Archives: Podcast

Globetrotting Sommelier Leads Popular Wine Tours

What It’s About

A wine bar owner puts a cork in his business, finding more fruit in hosting tours.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

While he hasn’t had any formal training, Heath is confident about one thing: service is something that people always notice. This nugget has allowed him to launch his own business, but also to travel around the world doing something that he loves. Now that’s something we can all raise a glass to.

Fun Fact

Heath’s business was born out of two simple questions: how would he like to eat and drink around the world, and how he could get others to pay for it.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1088
Heath Porter has been a sommelier and a food and beverage professional for more than twenty-five years. It was his passion for food and wine that led to the birth of his then-hustle, now-full time work at Heathen Wine Tours.

What inspired his love of wine? Well, Heath grew up in a dry county in North Alabama, where alcohol was not allowed. From his late teen years onward, he moved around to work at wine bars and holiday resorts in Hawaii, West Virginia, and Miami.

Traveling, meeting and tasting with winemakers was simply part of his job… a part that Heath very much enjoyed. He acquired a great deal of experience—so much so that guests, who were impressed by his tastings and classes, began to ask about the possibility of tagging along on his next wine adventure.

Heath didn’t think much about it at first. But finally, one day he simply said he would book a group trip if they would give him a credit card number. To his surprise, his regulars did so. This wasn’t cheap: at around $2,000 per person, Heath booked a trip to wine country Santa Barbara, California for his party of ten.

With tremendous positive feedback from his guests—and some of them remarking that he should charge more than he did—he organized another trip to Italy. As the guests returned to request yet another trip, he found himself visiting Spain and France … and then Chile. All of this took place from 2014 to 2018, while he was still working full-time at his last wine bar.

His first thought was to plan trips to places where he knew the most winemakers and owners. The idea was to be able to bring his guests to cellars and vineyards where they could eat and drink like family. This obviously required some degree of familiarity and comfort with others – something which Heath had cultivated over many years in his career.

Soon, friends of friends were booking tours. Those that attended enjoyed the experience so much that for the first five years about 80% of Heath’s business was from repeat customers.

In 2018, he realized that he likely had enough trips booked to look at doing this full-time. While his first trip had made him just a couple of thousand dollars after expenses, he had viewed it mostly as a fun experience he did apart from his real job. Now, he looked at what it would take to make the tours more of a steady gig.

As with other luxury products and experiences, it wasn’t easy for Heath to price his products. He did so by making comparisons with similar tours and then making sure that he could offer better value—typically by offering more while charging less. This he says, is what has allowed his business to take off. In fact, a tour he organized to essentially serve as an advertisement ended up netting him over $10,000.

On average, Heath is able to make a 40% profit margin on most tours. At the end of each one, he raises a glass or two in celebration … and then he gets ready for the next trip.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Heathen Wine Tours: Want to go on your own wine tour? Learn more about Heath and his business at his website.

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 one thing that always prevails is service. That goes for any business in the world: service is always something people will notice and come back for."
—Heath Porter #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

Software Engineer Scavenges For Profits

What It’s About

A live-action photo scavenger hunt.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

When should you go all-in with your hustle? Chris has some insight regarding this: “My primary struggle was worrying I’d run out of money before the idea had a chance to grow legs. I took many side jobs as a result, consulting gigs…low paying gigs even…whatever just to slow my burn rate. I think that was all wasted time and effort actually. If I were to go back, I’d value the time put into the business more than the time refilling my savings.”

Fun Fact

Scavenger hunts have come in many different forms over the years often facilitated by new technology. The most recent scavenger hunt that took the world by storm was Pokemon Go. It has over a billion global downloads, and had over 147 million monthly active users at one point in time.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1087

It was more than fifteen years ago when Chris Germain attended his first photo scavenger hunt. That, of course, was a different time, with no smartphones, less internet access, and a reliance on good old pen and paper. Needless to say the hunt was low-fi and analog… but also a lot of fun. In fact, Chris enjoyed it so much that he wanted to arrange a hunt of his own.

A photo scavenger hunt challenges groups of people to get outside their comfort zone and explore the real world. They complete tasks from a list and take photographic proof to go along with it. The tasks include things like ‘take a photo of yourself in a candy shop’ or ‘wear a stranger’s hat.’

But Chris never did figure out a way to make it work, so he sat on the dream for a decade. Yes! Ten years! In that time he built a career as a software engineer.

