Archives: Podcast

Q&A: Is it better to have more projects or a single focus?

What It’s About

A caller wants to know if multiple income-generating projects are better than just one.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1465

It’s the age-old question: should you have multiple projects or a single focus?

I read a story recently of a lawyer who quit his job and has 8-10 side hustles that all comprise a full-time blended occupation.

8-10 is a lot. Chances are, to do that many, some will need to be largely passive or perhaps seasonal.

Most people are choosing between somewhere like 1-4 side projects, and that’s where the question gets most interesting.

Let’s hear from our listener and consider what might be best for her … and by extension, you.

“Over the past year I’ve been exploring a few different ideas, and have made some progress. But I keep going back and forth about the goals of focus versus diversification. Am I going to be better off trying several things at once, or identifying a single project that I go all-in with? I know you’ve talked about this subject before, but I still don’t know what’s best for me. If it helps, I do have a good amount of time I can devote to 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

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

Cooped Up Nomads Start Online Cooking School

What It’s About

When people aren’t able to travel to Italy for cooking classes, these digital nomads bring Italian cooking classes to the people.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Michelle has some great advice about forming partnerships, especially with family or friends; “be really clear upfront about your roles and responsibilities. Having this delineated and keeping communication open when making decisions has been key.”

Fun Fact

Online cooking classes have grown exponentially during the pandemic, from individual chefs and bloggers offering virtual tutorials to large companies like Cozymeal transitioning from in-person events to Zoom lessons.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1464
Jedd and Michelle Chang spend much of their time traveling and living in different places—or at least they used to. And they will again! But when the pandemic upended their wanderlust lifestyle and threatened the livelihood of a good friend, they cooked up a delicious new project.

Back in 2017, Jedd and Michelle met Chicca Maione when they stayed at her restored 18th-century farmhouse on the coast of Tuscany. During the day, the pair did their online work. At night they assisted Chicca with the cooking classes she taught in her kitchen. They clicked so well with her that they returned for another stay in 2019.

When the pandemic hit and Italy went into lockdown, Chicca’s in-person classes ground to a halt. Meanwhile, Jedd and Michelle’s other side hustle, a website focused on intentional travel, also took a revenue hit. So they offered to co-host a virtual cooking class with Chicca last spring. As soon as the class ended, donations to Chicca started pouring in via PayPal. That was a promising sign, and Michelle realized that maybe they could cook up something bigger than one or two donation-based classes!

Chicca’s Cooking Club came to life with Chicca providing the culinary inspiration and know-how, and Jedd and Michelle handling the structural details. For their first season, they made a little over $1,000 a month each. Their second season grossed over $11,000, leaving both the Changs and Chicca with around $2,000 a month after expenses.

This culinary pandemic pivot has worked out so well that Chicca actually prefers the virtual cooking school to in-person classes now. They’ve been fielding requests for private cooking classes from various organizations and are bringing on another couple to manage those. There are also plans for culinary tours of Italy when we all can safely travel again, and Michelle hopes that some of the online cooking club members will be able to join them in person for a tasty tour of Tuscany.

In short, Chicca’s Cooking Club has provided some much-needed income during an uncertain time.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Free Italian cooking lesson! Learn how to make Gnocchi with Jedd, Michelle, and Chicca at their next free class. Learn more and register here: –> CookingInTuscany.cc/hustle.
  • For more information about Chicca’s Cooking Club visit their website at, CookingInTuscany.cc/club.
  • During non-pandemic times, Jedd and Michelle write and share resources on how to travel and work full-time at their blog, IntentionalTravelers.com.

SEE ALSO:

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

Yours in the revolution,

cg-sig-newsletter

Resources

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
"When partnering with others, be really clear up front about your roles and responsibilities. Having this delineated and keeping communication open when making decisions has been key."
—Jedd and Michelle #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 to get 2021 off to a better start?

What It’s About

A caller wants to know how to start 2021 off right. What should they know?

Notes from Chris

Episode 1463

This question is one I could have called into the hotline and asked myself. A lot of us are wondering: what is this year going to look like??

We all know how 2020 went. What can we do to make a fresh start in the year known as 2021?

I decided to make a list—this is my own therapy too—and I came up with five actions to help us improve in 2021, regardless of what happens with COVID-19 or COVID-20 or the next apocalypse or whatever else.

“Hey Chris, this is Tom and I’ve been listening to the show for a couple of years now. Thanks for the helpful advice. What a year 2020 was! I fell off the side hustle wagon somewhere in the midst of the pandemic. After changing jobs and learning to work remotely, I had to focus on some family stuff for a while during the summer and fall. I’m ready to try again, though. How can I get back into things?? I want to start the year off with good habits! Can’t wait to hear 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

Principles of Side Hustle School: A New Year Begins!

What It’s About

It’s the first day of 2021 … and the start of the 5th (!) season of Side Hustle School.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1462

Four years ago, we began a new journey. More than 1,400 episodes and 100 million downloads later, we’re now beginning a new one with the arrival of 2021.

