Archives: Podcast

Q&A: Can you sell a “home office in-a-box” kit?

What It’s About

Today’s caller is wondering if working from home is here to stay.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1558

One year ago, we were in peak COVID Phase One. Lockdown had started in the U.S. and travel had dropped to 5% of the daily totals from the previous year and we were all getting used to what became a new normal.

I was getting ready to launch The Money Tree, a book I was very happy about. I had to change all my plans and I still haven’t been able to tour.

If you haven’t checked out the book yet, please do. It’s the story of finding a fortune in your own backyard, my first fiction book but it’s teaching along the way. One reader said they read the book and began applying the lessons right away, and had already earned $1,000 from it.

In today’s episode, we hear from a listener who has an idea to sell a home office in a box—not a literal box, more of a conceptual one.

What might she need to know—how can we help improve her odds of success?

“Hey Chris, this is Melissa and I recently found your show after a friend recommended it to me. I’ve been loving the stories, puns, and helpful advice. I’ve got an idea for you that I’d like some feedback on.

With so many people working from home (and many of them planning to stay that way), I’d like to sell a home office in a box. Not the actual home office, but everything they need to work from home more productively.

I’m thinking of things like a ring light so they have better lighting on video calls, and something fun and whimsical like a “survival guide for the indoors.” How can I develop and market this idea? I can imagine lots of different directions for it, and I now I need to narrow it down a bit or I’ll never get started. Looking forward to hearing from you.”

Listen to today’s episode to learn more…

 

 

SEE ALSO:

  • Q&A: Tips for working at home??: Here’s a question I’ve been getting over and over as we all adapt to a new way of life: what are some tips for working at home, especially when it’s unfamiliar and you’re still getting used to it?
  • Paralegal Takes Flight with Remote Work: A paralegal turns serial entrepreneur after getting the travel bug. She now lives in Thailand and helps others work remotely.
  • TBT: Staying Productive During the Work-at-Home Era: In this week’s “Throwback Thursday / Where are they now?” segment, we hear from the founder of a service that helps people who work alone do so productively.

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

Catering Chef Cooks Up Private Meals

What It’s About

A catering chef serves up a tasty side dish.

Words of Wisdom

Chris has some great advice for anyone interested in a similar hustle; “Ask any of your friends and family who wants to have a dinner in their home. Go try it out, see if you like it, and see how feasible it is for you to do. Again, there is almost no overhead, or capital expenses. Do it one time and see if you like it.”

Fun Fact

One of my craziest experiences was having to cook a dinner for two on a boat. They had told me they had rented a boat to take a sunset cruise on the Potomac, overlooking the monuments in Washington, DC. We planned a multi-course menu for their dinner. When I got there, there was a propane grill, that was maybe 10 inches, and had a tiny camping style propane tank. I had brought a portable electric stoves, but the captain said there wasn’t enough power for it, so I had to leave it in my car.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1557
Chris Spear always wanted to be a chef. He grew up with an interest in cooking and at sixteen began working in kitchens. From there, he went to college and earned a degree in culinary arts. After graduation, he entered the industry, working as a chef for a catering company.

To say that Chris loves cooking would be an understatement… but that’s only the appetizer to his side hustle story.

The main event is that Chris was a hard working, diligent employee who took great pride in the food he prepared for customers. And yet, several years into his career, he started looking for something more. Something to make a little extra money that was hopefully food related.

Turns out it was the job itself that would lead to this possibility.

You see, his company catered large events for dozens or hundreds of people. Sometimes, though, they were contacted for smaller private functions of only a few people. Often in the customers’ own home.

Instead of turning down the business, which wasn’t in their wheelhouse, they offered Chris the opportunity to take on these morsels… and he loved it. Preparing a meal for someone, for a special occasion, in their home tapped into his love of food in a profound way.

That’s when he decided to go from the frying pan into the fire. He began by calling and emailing everyone he knew to let them know his plan. Soon, he had a bite—also known as his first customer.

