Archives: Podcast

CLASSROOM: The 6 Factors of Persuasion, Part I

What It’s About

How to get people to listen and respond the way you want them to.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1199

In recent Classroom episodes, we’ve looked at choosing your idea, how to convert that idea into a product or service, how to determine what’s essential, and so on.

Last week was all about The Power of Your Own Small Army, a relevant topic to me in the age of no book touring.

This week and next week we’re going to talk about persuasion. This is a topic that is so important it’s divided into two weeks. If you can learn some basic psychological principles of selling… understanding why people make purchasing decisions, it’s something you can apply over and over for the rest of your side hustling journey.

It’s a lot like learning some basic tech skills. You don’t need to be a programmer, but if you can learn your way around WordPress and how to set up an email campaign, etc. – you’ll have a major advantage over the previous version of yourself that didn’t know those things.

Think of it as Minimum Viable Knowledge, or high-impact knowledge. A little knowledge goes a long way.

Persuasion is the art of getting people to believe or act in the way you want them to. As applied to marketing, it’s effectively the art of making the sale … which begins with convincing people that they NEED (not want) what you are selling. The more they feel that way, the less effort will be required to get them to say yes.

How you do this is both an art and a science. Let’s talk mostly about the science. Cialdini and other researchers discovered a few specific characteristics that most influence purchasing decisions. All things being equal, the more of these characteristics you have in your offer (and the stronger they are—it’s not just about them being present), the more people will respond.

We’ll look at all of them in some detail, both what they are and how you demonstrate them in your offer, and any of your messaging (sales copy, emails, etc.). You want to think about these things as you create both your product and your pitch.

Listen to today’s Classroom episode to learn more…

 

 

THIS WEEK’S ASSIGNMENT:

How can you make a small but significant improvement (a tweak) in each of the three areas we discussed: authority, commitment and consistency, and social proof?

 

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

Nurse Relieves Stress, Earns Cash from Custom Cookie Cutters

What It’s About

I don’t want no scrubs… a nurse trades her’s for custom cut cookies.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Chelsea says it’s important to keep going, even while running into problem after problem. See problems as opportunities to learn, because there will always be new problems at every level. A great support system helps.

Fun Fact

Even with her success, Chelsea has more issues today with imposter syndrome than ever before. So she works to improve her art skills and designs, and to be happy for others in the business, promoting community over competition.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1198
Registered nurse Chelsea Raehl was looking for a way to express her creativity. She spent her days assessing potential problems with new products for a medical device company when she stumbled on some cookie decorating videos online. After watching a few, she thought, “I can do that!”

And so far, her journey has been anything but cookie-cutter.

She posted her first two sets of cookies on a personal Facebook page, and offering to teach friends and neighbors. From there, she offered to host a couple of private classes, starting in June 2018.

For these classes, Chelsea made cookie samples, showing what her students would be decorating. She provided all the supplies, including six cookies per person, and all the icing in the correct consistencies and colors. She brought practice sheets and taught people how to pipe smooth, clean lines on paper before graduating to actual cookies. (Safety first!)

These classes were difficult to scale. To be both personal and effective, the class size couldn’t be too large. So, next, she decided to try offering a cookie artist subscription box. She curates cutters, stencils, and other decorating tools and supplies. These come monthly with video tutorials, for which she sends out a link via email.

She spent $40 to set up her first website using Cratejoy, then she launched the box mainly using Instagram while on vacation with her family. Chelsea needed 10 orders to be able to purchase items wholesale, and she got 11 orders the day she launched! To celebrate, Chelsea and her husband went out for ice cream with their kids. (They had enough cookies at home.)

But wait, there’s more!

The box was a success, but Chelsea noticed that the cost of cookie cutters, even at a wholesale rate, was cutting into her bottom line. So she invested in two 3D printers at $800 each. She used an iPad, the Procreate app, and Fusion 360 software … and figured out how to print her own custom cookie cutters.

These items were so popular she decided to sell them as a standalone item. Customers could even request their own designs, which Chelsea could print on demand. Despite the printers frequently breaking down, Chelsea doubled her income in two months after making this change.

She now markets Sweet Sugar Star Cookies primarily on Instagram and Facebook. Most of her new customers are coming from interactions in cookie-related Facebook groups. (Yes, those exist.)

Chelsea absolutely loves her business and wants it to be her full-time gig eventually. Drawing new cutters and decorating cookies combines two of her favorite things, baking and art.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

SEE ALSO:

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

Yours in the revolution,

cg-sig-newsletter

Resources

GET $625 IN FREE TRAVEL

Earn 50,000 travel rewards points (enough for 2 round-trip plane tickets or $625 in travel credit). You'll also earn 2x points on all travel and dining spend, with zero foreign transaction fees.

