Archives: Podcast

Product Manager Starts “Airbnb for Dungeons and Dragons”

What It’s About

A Dungeon Master levels-up with a marketplace for fellow gamers.

Words of Wisdom

Devon offers important advice for those stuck on an idea: “Figure out your minimum viable product. You don’t need to do everything at first. Secondly, quit stalling and just start!”

Fun Fact

Tabletop role-playing games go well beyond Dungeons and Dragons. There’s a game for everyone, from Buffy The Vampire slayer through to Mad Men.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1690
Devon Chulick makes his living helping people battle monsters, cast powerful spells, embark on fantastical adventures, and even slay the occasional dragon. But no, he’s not been cast as the new lead in a Netflix series—he’s a Games Master.

You see, Devon is a huge fan of tabletop roleplaying games like Dungeons and Dragons. He’s been playing them on and off for most of his life. If you’re not familiar with the concept, these games are a little like board games … just without the board. When players roll the dice they move the narrative forward and have to cooperate with other players to get towards the end goal.

A game usually lasts two to three hours, with an average of four to six players. Games Masters like Devon are one-part storyteller, one-part game referee. They make sure the game moves along as it should. In his case, Devon got into it as a way to unwind from his busy work as a Product Manager. He quickly found he had a skill for it, and he wasn’t the only one who noticed. Soon, he was being asked to host games for other players who wanted an experienced Games Master at the helm. As his weeknights began to fill up with exciting adventures, Devon began to ask himself the all-important question: would people pay for this?

After nearly two years of hosting games, he made his move. With a budget of $100, he made a simple website with a booking form. He settled on prices of between $25 and $45 per person, depending on the demands of the game. It was enough to justify his time but also keep the games accessible to players. When the site was ready to go, he shared it on local forums.

It turned out lots of people were open to the idea of paying for a professional Games Master to run their games. In fact, the demand was so high, that within just a few months Devon was earning $2,000 a month from hosting them. After he built some initial momentum from referrals, many of his customers found him organically through Google searches.

The owners make money by taking a 10% fee from each of the transactions, a figure they decided on by looking at similar business models from AirBnB and Fiverr. Accessibility remains important, as they didn’t want the price of using the service to get in the way of playing games.

So far, Startplaying.games has brought in a combined $500,000 since launch. Devon has also been able to quit his day job and focus on the project full-time.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Learn more about Devon and join a role-playing-game online at his website, Startplaying.games.

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
"Figure out your minimum viable product. You don’t need to do everything at first. Secondly, quit stalling and just start!"
—Devon Chulick #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

Q&A: “My sister made $5,000 but feels guilty…”

What It’s About

Today’s caller wants to know if it’s ok to be successful.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1689

When I started this podcast, I knew I wanted to talk about all kinds of issues related to part-time entrepreneurship—anything that would be relevant for someone getting into this world for the first time.

Something that I learned pretty quickly is that it’s not just practical or logistical issues that our listeners have to deal with. There are all sorts of emotional or psychological issues that come up as well.

I feel overwhelmed.

I feel like I’m not giving my best.

I worry that if I take time for myself, I’m taking it away from my family.

All of these things we’ve discussed in some detail—but today’s listener brings up something from a different perspective. I don’t want to give it all away, so let’s hear from her directly.

“Here’s a question I don’t think you’ve ever talked about. My sister has started an art restoration service, where she cleans up old paintings and antique furniture. It’s a lot of painstaking work that has to be done carefully and delicately, so it takes a lot of time. Since she started the service, she’s had three referrals to well-off clients and has made $5,000. So far so good, right? But here’s the thing: she feels guilty about it! She says it’s a form of capitalism that only rich people can participate in, and even though she loves art, she’d rather do something to make it more accessible. I told her there’s nothing wrong with charging people for a valuable service. What would you tell her?”

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

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

ESL Teacher Resells Furniture for Big Profits

What It’s About

A teacher flips furniture for future financial freedom.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Danielle suggests to pull up a chair and learn from others, both in the entrepreneurial space and with your specific niche: “Connect with your local entrepreneurial community if possible. Be willing to play with ideas, talk about them, and get as much feedback as possible. Ask people a LOT of questions. Go to the experts. I have had meetings with lawyers, accountants, professional upholstery cleaners, antique shop owners, just to learn as much as I could about anything related to my side hustle.”