He also whipped up a brand name, Perfect Little Bites.

He’d been working a full time job and building his side hustle for over five years. It was time for him to quit that day job and go all in. He knew that Perfect Little Bites might rise like a cake or fall like a souffle. But either way, he had to take the chance.

And it worked. With more free time to pay attention to his business, business grew. There have been some down periods but Chris propped them up with lucrative months. On average, he takes home around sixty thousand dollars per year in what is now his full-time hustle. He also has plenty of time to actually take off.

For dessert, Chris is now working on a consulting business he calls Chefs Without Restaurants where he aims to coach hopeful chefs in how to start their own private cooking business. He’s already earning an additional five hundred dollars per month with that, so it might not be long before it becomes a permanent addition to the menu.

 

 

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
"Go try it out, see if you like it, and see how feasible it is for you to do. Again, there is almost no overhead, or capital expenses. Do it one time and see if you like it."
—Chris Spear #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: How to start a paid club for people seeking multiple citizenships?

What It’s About

Today’s caller knows that a lot of people seek multiple citizenships. Does his idea to bring them together travel well?

Notes from Chris

Episode 1556

Are you happy with your country of citizenship? Most people are, but not all of them—and some want to obtain multiple citizenships for tax or travel benefits. This listener wants to form a members-only club to bring these people together.

How might you do such a thing? And what if you have an idea to start some sort of membership around a values-based community. What would be your first three steps?

“Every four years, people in the States talk about leaving because they don’t like the results of the presidential election. Meanwhile, lots of other people (all over the world) are interested in having a second citizenship to make it easier to travel, pay less in taxes, or just because it seems interesting. I’d like to start a club for anyone who wants to change or add a new citizenship. I don’t want it to be political—my goal would be for it to welcome members regardless of what they believe about their governments. How should I structure this and how could I reach potential members? “

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

Healthcare Worker Publishes Children’s Book on Epidemiology

What It’s About

Not seeing the diversity representation in children books, a mother writes her own.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Regardless of your side hustle, Valene has some advice about reflection and progress over time. She suggests to “Do a weekly brain flush of everything you want to try in your business, what worked, what didn’t or what to tweak.”

Fun Fact

Racial diversity of main characters and diversity in authors are growing, but slowly. This means there’s still a large gap (and opportunity) to increase representation. [source]

Notes from Chris

Episode 1555
When the first lockdown for COVID-19 hit, Valene [vah-leen] Campbell knew she needed a new plan to make money. Right around then, Valene went on a walk that would change her life.

She was taking her daughter out for a stroll when they noticed a young boy sitting on a porch facing a window and talking to someone. When she took a closer look, she saw that there was another little boy on the other side of the glass. They were playing cards—separated by the glass for the sake of social distancing, but still able to play!

Valene was impressed by how they were making the best out of a bad situation. It also made her wonder about how children were handling the pandemic.

That’s when she had her first big idea: to write a children’s book to explain epidemiology—and she wondered who her main character would be. At first she thought she’d choose an animal, a common technique of children’s books. Would it be a squirrel? A dog? Maybe an insect? Then, she looked down at her daughter and realized that there were no books on her shelf with a main character that looked like her.

I should mention that Valene is Black. As part of her research, she discovered that according to one study, only 23% of children’s books featured non-white characters.

With that insight, she opened her notes app on April 1st, 2020 and started writing The Amazing Zoe Defeats the Germie Gremlins.

The Amazing Zoe was published in May 2020, less than two months after Valene had the idea. She was able to reach her audience through social media, connecting with librarians and elementary school teachers, word of mouth and a newsletter. The best part? None of these options cost money.

At this point, Valene is basking in the story of her success (two stories, actually). She’s earning about $700 a month and is experimenting with Amazon ads to increase sales further. She has two more children’s books in the works and is planning to launch a media house to help other self-published authors. It’s a series of moves in the write direction.

