Archives: Podcast

First $1,000: “It was the Super Bowl of professional fishing…”

What It’s About

This government lawyer got hooked … writing a blog and freelance articles about fishing.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1864

Welcome! 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 Pete Robbins. We first featured him back on Episode #1550: Government Lawyer Lands Whale of a Side Gig. Pete is in fact that attorney who makes a very good second income traveling to and writing about the world of professional fishing.

But what about his first $1,000—how did he make that happen, what did it feel like, and what did they learn? He’s got a story that I’m assured contains no fishing exaggeration. In fact, it involves what’s known as “The superbowl of bass fishing…” I didn’t know that existed, but now of course I’m going to try to get tickets.

Listen to today’s episode to learn more…

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Thanks to Pete for telling us about their first $1,000. I hope you found it encouraging. Check out his website and get hooked at halfpastfirstcast.com.

SEE ALSO:

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

Yours in the revolution,

cg-sig-newsletter

Resources

WEB HOSTING @ $2.49/MONTH

Want to build any kind of website for your hustle? If so, you'll need somewhere to host it! This is the reliable company I've used for many websites. It's cheap, flexible, and offers support 24-7.

Get your own hosting plan for just $2.49 a month!
Learn More

GET $625 IN FREE TRAVEL

Earn 50,000 travel rewards points (enough for 2 round-trip plane tickets or $625 in travel credit). You'll also earn 2x points on all travel and dining spend, with zero foreign transaction fees.

I use this card every day all over the world! ✈️ Learn More

Sponsors & Gratitude

Don't Do Business Without It

Side Hustle School is brought to you by American Express.

No matter what you do in business, from working nine-to-five to working five-to-nine, it’s easier when you don’t go it alone. Get the powerful backing of American Express—don't do business without it! 💳 Visit American Express

Like the Show? Leave a Rating!

Side Hustle School is for you! If you’re enjoying it, please take a quick moment to leave a rating or write a quick review. It's really easy and it makes a difference! ✅

It also makes a huge difference when you tell your friends about the show. Remember, it's 100% free and listener-supported.
Here's How

Keep in Touch

There’s a new story every single day on Side Hustle School. Episodes are produced to be short and to the point—I know you’re busy. Be sure you subscribe to get instant notification of the day’s broadcast!


To infinity and beyond,

Chris Guillebeau

Q&A: How can my tour business earn recurring revenue?

What It’s About

A listener from Spain needs advice on how to level-up their tour business.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1863

I hope your new month is starting off well!

I’m a big fan of walking tours. Whenever I visit a new place and I’m looking for a way to experience more of the city through the eyes of someone who lives there, a walking tour is often a great option. I’ve had really good experiences in places as different as Jakarta or Johanessburg.

Today’s caller is a tour operator who hosts visiting Americans and other tourists in Barcelona. Of course, travel has been off and on over the past couple of years, and it’s got him thinking: how can they diversify their income? Even better, not just diversify, but how might they earn recurring revenue?

“I live in Barcelona and have been slowly starting a tour business for visiting Americans and some Canadians. Of course, travel is not nearly what it was a few years ago, but I’m in it for the long-term. My hope is that in a year or two, I’ll be positioned to grow into a larger service.

However, as part of that, I’d really like to be working on some kind of recurring revenue. Operating a travel business during COVID has made it even more clear how important it would be to know I had a certain amount of money coming every month. Still, it seems a tour business would be difficult to turn into a subscription, right? Can you think of anything I could do to be less dependent on the cycle of incoming travelers? The revenue also varies because of the seasons, in addition to whatever else is happening.”

Listen to today’s episode to learn more…

 

 

SEE ALSO:

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

Yours in the revolution,

cg-sig-newsletter

Resources

GET $625 IN FREE TRAVEL

Earn 50,000 travel rewards points (enough for 2 round-trip plane tickets or $625 in travel credit). You'll also earn 2x points on all travel and dining spend, with zero foreign transaction fees.

I use this card every day all over the world! ✈️ Learn More

CREATE YOUR ONLINE STORE

Create your online store with Shopify using an exclusive discount for Side Hustle School listeners. For a limited time, get a free 21-day trial and a 10% discount for a whole year.

