Archives: Podcast

Q&A: How to use TaskRabbit to build a client base?

What It’s About

A listener wants to work with clients outside of using the app TaskRabbit.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1509

The gig economy offers the chance for lots of people to make … not that much money and no benefits working in a system you have no control over and that can change its rules at any time however the companies see fit.

(But how do you really feel, Chris?)

Truth be told, I know we have a lot of listeners who are doing things like DoorDash or InstaCart or in this case, TaskRabbit. My objection is the huge gap between the promise some of these companies provide and the reality.

On the plus side, you can set your own schedule. On the plus side, you can get experience. And you may be able to work the system a bit (especially with TaskRabbit, where clients need repeat services). You just need to be careful to not get in trouble with the companies.

A listener is earning extra money by doing handyman chores through TaskRabbit, and wants to strike out on his own. Can he encourage his clients to contact him outside of the app?

“Hi Chris, this is Kyle from Kent, Washington and I’ve been following the show for a couple of years now. I’ve been making extra money doing handyman chores using TaskRabbit. Several of my new clients have asked me to return for repeat jobs, which is great. I also appreciate that TaskRabbit takes a lower percentage for themselves on these repeat jobs. Still, they take a lot of commission, and at least one person gave me their number and asked that I call them directly, thus going around the system. Is that ethical?

Related, how can I use the leads that TaskRabbit brings me to build an active client base of my own? In the long term I’d like to keep working through their platform, but not exclusively so. Thanks for your help Chris.”

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

Utility Planner Earns $300,000 From YouTube Channel

What It’s About

A YouTuber builds a profitable portfolio creating financial advice videos.

Words of Wisdom

Ryan shares some important words for those thinking about becoming a content creator, “Focus on providing value, not earning money. When I started this side hustle, I had no plans of making money. I just wanted to help people.”

Fun Fact

Nearly two-thirds of Americans lived paycheck to paycheck in 2020, an alarming statistic. While a part of this has been due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it isn’t all to blame as estimates show over half of Americans were living paycheck to paycheck in 2019.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1508
In 2016, Ryan Scribner was working as a utility planner, earning a good salary. Although he was no fan of the nine to five, he liked the paycheck and was investing to look after his future.

Unfortunately, most of his colleagues weren’t doing the same. In fact, he was shocked that many of them, on similar high salaries, were still living paycheck to paycheck.

Ryan knew it wasn’t a lack of intelligence driving these people to bad financial habits. After all, many of them, like him, had sophisticated degrees. No, he knew it had to be something else and, after thinking about it, he became convinced it was due to a lack of information. It’s hard for people to do the ‘right’ thing financially if they don’t know what the right thing is.

He began to think of ways to change that, to help people in a similar situation make smart financial decisions. Eventually, he decided to start a YouTube channel.

Promising himself he wouldn’t overthink it, he launched the channel under his own name and began shooting videos with his phone in the front seat of his car. His first video was a fifteen-minute exploration into how young people can build credit…. And it was not a viral hit, mustering up very few views.

He kept those original videos very broad and covered the basics. Topics included things like ‘Stocks For Beginners,’ ‘How To Invest In Stocks,’ and ‘What Are Bonds?’ But, what seemed like pretty boring topic ideas were created with a strong intent. You see, Ryan was using basic SEO to create videos with titles he knew people would be searching for.

With this constant stream of views, Ryan began to expand outside of YouTube ads for additional income streams. One of which was a beginner’s guide to investing ebook which he priced at fourteen dollars. He posted links to the book across all of his videos and the first sale came in during a night out at a concert. It was a new revelation for Ryan, who for the first time realized he could make money directly from his own content, not just ads.

He leveraged this knowledge over the next year. Soon, selling ebooks and courses became a key part of Ryan’s business. A business that is thriving in a truly impressive way. Next up for Ryan is building a new home studio—another investment, but one that seems justified, since the YouTube channel and his related product sales are earning well over three hundred thousand dollars per year.

 

 

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
"Focus on providing value, not earning money. When I started this side hustle, I had no plans of making money. I just wanted to help people."
—Ryan Scribner #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: Can you still get paid to post pins on Pinterest?

What It’s About

Today’s caller wants to know if there’s still money to be made pinning on Pinterest.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1507

Follow me on Pinterest! Not really … I never got into pinning myself, but I’ve always thought it’s an interesting network. I recently listened to a podcast outlining its origin, and how the founder and his team weren’t respected by traditional investors because their mission was so different from other platforms—they deliberately targeted moms living in the midwest as opposed to tech-savvy millennials in New York and San Francisco.

Furthermore, the social components of the platform were quite minimal—mostly you just pinned a bunch of images … and people loved it!

Anyway, today’s caller is wondering is this is still a thing, at least in the side hustle world. An early Side Hustle School episode featured a woman who earned $40,000 pinning images on Pinterest. Is this business model still feasible?