It was his interest in technology, along with the rise of smartphones, that inspired him to revisit his old idea of creating a photo scavenger hunt—but with a tech-enabled twist.

Chris wrote some code to scan the email, extract the picture and use the code to assign the correct team. He could then log-in, judge all the photos and notify the players who won.

He tested this concept by planning scavenger hunts through meetup groups and his own social connections. For a while, the only people who showed up were friends or friends of friends, no one outside that network. Chris wasn’t worried. He enjoyed the process and ran his hunts on a casual basis… at least until a life change made him reassess things.

That change came when Chris unexpectedly lost his day job as a software engineer. Instead of stressing out and frantically trying to find a new job, he took the opportunity to consider what he really wanted for his life. Was it staring at a screen all day—or taking a chance on finding something that he might enjoy more?

He had savings to last him a couple of years, so instead of looking for a new job, Chris decided to ramp up his scavenger side hustle now called FrogQuest. For months the only clients Chris was able to pick up were from his second-tier network. While they paid, it wasn’t lucrative enough to live on, not by a long shot.

A stroke of luck was about to turn things around.

You see, at the end of each hunt the guests would meet in a bar and Chris would play a slideshow of the best photographs. This often involved laughter and boisterous behavior which led to others asking what all the fun was about. One of those people was a manager from a local business who asked Chris to run a hunt for their team building day. It was his first corporate client, and it brought in some real money.

As Chris began making real money from FrogQuest, he could let go of outside consulting work and focus on turning it into a real business. One of the things he’s invested in is building an app to replace the email method he’d been using for over five years. The app helped him scale. Chris could set up hunts but didn’t actually have to be there to run them. He could merely facilitate through the app from a remote location.

This has helped Chris grow FrogQuest into a money maker that allows him to continue working on it full time. Last year, he earned sixty thousand dollars, not as much as his old six-figure salary but more than he needs to live one and with a much-improved lifestyle.

While it didn’t happen in a flash, Chris eventually took the perfect side hustle picture.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • FrogQuest: Learn more about Chris’s scavenger hunts on his website.

 

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
"Ask yourself…how much do I really want this? it’s hard. You will doubt yourself. You need to want it really bad to push through those doubtful moments and trust yourself."
—Chris Geirman #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

WEEKLY RECAP: Passion, Skills, and The Ideal Market

Notes from Chris

Episode 1086

THEMES & TAKEAWAYS:

We’ve just finished week 51 of Season III! The final countdown continues.

There are only 8 more shopping days … make that episodes … until the new year. My favorite holiday, “Return to Sanity,” is just around the corner.

This week featured musicians who produce classical music concerts for families with young children, a style blog for men of modest height, and more.

Let’s look today at a special theme: passion, market fit, and business skills.

They’re all connected, and if any of these elements aren’t present in your hustle idea, you’ll have a mismatch of some kind.

The two music teachers in this week’s story went from passion to market, then leveled-up. Was it enough to just be excited about something that other people wanted?

The best answer is “sort of.”

That business would have been “fine” without the important tweak they made … but instead of being fine, it’s now tremendous.

Listen to today’s Weekly Recap to hear more…

WHERE ARE THEY NOW:

Today, we have an update from Karin in New Zealand. Ep. 457, Kiwi Coder Makes Extra $50,000/Year from Digital Paintbrushes.

Listen to the Weekly Recap to hear from Kristen!

Learn more about Karin and her business at, iPadLettering.com.

 

EPISODES FROM THIS WEEK:

Here’s what we heard this week on Side Hustle School! Listen to this week’s recap for a more comprehensive highlight reel.

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

Yours in the revolution,

cg-sig-newsletter

We want to hear from you!

The best part of Side Hustle School is our community, and around 20% of our episodes come from listeners. Are you working on something and want to share it with us and our audience? If so, we want to hear from you!

Head on over to our online submission page, and we’ll be in touch if your story is chosen.

And if you’re still working on something but have some questions, we want to hear from you too! Starting Jan. 1, 2020, we’ll have dedicated episodes for Q&A.

Go to the following link and leave us your question.

Here’s what’s coming up next…

Each week I’ll feature more stories from people who are starting side hustles without quitting their job. Here’s a sneak peek of what’s coming next week:

  • A leatherworker turns a love for his adoptive state into a viable business, selling handmade luxury pens and leather accessories.
  • And much more!