I use this card every day all over the world! ✈️ Learn More

CREATE YOUR ONLINE STORE

Create your online store with Shopify using an exclusive discount for Side Hustle School listeners. For a limited time, get a free 21-day trial and a 10% discount for a whole year.

Many Side Hustle School listeners are building sites using Shopify's easy-to-learn platform. Try it free today! Learn More

Quote of the Day
"Learn how to see problems as opportunities to learn rather than setbacks because you are always going to run into new problems at every level. It’s just part of running a business."
—Chelsea Raehl #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: What do you think about multi-level marketing?

What It’s About

Is muti-level marketing (MLM) a legit side hustle? #askingforafriend

Notes from Chris

Episode 1197

I’m so excited because I’m going to hear from some upset people with this question and answer. About once or twice a year I talk about this subject and the feedback I get is always so interesting.

The subject is … multi-level marketing, also known as MLM or network marketing. (Also known as a pyramid scheme, but we’re getting ahead of things.)

What’s funny is the ratio of emails I receive. But let’s not prejudge the question. A lot of people do wonder about this topic, so I’m grateful to today’s caller for bringing it up.

“I haven’t landed on a side hustle idea yet and I’m wondering what you think about multi-level marketing. My cousin is really into MLM. He was over at our house recently and asked if he could tell us more about an exciting opportunity. I’m skeptical, but I don’t want to miss out. What should I tell him? I already told him I listened to you. Thanks. I look forward to hearing from you.”

Listen to today’s episode to learn more…

 

 

SEE ALSO:

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: Tips for working at home??

What It’s About

With so many people working from home these days, what are some tips for doing it well?

Notes from Chris

Episode 1196

Today’s listener brings us a question I’ve been getting over and over: what are some tips for working at home, especially when it’s new and you’re still getting used to it?

It’s not news to anyone that this is something that a LOT of people are experiencing right now—for some of us it’s somewhat normal; for others it’s really exciting, and others are struggling.

Then, no matter what group you’re in, at least for those who are experiencing it for the first time, it is a real adjustment.

This is a topic that I’ve talked with people about for years as they make the transition: it usually requires more effort and decision-making than you first think.

“Like a lot of people, everyone at my company is now working remotely, and it’s taking some getting used to for me. The first day I was like “Awesome, I’ll work in my pajamas!” And the second day I was like “This is weird.” I keep getting distracted looking at stuff online, which was less of a problem at my office because my colleagues walked by all the time.

I also think this time is a good opportunity to work on my idea for selling custom toy kits for middle school age kids—I’ve been toying with it for a while but haven’t got it off the ground. Still, like I said, I have a hard enough time getting my regular job done now. I thought this would be easier … help!”

Listen to today’s episode to learn more…

 

 

SEE ALSO:

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

RELIABLE WEBHOST FOR $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 my past 5 websites. It's cheap, flexible, and you can get support 24 hours a day.

Get your own hosting plan for just $2.49 a month!
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: Show Me the Honey! Behind the Scenes of a Beekeeping Biz

What It’s About

A sweet success update you’ve got to hear to “bee”lieve it.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1195

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

Last week’s segment was about a graphic designer who creates a watercolor brand that is sold in retailers throughout South Carolina and beyond.

Today, in our latest feature, we’ll hear from Nicole, a professional beekeeper (initially a side hustling beekeeper…) in Houston, Texas.

It’s been more than two years since we featured her—what’s happened since? She’s got some advice on partnerships and mentoring.

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

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • See what all the buzz is about by visiting Nicole’s website to see how you can become a beekeeper yourself at Bee2Bee Honey Collective.

 

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

Quote of the Day
"I would do would be to first find a partner to help You have strengths that perhaps another person doesn’t have. Maybe they’re very good at the communication and scheduling and you’re better with the bees or vise versa."
—Nicole Buergers #SideHustleSchool

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 find target markets for livestreaming business events?

What It’s About

A listener seeks advice on how to find his target market.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1194

Today’s caller is working on providing livestreaming content creation services for small businesses and events. How can he find a niche or target market to focus on?

“I’m working on providing livestreaming content creation services for small business startups as well as small events. My question to you today is do you have any ideas or insight as to the potential niches in these two categories? Niches that I could possibly take advantage of right away and get this hustle up and running.”

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

Trinidad Burger Chef Sells Curry Creations on WhatsApp

What It’s About

Looking to spice things up, one home cook finds success in her gourmet curry burgers selling them through Whatsapp.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

It’s hard to imagine that someone could disrupt a crowded burger market but Crystal is doing just that. How? She created a product that’s both new, exciting, yet familiar— something that didn’t exist in the world. She believed it should. What product or service do you think should exist?

