This transcript was generated from the episode audio and may contain minor errors.
[Music]
Hey there, it's Chris Guillebeau with Side Hustle School. Got the weekly recap for you. We have just finished week number 36 over here. If you're listening in real time, it is now nine days until the Side Hustle book comes out. And I think I said a week or two ago, I'm not freaking out yet.
Well, that was a week or two ago. There is a lot to be done between now and September 19th. And apparently not a lot of time. Crazy how that works. Well, I'll tell you more about that later.
For now, I want to read a couple of listener emails. We've also got a couple of listener voicemails with questions. So first of all, the emails. I hope you've been enjoying these. I'll bring you more as we go along.
First one is a quick note from LaDonne who writes in to say, "I just binge listened to every episode. It took about a week, but I'm excited to pursue my side hustle in Austin, Texas. I will continue to listen and thank you for the amazing show." LaDonne, thank you for being an amazing listener. You win the binge listening award. Congratulations.
And more importantly, I hope you do pursue that side hustle. And maybe I'll see you in Austin on my tour. And the next note I want to read is from Karen in California. And she references episode number 145, which was about this little business called Sven Delivers. This project was really interesting because it was someone in rural Maine who created an IKEA shopping and delivery service.
So for people who didn't live close to IKEA, she would basically be their personal shopper. Anyway, Karen writes in to say, "Hey, Chris, I'm getting so much value and enjoyment from the Side Hustle School Podcast through a combination of hearing about Sven Delivers and my life experience, which included a year in Boston where I realized that used IKEA furniture resales for about 50% of its original value. I decided to get into action with my idea of reselling mostly IKEA furniture that I find for free or that is undervalued via Craigslist and selling groups on Facebook. So a bit of a twist from Sven Delivers, but it's going well so far. The great thing about where I live in Orange County, California is that there are a lot of colleges nearby and numerous IKEA stores within driving distance.
So that means there's a lot of used IKEA furniture floating around. There's also a constant influx of people who might want such furniture, but either don't have a car or a large enough car, don't want to pay for new IKEA and delivery, or want to reduce the amount of time invested into setting up their new living space. My next step is I'm going to try to bundle pieces for instant setup of a new place, which will reduce even more time spent searching and acquiring on their end. I have a small SUV that can hold a surprising amount of stuff. So all in all, I think things will only get better as I keep pursuing my ideas.
Karen, thank you for the note. That's a wonderful idea. I hope it continues to go well and I hope we can feature it on the show at some point. Okay, so let's hear from a couple of listeners who called in to the Hustle hotline. By the way, just a quick note, the Hustle hotline, 844-9HUSTLE or 844-948-7853.
Don't be a stranger. If you're out there, I'd love to hear your comment or question. Especially as we get into the book tour, I want to make sure I'm responding to what you need, as well as sharing your stories with other listeners. So let's hear from two people who called in recently. [Beep] - Chris, first I must say thank you providing the direction and inspiration you do for us side hustlers.
I'm in the pre-launch stage of my new Hustle, Samsel Homan Field. My biggest struggle right now is content ideas for regularly communicating to build an audience. I'm looking at the type of content other businesses provide, but I welcome other suggestions. Thank you. - Samsel, thank you for calling in.
Thank you for listening. I wish you the best as you launch Samsel Homan Field. Okay, some suggestions for content, especially with a newsletter or some other kind of regular communication that you're sending out to people. I think it's good to ask why are they subscribing to your newsletter or whatever it is in the first place? Like what makes people want to subscribe or let's be more specific and say what makes your ideal customer or the people that you're trying to connect with want to subscribe?
Like what are they seeking from you? How is their life going to be changed for the better by paying attention to what you have to say? I think that's first and foremost, and then it helps to make a list. What can you share with them that would be useful or helpful or otherwise valuable to them? Focusing on that principle of what's in it for them, why do they benefit?
Maybe your list is eight things I want to tell people about and then break those things down and that's how you create your communications calendar or your communication schedule. It's also good to vary the structure a little bit. So maybe some messages are lengthy, others are pretty quick. Maybe some of them send you to a video just so you're mixing it up a little bit and potentially meeting different people's needs. Anyway, thanks again and good luck.