Do you have a side hustle story you’d like to share? Fill out the Side Hustle School submission form and your story may be featured on the show!

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
"Your passion, the right market, and the right skills—that’s the combination you should be looking for."
—#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

The Side Hustle School Story That Wasn’t

What It’s About

Hear about the Side Hustle School story that didn’t make the cut.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

If someone uses the word “pre-revenue,” think twice before letting them pay on credit. Pre-revenue is what most people are when they’re young and in college…

Fun Fact

It just goes to show that even after 1080+ episodes, there’s always something new we are learning and discovering over here. And we’re glad we didn’t let this one slip through the cracks!

Notes from Chris

Episode 1085

It all began when we received a story submission that used a word I always find strange. As you know, we expect the case studies we feature to be very candid with us in terms of financial details. That’s been the case from Episode #1 of the show, and I do that because of the purpose of the show.

It’s not just to feature business profiles, but rather to dig into the details to truly be helpful to listeners. If you’re new to this world and are trying to figure out what project to pursue, you want to know the ins and outs.

Anyway, in this case the word I encountered was “pre-revenue.” What does that even mean??

When I was in college, I was pre-revenue. Can you go to your landlord and say “Oh, I know the rent is due, but I’m pre-revenue…”

So in today’s story, I’ll tell you the story that wasn’t. And we’ll talk about what we’re really trying to do here as we prepare for a big new year.

 

 

 

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

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

Quote of the Day
"Why not do something that gives you the best possible odds of success with the lowest risk in the event of failure?."
—#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

Teen Funds Dance Intensives Through Online Store

What It’s About

A teenager channels artistic talent into a successful t-shirt hustle.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

One of the ways Hobbs was able to be so successful was by forming strong connections with his community and by being vocal about his goals. A lot of his start-up costs were low, simply because people he knew gifted him materials. By telling others about your goals, it allows people to help to make them a reality.

Fun Fact

The name CityTroll actually came from a nickname that Hobbs’s uncle gave his mom. AJ was a city girl through and through, so her brother adopted the nickname city troll. When Hobbs found out about this, he thought it was hilarious. From there, they made it the name of the company!

Notes from Chris

Episode 1084

It was 2014, and seven-year-old Hobbs Waters just couldn’t find a hobby that fit quite right. He’d been trying to play basketball, but it wasn’t for him. His mom, AJ, suggested football, or maybe soccer—but Hobbs rejected both. At one point, he started baseball, but that wasn’t his jam.

He loved spending his free time drawing and painting, but AJ wanted him to also find something that would connect him with other kids. They were living in New Orleans at the time, and AJ mostly had college friends who didn’t have kids. They were missing a larger community and sense of belonging.

Later that year, AJ happened to see that there was a ballet class taking place close to their home. She asked Hobbs if he was interested, and he agreed to try it out. That class made quite the impression on Hobbs. He was “lit up” for several days afterwards. Soon, he was taking two ballet classes a week. Hobbs had found his people.

In 2016, the family moved to Portland, Oregon. Shortly after, Hobbs had the opportunity to attend a 7-week long dance intensive over the summer. He loved the in-depth training, and immediately started looking for more opportunities to improve his new skills.

The only problem was that dance intensives are expensive. AJ knew that it wouldn’t be realistic for her to continue to pay for them and his regular dance classes. However, around the same time, Autumn, a friend of the family’s, noticed Hobbs’ artwork. Autumn was a talented ceramicist, and thought Hobbs could be successful selling his work.

Intrigued, it didn’t take long for both Hobbs and AJ to jump onboard with the idea. To start, they decided Hobbs would sell his artwork printed on a few items such as t-shirts, mugs, and tote bags. They created an online store, which they called City Troll, and started working on some prototypes. Hobbs attended a screen printing class, and got help from a graphic designer to soup up the new website.

His first customers came from AJ’s friend group, which they nicknamed “Auntie Nation.” The women came together to both buy his products but also to spread the word. At the same time, this wasn’t just a friends-and-family effort. Hobbs started hustling! He talked to people in the community and posted on social media. Slowly, the sphere of customers buying his work began to grow.

To increase his entrepreneurial knowledge, Hobbs read Start With Why by Simon Sinek and went to several workshops, talks and seminars. This has allowed him to network and build a community of support. After each workshop he attended, he increased the number of people around him who were providing him with advice, pointers, and help.

