Archives: Podcast

Nurse Quits Job for Six-Figure Parenting Blog

What It’s About

A former nurse and busy mother gives birth to a successful parenting blog.

Words of Wisdom

Hilary suggests “keeping the day job and simply dipping your toe into your side hustle to see if you like it. If you find you’re passionate about it, invest more time and maybe go down to part-time at work. Just make sure you really like your side hustle before you go all in!”

Fun Fact

In the United States, the average number of daily births in 2020 was 4.06% lower than in 2019, dropping from 10,267 births per day to 9,850 births per day. [Source]

Notes from Chris

Episode 1844
Hilary Erickson was passionate about her work as a nurse. But she loved writing too. She even enjoyed doing reports at nursing school…which most people can’t stand—even when she was criticized for the creative way she wrote them. (Apparently they’re supposed to be standardized.)

So when she discovered blogging in the prehistoric year of 2005, it seemed like a natural fit. Hilary began writing about family health and pregnancy, topics she knew about as a labor and delivery nurse.

Her blog, Pulling Curls, was all about family life. She chose the name because life was making her pull her curls in frustration. In addition to her work as a nurse, she was also a mom of three.

So in addition to writing about family health, she added posts on home organization and setting routines. In short, Pulling Curls was a self-described “mom blog” with the mission to help families create confident, simple lives.

Hilary started placing ads on her blog using Google Adsense and later BlogHer. She was bringing in some income but wanted more readers. In 2014, she began using Pinterest to grow her audience. That meant writing blog posts about a specific problem she could create a pin for and then drive readers to her blog.

The strategy worked and she moved to better ad networks, which brought in more money. She also uses affiliate links and has developed close relationships with some companies.

But straight up blogging isn’t all Hilary does. She’s used her vast experience as a nurse to develop several online courses….including an online prenatal course for couples. The course provides three hours of everything you need to know about labor, delivery, postpartum and newborn care. Since expectant parents are busy, they can go through the material on demand with no deadline.

Since 2015, Hilary has helped 4,000 couples prepare for the birth of their child, a number she never could’ve reached if she’d been teaching couples offline.

Hilary also has an online course called The Organized Home and one called Family Systems. The courses build upon subjects she covered on the blog…and the blog works to drive customers to the courses.

As if she wasn’t doing enough, Hilary also started a weekly podcast where she shares tips from other health professionals such as chiropractors and physical therapists, as well as personal updates.

Between the blog, her courses, and the podcast, Hilary earned about $280,000 in 2020. When you break it down, 22% of her income came from ads, 12% came from affiliate sales, 1-2% from miscellaneous projects, and 65% from her courses.

Hilary finally took the leap to full-time self-employment and left nursing last year. She had held off going all in on the business for many years but loves all the options she has now… most of all, she’s thrilled at the huge difference she’s made by helping thousands of families prepare for their baby’s arrival.

She plans to keep updating the courses and nurturing the community. It’s been working very well so far!

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Learn more about Hilary and check out her blog and courses at, PullingCurls.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

Quote of the Day
"Keep the day job and simply dip your toe into your side hustle to see if you like it. Just make sure you really like your side hustle before you go all in!"
—Hilary Erickson #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: “Beekeeping is forced zen: be present or get stung!”

What It’s About

A sweet story with a buzzworthy lesson.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1843

As we enter Season 6 of Side Hustle School, naturally we’re looking for ways to evolve and bring more helpful, insightful, and interesting content to you—all within the constraint of a brief daily episode, because I know you’re busy.

Today’s episode is part of a new feature we’re doing in 2022 called Origins or ‘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.

Also, fun fact: you’re a lot more motivated at that point! Making money feels encouraging.

Last week we heard from the creator of Metaphor Dice, the writing tool that plays like a game and helps you think more figuratively. Today’s first $1,000 feature comes from Frank Mortimer in New Jersey. We first featured him back on Episode #1597: “Bee Man of New Jersey” Buzzes Into Money Hive.

His business is turning $5 bills into $20 bills, as he’ll explain. Much better than going the other way!

Listen to today’s episode to learn more…

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Thanks to Frank for telling us about his origins story of turning $5 bills into $20 bills. The next time you find yourself selling honey at a farmer’s market, be sure to bring a tent and sunscreen, as well as plenty of spoons for tasting.I hope you found it interesting. Check out his website at FranktheBeeMan.com. His book, Bee People and the Bugs They Love… is really buzzworthy..

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: Should I hire a designer or do it myself?

What It’s About

Today’s caller wants to know if it’s more valuable to hire a freelancer do it themself.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1842

When should you hire a designer and when should you “just get it done” on your own? In this listener’s case, she’s really not sure—so let’s see if we can help her make the decision.

Naturally, in some cases the answer is one way and in others it’s the other, but there’s an easy question you can ask yourself that should make it very clear.

Our caller today makes and sells watercolors of pets, especially golden retrievers. Who doesn’t want a framed watercolor of a golden retriever above their mantle?

