Notes from Chris

Episode 668

Robyn Dochterman wasn’t expecting to come up with a new idea for a side hustle. But while listening to 70s music on a normal day, inspiration struck. James Brown sang that “You’ve got to use what you’ve got to get what you want,” and this was just the line for her situation.

At the time, Robyn needed some money. Her puppy had broken his leg keeping the world safe from an evil mop at doggie daycare. The surgery he needed was expensive and she didn't want that sitting on a credit card costing her interest.

James Brown’s words told her that the answer was sitting right in her backyard.

The chocolate shop she owned kept her exceptionally busy in Fall and Winter, but sales slowed down with the summer heat. Robyn and her partner Deidre owned 5 acres of land near the St. Croix River in Minnesota. This land was just two miles away from a state park, which was almost always full of campers. It hit her then that this was an opportunity she could take advantage of.

The campgrounds near the state park were always full and there were no inexpensive motels nearby. What was stopping her from hosting her own private campground?

This was her chance.

Robyn didn’t come up with a completely novel idea, but the manner in which she executed her plan is perhaps one of the biggest reasons she has been successful. She made use of her well-located and spacious land, turning it into a private campground. But Robyn also knew that this wasn’t enough to build a business on and she needed to build a unique selling proposition for the St. Croix Valley Sweet Spot to take off.

Of course, Robyn knows that the nature of camping meant that revenue would vary greatly by season. During the summer months, she has been able to average $800 a month in extra income. She also began selling firewood as a side, side hustle.

Moving forward, Robyn is planning to turn an unused chicken coop into a micro-tiny house that she’s calling “The Roost”. She’s pitched camp on her idea and is doubling down to ensure that she can create the best experience for adventurous travelers. Her advice—and that of the singer James Brown—is to “always use what you have.”

 

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  MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• St. Croix Valley Sweet Spot | Mariposa, Cherry Grove, & Apple Blossom: Side hustles can be found in the most unlikely of places—learn more about this one over on Robyn's Airbnb pages!
• Airbnb & Hipcamp: The two platfroms that Robyn used to list her St. Croix Valley Sweet Spot campsites

SEE ALSO:

• Man Buys Tesla, Rents It Out to Cover Monthly Payments: When an Ontario man finds himself dreaming of a car he can’t afford, he buys it anyway—then rents it out half the time to earn an extra $15,000 in 2017
• London Photographer Rents Camera Gear 1,100 Times: A London receptionist rents out his photography equipment on a peer-to-peer sharing site… over and over and over
• Ohio State Students Make Big Moves Storing Items: The annual student moving exodus provides side hustle inspiration for two university roommates

Inspiration is good; inspiration combined with action is better. Now get back to work!

Yours in the revolution,

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