Notes from Chris

Episode 1455

I received an unusual message on the Hustle Hotline the other day.

A visitor from Finland called in and had a question about his longstanding, seasonal side hustle. I wasn’t sure if he wanted to remain anonymous or not, so I thought I’d just present you with this lightly edited version.

“Hi Chris, my name is Kris as well and I’m calling from my warehouse in the northern part of Finland. For the past several hundred years I’ve been going around the world every December to deliver gifts to children … but this year has presented some serious challenges. Unfortunately, kids just aren’t excited about getting hand sanitizer for their stockings. And the adults aren’t comfortable with having strange men in their homes, especially since I tend to spend time with a lot of different people.

Not only that, but logistics are tough, too. Many parts of the world have mandatory quarantine periods, which makes it difficult to get to every house in one evening. New Zealand won’t even let me in at all! I think I need a new side hustle, or at least a better distribution plan. Chris, what should I do … and how can we save Christmas??”

Listen to today’s episode to learn more…

SEE ALSO:

• Letters-from-Santa Hustles Down Chimney: A month-long, part-time project writing personalized letters from Santa Claus earns $6,000.
• Holiday Body Butters Become $1,000/Month Side Hustle: An entertainment industry professional transforms her body butter holiday gifts into a quickly growing Etsy store and craft show side hustle.
• Couple Crumbles Debt with Gourmet Cookies: In search of a side hustle, this husband and wife team bake their way to sweet success.

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

Yours in the revolution,

Notes from Chris

Episode 1453

Today’s listener earned some money from opening a bank account, and it got him thinking: free money is good! I’d like more free money. And might there be a way to earn even more by helping other people take advantage of these incentives?

I like where he’s going with this. I’ve opened a lot of accounts over the years in response to various offers. Some of them can be $500 or more, although most aren’t quite that large.

Still, the question is interesting because we have to figure out how to monetize the part where you’re sharing the information … can you sell that info directly, or is another approach better?

“Hi Chris, this is Trevor from Twin Falls and I’ve been listening to the show for a couple of years. I just earned $300 from opening a new checking account at a bank. Looking online, I see there are more offers like this. Is there anything wrong with applying for a bunch of them? I know you have to jump through some hoops to get the incentive, but for $300, it was worth it. Now I’m thinking there’s a business opportunity here to publish some sort of directory and update it with the most current offers.

But how would I get paid? It doesn’t look like the banks offer much in the way of referral bonuses, or if they do, they have a cap on the number you can receive. I feel like this could be a good project. What do you think? “

Listen to today’s episode to learn more…

SEE ALSO:

• “Cheap Plane Tickets” Site Becomes Million-Dollar Hustle: How a Washington, DC political analyst used research skills to help travelers save money while attracting 275,000 email subscribers and making more than $1M.
• 5-Year-Old’s Frustration Leads to Modern Day Piggy Bank: When a 5-year-old earns money taking out the trash for neighbors, his mom realizes that piggy banks are more style than function. She then reinvents this classic tool as a “piggy box” that won’t get stuck in the mud.
• Pay Off Student Loans With Your Spare Change: After barely making a dent in student loans after years of repayments, two brothers brainstorm solutions for an app that rounds up spare change.

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

Yours in the revolution,

Notes from Chris

Episode 1451

A listener is drained, discouraged, and disheartened with the continued struggle of 2020. How have other people managed to overcome this?

I know for myself I had a few rough weeks there for a while—and of course, my life overall is that not different during the pandemic and I also recognize that I’m not worried about losing my job, I’m healthy, and very fortunate.

Also, on that word: overcome. I’m a big believer that trying to overcome our fears or anything else that we perceive as negative is not always, if ever, the right objective. Still, I know it’s tough out there. I’ve been hearing variations of this question a lot. We talked about Zoom fatigue a while back … what about 2020 fatigue or the 2020 flu (not COVID!) in general?

“Hey there Chris, this is Ben from Denver and I’ve been following your projects for a while now. I’ve also appreciated your perspective on life.Like so many others, I’m worn out from this year. Between the protests, the pandemic, the stress surrounding the election, and everything else, I’ve been struggling with low-grade anxiety and “2020 fatigue.” I’m just going through the motions at work (don’t tell my boss!) and have a hard time getting motivated for anything beyond the basics.

I don’t want to live like this, but I’m also not sure what choice I have. What have you and others been able to figure out? I know you don’t have all the answers, but any tips would be helpful. Thanks and looking forward to hearing from you.”

Listen to today’s episode to learn more…

SEE ALSO:

• Bartender Earns Extra Income With “Revenge By Mail” Postcards: Want to embarrass your frenemy? Send them an awkward, anonymous postcard congratulating them on a purchase they didn’t make. This bartender and yoga teacher earns an extra $100/day from her inventive idea!
• Door-to-Door Salesmen Take Out the Trash: After getting sick of watching the trash pile up outside their apartment, two roommates start a VIP waste collection service.
• Prank Potato Parcels Produce Promising Profits: A corporate employee draws inspiration from Reddit to create a spudtactular viral success.