Fun Fact

The office chair was first invented by the famed naturalist Charles Darwin in the early 1840s. As he worked on his research, he became frustrated with how much he had to maneuver around his workspace, so he attached legs and wheels to an armchair to be able to better access his specimens. [source]

Notes from Chris

Episode 1688
When Danielle Winton bought her first home in November of 2020, she wanted it to look like it could be in a magazine.

The problem was, she was starting with limited furniture, only owning a bedroom set, a desk, and two barstools. And, she didn’t even have a place for the barstools, so those didn’t really count. To make a little extra money, she decided to sell them.

Danielle originally bought the barstools for $15 on Facebook Marketplace. Hoping to earn a little extra money, she listed them for $45. They sold without delay, and Danielle was surprised how fast she had made $30!

She figured that she could do it again, and decided to buy more pieces. One of her favorite early finds was an old, outdated orange table. Danielle bought it for 25 cents, painted it white and grey, staged it, and sold it on Facebook Marketplace for $50. That’s a profit margin of 99.50%!

From there, Danielle was hooked. It was like she had found Aladdin’s lamp. She loved the process of finding good deals, transforming pieces, and making sales, especially as she made more and more money from them.

As she went along, she reinvested into her business to buy more furniture, restoration tools and even her own website, WintonFurnishing.com. She made the website about six months after starting, mainly as a source of credibility for her brand. She knew from personal experience that when people had a website, it meant that they were serious about providing a high quality product.

The website links to her Facebook Marketplace, which is where she still spends the majority of her energy. However, she has also experimented with selling on other platforms including Craigslist, Ebay, Nextdoor, and something called Chairish. After starting in November, Danielle has already worked up to earning more than $5,000 a month from her business.

She says that one of the main factors in building her income was investing in storage units for the furniture. That way, she was better able to acquire a larger pool of inventory, rather than be limited by the space she had in her home to store the pieces.

Danielle focuses mainly on selling around her area, in mid-Missouri. Over time, she hopes to build a larger network of shoppers, drivers and virtual assistants all over the state! She still teaches a few ESL classes, but her focus is on furniture.

 

 

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

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

Quote of the Day
" Be willing to play with ideas, talk about them, and get as much feedback as possible. Ask people a LOT of questions."
—Danielle Winton #SideHustleSchool

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 make a course delivered by text messages?

What It’s About

Today’s caller wants to launch a course through text messaging. What should they know?

Notes from Chris

Episode 1687

In case you missed it, I recently launched a new course called Idea to Income that’s delivered entirely through SMS, also known as text messaging … and apparently it’s got some of my listeners thinking. Good for you! I want to show you how to do things like this so that you can do them as well.

How can you put together a text messaging course? How should it be structured and can you manage it technically? There are a few different aspects to this. I’ll try to be concise and give you the most important points.

“I saw that you’re making a course that delivers daily lessons through text messaging. That looks cool, and I’d like to try doing it myself. My idea is to teach parenting tips through a series of audio messages and prompts. How did you put yours together, and what did you learn along the way?”

Listen to today’s episode to learn more…

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Authoritive: the company I used to launch my recent course via text.

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: Ice Glass Event Business Melts Down

What It’s About

Even a product as cool as this can struggle in the heat.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1686

Can you imagine your money literally melting away? As I listened to this story that you’ll hear today, I had a memory from 2011 come to mind….

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 we’re starting 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.

I applaud their courage! I’ll share some of my failure stories along the way as well.

Today’s short story features Glenn Auerbach from Minneapolis, Minnesota. We told the successful story of his nICE Mug project on Episode #867, where a visit to the outdoor sauna in the midst of a Minnesota winter inspires a mug made from ice that has sold over 4,000 units.

But they had some struggles along the way. Let’s hear from them about one of those struggles…

Listen to today’s episode to learn more…

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • I’m really grateful to Glenn for helping us with this segment. Check out his website at nICEMug.com or follow along on social at @nicemug.