Many Side Hustle School listeners are building sites using Shopify's easy-to-learn platform. Try it free today! Learn More

Sponsors & Gratitude

Learn More With Skillshare!

Supporting the sponsors keeps the show free. Today’s episode of Side Hustle School is brought to you by Skillshare. 📷

Skillshare is giving Side Hustle School listeners 2 months of unlimited access—for $0.99! Join the 2 million students learning everything from street photography to SEO on Skillshare today!
Get Started Here!

Like the Show? Leave a Rating!

Side Hustle School is for you! If you’re enjoying it, please take a quick moment to leave a rating or write a quick review. It's really easy and it makes a difference! ✅

It also makes a huge difference when you tell your friends about the show. Remember, it's 100% free and listener-supported.


Here's How

Keep in Touch

There’s a new story every single day on Side Hustle School. Episodes are produced to be short and to the point—I know you’re busy. Be sure you subscribe to get instant notification of the day’s broadcast!


To infinity and beyond,

Chris Guillebeau

Q&A: How can I get med students to buy my flash cards?

What It’s About

Today’s caller needs a prescription on how to market their niche product.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1862

Today we’ve got an idea with a specific target market—or do we? Maybe we can make it even more specific.

This listener has made a set of flash cards to help med students memorize part of the body and other terminology. How can they sell more of them by reaching more potential customers?

Perhaps the answer is one-part marketing, one-part targeting.

“My hustle is a set of flash cards that use mnemonics and pictures to make it easier to memorize parts of the body, as well as specific conditions and other terminology that med students need to know. I’ve printed them and am doing some simple testing. The main thing I wonder is: how do I find and market to this particular audience? On the one hand, it seems like a big audience … but I just don’t know where to find them. Any ideas?”

Listen to today’s episode to learn more…

 

 

SEE ALSO:

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

Yours in the revolution,

cg-sig-newsletter

Resources

CREATE YOUR ONLINE STORE

Create your online store with Shopify using an exclusive discount for Side Hustle School listeners. For a limited time, get a free 21-day trial and a 10% discount for a whole year.

Many Side Hustle School listeners are building sites using Shopify's easy-to-learn platform. Try it free today! Learn More

GET YOUR FIRST 1,000 EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS

Social media is nice, but building an email list is still the single best way to get customers and clients for your hustle. It's not hard to get started—sign up for a 30-day trial and join the list-building challenge! You’ll be up and running in no time. Learn More

Sponsors & Gratitude

Don't Do Business Without It

Side Hustle School is brought to you by American Express.

No matter what you do in business, from working nine-to-five to working five-to-nine, it’s easier when you don’t go it alone. Get the powerful backing of American Express—don't do business without it! 💳 Visit American Express

Like the Show? Leave a Rating!

Side Hustle School is for you! If you’re enjoying it, please take a quick moment to leave a rating or write a quick review. It's really easy and it makes a difference! ✅

It also makes a huge difference when you tell your friends about the show. Remember, it's 100% free and listener-supported.
Here's How

Keep in Touch

There’s a new story every single day on Side Hustle School. Episodes are produced to be short and to the point—I know you’re busy. Be sure you subscribe to get instant notification of the day’s broadcast!


To infinity and beyond,

Chris Guillebeau

Failure Friday: “My Facebook page with 150,000 fans was taken over by hackers…”

What It’s About

Oh no! The story of one man’s journey to get back his hijacked Facebook page.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1861

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 Luke Lorick from South Carolina. We told the story of his Tailgating Challenge project on Episode #1746. He actually makes a few thousand dollars a month from a blog and review site about the sport of tailgating.

But guess what! Luke’s Facebook page with 150,000 followers was hacked. I had this problem myself too. Everything he says about Facebook not being helpful is absolutely true; it’s not just him.

So let’s hear the story from him along with the eventual resolution and an important reminder about updating your passwords. You need to hear this! Don’t let this happen to you.

Listen to today’s episode to learn more…

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

SEE ALSO:

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

Yours in the revolution,

cg-sig-newsletter

Resources

CREATE YOUR ONLINE STORE

Create your online store with Shopify using an exclusive discount for Side Hustle School listeners. For a limited time, get a free 21-day trial and a 10% discount for a whole year.