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

Yours in the revolution,

Notes from Chris

Episode 1449

California’s voters recently approved Proposition 22, changing the rules for some independent contractors who work for companies like Uber and DoorDash. But this change affects others as well, and not just in California. What does it mean?

This was a really interesting battle where those companies spent upwards of $180 million dollars—and it paid off in this case, at least for them.

Even if you never want to drive for Uber, if you do any kind of freelance work or want to hire someone on a contract basis to do some work for you, this can affect you, even if you don’t live in California.

“Hi Chris, this is Tracy and I’ve been following your projects since the Art of Non-Conformity. Thanks for all your helpful advice over the years.

My sister lives in California, and she told me she was bombarded with ads both for and against Proposition 22, which was all about the rights of Uber drivers and other independent contractors. I didn’t totally understand it, but I also saw a lot of national news coverage about it. It ended up passing in the election, and Uber seemed happy about it.

What does this mean for independent contractors in California and potentially somewhere else? Looking forward to what you have to say about this. “

Listen to today’s episode to learn more…

SEE ALSO:

• Opera Singer Moonlights as Home Improvement Contractor: A New York City opera singer channels her inner handywoman skills to become a “practical diva.”
• Mom Starts Uber Easy Side Hustle Taxiing Kids: An Aussie mom of five discovers an easy way to make cash by giving rides to her kids’ schoolmates.
• Construction Company Owner Creates Gig Platform for Contractors: When he can’t find someone to help him install a TV, this former construction company owner sets out to create a platform that connects homeowners and contractors.

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

Yours in the revolution,

Notes from Chris

Episode 1448

This year I’ve been spending a lot of money with Door Dash, Uber Eats, Caviar, and other services that bring food to my door.

I’m not the only one, of course. Advancements in tech combined with pandemic life have created a booming business in the world of food delivery.

Just like so many other things, some restaurants have adapted very well to this, and others have struggled.

Even though a lot of the time everything works as it should, I do encounter problems with delivery … and maybe you do, too. One time my driver delivered the food to someone else in another building. Another time I got someone else’s food.

Our caller today is wondering, “Is there a better way to do local restaurant delivery?”

“Hi Chris, this is Elizabeth from Fort Collins and I just recently found your show through a friend. Thanks for all the helpful content. Ever since the world changed in March, we’ve been ordering a lot more food delivery. In some ways, it’s great to get Chipotle or my favorite Vietnamese place brought straight to the door. About a third of the time, though, something goes wrong. We can’t find the driver, or an item is missing from the order, or it takes way too long.

There has to be a better way to do this, right? I don’t want to compete with Uber, I’d just like to do something like this in my own town, and preferably without being the one who drives around all day. Any ideas?”

Listen to today’s episode to learn more…

SEE ALSO:

• Operations Manager Manages to Make Heavy Furniture Light: A Maine university employee uses her logistical savvy to deliver IKEA enthusiasts their goods at greatly reduced rates.
• Stay At Home Mom Delivers Fresh Side Income: After relocating to Tennessee from Canada, a restless homemaker creates an online farmers market, delivering produce to more than 200 homes a week.
• Meal Prep Company Cooks up Profits with Customized Orders: Three partners create a healthy meal prep and delivery service, turning $2,000 into $2 million in less than five years.

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

Yours in the revolution,

Notes from Chris

Episode 1446

Today’s caller is developing a guide to help parents and teachers with distance learning. Funny enough, millions of people are all learning (or not learning) how to learn when you’re not in a classroom.

Don’t you wish you had bought stock in Zoom a year ago?

This is a major challenge for most of those people, including the teachers, parents, and of course the students.

Our caller hopes to make it a bit easier by sharing tips and tricks and best practices. How can they get this guide to market quickly?

“Hey Chris, this is Cody from Salt Lake and I just started listening to the show earlier this year and have really enjoyed the content.I’m an educator and have recently been outlining a distance learning guide to help all the parents and teachers who are still adjusting to the world of Zoom education. Everyone is frustrated about it, and it’s not easy, but there are some things you can do to make it a little better.

I wish I’d started this six months ago, but I’m not sure we knew back then how long this would last. What’s the best path to get to market quickly? What decisions do I need to make?”

Listen to today’s episode to learn more…

SEE ALSO:

• Travel Blogger Gets Paid via Pinterest and Guidebooks: A nomadic employee writes a guidebook about Iceland and earns $10,000 after promoting it on Pinterest.
• River Guide Submits Side Hustle Job Application: When a river guide struggles with his company’s hiring process, he uses his knowledge to build a job application software platform that checks all the boxes.
• Serial Business Builder Creates Digital Checklist Tool: A longtime side hustler develops a new tool that helps his clients optimize their business tasks.

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

Yours in the revolution,