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: Small 3D Printing Site Competes With Etsy

What It’s About

An update from a 3D printing, cosplay costume fabricator.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1685

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 co-founder of Dig Dates, a dating app for dog lovers. They’ve recently rolled out a cat companion app as well!

Today, in our latest feature, we’ll hear from Nikko Mendoza. We first told his story in Ep. #977: 3D Printing Brings Cosplay Into 21st Century. He’s since expanded his business in lots of ways—in fact, I had a hard time editing his update for his here just because he’s involved in so many things, and I try to focus on these a little. But as someone who also has a lot of projects, I respect the hustle!

What’s happened since?

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

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • I’m really grateful to Nikko for helping us with this segment. Check out his website at NikkoIndustries.com or his popular YouTube channel—just search for Nikko Industries. .

 

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: How to launch a set of unique enamel pins?

What It’s About

Today’s listener makes and sells one-of-a-kind art for a premium price. How can she expand with a set of lower-cost pins?

Notes from Chris

Episode 1684

A business requires three things: a product or service, a customer, and a way to exchange money for the product or service. The last one is the easiest, so that leaves product and customer. Do you choose to focus first on the product, and then think about who the customer is, or the other way around?

Well, it’s kind of a trick question, because either approach can be right—they just require a different process.

Let’s look at this in the real world.

Today’s listener makes enamel pins with brain imagery on them. These pins are loved by neuroscientists and other professionals who work with the brain—but how can she break into the larger wholesale market?

“Hi, Chris, this is Laura Bundesen from western Massachusetts, and I’ve been listening to the show for about two years, I’ve been side hustling as an artist specializing in brain imagery for over six years, and I’m going full-time next month. My question is, what is the most effective way of launching my enamel brained pins wholesale and getting them into the right hands at museum and hospital gift shops nationally? The pins are high-quality enamel designed by me, manufactured in China. They are loved by neuroscientists, neurologists, psychologists and others who work with the brain, or people who have brain injuries or illnesses. I’ve thought about emailing links and sending samples and fun and different packaging. Or I’m also wondering if I should go the more traditional route of the big expensive gifts show. Thanks so much for all you do to help all of us out here. It’s invaluable.”

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

Designer Makes Magnificent Menswear

What It’s About

A new mom becomes a freelance designer for men’s apparel.

Words of Wisdom

Amy has some advice for those thinking about trying a similar professional path: “When I was deciding to do my own thing I looked around for examples of people like me, who were doing it because they felt like they needed to. You can be happy striking out on your own and create the work life balance you need, even if it’s not a future you ever saw for yourself.”

Fun Fact

The sports apparel market was valued at $167.7 billion in 2018. That’s a lot of jackets! [source]

Notes from Chris

Episode 1683
Amy Barnhart never aspired to work for herself or even start a side hustle. As a menswear designer for Tommy Bahamas, she liked the security of working for a large company.

Or at least, that was the case until she had her first child. The fast paced environment of the big brand world had its advantages, but they quickly evaporated once Amy became a parent. What she really wanted in place of a steady paycheck and corporate lunches was more free time and autonomy.

She tried to switch to a part time role, but it soon became apparent that wasn’t an option. So instead, she did something bold… she took a leap of faith, quit her job, and began a quest to make a living freelancing in the menswear industry.

To create the list of prospects she looked at trade show exhibitor lists and scoured Instagram. She’d browse the pages of menswear companies she’d liked in the past and look at suggested accounts that were similar to their brands.

Another key point: she avoided big brands. Instead, she targeted “direct to consumer” companies who were either just starting out or early on in their journey.

Amy found that for every ten emails she sent, she’d receive a few responses. For those in the know, this is an incredible response rate which Amy puts down to choosing targeted prospects and creating custom emails for each one. In other words, mass, generic emails don’t work!

Over the next year, Amy realized she actually liked running her own business. It surprised her, considering she’d never thought about it before having her baby. But she liked it in ways that didn’t only relate to the original goals of flexibility and free time as a new parent.

