Archives: Podcast

From $11/hr Barista To Six Figure Copywriter

What It’s About

Perked up by his writing skills, a former barista brews a six-figure copywriting hustle.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Garrett was shocked to find out that people would pay (and pay well) for his writing services. Do you have a skill or service that you don’t think much of but someone else might?

Fun Fact

Garrett and his wife traveled to over 20 countries in 15 months as digital nomads on Garrett’s writing income alone.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1165
Garrett Oden can remember the very first cup of coffee he actually enjoyed. He was a freshman in college, and one of his friends worked at a local coffee shop. He pestered Garrett to come give coffee a try, promising him that not all of it tastes like burnt rubber. Finally, he relented. He went to the cafe, ordered something called a “french press” and took a sip.

His eyes were opened. Green apple. Caramel. Milk chocolate. Garrett can still remember the shock he felt when he realized coffee could have real flavor.

Hooked, he created an affiliate blog on WordPress to document his journey into the world of coffee (and hopefully make some money from Amazon Associates while he was at it). He wrote educational content, like “Does Coffee Go Bad” and “Why Does My Coffee Taste Bitter?” While he made a couple hundred bucks a month, it wasn’t very lucrative. However, the research paid off: a year later he applied to be a barista at a new cafe and was hired.

Shortly after that, he got an email from a business owner in Chicago. He was preparing to open a massive coffee eCommerce store and wanted to start building authority for his brand. He’d found Garrett’s blog, and asked for his help writing articles to do it—paid help, that is.

Garrett was shocked, thinking: “People actually pay money for this?” He did some research and crafted a proposal. $800 per month for twelve 1,000 word articles.

He had no idea if it was a fair offer. Garrett estimated it would take two hours to write each blog and figured $800 divided by 24 hours is $33 per hour. It seemed insane. It was nearly three times what he was making at the coffee shop.

The coffee-preneur accepted, and Garrett Oden Writing was born.

That initial contract didn’t last long—the business owner would give up on the coffee idea—but the fire was lit, and Garrett began looking at freelancing sites to see what other coffee-related jobs he could get. And sure enough, with his resume, he didn’t have a hard time finding more. Three blog posts for $80 for one client. Six blogs at $30/hr for another. A 2,000-word article for $100.

So in early 2017, Garrett began stepping up his game.

He now ranks #1 on Google for “coffee copywriter” and “food tech copywriter”, but most of his clients come from LinkedIn. In 2019, Garrett earned $70,000 pre-tax. In 2020, he expects to break six figures.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Learn more about Garrett and his business at his website, GarrettOden.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

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
"Every time my calendar starts to get full, I raise my rates. Eventually, low-paying clients drop off (or I let them go) and are replaced with higher-paying ones. It’s a slow, natural way to ensure your income is never stagnant."
—Garrett Oden #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 MVP of Minimum Viable Products

What It’s About

The most valuable pieces of an MVP (minimum viable product).

Notes from Chris

Episode 1164

In recent Classroom episodes, we’ve looked at different side hustle ideas—where they come from, categories of different ideas, how to decide between competing ideas, and so on. We looked at the three elements of every compelling offer: a promise, a pitch, and a price, and last week we examined the difference between what people say they want and what they really want.

Essentially we’re going from thinking about ideas to designing real offers.

This week, let’s create a Minimum Viable Product: “a version of a product with just enough features to satisfy early customers and provide feedback for future product development”

Remember the lesson of thinking about offers. What is the promise, pitch, and price of each of them?

  • How will it change someone’s life?
  • Why should they buy now?
  • How much does it cost, and how can they make a purchase?

Listen to today’s Classroom episode to learn more…

 

 

THIS WEEK’S ASSIGNMENT:

Do you know what your MVP is? Everything you need to get your product or service out there.

 

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

Q&A: Feeling overwhelmed with tech tools … what to do??

What It’s About

How to choose the most helpful tools to grow your business.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1163

This listener has a side hustle teaching data analytics, and wants to grow—but he’s feeling overwhelmed with all the necessary tools. How can he choose the right resources without becoming fixated on them?