If you are new, welcome! You can dive in right now—there are no prerequisites aside from a desire to start a new moneymaking project apart from your job.

For everyone who’s been listening for a while: I don’t take your attention for granted. Thank you for being here.

I’m very grateful for how this podcast has reached and helped so many people, but I believe the worst thing you can do when something is successful is to stop paying attention. Passive income often requires a fair amount of active work.

So here we are — and sure, there’s nothing special about January 1. But since any day can be special, we might as well make it this one … right? Let’s talk about Side Hustle School 2021!

Listen to today’s episode to learn more…

 

 

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

Farewell, 2020: It’s Been Real

What It’s About

It’s the last day of the year! What can we say about 2020?

Notes from Chris

Episode 1461

I thought we’d do something special today and tomorrow as we prepare to begin Year 5 of the program.

I wanted to share some brief reflections with you, both on the year that’s drawing to a close and the new one that’s rapidly approaching.

At the beginning of the year I said we’d be doing something different. I called it the year of Interaction and throughout the year we featured more than 100 listener questions, along with a new segment called Throwback Thursday and another one called Classroom.

All of that went mostly well—in fact, I’ve heard from many listeners who’ve enjoyed the remixed format.

It was everything else that went off the rails.

In the spirit of 2020, I thought I’d share two quick messages with you from listeners that serve as representative highlights from the year. I narrowed it down because—as always—I respect your time.

I got a message from Amanda in Minneapolis…

“My year was hijacked due to COVID-19. I was making progress but then had to go remote. For a lot of people, working remotely is cool, but not for me. I’m really hoping to make a fresh start this coming week.”

And one more from Zack in Edmonton, Alberta…

“…I got a lot better once I stopped checking the news every few minutes, whether it was during the presidential election season or for the latest coronavirus.”

This is what it’s about!

Listen to today’s episode to learn more…

 

 

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: What separates small earners from big ones?

What It’s About

A caller wants to know why some hustle ideas make more money than others.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1460

Every Side Hustle School story features someone who earns at least $500 a month apart from their day job. But some people earn a lot more, earning six or even seven figures from their side hustle. A listener wants to know: what separates small earners from big ones?

First of all, let’s acknowledge that people have different goals. Not everyone says, “I want to earn $200,000 a year from my side hustle.” Almost always, the work required to create something like that is going to be a lot more than someone earning $6-12,000 extra a year.

“Hi Chris, this is Kate and I’ve been listening for a while, and I’ve noticed that you feature stories with a wide range of results, including some that make a small amount of money, and some that end up being a really big moneymaker.

With so many episodes in the archives, my question is: have you noticed anything that separates the big wins from the small? Is it just a matter of choosing a project that has the ability to scale, or is it something related to the fundamental approach? What are the skills someone needs to go big? Thanks Chris for sharing 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

Steady Grind Leads to Sustainable Side Income

What It’s About

A transport engineer puts wheels in motion for his profitable web projects.

Words of Wisdom

John has two key pieces of advice for those who want to follow in his footsteps: “1) Keep putting in the time. I find that putting in at least one hour a day goes a long way. Have patience and trust that the time investment will eventually pay off. 2) Showcase your work, even those projects you know aren’t perfect yet.”

Fun Fact

In the United States, there were an estimated 12.1 billion app downloads in 2018. By 2023, the annual amount of downloads is expected to increase to 15.2 billion. [source]

Notes from Chris

Episode 1459
John MacAdam is a self-described “nerd at heart.” That’s why he’s been making websites for more than a decade, initially just for fun.

Back then, he was simply curious. He wanted to develop his development skills, so he began to make websites for himself, his friends, family members and local churches—all for free. At that point, he says that money was not a motivating factor for him.

Instead, every new project helped him learn something new, and that was valuable. Soon, he began to expand further than just building websites. He started to create his first products, which were simple web applications.

John spent much of his free time working on these projects, never earning a dime from them. But again, he was learning … and he identified two very important things he was learning. One was the portfolio of technical skills that still help him to this day. The other was the notion of what John calls “putting in the work.”

By 2015, John was making about $5,000 a year from his hustle. Then, someone reached out to him for a potential project, and his world changed. A tech recruiter emailed him, hoping to recruit him for a project.

John agreed to work with the tech recruiter and successfully helped the company deliver a mobile app for their client. The company was happy with his work and work ethic and has kept him on as a subcontractor ever since then.

This was great for John, both financially and emotionally. His profits increased substantially, and now he earns about $40,000 a year just from his side hustle. By working with the larger team, he’s been able to work with more prestigious clients and being able to impact more people. Not only that but working with the larger business has helped polish his skills even further.

At this point, John has no idea what is next for him. Right now, he enjoys both his side hustle and his full-time job as a transportation engineer. Oh, and the extra $40,000 a year on the side isn’t bad, either!

 

 

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
"Keep putting in the time. I find that putting in at least one hour a day goes a long way."
—John MacAdam #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: Does the “Evernote Essentials” model still work?

What It’s About

A caller wants to know if writing guidebooks for software and apps is still a profitable idea.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1458

Welcome to a new week and indeed the last week of 2020!