Fast forward to today, and Amy doesn’t need to cold email anymore, since she gets enough business through word of mouth. So much so that she makes a consistent income working only ten hours per week. She’s gone from being an employee, to a parent, to her own boss and 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

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
"You can be happy striking out on your own and create the work life balance you need, even if it’s not a future you ever saw for yourself."
—Amy Barnhart #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

Q&A: Is there a better way to offer discounts to customers?

What It’s About

Today’s caller seeks feedback regarding their sale strategy.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1682

One of the most effective things you can do to inspire buyers to take action is offer a discount or have a sale. Some businesses publish sale prices by default. If you go into a department store, for example, you might notice that just about everything is on sale!

Today’s caller is seeking advice on managing the discount process. Her side hustle is growing, and she’s using a smart strategy of offering a discount after the first purchase.

But she’s worried about the bookkeeping process … we’ll leave it to her to explain more.

“Hi, Chris, my name is Shazlin and I’m an artist based in Toronto, Canada. I’ve been listening to your podcast since 2018 and I have to thank you for helping me launch my side hustle. My question is about discounts for repeat customers. I sell my artwork on my Squarespace website. When customers share their purchases and tag me on Instagram, they get a one-time discount on their next purchase. I currently keep track of them in an Excel sheet and the discounts are applied as refunds after payments are completed. But my sales are increasing and I worry I might overlook a customer who tagged me. I also feel giving discounts in the form of refunds is inefficient. Is there a better way to do this? Thanks. And I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this.”

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

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

Management Consultants Create Travel-Themed Digital Art

What It’s About

Two friends missing travel during lockdown launch travel inspired art products.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Christine and Emily offer some great advice regarding the intentionality needed creating content: “Content strategy is important: people follow you for the content that you provide. When posting something on social media always think about how this is relevant for the customer. For instance, when we post a picture of our new painting, we always include travel recommendations for the customer so that this post isn’t solely to show off our work, but also to provide value for the customers.”

Fun Fact

A semester abroad in college not only formed the basis of Wandercolors, but was also what brought Emily and Christine together as good friends.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1681
When Christine Chen and Emily Liu graduated from university, the two friends both landed jobs in management consulting. The jobs required them to work in a structured and logical manner. However, their shared passion for art left them wanting an outlet where their creative side could flourish, and they spent time talking about what it could be.

They experimented with freelance graphic design and selling acrylic paintings and stickers, but nothing stuck. This went on for a while until COVID lockdowns began, and the duo finally found an idea that they were excited about.

Because of the restrictions, travel was impossible, and they soon started seeing their friends post throwback photos of student exchange on Instagram. This made them look back at their own photos. The digital albums brought back great memories, especially since they’d spent four months together in France on their semester abroad.

As they laughed and reminisced (on FaceTime?), they realized that a lot of people were missing travel. It hit them that there could potentially be others who wanted digital paintings of inspiring places, perhaps ones that they hoped to visit when they could.

Of course, many people decorate their house with landscapes. Emily and Christine, however, thought that these paintings would hold a lot more meaning if they were memories of actual experiences. This belief formed the basis of what would become a travel-themed digital art business called Wandercolors.

They were then discovered by HGTV, a media channel focused on home improvement, and had their artwork showcased on some of their shows. These moments of publicity drove a significant number of sales, and they eventually began experimenting with paid Instagram and Facebook ads as well. Lastly, they were featured by BuzzFeed as a top Asian-owned brand to support.

Naturally, Emily and Christine achieved all this without quitting their day jobs. Startup costs were under $2,000, with much of that cost going towards two iPads. Today, they’re averaging $750 a month through the sales of artwork on their site as well as commissioned paintings from customers who want something more customised.

The real joy comes not only from the additional income, but from knowing that their creations live in the spaces of customers all over the world—whether it’s an album cover for a New York based singer on Spotify or icon designs for a Montreal-based storage startup.

Next, they’re looking at partnering with nonprofits to support causes such as stopping racial hate and encouraging sustainability.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Check out Emily and Christine’s beautiful travel inspired artwork at their website, Wandercolors.

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

Quote of the Day
"Never underestimate what other social media channels can do for your brand."
—Christine and Emily #SideHustleSchool

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