Anyway, listen to her question and consider what you might need help with.

“I’ve been trying to make my own website, and it’s been a struggle. I bought a bunch of books including WordPress for Dummies, but maybe I need a remedial course first! Should I just go out and hire someone who knows what they’re doing? I really like the idea of learning myself along the way, but not if it’s going to hold me back for months. Help! “

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: “The Super Mario Bros. civil war reenactment…”

What It’s About

Today’s caller wants to put a twist on the live reenactment market. Can they level up?

Notes from Chris

Episode 1841

Today’s caller has an idea to remix a historical event for a new generation. They’re going to describe it better than I could—my job is to offer feedback and how it might work, practically speaking, and specifically through the lens of a moneymaking project.

Someone asked the other day if we feature other ideas or non-moneymaking projects … and the answer is no. I’m trying to focus specifically on economic empowerment.

There are lots of great projects, but when you’re trying to improve your economic situation, you need to make more money. So that’s the lens we use to decide on which case studies and listener questions to feature.

“You’ve heard of civil war reenactments—well, I’ve got something much better. I want to recreate classic video game battles. Imagine playing as Mario in a real life scenario where you have to go through the castle and defeat Bowser. Or picture yourself as Link from the Legend of Zelda, slashing your way through the Lost Woods to assemble the pieces of the Triforce and eventually challenge Gannon. You get the idea—there could be other examples. What do you think of this as a business idea? And would I get in trouble with using the images of these characters? I’m sure there are some challenges, but we need to rescue the princess!”

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: “We spent countless hours making videos no one watched…”

What It’s About

Don’t make something that people don’t want!

Notes from Chris

Episode 1840

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 Amelia Dalphonse, co-owner of Master ABA. The business helps families, teachers and professionals learn the skills they need to help children with autism. We heard more about Amelia (and her twin sister Dianna Kelly) on Episode #1480: Behavior Analyst Creates Resources for Parents and Teachers.

Amelia’s going to tell us about an idea they had that they went all-in on … and it wasn’t something that their audience at the time actually wanted. I’ve been there! I’ve done it too. It reminds me of last week’s story, which was a totally different challenge—the one of complacency—but also one I related to. That’s why I love this series, because it’s so relatable.

Listen to today’s episode to learn more…

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Thanks to Amelia for sharing this transparent and truthful story. Check out her website at masteraba.com . There are lots of resources for parents, teachers, and professionals who work with kids with autism. (And if that’s not you, keep them in mind in case you know someone who might benefit.)

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: Prize Fighter Leaves Ring for Soulful CBD Sales

What It’s About

An anxiety relieving update from a former boxer throwing punches in the CBD industry.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1839

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 the young founder of a Florida tutoring business that now has 25 staff tutors. She does this while working full time as an aerospace engineer!

Today, in our latest feature, we’ll hear from Mike Lee, the co-founder of Soul CBD. After a successful boxing career, Mike hung up his gloves to enter the small business arena. In his words, he’s glad to pursue a passion that doesn’t involve getting beat up!

What’s happened since?

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

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Thanks to Mike for sharing their updates with us. Check out their website at mysoulcbd.com Let’s give him some positive ROAS—which shouldn’t be hard, since no one pays for placement here.

 

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: “An old-school magazine about old-school businesses…”

What It’s About

Does an old-school media format have timeless profit potential?

Notes from Chris

Episode 1838

What are your favorite magazines—or what were they?

These days the only magazine I read consistently is the New Yorker. It’s also the only magazine I subscribe to in print. In the dinosaur years I had a lot of magazine subscriptions and it was always fun when new issues showed up at the house.

Aside from the New Yorker, for me every subscription I have now is digital.

But our caller misses the days of print! They want to start an old-school magazine about old-school business. They’ll explain more, but in short, what we’re looking at is the business model of this potential business magazine.

“I’d like to start a magazine—and I don’t mean a digital one. I’m thinking old-school, print-only, with just a very minimal web presence. My topic is ‘advertising and business advice from the 1930s-1940s.’ I know it might sound crazy, but I actually think there’s a market for this, and I definitely want to do it this way—print-only and sell it through the mail. I imagine relationships with distributors and a grassroots network of supporters. My friends say I’m behind the times. Can you settle the bet for us?”

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

Lifelong Toy Car Fan Becomes Mega Dealer

What It’s About

These vintage toy cars sell for grown-up money.

Words of Wisdom

Dave share some important advice, “Don’t be afraid to ask stupid questions. You may get laughed at, but you may also get a golden opportunity that anyone else could have had if they had only asked!”

Fun Fact

For Dave, toy cars are truly a lifelong passion – he has been playing with them even before he learned how to walk.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1837
For Dave Gilbert, collecting toy cars has been a lifelong obsession. Even before he could take his first steps, infant Dave was already pushing around a gold 1959 tin Cadillac. There was just something about scale model cars that fascinated him, and this interest persisted many decades later even as he neared retirement.

