Notes from Chris

Episode 2153

Apple Music is known as the app that makes the music that comes on your phone. Some of us might use other apps, of course—but Apple Music is in the top five. If you’re familiar with any of the major streaming platforms, you might be aware that there are cover versions of lots of popular songs. How does this work in the business sense?

Can Linda, our listener and a musician, make money from her versions? What kind of permission do you need, and how are royalties handled?

“For every popular music artist with millions of streams on Apple Music or Spotify, there are a bunch of cover artists who upload their own versions of the songs. These versions don’t usually get millions of streams, but some of them do very well with tens or hundreds of thousands of streams.

How much money are these cover artists making, and can anyone upload their own versions of other people’s songs? I thought there’d be copyright issues, but it looks like a lot of people have been doing it for a long time.”

Listen to today’s episode to learn more…

SEE ALSO:

• Catholic Designer Creates Stylish Apparel Line: What shall it profit a man to gain the whole world but not sell any t-shirts? This designer cast his bread upon the waters and ended up with a profitable fashion line.
• Seattle Couple Creates New “Income LiveStream”: When a married couple runs into logistical problems at their wedding, it leads to an innovative service that other engaged couples need during the pandemic.
• Role-Playing Pastor Rolls The Dice On $2800/Month Hustle: Listener success story! This Presbyterian minister turns to his lifelong interest in role-playing games to set up a sustainable second income source.

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

Yours in the revolution,

Notes from Chris

Episode 2152

Long ago we featured the dating app for dog lovers, and that led me to some research in which I discovered all kinds of specialized dating apps. There are several based on religion or background, like J Date or Christian Cafe. There are others for single parents. There’s even Farmers Only, which asks, “Single in the Country? Sign up for free to find a farmer, rancher, cowboy, cowgirl or animal lover.”

Today’s caller has an idea to start her own app for people who identify as asexual. What’s the best path forward?

“Hi, this is Kathryn and I’ve been following you for as long as I can remember. I identify as asexual, which is an orientation where you just don’t feel much sexual attraction to anyone. It’s a common myth that this doesn’t exist, and thankfully now there are communities like Reddit where I was able to learn more once I understood this was how I felt.

It’s important to note that just because someone is asexual doesn’t mean they don’t want to have a relationship. Many of us still experience a longing for romantic or platonic relationships, we just don’t necessarily want the other parts.

I know this is an ambitious goal, but what do you think about a dating app for people on this spectrum? I’ve done some coding classes and have some time on my hands, since I work remotely for a job that doesn’t require a lot of effort. Or if an app seems too complicated, what else would you suggest?”

Listen to today’s episode to learn more…

SEE ALSO:

• Catholic Designer Creates Stylish Apparel Line: What shall it profit a man to gain the whole world but not sell any t-shirts? This designer cast his bread upon the waters and ended up with a profitable fashion line.
• Seattle Couple Creates New “Income LiveStream”: When a married couple runs into logistical problems at their wedding, it leads to an innovative service that other engaged couples need during the pandemic.
• Role-Playing Pastor Rolls The Dice On $2800/Month Hustle: Listener success story! This Presbyterian minister turns to his lifelong interest in role-playing games to set up a sustainable second income source.

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

Yours in the revolution,

Notes from Chris

Episode 2150

In one of the early stories for the podcast that was also included in the Side Hustle book, a guy earned $10,000 in a short amount of time by doing voiceover work commissioned through Fiver.

Is that still possible today, given a more crowded marketplace and lower price points for buyers? That’s what our caller wants to know. I’ll answer that question—short version is yes, it’s still possible!—and also include a few tips.

“Hi, this is John calling from Michigan. I listen every day on my commute and really appreciate what you do. Here’s my question. In the Side Hustle book you told the story of a guy who earned $10,000 doing voiceover work on Fiverr. Is that still a thing? How would I get started and what do I need to know to be good at it?

I took a quick look and it seems like there are a lot of people providing this service, which I know from your book is good in some ways—but it also worries me with having so much competition. I look forward to hearing your opinion.”

Listen to today’s episode to learn more…

SEE ALSO:

• Catholic Designer Creates Stylish Apparel Line: What shall it profit a man to gain the whole world but not sell any t-shirts? This designer cast his bread upon the waters and ended up with a profitable fashion line.
• Seattle Couple Creates New “Income LiveStream”: When a married couple runs into logistical problems at their wedding, it leads to an innovative service that other engaged couples need during the pandemic.
• Role-Playing Pastor Rolls The Dice On $2800/Month Hustle: Listener success story! This Presbyterian minister turns to his lifelong interest in role-playing games to set up a sustainable second income source.

