Archives: Podcast

Q&A: My idea isn’t working … what’s the best way to move on?

What It’s About

Ideas #1, #2, and #3 have all failed to achieve momentum. What should this listener do?

Notes from Chris

Episode 1409

What happens when your first, second, and third ideas all fail to achieve your desired results?

That’s the situation facing our listener today.

As you may have heard from many of the stories we’ve featured in the past four years, very often the first idea or the second or the third doesn’t work out. But of course, this can be discouraging—so what do you do? How can you keep going in the face of disappointment?

Hey Chris, this is Ruth from Santa Fe and I’ve been listening to the show for the last couple of years. I love the show, but I’m struggling. So far I’ve tried three ideas to get my first moneymaking project up and running, but without any luck. The first two just didn’t work at all. I was excited about my new idea, but now it seems like a flop too. How can I move on? And how can I learn from these experiences so that the next time around, I have better odds?

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

Physician Assistant Peru-ses Machu Picchu Treks

What It’s About

A traveler and a guide team up to start their own tourism business.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

For those interested in starting a travel side hustle, Kevin suggests, “Become an expert in your field and travel region that you are looking to service. This will make you and your company a better resource for your potential customers that are interested in your service.”

Fun Fact

Although the delicate nature of Machu Picchu means numbers are heavily restricted, it is still one of the world’s most popular tourist attractions. In 2018 over 1.5 million people visited the site throughout the year, an average of 4300 per day.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1408
Kevin Groh has always loved to travel. In 2015 he was working as a Physician Assistant when he decided to visit Machu Picchu. The ancient city is nestled high in the mountains of Peru, and getting there is a formidable four-day task taking adventurers through the majestic scenery and exhaustive mountain passes. The conditions require that anyone trekking there must be accompanied by a guide.

For Kevin, that guide was a local named David Villagra. David grew up in a farming town nearby and worked for a local tour operator. However, he’d always dreamed of starting his own company to guide visitors from around the world through his own backyard.

In fact, he’d tried once before, and failed. Guiding is a serious business in Cusco, the historical city near Machu Picchu, and competition is fierce. Without any experience in marketing, he couldn’t compete with the larger local businesses. As he explained this problem to Kevin on day two of the trek, Kevin’s mind began to wander.

He had seen first hand what a fantastic experience the trek was, and put forth an idea. If David could handle all the logistics in Peru, he’d find a way to market to tourists in the U.S. In a handshake deal on day four of the hike they agreed to start Cachi Life, a travel company specializing in tours of the region.

David would arrange permits for the hikers, local porters, equipment and food. Kevin would build a web presence and handle all the marketing. Once Kevin returned stateside, he got to work.

With each happy customer the word of mouth spread, and Cachi Life soon had referral business coming in on top of the new business being funneled by their content marketing. By the beginning of 2020, the side hustle was making sixty thousand dollars per year!

But… you know the next part of the story. COVID-19 became a cloud covering the summit, making the next steps more a little foggy. The Peruvian border was closed for several months in 2020. This means that the tourism industry has taken a huge hit. A hit extended to Cachi Life.

While upsetting, Kevin still has his day job and knows tourism will be back in full swing before too long. In fact, the region is already reopening this month to visitors from select countries.

He’s been taking the time to increase the amount of content he produces to keep Cachi at the forefront of discussion. Furthermore, to attract people who may want more of a DIY approach to exploring Peru he and David are creating a Peru travel guide that they hope will help produce additional, non-tour related income. As soon as it’s feasible, they also plan to expand their tours to Bolivia and Mexico.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • We’ll be able to travel again some day! Start dreaming about going to Peru at Kevin’s website, CachiLife.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
"Become an expert in your field and travel region that you are looking to service. This will make you and your company a better resource for your potential customers that are interested in your service."
—Kevin Groh #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: Can I get paid to help people learn to complain better?

What It’s About

A listener wants to get paid to teach others how to complain.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1407

Today’s listener is good at complaining to big companies when something goes wrong. Is there a way he can profit from teaching this skill?