I first told the story of my friend Brett Kelly many years ago in The $100 Startup and then on the tour for that book. Brett authored a guide to Evernote called Evernote Essentials.

This guide changed his life in many ways, first of all financially, but then also in allowing him to leave his job and write other guides while relying on what was largely passive income.

In the book I explained a few characteristics of why this project was so successful. Today’s caller is wondering: all these years later, would this model still work today?

“Hello Chris, this is Carrie and thanks to you and your team for this podcast, it’s been really helpful to me. In The $100 Startup, you wrote about Brett Kelly and his guide to using Evernote, which sold thousands of copies and made him a lot of money. Do you think this model still works today? What kinds of software or apps should I look to write a user guide for? My thinking is that some would be more popular than others, but I’m not sure what the critical factor is. “

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

GOALLL! Corporate Filmmaker Moonlights as Soccer Ref

What It’s About

A filmmaker kicks and nets his goal of becoming a profitable soccer referee.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Trevor sees payoffs for being a ref outside of earning extra income; “The best part of the experience has been me becoming a better referee and leader. I have been so nervous about some games but it has made me have the ability to tackle anything.”

Fun Fact

According to FIFA, the world governing body on soccer, nearly 4% of the entire world’s population play soccer in some capacity. This popularity has built a huge business around the sport and top players like Ronaldo and Messi earn millions of dollars per year.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1457
By his own admission, Trevor Rappleye wasn’t the most athletic kid. Some seventeen years ago, when he was just thirteen, his struggles with footwork presented a problem when he signed up to his local soccer club.

The difficulty in playing was killing his enjoyment of the sport. He still wanted to be a part of it, but wasn’t quite sure how to go about it. Eventually, though, the idea hit him like a head butt. Instead of playing on the field, he’d get the ball rolling on something else.

That’s when Trevor set his sights on becoming a referee. It would allow him to use his soccer knowledge in a productive way. Although he was still young at the time, only fifteen at this point, he started the process to become an accredited soccer referee for the state of California.

After his training, which involved some theory but mostly in-person courses, Trevor felt ready. He was young—and still unathletic—but the training gave him new confidence and he wasn’t about to blow the momentum.

Since he was already involved with his local soccer community, his first few games were easy enough to come by. He’d ref the lower level matches played by his local club. For Trevor, the size of the game didn’t matter much. With every whistle blow, he felt his confidence not only as a referee but as a person.

As he approached his twentieth birthday an opportunity presented itself to attend the U.S. nationals. There was one thing he’d seen about the referees that got lots of games in different tournaments: they made sure they were noticed. They did so by attending some of the larger competitions, even paying their own hotel, food, and travel costs. All with the goal of building a profile within the community.

So, Trevor spent eight hundred dollars assembling his own referee gear and equipment and headed off to the week-long nationals, which was certain to be a net loss. But Trevor wasn’t concerned, he viewed it as an investment and, at worst case, he’d have a lot of fun. At best he’d make valuable connections in the refereeing world.

From there, he went from strength to strength. He continued refereeing higher profile matches and competitions. As the caliber of the game grew so did his paycheck and he can now command over five hundred dollars for a single game. Trevor, who now works in corporate film production, never became a full-time referee—but that was never the goal. Instead, he uses his refereeing funds for fun money. With extra earnings of nearly ten thousand per year, it’s something he still gets a kick out of.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Learn more about Trevor and his main hustle when he’s not refereeing games at his website, CorporateFilming.com.

SEE ALSO:

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

Yours in the revolution,

cg-sig-newsletter

Resources

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
"The best part of the experience has been me becoming a better referee and leader. I have been so nervous about some games but it has made me have the ability to tackle anything."
—Trevor Rappleye #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

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To infinity and beyond,

Chris Guillebeau

Q&A: Should I use side hustle income for a retirement fund?

What It’s About

Today’s caller hopes to put extra income towards a retirement account.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1456

Happy Boxing Day!

This is a day in which you are entitled to punch any member of your family who has frustrated you this holiday season, without any consequences.

Or alternatively: “Boxing Day was traditionally a day off for servants and the day when they received a ‘Christmas Box’ from the master. The servants would also go home on Boxing Day to give ‘Christmas Boxes’ to their families.”

Towards the end of the year, a lot of people look at their finances and do some cleaning up. You might want to make some charitable donations, you might need to rebalance your 401(k) or other investments, and you might think about a contribution toward your retirement fund.

For everyone who’s like “What’s a retirement fund?”—well, you might start thinking about it. Research shows that even if you have a low income or are struggling, it’s still helpful to save for the future.

Anyway, today’s listener is wondering about using side hustle income specifically for her retirement fund. Is there anything specific that might be good to know?

“I’m trying to save for retirement, and according to the online retirement calculators I’ve seen, I’m a little behind. I know that your goal with Side Hustle School is to help every listener earn at least $500/month, and my idea is to put *all* my side gig profit into a retirement fund that invests in low-fee mutual funds. Is there any downside to this, either in terms of taxes, cash flow, or just motivation?”

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

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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

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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