Fun Fact

Crystal delivers her ready-made, gourmet burgers across the entire island of Trinidad upon ordering, making Burger Babe one of few food businesses available literally everywhere.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1193
The dual-island nation of Trinidad and Tobago lies at the southeastern edge of the Carribean sea, not far from the coast of Venezuela. The country is famous for pristine beaches, stable economy, and vibrant musical heritage. It’s not known for its burgers.

Burgers on Trinidad are plain, designed to be doused in ketchup or garlic sauce. To Crystal John, a young mother and lifelong home cook, it seemed like a food that was ripe for disruption.

You see, Trinidad loves curry—it’s one of their most beloved things to cook with—and Crystal had an idea for a curry burger. She thought through the flavors, blended the ingredients, and slapped the cooked patty on a bun.

It was exceptional: The iconic flavor of the nation, infused into a mouthwatering burger. Crystal invited friends over for a tasting party, asked for their brutally honest feedback, and they all said the same thing: You should sell this.

Coming from a family of skilled cooks and foodies, Crystal knew a few restaurant owners around the island. She called one of them and asked for a meeting. They cooked up some burgers at the restaurant, did a tasting, and the owner agreed: her recipe was something special.

The two worked out a simple deal—$3 USD per patty, sold in batches of 48—and just like that, in late 2016, Crystal began supplying a respected restaurant with curry burger patties made in her own kitchen.

Crystal spent the next year in “a funk,” wondering what to do next. Through the support of her friends and family, she realized her dream hadn’t died.

So she started again, making a simple flyer on her computer announcing she was taking orders for frozen gourmet burger patties, then sending it out to all of her friends on WhatsApp.

She expected two, maybe three orders—whatever it took to get going again. But her community had missed her exceptional burgers, and Crystal got 26 orders. She rushed to the grocery store, bought $500 in ingredients, and got to work. Burger Babe was back in business!

The curry burger was a hit, but Crystal had a few other creations by now as well. The Total Local infused island spices and pimento cheese into the patty. The Italian patty had fresh basil and mozzarella mixed in. There was a turkey cranberry patty. A veggie patty.

Coming into 2020, Crystal is generating over $1,100 per month in profit, and she’s still looking to grow. Her signature sauces—Papayo Pimento, Oh Honey Mustard, and The Boasty BBQ—have been hits since the beginning, so she’s turning them into shelf-stable products that will launch soon in grocery stores. She’s also considering exporting to other Caribbean islands.

Crystal is thrilled to finally be building her dream into a real business, this time doing it on her terms. The Burger Babe is here to stay!

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Follow Crystal and her business, Burger Babe at her Instagram account, @BurgerBabett.

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
"We’re changing the concept of what a burger can be, and the pink bun gets that across immediately. You go in fully expecting to experience something different."
—Crystal John #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: The Power of Your Own Small Army

What It’s About

How to utilize and mobilize your social networks.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1192

Last week’s episode was all about a Side Hustle sprint, essentially a question posed as a thought experiment: what if you had to launch a project in two weeks or less?

This week I’d like to discuss a topic that is dear to my heart. It’s highly relevant to the current climate of the world, yet it’s always relevant (timeless!) to those who want to advance a message or sell a product or service without being overly sales-y and in a way that is relationship-focused.

I call this The Power of Your Own Small Army, and the best way to talk about it is through a story.

Way back in the day, when the cavemen began to emerge from the stone age and I set up my blog on WordPress, I didn’t know much at all about blogging. I followed people like Gretchen Rubin and Leo Babauta and a few others, but I didn’t have a lot of resources, I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to write about, and I certainly didn’t have a business plan.

So what I did was decide to build this movement, one person, at a time. The only business goal I had was getting people on my email list and eventually write a book … I didn’t really have anything to sell them.

Well, I set up that blog and people slowly began subscribing, and for every one of them, they got the usual “Thanks for subscribing” message. But then I also sent them another personal note that said “Hey, this is Chris – I saw you joined my blog The Art of Non-Conformity. That’s awesome! Let me know what you think and if I can help you with anything.”

I did that for about a year and a half or however long it took to get my first 10,000 subscribers. Finally I stopped, but during that time I had gotten to know at least a little about probably 3,000 or more of that first group … which was very helpful!

Then when I went on my first book tour, I adopted a similar strategy by visiting every U.S. state and every Canadian province. I remember those gatherings very well, especially the smaller ones that didn’t have a lot of people. All along the way, I got the chance to have group and individual conversations that then set the path for the next few years of what I did.

This is all about a model I call the power of a small army.