We’re going to use this question to provide a quick primer on business models—what does that phrase mean, and why is it relevant?

“Hi Chris, this is Jake from Pittsburgh and I recently found your podcast and have been enjoying all of these side hustle stories and puns. My question is, can I get paid to help people learn to complain better? I’ve always been good at complaining to companies—not just to be annoying, but whenever something goes wrong and I’m looking to get a refund or some other compensation. Most people I know aren’t nearly as good at it as I am, and they often ask me for advice.

Someone said I should charge for this as a service … but how would I do that? I was originally thinking of just writing down a few tips, but if I could get paid for it while helping someone who’s been frustrated with a big company, that would be great. What do you think? “

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: How do I deal with a chargeback?

What It’s About

A listener seeks advice on how to deal with chargebacks.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1406

Oh no! Our listener received a chargeback from the payment processor she uses to accept credit cards. Is there anything she can do about it?

Should you ever find yourself in this situation, I’ll have a detailed response with some clear action steps you can follow.

Just remember: it’s important to talk about things like this, but remember that most customers will be happy. Also, you can’t serve a ton of people without someone being unhappy. Focus on the law of averages in this situation.

“Hi Chris, this is Jessica from Salt Lake and I’ve been listening to the show for a couple of years. I’ve really enjoyed this year’s new format and hope you continue that. In The Money Tree, Jake gets a chargeback on his student loan consultation service, and the bank isn’t helpful. He’s only able to solve the problem by tracking down the person who complained to the bank and dealing with them directly.

Well, I got my first chargeback this week, and I’m frustrated. A customer bought a set of vintage china from me on eBay. Nearly a month after it arrived, they filed a chargeback with their credit card company. I’ve already left a positive review for this person, so I feel like I have no leverage. I’ve emailed them three times to see what the problem was, but they won’t respond. What should I do? “

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: “Life’s Not Fair”: Children’s Books About Real-Life

What It’s About

An update from the co-founder of a publisher that produces “children’s books about real life.”

Notes from Chris

Episode 1405

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.

One of my recent favorites was Ep. 1391: a physician who makes plush toys in the shape of human organs to teach kids about the body.

Today, in our latest feature, we’ll hear from the co-founder of Other Life Lessons, two Canadians working together at an advertising agency (and who were also both moms of young kids ). They decided that children’s books need to be able to deal with real issues, in a sensitive way but without skirting reality.

That’s the mission that serves as a foundation for their project, “children’s books about real life.” We first featured them back in Ep. 600.

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

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Other Life Lessons: Give your children’s bedtime story a bit of an upgrade and set them up for life. Learn more about the books Meaghan and Niki have written over on their website!
  • Shopify: Meaghan and Niki used Shopify to set up their site for Other Life Lessons, and they’re offering a 21-day trial and exclusive discount for all Side Hustle School listeners!

 

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: Should I update my LinkedIn profile to better match my side hustle?

What It’s About

A listener is em-barking on a new side hustle. Should she update her LinkedIn profile to match?

Notes from Chris

Episode 1404

Today’s listener has started a podcast for dog lovers. She’s wondering if she should update her LinkedIn profile to remove references to her academic work. What’s the best answer?

“Hi, Chris. This is Emily from Jacksonville, Florida, and I’ve been listening to the show for at least two years. The tremendous variety of examples in your answers have been so encouraging. Thanks to your show and to finding my birth family, last year, I finally got up the courage this past me to start my own side hustle called Dogs are the Best Friends. It’s a podcast where owners share their sweet dog stories and I share helpful dog training and other tips.

My question is, should I take down all of my Academia credentials on LinkedIn and fill it out with my business ventures that I am now working on? I’m thinking that by doing this, I could reach out to people in related fields more easily and help establish authority in my niche. I really look forward to your answer. Thank you so much for being a major help in going from thinking about it to doing it.”

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

Texas Designer Creates “Flags For Good”

What It’s About

With a passion for activism, this designer lets his hustle flag fly.

