This transcript was generated from the episode audio and may contain minor errors.
[Music]
Got a pretty cool transformation story for you today. We're gonna hear from a digital artist who turns into a mock-up specialist for e-commerce. What am I talking about? Well, basically they have pivoted from digital art prints to creating mock-ups for Etsy and Shopify. And in doing so, they have turned an underperforming side assault into a high demand service.
So if you have an idea, if you have ever tried a side assault, it hasn't worked, maybe you need to tweak your idea a bit. Maybe you need to go from your initial idea to something that might in fact be more profitable. And by the way, welcome to Side Hustle School. My name's Chris Guillebeau. Welcome as well to Throwback Thursday.
This is a segment where we take an in-depth look at someone whose story has evolved since we first featured them. Last week we heard from a stationary lover in Tokyo who began shipping curated paper goods and writing supplies abroad, all while supporting small artisanal shops. So today we're gonna hear from Reina, who was making these digital art prints and then found a way to make something better. That's the short version. Let's hear the extended version, still pretty short, always short, action packed here on the podcast for you, less than 10 minutes a day, every single day.
Let's hear the story directly from Reina. I'll come back at the end with a quick wrap-up. [Music]
I'm Reina and I used to make digital art prints. Everything from minimalist posters to abstract watercolor designs. Initially, I listed them on Etsy as downloadable files, charging a few dollars per piece.
Cells were decent, but the real challenge was standing out in a crowded marketplace. I'd spend hours tweaking product photos to make my digital prints look appealing in a living room setting, hoping to catch someone's eye as they scrolled by. Then it dawned on me. If I was putting so much effort into making my own prints look good, maybe other sellers needed that same service. So I began offering mock-up scenes, digital images that show a print, shirt, or mug in use, even if it's all Photoshopped.
I'd style virtual desks or living rooms, use realistic shadows, and insert the product image with just the right perspective and lighting. On a whim, I posted my mock-up services to a small design forum, detailing how I could help sellers on Etsy or Shopify present their products more professionally. My inbox lit up. People were tired of snapping mediocre photos on their phones. They wanted crisp, on-brain visuals that matched their store's aesthetic.
As more inquiries trickled in, I realized creating custom mock-ups was more lucrative than selling single art prints for three or four bucks. I still enjoyed designing my own prints, but the mock-ups I demanded my attention. I invested in better stock images, purchased lighting templates for photo editing software, and practiced digital staging so items would appear naturally placed. Clients loved the results. Their items looked consistent, polished, and professional.
Soon, I was spending more time crafting mock-ups than listing my personal artwork. Each project paid at least $150 for a small bundle of images, sometimes more if the client needed multiple angles or seasonal variations. I also started selling generic mock-ups on marketplaces like Creative Market, which other sellers could buy and drop their products into. That turned into a passive income stream as well. A Shopify store owner asked if I'd create an entire suite of product mock-ups for new releases.
One subscription box company even requested monthly mock-up shoots for their changing themes. No physical product needed on my end, just digital props arranged in cozy, inviting scenes. I realized I wasn't just making images, I was solving a real problem for online sellers. They struggled to convey what their T-shirts, posters, or mugs would look like in a real environment. High-quality mock-ups bridged that gap, boosting conversions and reducing returns.
By the end of my first year in mock-ups, I'd made far more than I ever had selling original art prints. Now, I still dabble in personal artwork, but the bulk of my income comes from helping other entrepreneurs showcase their products. Many of them return for seasonal updates, winter scenes for holiday mugs, fresh desk setups for back-to-school items. While I never expected to become a mock-up specialist, it's been creatively fulfilling and financially stable. I get to blend my digital art skills with a bit of marketing know-how and every successful collaboration means someone else's store looks that much more polished.
[Music]
Awesome, thanks so much, Jarena, for sharing those updates with us. Listeners, remember, there's something you can do as well, and that thing that you can do might be different from what you first expect. So don't be afraid to try new things. Trying new things is actually gonna get you closer to your ultimate goal, which I assume is some sort of financial independence, whatever that looks like for you. And often the past of that is starting quickly, adjusting along the way, noticing what works and what doesn't work, and then trying to do more of what does.
All right, let me know what you think and who you'd like to see featured from our archives of thousands of episodes. Visit us on school.com. There's some resources and notes page for every episode and more. And of course, just tune in to the podcast, new episode every day, follow or subscribe, wherever you like. My name is Chris Guillebeau.
You're listening to "Side Hustle School." [Music]
- From the Onward Project.