Why am I telling you this? You may not want to send 10,000 emails and right now most of us shouldn’t be touring – I’m a little sad that I’m not leaving today on what was going to be a big tour.

The point is that you can reach people one-by-one too.

Not every person can be a customer—but there are other ways they can help. They might be an ambassador, a mentor for specific insight, or a connector.

Listen to today’s Classroom episode to learn more…

 

 

THIS WEEK’S ASSIGNMENT:

Who will be in your small army, and how will you recruit them?

 

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

Software Tester Tunes Pianos for Harmonious Hustle

What It’s About

Tune in on how to listen and find the right key with this hustle.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Listen to yourself. Good side hustle ideas can come from the thought, “I know I could do a better job, create a better product, or provide a better service…”.

Fun Fact

Josh got into piano tuning only because a piano tuner he had an appointment with failed to show up. That got him thinking – how much work do piano tuners have that they can afford to blow him off?

Notes from Chris

Episode 1191
Software tester Josh Kemp has always been adept at using his hands. Although his day job involves working at a computer, he enjoys learning more physical skills on the side. In particular, he liked trades that were at the intersection of art and science, which led him to study topics ranging from shoeing horses to installing water fountains. These skills also allowed him to generate several income sources apart from his paycheck.

When Josh got a free piano off Craigslist, he decided that he would restore it as best as he could. But after messaging several piano tuners in the area, he only received one reply for an offer to do the job for $135. Worse, the piano tuner failed to show up on the day of the appointment and never responded to any of Josh’s emails. That’s right—he was ghosted by a piano tuner.

Josh was upset at first but the whole incident got him thinking: how much work do piano tuners have if they could treat customers this way? And if there was so much work out there, how hard would it be to learn to tune a piano himself and clink out a harmonious new source of income?

The first thing he did was to reach out to a few known piano tuners in other states from contact addresses he got off the internet to ask what they thought about someone breaking into the field. Then, he proceeded to use his wife’s phone to ring up those in the local neighborhood to gather feedback. Some thought that pianos were going away and that it was a gig that would soon disappear, but the majority believed that there was a lot of work around. Armed with this information, Josh jumped into developing the skills he needed.

Based on the recommendations from real piano tuners in the YouTube videos, Josh bought a tuning app for $300. This worked far better than what the online course had taught him, and now he was ready to play the diatonic scale.

Now he just needed customers. The online course had taught him to run Google ads, but Josh found that $100 of ads had failed to net him a single piano in need of tuning. The piano tuners that he had spoken to had zero experience with digital marketing. This made Josh decide not to pay for marketing, but instead, to rely on social media and free, organic posts to spread the word.

It worked. His free piano tuning ads on platforms such as Facebook Marketplace and NextDoor got the attention he needed, and at $80 for a piano to be tuned, Josh got his first client. He then started to experiment with his prices, raising them to $90, and finally to $100, as he realized that was the optimal price for his service.

Within three months, he showed up on the first page of Google for piano tuners in the area with 24 reviews, and started receiving calls off this ranking. The results were far better than he ever got from the online course he bought.

Josh’s experience led him to develop his own online piano tuning course, with lessons drawn from his own journey. Having picked up piano tuning on June 28th and made his first dollar on July 5th, Josh knows that a bias for action and practical experience goes far. In fact, it spans seven octaves.

 

 

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"I always tried to figure out what other successful piano tuners were REALLY doing in the real world and that ended up really helping me.”"
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Q&A: With the downturn in this economy, should I quit my job?

What It’s About

Should I stay or should I go? A listener needs advice in this time of uncertainty.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1190

A listener wants to know: “With the downturn in this economy, should I quit my job?”

I’ve been hearing from a lot of people in a time of transition one way or another. It’s good to go case-by-case and look at different examples—one individual often serves as a proxy for lots of people who are wondering the same thing.

Side note, when you send me these questions, include some detail about your business so I can be more helpful. But I think I still have a good general answer with some questions you can ask yourself when facing this issue during the difficult time that we’re all in.

“Hi, Chris. This is Sanjay from New York. I’m listening to the show for a while now and this is my first chance actually to ask a question. So I was about to make a leap from a corporate job to something more independent, kind of striking out on my own. I was very excited about it, but now I’m a little torn with everything that’s going on.

On the one hand, I’m thinking of making a move like this seems incredibly risky and maybe even a little foolish at a time like this when when the economy is doing so poorly. But on the other hand, I recognize there’s never really a good time to take a leap of faith. And sometimes down moments are actually when, you know, when the greatest opportunities arise. So I’m just curious if you have any thoughts or perspective for how do I how do I think about that and determine if this is the right time?”

Listen to today’s episode to learn more…

 

 

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Yours in the revolution,

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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.
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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