Words of Wisdom

Michael has some unconventional advice when it comes to branding. For his business, he says being less formal with his audience is key. “Have a brand voice that is natural for you to personify. We are very un-professional I guess in our social, emails, etc. because that is who I am. I ended and email recently with “Fuck 2020, Michael and Cassie.” For us, our audience appreciates it because they probably feel the same. But we also end all of our in-product messaging with “Now go do something epic, Michael and Cassie” because we want to empower as well. People crave authenticity and brands they can engage with on a deeper level.”

Fun Fact

There is only one flag in the world for a country that does not have four sides! This flag belongs to Nepal, and the red flag with blue borders is adorned with a white sun and moon. It is shaped like two pennants stacked on top of each other.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1403
Michael Green loves flags. He grew up admiring them, and that passion only grew stronger as he got older. As an adult he started his career as a graphic designer, he realized that flags are a type of branding element. The simple shapes and colors evoke strong emotions in people, and they can be representative of a shared sense of identity.

In 2019, Michael decided to put all of his knowledge about flags into a TEDx talk. He wanted to make people think deeper about flags. Not only that, but he wanted to show how flags can create unity, like the pride flags regularly flown in the LGBTQ community.

The TEDx talk went over well, and a few months later the larger TED entity reached out to him asking to feature his talk on their site. This was a big deal, since only about 1% of TEDx talks are ever featured by the main TED. They also asked if he wanted to include a call to action for them to link to at the end of the talk.

The request couldn’t have come at a better time. Infuriated by the death of George Floyd, Michael had been wanting to do something to further the Black Lives Matter movement. When TED reached out, it was the push he needed to start his own flag business centered around causes he believed in.

Michael had to work fast to get things ready before his talk was featured. The tight timing might have caused someone else to wave a white flag in surrender, but he was determined. For nearly a week he only slept from 4am to 8am, spending the rest of his time applying for tax certificates, jumping through legal hurdles, and trying to figure out how to actually start a business. It would be called Flags for Good.

And it didn’t take long for orders to come in. The exposure from the TED talk was great for sales. Beyond that, Michael spent some money into running Google Ads to spread the word.

He also said that the timing of the launch was ideal. People are actively searching for protest flags right now, so his product has been well received. He has also seen big spikes in sales in response to other current events. For example, he released a flag when Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg passed away and many people bought it to honor her memory.

While Michael is excited for the future, he says that he would be happy if he went out of business tomorrow. Ultimately, he hopes that one day people won’t need to rally around his flags. Until then, hell continue promoting causes he believes in.

 

 

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
"Have a brand voice that is natural for you to personify. We are very un-professional I guess in our social, emails, etc. because that is who we are."
—Michael Green #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

CLASSROOM: Sourcing Products Using Alibaba

What It’s About

What’s the difference between Alibaba and Alibaba Express?

Notes from Chris

Episode 1402

Today, let’s look at the topic of sourcing products using Alibaba and Alibaba Express. Specifically, I’m talking about buying something from overseas (most likely an East or Southeast Asian factory) and reselling it in your country. Is there an easy way to get started with this?

What is Alibaba and Alibaba Express?

The Alibaba Group controls the largest online marketplace in the world—and yes, that includes Amazon.

It’s a directory of manufacturers and items for sale in bulk, predominantly from China. You can peruse the listings, contact vendors, and place orders directly.

You don’t need to be a big business or even a business at all to purchase from these sellers, Alibaba provides a number of protections for both buyers and sellers (like eBay), and in a lot of cases, there are low minimum quantities so you don’t have to invest a lot upfront.

Alibaba is B2B only, Alibaba Express is B2C. There is some overlap, but generally, the prices will be higher on Alibaba Express—that’s because it’s easier and more consumer-friendly, with lower minimum order quantities. I’d recommend if you really want to get into this, you focus more on Alibaba, just be aware there’s a learning curve.