- Hi Chris, good morning from Amsterdam. My name is Oster Chris. I'm a huge fan and follower of yours since the travel hacking cartel days. My current two projects are to sell my girlfriend's cute artwork on Etsy and Society6. Her page on Instagram is @perspectivanaif if you want to check it out.
And I also want to create a kit to support people to start their own peer coaching groups. Similarly, something for people like me who are working on a side hustle or any project idea and who too often get stuck in overthinking and trying to make everything perfect. So getting regular advice, ideas, brainstormings to keep on track. I also have a question for you along those lines actually. I find myself regularly overthinking and trying to make everything perfect or trying to find perfect information before I proceed which leads to procrastination because I get caught up in my day job.
I postpone the actions for the future and then weeks plus by where nothing happens. But then there are also a lot of people who don't have that they don't overthink and they just do and move things forward really quickly. So do you have any advice for us over thinkers to get out of these patterns and to just get stuff done imperfect and fast? Thanks a lot and I hope to see you soon in Europe for a side hustle workshop. Cheers.
- Hey Chris, thank you. Great question. Pretty much all of us at one time or another struggle with perfectionism or procrastination or overthinking or some combination of those things. And you mentioned two different projects, one for your girlfriend and one for yourself. Let's separate these a little bit.
The first one for your girlfriend Etsy and Society6. As you probably know, it's very easy to sell on those platforms. Like there's a lot to be learned and you could master it and get better at it but to get started, you could do it today really. It's a very simple intuitive process to register on Etsy.com if you have a product already which it sounds like she does. So on that situation, if you are waiting or if she is, I would agree that you're procrastinating because there's really no good reason why you can't just do that.
Now the second project is a little bit different, this kit that you mentioned because that's not as simple as just going to this existing platform and making a listing and then coming back the next day and seeing what happened. Like there's a bit more planning and development involved here. So for this, what I would suggest is to create a series of deadlines for yourself. And if you're struggling with perfectionism and you just can't move forward, set a fixed deadline for some of these things that you can't deviate from. Like just decide it has to be done three weeks from now or whatever the deadline is.
And then if you can create some kind of forced accountability through the process, like you mentioned a mastermind. So if other people are gonna be involved in this in some way, can you tell them like this is coming and it's coming by this date? So you're essentially making them a promise. That might help you stick closer to that deadline than if it's just you. I've been thinking about this myself with the book coming out next week.
I really want like another week, another two weeks, probably more as you have planned and get ready for it but I don't have that time because I have a fixed deadline. It doesn't matter if I'm ready because it's gonna happen no matter what. So doing something like that creates a bit of pressure but I would argue that it can be good pressure, right? Because if you're struggling with getting something out, then you might need that kind of pressure, that kind of deadline. Anyway, that's my suggestion to you.
Good luck, hope to see you in Amsterdam. [Music]
All right, a quick look back and look ahead. Episode 247 was about the target store manager who makes $45,000 a month from his blog. That was a very popular story as I expected. I also think it's gonna be my go-to example in the future whenever somebody says you can't make money from blogs because this guy seems to be doing okay.
In fact, even though he's worked at Target for many years, beginning as a junior associate in college and then becoming an assistant manager and eventually a full store manager, because he's been nurturing his side hustle the whole time and growing this blog, which is about personal finance, it is now at the point where he's gonna quit that job and focus on this little project that happens to bring in, what, half a million dollars a year. So I love that story and a lot of our listeners did. If you haven't heard it, be sure you go back and listen. Episode 248 was the protein shake lover chomps crickets for six figure side hustle. Another almost unbelievable story, except you have to believe it because they're all true.
So if I ever say something is unbelievable, it's just an expression. And if you've ever wanted to turn your crickets into cash, I know that's what I used to dream about when I was a kid. Well, now you know how. At least you know how one guy did it. Episode 249, introvert builds networking experience to help women.
