This transcript was generated from the episode audio and may contain minor errors.
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What's up everybody? I'd like to wish you a happy Independence Day. This is, of course, an American holiday. It occurs every 4th of July. We've got a worldwide audience, so if you are not in the United States, I can still wish you a happy Independence Day.
Independence, of course, is a wonderful value. Independence, autonomy, ownership. You can always ask yourself at any point in life, what am I doing to create more independence for myself so that then I can do more of what is important to me, including service to others. It's not all about yourself, but independence is good. So happy Independence Day.
Today's question, loosely related, how do I turn digital nostalgia into a creative business? Is late '90s internet culture more than just a vibe? We're gonna explore whether digital nostalgia can become a sustainable business or if perhaps it's better left as a passion project. Now this was kind of a throwback. I was thinking about some things in the '90s were from the '90s AOL away messages.
Some people might remember that. Other people are like, I have no idea what that is. Blurry webcam selfies, lime wire playlists. For a whole generation, these were kind of tech milestones and also emotional touchstones. So we're gonna hear from a listener, Logan.
He is a self-proclaimed internet history nerd. He wants to turn digital nostalgia into a creative business. The question is, are people actually willing to pay for this or is it just fun to look at? It's kind of like selling memes. I had a question once.
I don't think we ever ran it as an episode because somebody was like, hey, I want to sell memes. Well, people like to look at memes. They like to share them, but do they want to go and buy memes? I mean, memes are kind of a commodity. They're free for the taking, right?
So let's consider Logan's question. Might there be a creative solution to this interesting idea? As always, I wanna help not only the caller but anybody else out there who wants to create an online business or an offline business, some kind of extra money-making project without quitting your job. That's what we're all about for 3,100 episodes and counting, I'll bring you Logan's question and my answer right after this. [Music]
Hey Chris, my name is Logan and I'm calling from Milwaukee.
I've always been obsessed with late 90s and early 2000s internet culture. Aim, screen names, pixelated graphics, weird sound effects, those old school emoji styles. I've been toying with the idea of building a business around this digital nostalgia. Maybe selling downloadable wallpapers, screen name or even merch like vintage style stickers and t-shirts. I know there's a whole vibe around Y2K aesthetic but I'm not sure if this is a real opportunity or just a passion project.
Is there a market for this kind of thing and how would I turn nostalgia into something people actually pay for? - Well, is this idea just like selling memes? It might be in the sense that it could be a better passion project than a side hustle. But the question is can we take a general idea and turn it into a specific offer? That's what it's always about here.
That's what I've been trying to teach people through the side hustle school method. You need to package it into something people want to pay for and not just vibe with. So let's see a couple of business models. Maybe it could be physical merch with a throwback twist, stickers, tees, patches, notebooks that feature early internet design elements, maybe error messages, chat windows, loading bars. Those can actually sell surprisingly well on marketplaces.
Just make sure you're using original artwork, not copyrighted logos. While that stuff still is under copyright, various corporations own it. So they're not too happy with people profiting from it. So just be aware of that. But it could also be downloadable digital goods.
Designers are selling things like pixel art icons, retro, AOL or like AOL instant message style avatar templates. These kinds of kits sometimes can sell on Etsy, Gumroad, other platforms. They just don't sell for a big price typically. So just keep that in mind. Maybe though it's more about being a content creator or an influencer, if you like that word.
I always think it's kind of a strange word, but whatever it is, posting content on TikTok, Instagram, et cetera, building a following first. Like they make a niche page with curated nostalgic content. Go and look at 90s anxiety or internet stalgia. These accounts, they have a huge number of followers. Then they monetize through digital products, affiliate links or merch drops.
Okay, so those are the approaches generally, but just to give you the reality check as well, this is probably not gonna be a million dollar business. You know, it's something that's fun, but it depends on your goals, right? So if you're trying to build the most sustainable business to make a lot of money, maybe not, but we also feature a lot of projects that are just fun. So if you're into fun and you like combining that with making some money, try it out. Start small, test what resonates.
Don't be afraid to lean into it. That's part of the charm. And listeners, thank you for being out there. Happy Independence Day, wherever you are in the world. Don't forget to come back tomorrow.
New episodes out every day, seven days a week. And you can listen to the entire archive, the entire history of Side Hustle School, all for free at sidehustleschool.com. That's all for now. My name's Chris Guillebeau. You are listening to Side Hustle School.
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From the Onward Project.
