
The content of the show is in fact aligned with the title, which, you know, we try to do from time to time. If it's about first $1,000 that you're going to hear about how somebody made their first $1,000, you know, perhaps a little bit overt, a little bit obvious on the nose, but I want you to get what you pay for. And actually now I'm realizing that the show is completely free. Okay, so you don't pay anything, but hopefully you get some value. All right. Well,
let's jump in. My name is Chris Guillebeau. Oh, by the way, thanks for tuning in. We're going to hear today from a freelance podcast editor who decides to specialize in comedy shows. There are a lot of comedy podcasts these days. It's a really big genre. So from pricing strategies to building
efficient systems, let's hear how he turned his knack for comedic timing into a money making side hustle. His name is Steve. So I'm going to get out of the way and let's hear it from Steve. I'll come back at the end with a couple of quick comments. When I first started out as a freelance podcast editor, I was kind of like a jack of all trades, offering to work with podcasts from all kinds of genres, whether it was business, health, lifestyle, whatever. However, I soon realized that I was
particularly drawn to comedy shows, something about it. I enjoyed the tempo, the witty banter, and of course, the humor. That's when I decided to niche down and become a podcast editor specializing in comedy. I initially reached out to friends who were in the comedy scene, offering to edit a couple of episodes for free to then get testimonials and build a portfolio. Then I moved on to comedy forums and Facebook groups. But the real game changer was when I
started to attend local comedy shows in Austin. Networking face to face with podcasters gave me an edge that online interactions simply couldn't offer. I even managed to collaborate with a local comedy club to sponsor one of their events, getting my name announced and listed on their promotional materials. To streamline my workflow, I used project management software to keep track of multiple episodes and client feedback. I also built a digital soundboard of frequently used effects and comedic cues, which then allowed me to quickly enhance episodes without having to search through libraries each time. In the beginning, pricing was a shot in the dark.
I started out with an hourly rate, but I soon found out that clients preferred a fixed price per episode. It made budgeting way easier for them and made me more accountable for my time. After analyzing the hours, it took me to edit different types of episodes and the market rate for general podcast editing. I set a fixed rate of $75 per short episode. But here's the kicker.
I offered a humor enhancement package where for an extra $25, I would add some sound effects or music to amplify the comedic elements. You know, really pump them up. This package became a hit and it was my first indication that focusing on comedy was the right move. I didn't make my first $1,000 overnight. It took about two months and a mix of one-off jobs and recurring gigs. The work has not only contributed financially, but also built my reputation as
someone who adds value to comedy podcasts specifically. In summary, the keys to my initial success were a focus on a niche market, clever pricing strategy, effective networking, and building efficient systems. Making that first $1,000 was not just a monetary achievement. It validated my decision to specialize and gave me the impetus to continue refining my craft. I hope to be back to report on my first $10,000 soon.
So Steve said it well here when he talked about how, you know, making the first $1,000 wasn't just about the financial return. It was validation. And that's what I have heard over and over from listeners and readers as I go on book tour and such and host events. People always talk about, "Oh, I got my first sale. I made my first, it's not always $1,000. It might be your first $100.
It might be your first $5,000." Whatever it is, you know, the idea of like, "Oh, I'm getting paid apart from my paycheck. This isn't just my employer." Like a client or a customer has chosen to, you know, validate, not my existence. You know, hopefully, hopefully you've already got some validation for your existence, but validation for your business acumen. You know, you may have never thought of yourself as an entrepreneur, but there is something you can do. That's the whole point of side hustle school to encourage you to provide support and stories. So I want to say
thanks to Steve for telling us about his first $1,000. Listeners, if you have not made $1,000 from your side hustle yet, I want you to be able to do that. And I'd love to hear the story. And if you're already well underway, you're doing well. Well, that's great too. You know,
there's always more you can do. Of course, we all know that in a side hustle. There's things you can do every day to improve the business development, the sales process, your next product, and so on. So whatever it is you're up to, wherever you are in the world, I'm cheering you on. I appreciate you being part of the community. This has been episode 2,487. I'll be back tomorrow.
We're going to call it episode 2,488. And of course, you can listen wherever you like to get your podcasts or directly on sidehustleschool.com. That's it for now. My name is Chris Guillebeau. This is Side Hustle School.
From the Onward Project.