Many Side Hustle School listeners are building sites using Shopify's easy-to-learn platform. Try it free today! Learn More

GET YOUR FIRST 1,000 EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS

Social media is nice, but building an email list is still the single best way to get customers and clients for your hustle. It's not hard to get started—sign up for a 30-day trial and join the list-building challenge! You’ll be up and running in no time. Learn More

Sponsors & Gratitude

Don't Do Business Without It

Side Hustle School is brought to you by American Express.

No matter what you do in business, from working nine-to-five to working five-to-nine, it’s easier when you don’t go it alone. Get the powerful backing of American Express—don't do business without it! 💳 Visit American Express

Like the Show? Leave a Rating!

Side Hustle School is for you! If you’re enjoying it, please take a quick moment to leave a rating or write a quick review. It's really easy and it makes a difference! ✅

It also makes a huge difference when you tell your friends about the show. Remember, it's 100% free and listener-supported.
Here's How

Keep in Touch

There’s a new story every single day on Side Hustle School. Episodes are produced to be short and to the point—I know you’re busy. Be sure you subscribe to get instant notification of the day’s broadcast!


To infinity and beyond,

Chris Guillebeau

TBT: “Walking Dead” Sugar Cookies Provide Sustenance for Apocalypse

What It’s About

A sweet, apocalyptic update from a creator of TV-themed treats.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1860

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.

Recently, we’ve featured the founder of Not Your Mother’s Resumé, who doubled her business since we first featured her, as well as the co-founder of Australia’s leading dental blog, turning brushheads across the country.

Today, in our latest feature, we’ll hear from Carrie Buchanan, founder of the Bombshell Baking Company. Carrie is a full-time social worker who also earns up to $4,000 a weekend traveling to conventions selling her Walking Dead themed sugar cookies, among other concoctions.

What’s happened since we first featured her more than a thousand days ago? Let’s hear more from her. I’ll be back at the end to wrap us up.

Listen to today’s episode to hear Carrie’s updates…

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Thanks to Carrie for sharing her updates with us. The Bombshell Baking Co is on Facebook at facebook.com/bombshellcupcakesinfo.
  • You can also find her at your favorite Walking Dead convention.

 

SEE ALSO:

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

Yours in the revolution,

cg-sig-newsletter

Resources

CREATE YOUR ONLINE STORE

Create your online store with Shopify using an exclusive discount for Side Hustle School listeners. For a limited time, get a free 21-day trial and a 10% discount for a whole year.

Many Side Hustle School listeners are building sites using Shopify's easy-to-learn platform. Try it free today! Learn More

GET YOUR FIRST 1,000 EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS

Social media is nice, but building an email list is still the single best way to get customers and clients for your hustle. It's not hard to get started—sign up for a 30-day trial and join the list-building challenge! You’ll be up and running in no time. Learn More

Sponsors & Gratitude

Don't Do Business Without It

Side Hustle School is brought to you by American Express.

No matter what you do in business, from working nine-to-five to working five-to-nine, it’s easier when you don’t go it alone. Get the powerful backing of American Express—don't do business without it! 💳 Visit American Express

Like the Show? Leave a Rating!

Side Hustle School is for you! If you’re enjoying it, please take a quick moment to leave a rating or write a quick review. It's really easy and it makes a difference! ✅

It also makes a huge difference when you tell your friends about the show. Remember, it's 100% free and listener-supported.
Here's How

Keep in Touch

There’s a new story every single day on Side Hustle School. Episodes are produced to be short and to the point—I know you’re busy. Be sure you subscribe to get instant notification of the day’s broadcast!


To infinity and beyond,

Chris Guillebeau

Q&A: Should I sell guides for software application training?

What It’s About

Today’s listener wants to help with technical training. Should she hit save or move this idea to the trash?

Notes from Chris

Episode 1859

A listener in Ireland wonders about selling e-books or other tools to help users with software applications like Microsoft Word or Google Docs.

What does she need to know?