 

 

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
"Do a weekly brain flush of everything you want to try in your business, what worked, what didn’t or what to tweak."
—Valene Campbell #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 publish my Army enlistment guide?

What It’s About

Today’s listener has an idea to help others thinking about enlisting in the armed forces.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1554

Shoutout to everyone in the military, U.S. and our allies.

I grew up somewhat in a military family and I know there’s a lot of change and uncertainty involved when it comes to moving somewhere. Where are you going to go, what will it be like, how do you handle schooling for your kids and such? In my case, it was easy … I was the kid, so I just showed up. But looking back, I imagine it was more work for my mom.

In today’s story, an Army veteran wants to help new military enlistees get a leg up in training. What’s the best format for his material?

“Hi Chris this is Doug and I’ve been listening to the show since last year. I recently completed my active duty service with the Army after ten years. I had a great experience, but there’s a lot I wished I’d known before enlisting, and a number of life hacks I picked up along the way. I found some networks and Facebook groups for young enlistees or even people who are thinking of joining the service, but I’d like to sell a guide that compiles a list of the very best actionable advice, covering everything from housing to how to choose where to enlist, since that’s an overlooked point that can make a difference later on. Is there anything wrong with this idea? If not, how can I sell thousands of this guide?? Or at least, how can I sell enough to make it worthwhile? Thanks for any advice.”

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: The Podcast Platform That Wasn’t

What It’s About

It seemed like a great idea… but no one signed up.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1553

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 John Lee Dumas from his headquarters in sunny Puerto Rico. I’ve mentioned John several times on the show over the years. He’s one of the very few people who had a daily podcast long ago.

Last week I told you about his new book, The Common Path to Uncommon Success.

He’s one of the hardest working people I know … and he’s also very honest. Because he doesn’t mind saying when he gets it wrong.

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: Multilingual Insurance Agent Creates Translation Course

What It’s About

An update from a course creator that helps people lost in translation.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1552

Happy April 1st! This episode is no joke, and neither is your financial freedom. Welcome to Throwback Thursday / “Where are they now?” where we take an in-depth look at someone who’s story has evolved considerably since we first featured them.

Last week, we heard from a houseplant expert who opens a retail location right before the pandemic—a store that has adapted to challenges and is now in full bloom!

Today, in our latest feature, we’ll hear from a multilingual insurance agent who creates an online course on the art of translation.

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

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Turnkey Translator: Get help starting a translation side hustle of your own over on Jennifer’s website!

 

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: Is podcast advertising more profitable than blog advertising?

What It’s About

Which is more profitable: podcasting or blogging?

Notes from Chris

Episode 1551

A listener is frustrated with the low earnings of blog ads. Does the podcast medium pay more?

Also, for everyone starting a podcast: a quick refresher on how to attract advertisers. We’ve discussed this before but I continue to hear from people every week with the same question. I’m glad you’re moving forward—here’s what you need to know.

“Hello Chris this is Alyssa and I just recently found your show and loving the stories and puns. I’ve had a blog for a while and I’ll be starting a podcast soon. My topic is pretty mainstream, so I’m hoping to reach a good-sized audience. So far, however, I’ve been disappointed with blog ads. I made $80 last month, which is more than $0, but is there hope for something better with a new medium? In short: is podcast advertising more profitable than blog advertising? Thanks for your advice.”

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

Government Lawyer Lands Whale of a Side Gig

What It’s About

An attorney hooks into a second income writing about his passion for fishing.

Words of Wisdom

Pete has some great advice about writing: “I have trust in my process. Every time someone told me that my writing didn’t fit the mold of what was expected, that’s when I’ve gotten attention.