“In the first week of Side Hustle School (Ep. 4!) you told the story of the woman who got paid $4,000/month to post pins on Pinterest. I went and looked it up and it was true! But that was three years ago … is this still a viable option? I’m also wondering more generally about how often opportunities come and go. If Pinterest (or whatever) is hot today, won’t it be cold tomorrow? “

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

Remote Airbnb Host Automates Rental Process

What It’s About

An Airbnb host manages his and other people’s properties remotely.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Josh has shares some great thoughts about the value of offering your services, “making money is about offering value, support, and assistance,” Josh says. “You do that and you’ll be solving issues for people that they can’t wait to pay you for.”

Fun Fact

Airbnb has over 5.5 Million listings in over 220+ countries around the world. That’s a lot of listings and a lot of side hustle opportunities. [Source]

Notes from Chris

Episode 1506
Josh Strawczynski didn’t set out to manage Airbnb properties for other people, but he stumbled onto a lucrative side hustle almost by accident. Seven years ago, while he was living in Australia, Josh started renting out a one-bedroom apartment on Airbnb so that he could travel on the weekends. The plan was to have the Airbnb income cover his travel costs, allowing him to explore for free.

It worked, and Josh quickly saw the opportunity to generate higher revenue by using software. For instance, he used a program that actively monitors the demand and supply for short term rentals in his area. It predicts peaks and troughs in demand and allows him to set fancy pricing rules that the Airbnb website can’t do on its own. If he has a 3-day gap between two bookings, for example, it automatically decreases the price of that gap to fill it.

Josh uses a different program to automate communications with guests to ensure that they have all the information they need. It also includes scripted responses to common questions. Before long, he was hooked and began renting out his place all the time. If a lodger booked during the week, he’d sleep at his parents or friends’ houses. Sometimes he’d even rent a cheap motel room and still come out ahead financially.

After the first year, his one-bedroom apartment was generating enough revenue to make it one of the top five earners in his suburb. The only properties earning more were big houses with tennis courts and spa-level baths. Josh’s apartment had none of those amenities, just a smart pricing algorithm that measured demand and made sure he wasn’t leaving money on the table.

Now, Josh manages 5-star Airbnbs all over Australia, all the while living … in the Caribbean. Thanks to his automation, he only has to apply himself for an hour here and there, because he has other people on the ground handling physical tasks. Where did they come from? Well, he had a theory that there were lots of retired people who had decades of cleaning experience and nothing to do with their time. So, he’s hired a network of retirees all over Australia to manage property cleaning, report problems, and help him solve any issues that arise.

With his Airbnb rentals running like a well-oiled machine, Josh has turned his attention to his next venture … growing a marketing agency that can also be managed from anywhere.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • When Josh isn’t managing his rentals, you can find him at his main hustle, Jmarketing.agency.
  • Josh uses several different programs to help him automate his rental management process. One of these is a pricing algorithm called, pricelabs.co. Josh also provided two Google searches that he used to find other programs: 1) Pricing Software and, 2) Automated Messaging.

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
"Making money is about offering value, support, and assistance. You do that and you’ll be solving issues for people that they can’t wait to pay you for."
—Josh Strawczynski #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 sell my own crossword puzzles?

What It’s About

Today’s caller is lost for words on how to sell her own crossword puzzles.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1505

In today’s episode: A listener is all crossed up in her quest to make and sell crossword puzzles. Millions of people complete crosswords every day. It’s the original Pokemon.

What are the business opportunities for someone who’s one of these hobbyists—and what are the obstacles she might need to overcome?

In a remarkable coincidence, one of our listeners is asking this very question today. Let’s hear from her and then dive into some ideas…

“Hi Chris this is Jessica and I love crossword puzzles! After many years of completing them every day, I’m ready to design my own. There are lots of resources that explain how to do this, and I think I’ve got that part figured out—or at least I’m on track. What I don’t know, though, is how to sell them. The New York Times and USA Today crosswords are completed by millions of people every day, and my sense is that they have a near monopoly on the market. I can’t compete with them, is there another path to getting *my* crosswords out to a dedicated fan base? Thanks Chris and looking forward to hearing from you. “

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

Q&A: Can I make an audio-only learning course (no video!)?

What It’s About

Today’s caller wants to know if it’s a good idea to create audio-only courses. What should they know?

Notes from Chris

Episode 1504

YouTube is huge, but watching video requires more attention than listening to audio. Since podcasts remain popular, might there be room for audio-only courses?

This might serve as a reminder that as we saw in another listener question recently, you can start your brainstorming process by thinking of a topic or a medium. Each approach has pros and cons, so you have to figure out what’s best for you.

“These days, online video is more popular than ever. YouTube gets billions of views every day, and TikTok is huge. But as a podcast listener, I prefer audio. It’s more convenient to me and I can take it wherever I go. After all, you can’t watch videos in the car unless someone else is driving. It seems, however, that most online courses and information products prioritize video over audio. Could it actually be a benefit to be audio-first?”

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

TBT: P.E. Teacher Becomes Full-Time Sports Gear Reseller

What It’s About

An update from a teacher who changes careers to sell sports gear full-time.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1503

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

Last week, we heard from a woman who designs and sells matching clothes for dogs and their owners.