It just so happens this listener is in luck, because next week is all about discovering what is essential to launching your product or service. But if you’re listening in real time, there’s no need to wait until tomorrow.

“My side hustle is teaching. In particular, I help folks launch careers in data analytics and visualization. So far, I’ve been teaching in person or through live online classes. I now want to scale my business with recorded videos. My question is I’m overwhelmed with all the tools I need to set up and run an online business for websites.

We have SquareSpace where press wakes or building a custom website for video recordings. We have Camtasia for screencast, Teachable for e-mail marketing. There’s Mailchimp, Constant Contact, and then there’s a SEO, SEM, Facebook, Instagram marketing. Oh my God, I’m a techie and find this overwhelming! Not to mention picking the right plan within those tools and then the cost. Do you have suggestions on how to filter and choose the best online tools to help scale my business?”

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

Programmer Automates Profit With Birthday Reminders

What It’s About

A helpful browser extension that remembers birthdays and sends greetings.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Wondering if you’re unique idea might be a good side hustle? Here’s what Steven has to say about the subject; “People will pay for the most random things. Just because you wouldn’t pay for something doesn’t mean someone else won’t. If you can find a way to make a subscription plan, it’s worth it.”

Fun Fact

If you had a group of just 23 people there’s a 50-50 chance of at least two people having the same birthday. In a group of 75 there’s a 99.9% chance of at least two people matching. This weird and wonderful statistic doesn’t seem to make sense but is totally true.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1162
Back in 2014 Steven Braverman was fresh out of college and starting his new career as a Software Developer in Malibu. The company had an interesting culture in that they encouraged failure in all their employees. Their unofficial mantra was “If you are not failing, then you are not trying hard enough.”

Steven embraced this way of thinking both at work and outside it. He spent much of his extracurricular time working on and improving his skills. He decided the best way to do that was to think of a problem, then apply a new technology in creating a solution for it.

His only rules were that it should solve a problem he himself had and that he would spend at most two weeks bringing it to life…

It was a Sunday afternoon when he first gave birth to the idea of creating an automatic birthday greeting service. This was something he wished existed because he was always forgetting to wish his friends and family a happy birthday. The idea fit both of his criteria, so he poured himself a cup of coffee, lit the birthday candles, and began the exploratory work.

It wasn’t long before he had reason to celebrate.

What he came up with was a lightweight coded script. It worked like this; when he opened up his web browser and logged into Facebook it would check if any of his friends had birthdays that day. If so, the script would automatically publish a message to that friend’s Facebook wall.

Fast forward to 2017 and a discussion with a friend led Steven to check his download numbers. He noticed that the extension had matured quite a bit and hit nearly five thousand users. He realized that this little tool he’d made was growing up.

The one thing he disliked about Birthday Buddy was that you had to be logged into Facebook for it to work. If you didn’t log in one day, the system wouldn’t know who had birthdays and wouldn’t send the greetings. This was a big problem, and one Steven thought he could solve with a bit more coding.

So, he pulled out the keyboard and got to work on Birthday Buddy once more. He eventually figured out a way to solve the problem. A user could create an account, link their Facebook profile and Birthday Buddy would automatically send greetings even if you weren’t logged in.

By the time he got everything set up, almost another year had passed and it was approaching the end of 2018. There was no party, no big show, instead Steven silently launched Birthday Buddy to the world.

And like the perfect birthday gift, he got exactly what he wanted.

Over the next few weeks Steven began receiving subscribers. One at first, then a few more and a few more after that. Over the course of the next year, more users signed up and by the end of 2019 he was making around one thousand dollars per month in subscriptions.

While nowhere near enough to go full time, the money generated has earned him enough to more comfortably spend money on the things he likes: two new laptops, software, and dining out. It’s a level of success worth celebrating.

 

 

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
"People will pay for the most random things. Just because you wouldn’t pay for something doesn’t mean someone else won’t. If you can find a way to make a subscription plan, it’s worth it.”"
—Steven Braverman #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 pursue public speaking as a side hustle?

What It’s About

A listener looks for feedback on getting paid to speak. What does he need to know?

Notes from Chris

Episode 1161

Let’s talk about public speaking as a side hustle!