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

Yours in the revolution,

Notes from Chris

Episode 2149

An athletic listener from Minnesota seeks advice on starting a fundraising campaign. Will he need to improve his social media for more people to notice?

I love to know what you’re working on. I really miss being on the road. I’m actually doing a quick trip to Johanessburg passing through London as well, but it’s mostly a mileage run this time. As I look towards next year I’ll have a new book out in the summer and will definitely be doing more worldwide events.

“Hi, it’s Justin from St. Paul, Minnesota. I’ve been listening for at least a year and hope to see you on tour sometime.

I don’t have a proper side hustle yet, at least not a moneymaking one, and that needs to change. I have a flexible day job that allows me to pursue my true passion: speed skating. I’m actually training to be on the U.S. Olympic team and want to compete in other global championships. I compete at the high amateur or low professional level.

My question is: how can I create more financial support around this vision? Should I start some kind of Patreon? I feel conflicted about asking friends and family for money. I’d rather make products and sell them, but I don’t know what they would be. Lastly, I also think I’d need to improve my social media usage for any of this to be possible. What do you think is best? Thanks for all you do!”

Listen to today’s episode to learn more…

SEE ALSO:

• Catholic Designer Creates Stylish Apparel Line: What shall it profit a man to gain the whole world but not sell any t-shirts? This designer cast his bread upon the waters and ended up with a profitable fashion line.
• Seattle Couple Creates New “Income LiveStream”: When a married couple runs into logistical problems at their wedding, it leads to an innovative service that other engaged couples need during the pandemic.
• Role-Playing Pastor Rolls The Dice On $2800/Month Hustle: Listener success story! This Presbyterian minister turns to his lifelong interest in role-playing games to set up a sustainable second income source.

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

Yours in the revolution,

Notes from Chris

Episode 2148

I believe we can learn as much from failure as we can from success, if not more. It’s with this principle in mind that I offer you a weekly segment called Failure Friday: a collection of short stories all about mistakes, missteps, disasters, and of course, failure.

Just like our Throwback Thursday segment, you’ll hear directly from side hustlers who have struggled to get something off the ground. They’ll tell you a short story of something that went very wrong.

The stories will vary, but often it starts with an idea, what they thought would happen and what really happened—and of course, what they learned.

Today’s short story features Mike in Huntington Valley, Pennsylvania. He decided to buy into a franchise. As he explains, this wasn’t the worst decision in the world—it’s not a true disaster—nevertheless, if he could go back, he’d do something different.

Let’s hear the story from him.

SEE ALSO:

• Marketer Creates Six-Figure Subscription Box Success: He looked for a simple solution for a client, and didn’t find one—so he spent the next year building it.
• Comic Book Curator Creates Custom Crate Subscription: A Sacramento-based comic and collectibles owner sparks an interest in reading with a monthly comic book subscription box service.
• A Packed Closet Leads to Secondhand Subscription Boxes: A professional organizer finds a way to stitch her passion for thrift shopping into profits.

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

Yours in the revolution,

Notes from Chris

Episode 2147

Welcome to Throwback Thursday / “Where are they now?” where we take an in-depth look at someone who’s story has evolved considerably since we first featured them.

Last week, we heard from a New York City opera singer, home contractor, and primary caregiver. Like many side hustlers, she stays busy!

Today, in our latest feature, we’ll hear from Lisa Sansouci. We first featured her right at the top of Season 2 (#371) way back in early 2018. Among other things, she used Merch by Amazon to sell t-shirts from designs she commissioned. Back then her goal was to sell 500, so that she could get to the next tier and sell more. But as you’ll hear, she’s exceeded that number by quite a lot!

What’s happened since? Let’s hear directly from Lisa. I’ll be back at the end to wrap us up.

Listen to today’s episode to hear more…

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Thanks to Lisa for sharing her updates with us. Check out her daily stories at tiktok.com/@lisasansouci.

SEE ALSO:

• Raver Turns LED-Powered Gloves Into Bright Future: When a raver-turned-salesperson falls in love with an underground artform, he turns it into a successful side business.
• Bright Idea Leads Chicago Woman to Million-Dollar Hustle: A Chicago-based plastic recycling sales rep overcomes her fears and doubts to transform her love for DIY lamp shades and $10 in supplies into a multi-million dollar business.
• 3D Printing Brings Cosplay Into 21st Century: With a 3D printer and sense of imagination, a California natural gas industry worker takes superhero DIY cosplay to a whole new level.