Today, in our latest feature, we’ll hear from a teacher who buys and resells sports gear. This is a very simple project that I like to highlight because it’s something that most people can do.

He started selling his own jerseys—kind of like I started by selling stuff from around my apartment—and eventually ends up going all-in.

We first heard from Matt nearly two years ago—what’s happened since?

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

 

 

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

Q&A: How to become an eSports commentator?

What It’s About

Today’s caller hopes to capitalize on the e-sports market as a commentator.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1502

Have you heard of eSports? It’s a billion dollar industry with 500+ million fans who follow teams, attend tournaments, and discuss the latest gossip online. The teams themselves take training seriously, often practicing for 10+ hours a day in between eating ramen noodles and endorsing energy drink brands.

Oh, and yes, eSports does mean video games!

It’s a real thing and as mentioned—there’s a lot of money in it. Today’s caller wants a piece of the Starcraft action. How can he break in?

“Hey Chris, this is Kevin and I’ve been listening to the show since the beginning of this year. I’d like to become a commentator for eSports like League of Legends and Overwatch. As you probably know, millions of people play these games every day, and there’s a whole system of teams, ranking, and tournaments where live commentary is offered for those watching in person or online.

I guess this is technically more of a job more than an independent business, but it’s a pretty new one, so I’m approaching it like an entrepreneurial venture. How can I break into this field? I’m thinking the pandemic presents some advantages, since travel is limited and more and more people are interested in following eSports. Thanks and looking forward to hearing your thoughts about this. “

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

“Ordinary Dude” Creates Meditation Books for Men

What It’s About

Take a breath and listen to this “ordinary dude’s” story.

Words of Wisdom

John offers some advice when it comes to expanding and focusing your business. He says it’s important to, “Diversify, but not too much. It’s easy as entrepreneurs to fall for ‘shiny object syndrome’ where you want to just try everything. But if you try too many things too fast, then you’ll spread yourself too thin and end up accomplishing nothing. On the opposite end of the spectrum, if you zone in too much on one thing you could really hurt yourself… So diversify. Do not put all your eggs in one basket but also don’t spread yourself too thin.”

Fun Fact

An estimated 200 million to 500 million people meditate across the world. The number of people who meditate has tripled since 2012, with the rates of children meditating increasing by 800% since then. [Source]

Notes from Chris

Episode 1501
John Weiler has been meditating since he was seventeen years old. He says that it has helped him overcome anxiety, panic attacks and even save his relationship with his now-wife, who was actually his girlfriend at the time.

But unlike a lot of meditators, John doesn’t completely buy into the “hippie culture” surrounding meditation. Although he says that there is nothing wrong with that, he found himself wanting to connect to people outside that space. He especially hoped to encourage men who had previously written off the idea.

That’s what sparked his desire to write An Ordinary Dude’s Guide to Meditation. Not only that, but one of his mentors encouraged him to start writing about topics he knew well. With that, John decided to dispel the myths and preconceived notions about meditation and connecting with his community.

Between October 2018 and September 2019, John published four more titles. Like the meditation guide, the new books also centered around themes of enlightenment and mindfulness, and were all directed towards his target audience of “ordinary dudes.” Sales didn’t really pick up until his sixth, called A Dude’s Guide to the Couch. It was an unexpected hit, regularly bringing in $500 a month on its own.

Moving forward, he currently has six more titles that he’s in the middle of writing, but he also really wants to spend more time freelancing, which is his main source of income. Not only that, but he wants to do this while still expanding his knowledge on marketing.

For a while, he was penciling in way too much work and his health began to suffer. Since then, he has decreased his workload and taken care of himself more, and his business has thrived in response. John is confident that he will continue to rise to the challenge, spreading the word about meditation one ordinary dude at a time.

 

 

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
"It’s easy as entrepreneurs to fall for ‘shiny object syndrome’ where you want to just try everything. But if you try too many things too fast, then you’ll spread yourself too thin and end up accomplishing nothing. On the opposite end of the spectrum, if you zone in too much on one thing you could really hurt yourself… So diversify."
—John Weiler #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

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

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To infinity and beyond,

Chris Guillebeau

We Made It! (Episode #1500) +3 Powerful Steps to Help You Take Action

What It’s About

Today we celebrate episode #1500 and you! Thanks for being part of the past four years.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1500

Today is a momentous day!

It comes on the heels of five weeks ago, where we turned the corner into 2021. I’m recording today’s show on Inauguration Day, a third momentous occasion.

So in some ways, you could say “Today is a momentous day, just like all the others.” Momentous days consist of what you make of them.

Where are you listening to this? What’s going on in your world?

Today I want to do something a little different. In less than ten minutes, I want to give you three practical steps you can put to use to make the rest of the year even more momentous than Jan 1 or Inauguration Day or your birthday or any other day.

I also realized that I’ve never told you why I make this show—I mean, in some ways I tell you every day—but there’s one other reason that I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned.

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

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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