This transcript was generated from the episode audio and may contain minor errors.
Let's talk about Asian flavored popcorn, artisanal popcorn, artisanal popcorn with Asian flavors that is taking off in Vancouver. Welcome back to Side Hustle School and this week's first $1,000 segment. We're going to hear from a digital marketer in BC who turns her love of Asian flavors into a popular side hustle. She's not trying to scale this business, she just does it because it's fun. It's fun, but it also makes money, which are two really good things. That's what we're all about here on Side Hustle School. I think it's really
important in life to do something that matters and something that you enjoy because life is short. There's so many different options out there. So how do you choose? Well, that's a very helpful filter. How do I do something that matters that people like or enjoy and have fun with and something that I also think is fun? So today we're going to go to this
digital marketer in Vancouver. Let's hear how she earned her first $1,000 and more by specializing in gourmet popcorn. Sounds pretty good to me. I'm going to hear the story from her. Her name is Kim. I'll be back with a few words of wrap up. Hi, I'm Kim and I'm
based in Vancouver, BC. Here's how I decided to turn my love for unique flavors and my passion for popcorn into a business crafting Asian inspired gourmet popcorn with the help of my boyfriend. It all started when I was experimenting in my kitchen, combining my favorite Asian flavors with popcorn. I tried everything from matcha green tea and wasabi to soy sauce and sesame. At first, it was just for fun, but on a whim, I decided to try selling them. I began by perfecting a few signature recipes. Some of my favorites included
matcha caramel, spicy sriracha, and soy sauce with seaweed. I focused on balancing these traditional Asian flavors with the sweetness and crunch of popcorn. My boyfriend, Alex, was a huge support from the beginning. He helped me with everything from sourcing ingredients to taste testing new flavors. He also assisted with packaging and talked me down when I was feeling anxious. Having him by my side made the whole process smoother and more enjoyable.
To get the word out, we posted photos and descriptions of each flavor, along with the story behind my business. We also made sample bags and handed them out to two local farmers' markets and a meeting of my HOA. Our first big break came when a local cafe agreed to carry my popcorn. We provided them with a small batch on consignment, and they sold out within a few days. This success gave us the confidence to approach more local businesses.
We started attending more markets and food fairs, where we could interact directly with customers and get immediate feedback. The personal touch and the opportunity to sample the popcorn drew people in. We quickly learned that the matcha caramel flavor was the biggest hit, and we often sold out of it before the end of the day. The majority of our sales came from repeat customers and word of mouth referrals. We've kept meticulous records of our expenses and earnings, ensuring that each batch was profitable. One of the biggest
challenges was managing production with limited resources. My kitchen is small, so I had to be creative with storage and workspace. I also work a lot for my job during the day, so there were some late nights perfecting recipes and packaging. Another challenge was navigating my health and safety regulations for producing and selling food. Alex helped me comply with all local regulations, so I'm thankful for him to that as well. I'm now on talks with
a few more local shops to carry our popcorn. However, we're not trying to scale this into a massive business. I do this because I genuinely enjoy it, and Alex enjoys helping out. It's a passion project that brings us closer together and allows us to share something we love with old and new friends. You can listen wherever you get your podcasts and let me know how we can improve. I want
to keep giving you new stories, ideas, tips to help you go from idea to income. That's