But it wasn’t until 2018 that it turned into something more.

During the funeral of his brother-in-law, one of the attendees was sharing about how he had lost his uncle recently, who had left behind an entire basement of toy cars. When Dave heard that the collection would most likely end up in a dumpster, he immediately introduced himself and offered his condolences—before offering to help liquidate the entire collection.

Although those toy cars didn’t belong to him, he couldn’t bear to see them go to waste. Introductions were made, and two days later, Dave found himself standing in front of a basement looking at a treasure trove of vintage toy cars. He offered $1,200 for the whole collection, not being sure of their true value, but suspecting it was at least that much. To his surprise, the owner of the stash immediately agreed.

On the way home, Dave started to regret his decision. All he had wanted was to keep a portion of the collection for himself and to sell the rest off to recoup his expenses, but he worried he might not make any money at all. Still, after picking out the toy cars that he wanted to add to his collection, Dave began the huge task of listing the others on eBay.

He was dreading this task because of the sheer amount of work that was involved, but it turned out that selling toy cars was actually fun. Each time a notification from ebay arrived that said “you’ve got money,” he felt a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. Unable to deny the dopamine rush, Dave started thinking more about selling cars and less about collecting them. It didn’t hurt that by the time he’d finished shipping out the last item from his first collection, he’d turned in a $10,000 profit.

With the gears turning, Dave reached out to several manufacturers and distributors. This quickly turned into shipments from Italy, Germany, and China, which Dave was able to resell pretty quickly on ebay. The next turning point came when he realised that ebay fees were eating heavily into margins.

Having his own store was essential because Dave wanted to control the look and feel of the customer experience, and the easiest way for him to do that was to start his own Shopify site. A quick Google search told him that the domain toycargeek.com was available, so he snapped it up.

Today, sales have crossed six figures annually. While Dave is happy that his collecting hobby has grown further than he could have ever imagined, he doesn’t intend to scale the business any further to the point where he would need employees.

The additional income is comfortable enough for his golden years, and to go further would turn his lifelong passion into something that is more akin to work, which is the last thing he wants at this point.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Learn more about Dave and check out his online dealership at, ToyCarGeek.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

Quote of the Day
"Don’t be afraid to ask stupid questions. You may get laughed at, but you may also get a golden opportunity that anyone else could have had if they had only asked!"
—Dave Gilbert #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 had to spend $20,000 to make $1,000…”

What It’s About

A teacher rolls the dice and produces a poetic product.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1836

As we enter Season 6 of Side Hustle School, naturally we’re looking for ways to evolve and bring more helpful, insightful, and interesting content to you—all within the constraint of a brief daily episode, because I know you’re busy.

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.

Last week we heard from Deya Aliaga Kuhnle, who encouraged you to think of your future self when you’re starting your side hustle. Your future self will thank you for the time and energy you invest now.

Today’s feature comes from Taylor Mali. We first featured his story back on Episode #1214: Writing Teacher Rolls Dice On Metaphor Game. That’s what he sells: the writing tool that plays like a game. Specifically, it’s a poetry prompt generator that helps writers of all levels think and write more figuratively.

So again, this segment is about someone’s first $1,000—how did he make that happen, what did it feel like, and what did he learn?

Let’s hear it from Taylor. I’ll be back at the end to wrap us up, and to tell you about a contest he’s running where he’s going to pay out his first $1,000! Or at least something close …

Listen to today’s episode to learn more…

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Thanks to Taylor for telling us about his first $1,000. I hope you found it encouraging and honest. Check out his website at MetaphorDice.com or go directly to his new contest at MetaphorDice.Submittable.com.As you heard, the Golden Die Contest will award a prize of $1,000 to the best poem written using Metaphor Dice.

SEE ALSO:

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

Yours in the revolution,

cg-sig-newsletter

Resources

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Sponsors & Gratitude

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To infinity and beyond,

Chris Guillebeau

Q&A: What if a company hires you and doesn’t pay up??

What It’s About

Today’s caller to help a friend who didn’t get paid for their work. Show them the money!

Notes from Chris

Episode 1835

It’s kind of a nightmare scenario: to work on something important and not get paid for it. And of course I mean in a situation where you’re expecting to get paid.

After a freelancer friend had a negative experience working for a company and being stiffed on the bill, our caller wants to make sure this doesn’t happen to him. What can he do to be proactive about invoicing and collecting payment?

Let’s see if we can help him out!

I’ll also say right up front that while it’s important to pay attention to, I don’t think you should let this concern hold you back from getting started. Whenever you ask, “What could go wrong?” it’s also good to ask, “What could do well?”

“A friend of mine did some work for a company and didn’t get paid. In retrospect, it seems like they took advantage of her, but she also didn’t have a clear contract and only had verbal authorization from one person who’s no longer at the company. I want to start offering design services to startups, and naturally I’d like to avoid this. I also don’t want to spend a lot of time chasing down invoices, however. Is there a way to protect myself and keep things simple for everyone involved?”

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