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

Yours in the revolution,

Notes from Chris

Episode 2146

We’ve talked about Patreon; it’s a platform that allows artists of all kinds (or really anyone fundraising) to enable financial support from patrons or backers. It can be good for musicians who want to stay away from labels, or for someone writing a book and delivering the chapters over time, just to name a couple of examples.

Our caller today is looking for “something like Patreon but different.” They’ll explain more…

“Hi Chris, this is Kerry. Thanks for all you do! I’m an independent musician and like the idea of being independent with my fundraising as well. In fact, that’s part of the problem—I don’t like the words ‘fundraising’ or ‘sponsorship.’ So I’m looking for something that feels more organic and natural.

You’ve covered Patreon a few times. Do you know of any good alternatives? Patreon takes a lot of fees and doesn’t seem like the best platform for me. I don’t know if there’s anything else out there, but I figured you might have an idea. Thank you and have a great day over there.”

Listen to today’s episode to learn more…

SEE ALSO:

• Catholic Designer Creates Stylish Apparel Line: What shall it profit a man to gain the whole world but not sell any t-shirts? This designer cast his bread upon the waters and ended up with a profitable fashion line.
• Seattle Couple Creates New “Income LiveStream”: When a married couple runs into logistical problems at their wedding, it leads to an innovative service that other engaged couples need during the pandemic.
• Role-Playing Pastor Rolls The Dice On $2800/Month Hustle: Listener success story! This Presbyterian minister turns to his lifelong interest in role-playing games to set up a sustainable second income source.

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

Yours in the revolution,

Notes from Chris

Episode 2145

Today’s caller wants to enter the world of personal finance experts and influencers. As she notes, she’s not the only one!

There’s a huge community writing and speaking on PF on just about every social network and platform. This started with blogs back in the day, and it’s spread along with the rise of other mediums.

So if you want to break in—what do you do?

“Hi, it’s Melissa from Denver, Colorado. I binge listen to episodes when I’m in the gym, and I’ve been hoping to start my own project soon. Here’s my idea.

Personal finance is a huge industry, with lots of bloggers, YouTubers, and podcasters all putting out a lot of content every day. It’s crowded but there also seems to be an insatiable demand for this content. I’d like to break in, but I don’t know where to start.

If it helps, I recently graduated college and did some side hustling to pay my way through. I think that’s a good angle but I’m also not sure it’s specific enough. How would you go about entering this market?”

Listen to today’s episode to learn more…

SEE ALSO:

• Catholic Designer Creates Stylish Apparel Line: What shall it profit a man to gain the whole world but not sell any t-shirts? This designer cast his bread upon the waters and ended up with a profitable fashion line.
• Seattle Couple Creates New “Income LiveStream”: When a married couple runs into logistical problems at their wedding, it leads to an innovative service that other engaged couples need during the pandemic.
• Role-Playing Pastor Rolls The Dice On $2800/Month Hustle: Listener success story! This Presbyterian minister turns to his lifelong interest in role-playing games to set up a sustainable second income source.

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

Yours in the revolution,

Notes from Chris

Episode 2143

Today’s episode is part of a new feature we’re doing in 2022 called ‘Your First $1,000.’ As you might surmise from the title, this is all about how someone made their first $1,000.

How did they get to that point? Not their first $100,000—that’s cool, but it would probably be a long story.

One thing I’ve learned is that once you begin to earn real money, the steps required to go to the next level—whether it’s $1,000 to $2,000, or even to $5,000 or $10,000 are often easier than that first real paycheck.

With that in mind, today’s feature comes from Tabitha. As you’ll hear, she’s the self-described “Wordpress Girl,” who starts a service helping female entrepreneurs get set up with a website. She’s currently in the next of a rebranding, but still brings in at least $2,000/month on the side.

Let’s hear it from Tabitha. I’ll be back at the end to wrap us up.

SEE ALSO:

• Military Spouse Starts Subscription Box Mission:When an HR Director’s husband is away on military deployment, she uses the alone time to march toward a subscription box.
• Think Inside the Subscription Box:Looking for more community, a North Carolina web agency owner starts a subscription box for female entrepreneurs. It’s supposed to be a referral tool for her agency, but it ends up becoming a full-time business of its own.
• Nature-Loving Neighbors Create Kids Subscription Box: When two couples can’t figure out how to get their kids outdoors and away from electronics in the winter, a personal challenge blossoms into an unbeLEAFable side hustle.

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

Yours in the revolution,