This listener wants to get paid for public speaking, and he’s got a good story to share … but does he need a more specific topic?

“So I’ve been public speaking for some years now. And I’ve just recently begun actively pursuing it as a side hustle. I believe that I have a very unique story to tell that would allow me to speak to a very wide range of audiences. But what I’ve picked up from listening, listening to you over time is that having a specific category or niche to fill is better. So what I’m wondering, is the same true for public speaking?

I’ve created my website. I’ve sent out cold and warm e-mails and I’ve taken a ton of other steps making this side hustle work. But I seem to continue to stumble over the topic or genre that I want to fit into. I ask this because I truly feel like my story, experience, and qualifications may have the ability to cover a vast amount of different speaking opportunities, not just specialized ones. And I don’t want to take myself out of job opportunities just because I was so narrow and specific. So yeah. Any other advice you would have for someone getting into public speaking would be greatly appreciated.”

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: Aussie Sketches Old Homes for New Money

What It’s About

An update from an Australian artist who gets paid to draw houses.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1160

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.

So far in these features we’ve had a woman who teaches citizenship classes and civics lessons on YouTube, a bridesmaid-for-hire who ends up licensing her idea and writing a book, among others.

Today, in our latest feature, we’ll hear from Georgia Norton Lodge in Sydney, Australia. Her side hustle is now her main hustle—you’ll hear more about that from her—and it’s something very clever: she draws and sells illustrations of people’s homes.

 

What’s happened since we first featured Georgia?

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

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

 

SEE ALSO:

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

Yours in the revolution,

cg-sig-newsletter

Resources

CREATE YOUR ONLINE STORE

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

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

GET YOUR FIRST 1,000 EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS

Social media is nice, but building an email list is still the single best way to get customers and clients for your hustle. It's not hard to get started—sign up for a 30-day trial and join the list-building challenge! You’ll be up and running in no time. Learn More

Quote of the Day
"I finally realized that if you are a one-person show, you can’t be as powerful as you possibly could be if you allowed other people to enter your business and do the things that you either don’t have time to do or you’re not the expert in."
—Jen Glantz #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: Any tips for feeling burned out after work?

What It’s About

For anyone seeking a change from their regular 9-5.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1159

Here’s something a lot of our listeners have in common: burnout, fatigue, a lack of energy or motivation at work. All of those things come at a cost… ultimately a cost to your soul… but if you don’t want to get so personal, just on a practical level, those things are draining energy that could be put to all sorts of better uses.

So sometimes it turns into this chicken-or-egg thing: how can I get out of this situation…. Oh, I’m too tired to do anything about… but how can I get out, etc.

Today’s caller is dealing with this problem, and we’re going to talk it out a little.

“My job is draining, and not in a good way. I leave feeling exhausted and not ready for anything except binge-watching shows on my iPad. But then I feel bad, because I know it won’t ever change unless I make a change.

I had an idea but like I said, I feel too tired at the end of the day to really think about it. I keep telling myself I just need to suck it up and get to work, but then I put it off for another day. I can’t be the only one in this situation … what should people like me 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

Nurse Doubles Income By Becoming Eyelash Artist

What It’s About

A registered nurse sees a lucrative option in eyelashes.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Cambria says that many people do not have businesses simply because they are afraid of being an amateur. Remember that all business owners have had to teach themselves various skills, and that it’s okay to not know!

Fun Fact

Although eyelash extensions have gained popularity in recent years, the idea of lengthening eyelashes isn’t new. Lengthening lashes goes all the way back to the 1800s, where many fashion publications encouraged people to cut the ends of their eyelids off or wash them with a mixture of walnut leaves and water to promote growth.

–Source

Notes from Chris

Episode 1158
Four years ago, Cambria Wengert’s favorite hobby was going to Target. She was working as a Registered Nurse three days a week, and when she was bored, she decided to hit the mall. This routine quickly got old, and it was also driving a hole in her bank account.

She wanted to find a part-time job. That way, she would be less bored and she would be making money instead of spending it. But, Cambria didn’t want just any job. She had some specific criteria in mind.

