This transcript was generated from the episode audio and may contain minor errors.
A former spy shares surveillance survival secrets online and clandestine operations to cyber education. This week's first $1,000 segment features an ex spy who turns a unique skill set into a thriving business on staying safe in a world of surveillance. Hey friends, what's up? Welcome to Side Hustle School. Wes Gillibo here, your host, today's episode is part of a feature we call your first thousand dollars.
It is in fact about how somebody gets going, how they make their first thousand dollars. In this case, and in fact, most cases, the person goes on to earn a lot more than a thousand dollars, but we want to look at the origin story of how they got going, how they make it happen. What did it feel like? What did they learn? Today, we're going to hear from someone who used to be in a government agency, a three letter acronym government agency that I'm sure you are familiar with, but he doesn't want to talk about it for reasons that are fairly obvious, or at least he can't disclose a lot of his past history.
He is basically an ex spy, but once you retire from that world, you are able to do certain things. That's how we have spy novels. That's how we have various training on things. And in fact, training is what this guy does. His name is Charlie.
As noted, he turned his skill set into a business on staying safe in a world of surveillance. So it's kind of an interesting project. Let's hear about his first thousand dollars and beyond going to pass the mic over to Charlie. And I'll come back at the end with a few words of wrap up. When I retired from my career in government service, I knew I wanted to share the skills I honed over three decades.
My work had taken me around the world. And I'd learned a lot about personal security and surveillance detection, but I couldn't exactly put former spy on my resume or LinkedIn profile. I started small, offering to teach a workshop for a friend's company. As I put together the materials, I realized just how much knowledge I had to share. The workshop went over well, and it also helped me channel the knowledge into a specific idea.
Developing an online course seemed like the logical next step. I wanted to reach more people while still maintaining a low profile. I spent a few weeks researching course platforms, learning about video editing, and deciding what topics to cover. I had to be careful not to reveal anything classified, but there were still plenty of practical tips and techniques I could teach. When I launched the course, I didn't expect an overnight success.
I reached out to friends and former colleagues, offering a 50% discount in exchange for feedback and testimonials. Slowly but surely, people signed up. I also started getting inquiries from people I'd never met, all eager to learn about personal security. My first few students came from diverse backgrounds, a journalist headed to a conflict zone, a real estate agent who worked alone, and a family preparing for an international move. I worked closely with each of them, tailoring the course to their specific needs and concerns.
As more students enrolled, I continued to refine the curriculum. I added modules on cybersecurity, travel safety, and emergency preparedness. I brought in guest experts to share their perspectives, and I made sure to keep the course engaging and interactive with plenty of real-life examples and hands-on exercises. Gradually, the course began to gain traction. Students started leaving glowing reviews and recommending it to their friends and colleagues.
Before long, I'd made over $1,000, not a fortune, but proof that there was a real demand for this kind of knowledge. Today, the course has gone on to earn more than $70,000. I've taught hundreds of students from all walks of life, and I'm constantly amazed by the impact it has on their lives. From helping them feel more confident in their daily routines to potentially saving them from dangerous situations, it's incredibly rewarding work. Looking back, I realized that my career in government service prepared me for this unexpected second act.
The skills I learned, adaptability, perseverance, and a dedication to lifelong learning have been invaluable in navigating the challenges of entrepreneurship. All right, big thanks to Charlie for telling us about his first $1,000 and more. This was a unique story. I think we've had something quite like it in all of our 2,600 plus episodes, so I love that we're still finding new ideas, new case studies, new stories, perhaps some inspiration for somebody else out there to start their first or their 10th side hustle, whatever the case may be. I hope you find it encouraging.
If you have a question or an update for us about your hustle, sidehustleschool.com. We've got notes for every single episode. We've got much more coming up. In fact, new episode every day, always completely free. Listen wherever you want.
My name is Chris Guillebeau. This is Side Hustle School.