It’s a great question and one that can get a bunch of listeners thinking about a guide they can make. I feel very confident that I can provide some helpful intel for her and potentially you. Are you ready?

“Hi this is Anna from Ireland, I’ve been listening to show for nine months now. I’m enjoying listening to your podcast every week. I’m thinking about starting a side hustle by creating tutorials or guides to provide people with tips and shortcuts for using Microsoft Word. My question is do you think providing e-book guides or training in software application is a good side hustle. I’m referring particularly to apps such as Microsoft Word or Google Docs. Thanks and have a great day.”

Listen to today’s episode to learn more…

 

 

SEE ALSO:

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

Yours in the revolution,

cg-sig-newsletter

Resources

CREATE YOUR ONLINE STORE

Create your online store with Shopify using an exclusive discount for Side Hustle School listeners. For a limited time, get a free 21-day trial and a 10% discount for a whole year.

Many Side Hustle School listeners are building sites using Shopify's easy-to-learn platform. Try it free today! Learn More

GET YOUR FIRST 1,000 EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS

Social media is nice, but building an email list is still the single best way to get customers and clients for your hustle. It's not hard to get started—sign up for a 30-day trial and join the list-building challenge! You’ll be up and running in no time. Learn More

Sponsors & Gratitude

Don't Do Business Without It

Side Hustle School is brought to you by American Express.

No matter what you do in business, from working nine-to-five to working five-to-nine, it’s easier when you don’t go it alone. Get the powerful backing of American Express—don't do business without it! 💳 Visit American Express

Like the Show? Leave a Rating!

Side Hustle School is for you! If you’re enjoying it, please take a quick moment to leave a rating or write a quick review. It's really easy and it makes a difference! ✅

It also makes a huge difference when you tell your friends about the show. Remember, it's 100% free and listener-supported.
Here's How

Keep in Touch

There’s a new story every single day on Side Hustle School. Episodes are produced to be short and to the point—I know you’re busy. Be sure you subscribe to get instant notification of the day’s broadcast!


To infinity and beyond,

Chris Guillebeau

Online Resume Templates Scale Recruiter’s Expertise

What It’s About

Personalized resume templates found on Etsy! It’s not just for art anymore.

Words of Wisdom

Ana recalls the moment she knew how important her side hustle was, “realizing that I can get sales while being at the airport, or anyone else in the world, opened a world of possibilities.” 

Fun Fact

Ana got her first sale when she was about to board the plane to Azerbaijan for a belated honeymoon.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1858
Ana Čolak Fustin has spent her career helping others land their dream jobs. For her day job at a British-headquartered bank, she leads a team that helps employees make internal moves within the company. Working with professionals ranging from fresh graduates to experienced VPs, she makes sure that each person is able to demonstrate competence for a new role they’re hoping to land.

One of the things she discovered through her work was that most candidates struggled with crafting a resume that reflects their true qualifications. This was the case even with experienced candidates, which made Ana realize that almost everyone could use some help with a job search.

Her first thought was to become a coach—but while Googling competitors and reading about successful coaching businesses, she realized that she could do the same, at scale, with digital products. Resume templates weren’t a new thing, but after looking through most of the ones she could find online, Ana learned that most were overly designed and just wouldn’t cut it in corporate recruitment.

But of course, product is only the first step. Getting the distribution right is often just as difficult. Ana researched a few-commerce platforms ranging from eBay to RedBubble before finally deciding to go with Etsy. She thought it was the best choice even though Etsy was most well known as a marketplace for personalized art. Its huge audience of over 35 million buyers per year meant more organic traffic to her shop. Moreover, the selling fees on Etsy were also lower than other platforms. She was all set up to sell in just minutes.

Today, she sells up to 400 templates a month, which nets her an average of $2,500 in monthly side income. With over 6,000 products sold to customers from over 50 countries, it’s safe to say that she has done far more with digital products than she could have just selling her time as a job coach.

But the journey hasn’t always been easy. Ana was an expert in recruitment and job searching, but found herself struggling with new skills such as SEO, paid advertising, and social media marketing. It took more than a year to start having thousand-dollar months, but now she wakes up to sales notifications and feedback from customers who have used her templates to land new, higher-paying jobs.