First, her hospital shifts switched every week, so she had to be able to make her own schedule. Ideally this would also allow her to work from her home, too. She also didn’t want to do something related to the medical field, since she wanted her other job to feel different.

Unfortunately, this unicorn job wasn’t the easiest to find. But then she made a discovery in an unusual place.

Soon after identifying her goal, Cambria decided to get her eyelashes done for an upcoming event. She learned that her lash artist was making almost twice as much money as she was—even though she had a four year degree.

That got her thinking. Doing lashes would fit all of her qualifications. She could work from her house, spend as much or as little time as she wanted on it, and it was something she had never tried before … so it was interesting! Cambria quickly began to research how to become an eyelash artist.

Once Cambria was becoming skilled at her new craft, she needed to find clients. She began to think about her target audience, and knew that she’d be catering towards people who spent a lot of time on Instagram. So, she set up an account called LuvLashing. She liked the alliteration, and wanted future clients to easily remember it.

Once she’d achieved a larger follower base, Cambria started to reach out to local Instagram influencers. She offered to send them a free pair of eyelashes if they tagged her in a post of them wearing the lashes. The influencers lended Cambria an extra sense of credibility and drove more eyeballs to her page.

She initially priced her lashes at $60 for a full set and $30 for a lash filling. She based the price off her skill level. After the first three months, she raised it by $20. Now, Cambria charges $120 for a full set and $60 for fills. Within six months, she’d built up a solid clientele.

In fact, as time has gone on, Cambria has found no shortage of clients. She realized that a lot of people prioritize getting their lashes done over other beauty expenses, simply because they are on the face. Not only that, but many of her clients come back to get a touch up every two weeks. Unlike hairdressers whose clients come back every three to six months, Cambria’s clients are very consistent. This means that she can rely on some being regular customers.

She makes almost twice as much per hour from her lash business than she does from nursing. Much to her delight, lashes now pay for all of her home expenses, including her phone, home, groceries and gas. She has also used the extra money to buy a car and even go back to school.

Now, almost four years after starting LuvLashing, Cambria has created her own online course. After seeing how transformative this business has been on her life, she now wants to help other people begin their own lash cash cow. The digital class will give people who want to do lashes a chance to start immediately, rather than waiting for two months like she did.

Cambria says that so many people don’t make money apart from their jobs simply because they are afraid of being amateurs at something. By allowing herself to learn and experiment, she stumbled across a side hustle that fit exactly what she needed.

 

 

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
"The best part about this profession is that anyone can do it! "
—Cambria Wengert #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: Give The People What They Want

What It’s About

Listen to your customers and find out what they really want. What they really, really want.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1157

In recent Classroom episodes, we’ve looked at different side hustle ideas—where they come from, categories of different ideas, how to decide between competing ideas, and so on. Last week we looked at the three elements of every compelling offer: a promise, a pitch, and a price.

Essentially we’re going from thinking about ideas to designing real offers. This episode seamlessly continues the thread line. It’s called Give The People What They Want (not what they say they want).

Alternatively, you could call it Give Them the Fish.

The other day (Ep. 1152) I mentioned the story of the spreadsheet guy, which originally came from The $100 Startup. This got me thinking about something else from that book: how important it is to understand what your customer really wants, which might be different than what you think, or even what they say.

It’s all the fault of the old parable: “Give a man a fish and he’ll fish for a day. Teach a man to fish and he’ll fish for a lifetime.” This might be a good idea for homeless fishermen, but it’s usually a terrible idea in business. Most customers don’t want to learn how to fish. We work all week and go to the restaurant so that someone can take care of everything for us. We don’t need to know the details of what goes on in the kitchen; in fact, we may not even want to know the details.

The customer is NOT always right. Listen to everything, but make your own decisions.

In fact, one of the most powerful things you can say to a customer or potential customer who is dissatisfied is “You know, it sounds like what we’re offering isn’t a good fit for you. I hope you find something else that serves you better.”

Listen to today’s Classroom episode to learn more…

 

 

THIS WEEK’S ASSIGNMENT:

Two weeks ago your assignment was: write a short paragraph or two about your idea, focusing on the benefit it will provide. This benefit can be emotional or practical or both, but it shouldn’t just be descriptive.