Fun Fact

Pete once fished with Kevin VanDam, the “Michael Jordan” of bass fishing. Over the course of his career, KVD (as he is known) has earned more than $6 million making him the all-time money winner in professional bass fishing.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1550
By day, Pete Robbins is your average government lawyer, toiling away as one of thousands of federal employees in the Washington, DC area. By night, he’s one of the most prolific and well-known writers in the world of professional fishing.

Pete has managed to do what many people dream of doing—he turned a lifelong passion for fishing into a lucrative side hustle. By starting with a simple blog on a well-known fishing website and leveraging the many connections he made through his writing, Pete has been able to earn tens of thousands of dollars in income, gifted fishing gear, and free travel.

It all started way way back in 2004. He’d been writing for free for a friend’s fishing website and was able to get on a boat as a passenger during a fishing competition. From that experience he sold his first article for $400 and realized that writing about fishing could be a money making endeavor.

Pete kept casting out his line and hooking new gigs time after time after time. Eventually, he enlisted the help of his wife and a graphic designer to create his own website, HalfPastFirstCast.com.

It’s still a side hustle, but it now brings in at least $40,000 in annual income, with a high of $63,000 in earnings in 2019. One way Pete has reached that level of earnings is through leveraging as many connections as possible. As he tells it, that $40,000 doesn’t come from one or two clients but from lots of little jobs. For instance he ghost-writes the monthly columns of six different professional anglers for a major website for $150 each, which nets him $10,800 annually.

Besides leveraging his connections, hooking those small fish in order to catch the big ones, Pete learned early on that in order to grow his writing career he needed to stand out from the pack. As he tells it, “The fishing industry is very insular. Most of the writing fits within narrow guardrails. While I’m cautious not to pick unnecessary fights, I’m also not afraid to express my opinion, even if it’s an unpopular one.”

But I’m sure that if you asked Pete what the biggest benefit that has come out of his side hustle, he’d point to his wife. Remember that first article he sold for $400? Well at the time he was dating his girlfriend Hanna, and while he had saved $1200 for an engagement ring so that he could propose to her, he needed a bit more and was struggling under the cost of living expenses in the pricey DC market. That first paycheck for his writing made him realize that he could turn his passion for fishing into real money, which he could then trade for something even more important.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

SEE ALSO:

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Yours in the revolution,

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"Venture out, learn what makes you uncomfortable and repeat. What I learned about myself in 15 years I could never have learned just from reading books or hearing others tell their stories."
—Eva Rosales #SideHustleSchool

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Chris Guillebeau

Q&A: Is it too early to change my business name and brand?

What It’s About

Today’s listener wants to know if it’s too soon to change their business name.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1549

I know this show is about making money, but ultimately it’s about freedom and creativity. Further, it’s about joy and meaning. That’s really what we’re trying to do here: increase your joy and meaning in the form of freedom and creativity through the strategy or activity of a money-making project.

A listener has started a new business selling handmade knitted items—she’s enjoying it but wants to change the name she’s been using. You’ll hear more from her, but the short version is she’s wondering about the timing of such a process.

“Hi, Chris, this is Jules from Somerville, Massachusetts. I’ve been listening to the show for a few years now and I’ve actually started to side hustle in that time. My latest side hustle is selling handmade knitwear accessories like beanies and ear warmers. I came up with the cute, quirky name of Coddiwomple Craft Co. And started selling in August of 2020. But it turns out I just don’t love the name. The branding doesn’t fit my personality and Coddi Womple is a lot harder for people to spell and pronounce than I thought. My question is, is it too early to rebrand?

I have an idea for a new name that I’m really excited about, but it’s only been a few months since I launched. I have less than two hundred followers on Instagram and I only have a few sales on Etsy. I find I’m just not motivated to build my shop because I don’t identify with the branding and it feels inauthentic to promote it. I’m just worried that it’s too early to rename the shop and people will think I’m flaky or inconsistent. What do you think? Should I stick it out with my current name for a while longer or cut my losses and rebrand now? Thanks for all the insight over the past few years and I’m looking forward to hearing your answer.”

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