This was a project called Women of Denver that like a lot of our stories kind of evolved along the way. This person started her project and she thought she was gonna go one direction, but then as she gained experience and saw what she could do, what she couldn't do, she made some adjustments and is now succeeding much more. Episode 250, the soccer fan plays the odds, earns affiliate commissions. This is a very new story. I also call it a watch the space story, because this is one that I would love to know what's happening three months, six months from now.
We are actually in the midst of putting together a process to go back and revisit some of our stories, especially those that have started this year. Because for this story in particular, I'm really curious to see what happens as it continues to develop. And then two more episodes to close out the week. A brother and sister turned dad's medical practice into an online store, a dermatologist who's now selling products online, and a managerial accountant who earns $1,000 a month hosting poetry slams. This guy is actually in Dubai.
And I just like that combination of accountant and poet. And I guess also the combination of poet that makes money, because that's kind of unusual too. Several strong episodes this week. The most listened to episode was that first one about the target store manager. Once again, that's episode 247.
And you can listen to any and all of the archives of "Sydicell School" in Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts, or directly on the website, sydicellschool.com/episodes. Or I think you can type in /podcasts and that also works. I haven't talked about this much, but there's actually a way to download a month's worth of episodes at once. So if you wanted to listen to everything from January when we started, for example, or everything from last month, there's a convenient way for you to get all of them at once. As we roll into September and beyond, there is naturally a lot of great stuff coming up.
Very cool story tomorrow, in fact, it's about a Toronto science teacher who creates an attachable guitar amplifier that pairs with a smartphone for producing sweet sounds and cash. This science teacher actually goes on to raise a quarter of a million dollars for his project and appear on "Dragon's Den," which is the original version of "Shark Tank." Very cool story. There's also a story of someone who spends $8 on starting a project that leads to a client contract, a retainer, in fact, of $6,000 a month. So pretty good return on investment there. I think that person is happy that they spent that $8 on starting that project.
I'll be telling you about that soon, as well as another reselling story, another crowdfunding success, and maybe another insect story. Okay, actually, probably not. I'll try to limit those to once a month, maximum. But seriously, that guy makes six figures, more than $100,000 a year selling cricket protein powder, even if you don't like crickets, which I'm not a huge fan of them myself. Isn't that amazing?
The side hustle world truly is limitless. Now listen, before I sign off for the week, I want to say thank you first and foremost to you, the listener. You're the reason I make this show. You're the reason I wrote the side hustle book. My entire mission this year is to help you start your income-generating project.
So thank you for being part of this process. Thank you for supporting the show. Thank you for supporting the sponsors. Thank you for those ratings and reviews on Apple Podcasts. There's definitely help a ton.
And thanks especially for telling your friends about the show and the book, or not just your friends, but anybody you know who needs a side hustle. Like we have grown this project entirely organically because of you. So thanks, much more to come. Let me also give a couple of shout outs to our production team. That team is led by A.C. Valdez.
It also features Adelia Rubin. Show notes are by my assistant, Whitney Karenik. My cat, Libby Gilibow, is curious about cricket protein powder. But since I turned down those free samples, she's gonna have to live without it for now. Speaking of that, Side Hustle School is not sponsored by Crit Nutrition.
But I would love to write ads for them. And the last reference I will make to that hopping episode comes in the form of the best rejected title of the week. Sorry for all the dead crickets in your smoothie. It really is nutritious. Side Hustle School is part of the Onward Project led by Gretchen Rubin.
And guess what? Gretchen's book is coming out this week. It's called The Four Tendencies. I have pre-ordered it myself. I also had the privilege of reading an advanced copy.
It is like a lot of things on the Onward Project, both enjoyable and helpful. Be sure you look for that starting on Tuesday. And in every episode, I mentioned that inspiration is good, but action is better. I want you to take action. I wanna tell your story here.
I wanna hear what you're doing and what it means to you and how the Side Hustle world has improved your life. That is ultimately what it's all about. It's an investment in yourself. Each day, an episode goes online at 601 a.m. Eastern time.
And I hope you'll join me next week. I'm Chris Guillebeau for Side Hustle School. [Music]