Moving forward, her new year’s resolution for 2022 is to create a comprehensive coaching program for job seekers that will help them navigate their search strategically.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

SEE ALSO:

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

Yours in the revolution,

cg-sig-newsletter

Resources

WEB HOSTING @ $2.49/MONTH

Want to build any kind of website for your hustle? If so, you'll need somewhere to host it! This is the reliable company I've used for many websites. It's cheap, flexible, and offers support 24-7.

Get your own hosting plan for just $2.49 a month!
Learn More

GET $625 IN FREE TRAVEL

Earn 50,000 travel rewards points (enough for 2 round-trip plane tickets or $625 in travel credit). You'll also earn 2x points on all travel and dining spend, with zero foreign transaction fees.

I use this card every day all over the world! ✈️ Learn More

Quote of the Day
"Realizing that I can get sales while being at the airport, or anyone else in the world, opened a world of possibilities."
—Ana Čolak Fustin #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

Try ShipStation for 60 Days FREE!

Today’s episode of Side Hustle School is brought to you by ShipStation, the #1 choice of online sellers. 📦

To get a 30-day trial AND an additional month free, click the microphone at the top of their page and enter the word HUSTLE.
Get it Here

Like the Show? Leave a Rating!

Side Hustle School is for you! If you’re enjoying it, please take a quick moment to leave a rating or write a quick review. It's really easy and it makes a difference! ✅

It also makes a huge difference when you tell your friends about the show. Remember, it's 100% free and listener-supported.
Here's How

Keep in Touch

There’s a new story every single day on Side Hustle School. Episodes are produced to be short and to the point—I know you’re busy. Be sure you subscribe to get instant notification of the day’s broadcast!


To infinity and beyond,

Chris Guillebeau

First $1,000: “I knew I had to do SOMETHING…”

What It’s About

The money started flowing once he took a chance and decided to market.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1857

Welcome! 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 Jacob Ratliff. We first featured him back on Episode #1184: Digital Marketer Makes Money Marketing Himself. He now has a book out and is doing really well. But what about his first $1,000—how did he make that happen, what did it feel like, and what did he learn?

Listen to today’s episode to learn more…

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Thanks to Jacob for telling us about his first $1,000. I hope you found it encouraging. Check out his website at JacobRatliff.comor for a free copy of his new book (just pay $10 shipping), head to ClientAttractorBook.com.

SEE ALSO:

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

Yours in the revolution,

cg-sig-newsletter

Resources

WEB HOSTING @ $2.49/MONTH

Want to build any kind of website for your hustle? If so, you'll need somewhere to host it! This is the reliable company I've used for many websites. It's cheap, flexible, and offers support 24-7.

Get your own hosting plan for just $2.49 a month!
Learn More

GET $625 IN FREE TRAVEL

Earn 50,000 travel rewards points (enough for 2 round-trip plane tickets or $625 in travel credit). You'll also earn 2x points on all travel and dining spend, with zero foreign transaction fees.

I use this card every day all over the world! ✈️ Learn More

Sponsors & Gratitude

Don't Do Business Without It

Side Hustle School is brought to you by American Express.

No matter what you do in business, from working nine-to-five to working five-to-nine, it’s easier when you don’t go it alone. Get the powerful backing of American Express—don't do business without it! 💳 Visit American Express

Like the Show? Leave a Rating!

Side Hustle School is for you! If you’re enjoying it, please take a quick moment to leave a rating or write a quick review. It's really easy and it makes a difference! ✅

It also makes a huge difference when you tell your friends about the show. Remember, it's 100% free and listener-supported.
Here's How

Keep in Touch

There’s a new story every single day on Side Hustle School. Episodes are produced to be short and to the point—I know you’re busy. Be sure you subscribe to get instant notification of the day’s broadcast!


To infinity and beyond,

Chris Guillebeau

Q&A: “Buy almonds in one state, sell oranges in another…”

What It’s About

Today’s caller wants to take their reselling skills to a whole new level.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1856

Keep the creative ideas coming! Yesterday we heard about airline elite status … today brings something new.

When we talk about arbitrage, we’re not usually talking about agricultural products—but this listener is! Can they buy almonds in California and oranges in Florida, and then sell each one in the opposite state??

