This transcript was generated from the episode audio and may contain minor errors.
The Unlikely Algae Entrepreneur. This was a fun one to work on. Welcome back to Side Hustle School. My name is Chris Guillebeau, your host. I have the privilege of bringing you this podcast every single day, seven days a week, 2800 plus days and counting. And this
segment going out today is part of our Throwback Thursday series. It's where we take an in-depth look at someone whose story has evolved or updated or changed significantly since we first featured them. So last week we heard from the owner of a pop-up stationary business. She has evolved from occasional events to a thriving part-time enterprise. Before that, it was an electrical engineer who turned his technical expertise into a side gig installing and maintaining smart home systems. Both of those businesses doing really well today.
Also, business that's doing really well and our latest feature, we're going to catch up with the owner of a small-scale algae farm in Wisconsin who has ridden the wave of plant-based supplement popularity. So there's a lot going on there, but he'll tell us about it. His name is Mark. He's his, well, just let, let's let him tell the story because I don't know much about algae. I don't know much about plant-based supplements and how that whole thing kind of works. So over to Mark for the story. I'll be back at the end with a few
words of wrap up. And by the way, thank you so much for being out there. If you'd told me five years ago that I'd be known as the algae guy of Waukesha, Wisconsin, I'm not sure I'd have taken you seriously. But here I am, Mark Olson, age 42, proud owner of Midwest spirulina, a side business that's turned my backyard into a base of operations. It started with a YouTube rabbit hole. I was looking for natural ways to boost my energy
when I stumbled upon spirulina, a nutrient-dense blue-green algae. The supplements that used spirulina were expensive though, so I thought, how hard could it be to grow this stuff? Turns out the answer is pretty hard, especially in Wisconsin. Our first attempts at an old greenhouse were a disaster. We battled temperature fluctuations, contamination, and outright failure. The first batch looked like swamp scum. My wife was ready to pull the plug,
but I was determined to make it work. After months of research and more attempts, we finally cracked the code. The key was creating a controlled environment that mimicked the algae's natural habitat. We converted our detached garage into a climate-controlled grow room, complete with special lighting and a sophisticated filtration system. The neighbors thought we were growing weed, but that really wasn't the business model. Our first successful harvest
yielded just enough powder to fill a few mason jars. We shared it with friends and family and then moved to small batches at the local farmer's market. That's when I realized we could take it up a level. We expanded into a rented warehouse space, allowing us to scale production while maintaining the controlled environment crucial for quality spirulina. The timing couldn't have been better. The plant-based protein market was exploding,
and we were perfectly positioned to ride that wave. Indeed, the rise of veganism and plant-based diets has been a boon for Midwest spirulina. Our customer base has expanded from local health enthusiasts to include online shoppers across the Midwest and even some high-end health food stores in Chicago and Minneapolis. Financially, the growth has been remarkable. What started as a hobby bringing in a few hundred dollars a month has grown into a serious side hustle. Last year, Midwest spirulina generated just over $150,000 in revenue. It's
still not enough for me to quit my day job, but it's providing a significant boost to our family's income and allowing us to save for our kids' college funds. Managing the business alongside my full-time accounting career is a challenge, but that's what we signed up for, right? My wife has taken on a larger role, handling most of the day-to-day operations. We've also hired two part-time employees to help with harvesting and packaging. Looking ahead, we're exploring new products to add to our line. We're experimenting
with spirulina-based protein bars and have even partnered with a local craft brewery to create a spirulina-infused beer. Who knows, maybe we'll make algae the new cheese in America's dairy land. But in all seriousness, the success of Midwest spirulina has shown me the power of finding a niche and being adaptable. We've turned an unlikely idea, in an unexpected location, into a business. All right, big thanks to Mark for sharing those updates with us. If you ever need algae
or spirulina supplements or anything else, you know where to go. America's dairy land, also known as Wisconsin, and also known as his part of Wisconsin. Good work, Mark, and good work. Side hustlers, listeners, everybody out there who is trying to start something or grow something of their own. I love making this show for you because I get to share lots of stories, case studies, tips, answer questions, and such. But really, all the content, the
whole focus of the show, I should say, is on you. And we make this show for you, specifically. So let us know what you think, who you'd like to see featured. If you have questions or updates for us, you know where to go, www.sidehustleschool.com. This has been episode 2882. Much more is coming
up always completely free. Follow or listen wherever you want. My name is Chris Guillebeau. This is Side Hustle School.