Listen to today’s episode to learn more…

THIS WEEK’S ASSIGNMENT:

Consider buying something for resale. Visit AliExpress.com and identify at least two items you think you could purchase and then resell for a profit.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

 

 

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

Pharmacist Provides Formula For Aspiring Technicians

What It’s About

A pharmacist finds the right prescription to help train pharmacy technicians online.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Looking to launch your own online course? Here’s what Aaron suggests, “If you want your course to take off, you need to develop very high-quality content and be credible. Put a lot of work into the content and it’ll show.”

Fun Fact

Aaron was afraid that his employer might frown upon his side hustle, but it turns out that his employer was supportive.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1401
Aaron Emmel’s day job in clinical pharmacy paid well. It was simply too big a risk for him to abandon this career to pursue a business idea, even though his father had been a small business owner and inspired him. The concept of side hustles intrigued him, however, and Aaron spent a great amount of time searching for a suitable idea.

Reflecting on his skills and interests, his first thought was to offer an online music course—I should mention that he was also a talented trombonist. But after conducting some research, he decided that there just wasn’t enough of a market to make designing the course worthwhile.

His next thought went to his professional expertise of pharmacy. Although this was an area that was highly regulated, Aaron thought there could be some real opportunity in it. He knew that the pharm tech certification board was going to require some specific education leading up to the 2020 test that all new pharm techs would need to pass. If he could somehow get the board to recognize a course taught by him, there was bound to be some demand since there are many people who try to get certified every year.

Working with this goal in mind, he took the formal outline for the certification exam and worked backward to provide the takeaways that students were expected to grasp. With each piece of information backed by primary literature including drug information databases and federal regulations, Aaron made sure that the course was extremely thorough. This would not only help with getting the course recognized by the board, but also strengthen his brand and stave off future competition.

Nevertheless, by the end of December Aaron completed his course, and received board approval. With over a decade of experience as a clinical pharmacist and having been accredited, the board was content to let him run the course after viewing what he had put together. By the summer of 2020, he had launched!(PharmacyTechScholar.com)

In the few months since the course has been launched, he’s generated an average of $2,000/month. With total startup costs under $500 that went towards the website and a few subscriptions, it’s been a great return on investment. What’s more, now that the course is done, he has the opportunity to earn much more money over time, without doing much more work.

There’s no universal prescription for building a side hustle, but teaching what you know is often a good start.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

SEE ALSO:

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

Yours in the revolution,

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Resources

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Chris Guillebeau

Q&A: Should I create a website for medical coders?

What It’s About

A listener wants to monetize a site that helps medical coders find continuing education credits.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1400

Today’s listener is working on a website that helps medical coders earn free continuing education (CE) credit. How could this project be monetized?

Many industries require certification and a minimum number of ongoing training hours every year. This is known as continuing education (CE) or Continual Professional Development (CPD). Naturally, CE is an industry in itself, and one with a lot of opportunities.

If you are a professional in a field that requires CE, and you are qualified to provide some of the training (or if you can become qualified), this can be a remarkable opportunity. I have a friend who’s doing this for therapists, and another one working on it for accountants.

Back in Ep. 798, we featured an Australian architect who leaves her marketing agency to launch a directory for other architects in need of credits. This directory goes on to earn six figures a year.

The situation is a little different for today’s listener, though, so let’s get into the details of her question.

“Hi, Chris. This is Trisha from Cleveland, Ohio. I’ve listened to your podcast for about two years now, and I love all the practical advice you offer. I’m thinking about starting a side hustle that centers around a certification I hold in medical coding to maintain certification. Coders must earn 20 for continuing education credits every two years. Many employers are no longer offering to pay for staff education, so this can get quite expensive. Some companies offer free seat use, but it takes some searching.

I’ve posed a question to a Facebook group asking if it would be helpful if I sent out a list of free S.E use. I found I got an overwhelming number of requests that said yes. So because of this, I’m considering creating a Web site and a monthly newsletter listing all the free CE offerings that I was able to locate. I’m looking for ways to monetize this. I’m thinking ads would be the best route, but I’m leery of clogging up the Web site with ads. Do you have any suggestions? Thanks much. “

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

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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