This week, ask: how can you give your customer what they really want?

 

If this seems redundant, that’s great—you’re a star student! Next week we’ll be moving on. For anyone who doesn’t have it yet, I want to stress its importance.

You’ve thought about messaging, you have a promise, a pitch, and at least some idea of price. You’ve thought about your ideal customer … how will your product or service meet them at a point of their core emotional desire?

 

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

Yours in the revolution,

cg-sig-newsletter

Resources

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Out-of-Work Writer Turns to Profitable Poetry

What It’s About

A writer looking to make ends meet, finds hope in his poetry and takes to the streets.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

In 2020 in the US, the most common political affiliation is unaffiliated. The most common religious affiliation is unaffiliated. We have a crisis of connection, as a country. We’ve gotten rid of so many of our old shared stories, and are looking for new ones to tell us who we are and how we’re all related.

Fun Fact

March 21 is World Poetry Day, a UNESCO declared day of celebration. Its purpose is to promote the reading, writing, publishing and teaching of poetry throughout the world.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1156
Ten years ago Brian Sonia-Wallace was living in a medieval Scottish village researching eco-conscious living. A year later he graduated and moved back to a United States in economic turmoil. This was right after the Global Financial Crisis and there were no jobs in the eco-space which was just a fledgling industry at the time.

He took a job fundraising for a local non-profit—but it didn’t last long. He was laid off and spent the next six months looking for work, with limited success. Eventually, he turned to a contract job in grant writing to make ends meet.

In an effort to improve his well being and afford to pay rent elsewhere, he began frequenting poetry slams at night. A poetry slam is a spoken word competition where poets perform for a live audience. He found listening to the stories helped him feel less alone during his time of isolation.

In fact, Brian enjoyed them so much that, being somewhat of a writer himself, decided to undertake a challenge: to figure out a way to pay his rent for an entire month using only his poetry skills.

Although his situation was dire, he wasn’t hoping to set the world on fire. He was just determined not to be beat, so he took to the street.

He bought himself an old typewriter for twenty dollars, drove to a busy intersection and sat down with a sign that read “Give me a topic, I’ll write you a poem. Pay me what you think it’s worth.”

Brian was well aware he looked like a total weirdo just sitting out there, typewriter at the ready. But as they say, every movement needs a leader and at least one follower … and Brian soon had his first disciple. A woman with a buzz cut walked up to him and said “I don’t have any money.” Brian responded with “That’s OK” and offered to write for free—and something amazing happened. She started opening up, telling him the story of her father, a truck driver who was always on the road, working to provide for his family.

Brian clanked away at his old typewriter, starting with the woman’s name and the words, ‘For You.’ Soon enough he’d produced a one of a kind poem. As he read it out loud, she began to cry. She then rushed off to an ATM and paid Brian for the poem he was happy to do for free. He used the money to buy a burrito.

The moment he knew this concept could be taken beyond the street was during a poetry session at Venice Beach near Los Angeles. A big, burly realtor came up to him, gave him his number and invited Brian to be the ‘writer in residence’ at their upcoming corporate party.

A week later, he was sitting next to the bar at a swanky party typing poems for the staff and their guests. After that night, Brian’s future looked bright.

He met the challenge, successfully paid his rent for the month, and kept at it after that. The poetry side hustle was going to be his main project.

He began receiving referrals and was hired by everyone from Google to Macy’s, Mall of America to Amtrak, and even the National Parks Service. From time to time, he’d pick up some media coverage through one of these events and that led to more referrals.

At times he’s felt like throwing in the towel and moving on. But then a unique opportunity comes along that keeps him engaged. That happened recently when he was approached by a publisher for a book deal. “The Poetry of Strangers: What I Learned Traveling America with a Typewriter” will be available in the summer of 2020.

It began with a struggle, it seemed impossible … but RentPoet.com is now unstoppable!

 

 

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

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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

Quote of the Day
"It’s been incredible to get to make my own life, to be my own boss, to get to live this surreal American dream on the most unlikely art-form."
—Brian Sonia-Wallace #SideHustleSchool

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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