Sounds fun, but as you imagine, it also sounds like a lot of work…

“I’ve always been interested in the concept of arbitrage, especially when you buy something and immediately resell it at a higher price without holding onto any inventory. These days there are lots of opportunities for digital arbitrage with cryptocurrency and NFTs, but those seem risky to me. I’d like to do it with old-school agriculture products, as in actual commodities like almonds from California or oranges from Florida.

Instead of just trading commodities on a stock exchange, I want to actually buy the almonds or whatever. It might sound difficult, but I’ve heard of people making tens of thousands of dollars doing this with Christmas trees, so I figure there have to be other markets. What are the risks and opportunities here, and how can I learn more?”

Listen to today’s episode to learn more…

 

 

SEE ALSO:

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

Yours in the revolution,

cg-sig-newsletter

Resources

GET $625 IN FREE TRAVEL

Earn 50,000 travel rewards points (enough for 2 round-trip plane tickets or $625 in travel credit). You'll also earn 2x points on all travel and dining spend, with zero foreign transaction fees.

I use this card every day all over the world! ✈️ Learn More

CREATE YOUR ONLINE STORE

Create your online store with Shopify using an exclusive discount for Side Hustle School listeners. For a limited time, get a free 21-day trial and a 10% discount for a whole year.

Many Side Hustle School listeners are building sites using Shopify's easy-to-learn platform. Try it free today! Learn More

Sponsors & Gratitude

Learn More With Skillshare!

Supporting the sponsors keeps the show free. Today’s episode of Side Hustle School is brought to you by Skillshare. 📷

Skillshare is giving Side Hustle School listeners 2 months of unlimited access—for $0.99! Join the 2 million students learning everything from street photography to SEO on Skillshare today!
Get Started Here!

Like the Show? Leave a Rating!

Side Hustle School is for you! If you’re enjoying it, please take a quick moment to leave a rating or write a quick review. It's really easy and it makes a difference! ✅

It also makes a huge difference when you tell your friends about the show. Remember, it's 100% free and listener-supported.


Here's How

Keep in Touch

There’s a new story every single day on Side Hustle School. Episodes are produced to be short and to the point—I know you’re busy. Be sure you subscribe to get instant notification of the day’s broadcast!


To infinity and beyond,

Chris Guillebeau

Q&A: Get paid to earn airline status for busy executives?

What It’s About

Is this idea ready for takeoff … or stuck on the tarmac?

Notes from Chris

Episode 1855

Today’s caller describes his business idea as being “truly up in the air.” Like me, he’s all about airline status. I used fly 300,000+ miles a year. These days, it’s much less, but I still follow the world of travel hacking at least somewhat.

Our caller will tell you more about his business idea. It’s my job to offer some feedback that might be helpful to him, and also insightful to others.

That’s because these questions are a proxy for our global community of people who want to create extra income. If you learn the skill of generating valuable ideas, that skill can serve you for life. Part of that process is being able to identify a target market, a clear product or service, and a way to monetize the connection between the two.

“I have a business idea that’s truly up in the air. I want to help earn airline elite status for executives who travel a lot, but not enough to qualify for the top-tier Platinum levels. I’ve got some experience in doing this, including some strategies that are black-hat or that I just wouldn’t talk about for competitive reasons. My pitch is: ‘For $500 I can help you get Global Services with United Airlines or Concierge Key with American Airlines.’

These are levels that are otherwise very difficult to achieve. For the right person, $500 is definitely worth it. But my problem is I want to stay under the radar of the airlines (I know they won’t like this) while also reaching my target market. How can I accomplish this tricky objective?”

Listen to today’s episode to learn more…

 

 

SEE ALSO:

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

Yours in the revolution,

cg-sig-newsletter

Resources

CREATE YOUR ONLINE STORE

Create your online store with Shopify using an exclusive discount for Side Hustle School listeners. For a limited time, get a free 21-day trial and a 10% discount for a whole year.

Many Side Hustle School listeners are building sites using Shopify's easy-to-learn platform. Try it free today! Learn More

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To infinity and beyond,

Chris Guillebeau