Over the last three years, the City Troll hustle has grown into a real business. The t-shirts on his website cost around $35, while hoodies run about $55. Many of his designs focus on black empowerment, and include phrases like “black artists matter.” He also sells shirts with drawings of animals on them, including elephants, flamingos, and rams.

City Troll now brings in about $8,000/year, which is going a long way to helping him fund his dance career.

Thanks to the profits from City Troll, Hobbs is dancing all the time. He’s performing as the lead role in Nightmare Before Christmas at the World Trade Center.

And, that’s not all! Hobbs is really trying to double down on his business for next year. He is starting to get wholesale orders, and has plans to keep growing City Troll.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • City Troll: Learn more about Hobbs and checkout his online store at the City Troll website.
  • Start With Why by Simon Sinek: One of the resources Hobbs used to level up his entreprenueral knowledge.

 

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
"People can be dismissive of kids so be ready and be calm. Also have fun with it, keep expectations low. It will be an adventure, treat it accordingly."
—AJ (Hobb's Mom) #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

Boxing Up the Best of Handmade Nashville

What It’s About

Three friends batch together to highlight the best of Nashville.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

The subscription models works for both physical and digital products, as well as for services. Could it work for you?

Fun Fact

These days you can get subscription services for products from lingerie to decorative pins to succulents to single-malt scotches (and the list goes on), but the model isn’t something that was built on the back of a laptop attached by a bootstrap. Subscription publication of books dates all the way back to the 17th century. Later, a variant: Mark Twain had his canvassers travel the country with a prospectus (also called a “sales dummy”) with excerpts and illustrations from his unpublished books to tally orders and see if publishing would be profitable. Much later came along the Book of the Month club. And now, designer clothing by subscription. What’s next?

Notes from Chris

Episode 1083

How can you take a hyper-local business and make it go national? You focus on the right market (that would be the local part), the right partners and vendors, and the right offer. This perfect match exists in a curated network of 300 small Nashville businesses, all of which were recruited to take part in a massively successful subscription box service … bringing in more than $2 million a year starting with just a domain and simple website, since the first orders came in before they purchased any inventory.

It’s called Batch, and it came to be through the efforts of three friends, Sam Davidson, Stephen Moseley and Rob Williams. The three friends appreciated the quality of handcrafted Nashville products, from kitchen to bath to cabin, but saw there was no one-stop-shop to gobble up these goods.

They decided to create a subscription-based e-commerce hustle that was booted up without needing much of a boot: again, they had almost no startup costs because they pre-sold subscriptions, so the cash was already there before needing any initial outlay. And since they came from marketing and branding backgrounds, pitching the products and designing packaging and site descriptions didn’t require any outsourced help.

The “Batch” name came from their first subscription packages, which offered four Nashville-made items a month. The partners were surprised when they hit 200 subscriptions right away—and then 600 the next and 1,000 after that. One key that unlocked a bigger cash box was a subscription recipient asking about how his company could send Nashville-centric gifts—voila! The birth of the corporate gift option, which soon went from an afterthought to their primary business model.

But hold that thought; let’s look more at these actual subscription boxes. Lucky recipients might get packages that include chocolates, popcorn, shortbread, toffee, coffee, pancake mix, honey, bath and body goods, a Nashville-labeled hand towel—all high-quality, all with handsome packaging, all locally produced. There are some Southern nods in the names, like the “Thanks Y’all” gift box. Looking at the range of their pleasure-producing products, it’s no wonder their website logo reads “Handcrafted Handpicked Happiness.”

There’s also a Build Your Own Batch option if you simply have to have pickled asparagus with your bourbon cherries and some homemade marshmallows thrown in. The corporate options include the specific company’s branding on boxes and cards and gift wrap.

Pairing that corporate component with offering the à la carte items (also a result of customer inquiries), opening a retail store stocked with the full range of Nashville’s finest handmade goods vaulted the three friends higher into the realms of multi-channel sales. That’s correct, the three partners went from subscription service to actual retail store.

At some point in the process, the partners learned a key fact: 90% of purchases are gifts: recipients often end up buying something for a friend or client. “The gift that keeps on giving” really is true.

Their social media efforts now focus mostly on Instagram and Facebook, mixing Nashville photos and facts and product and store photos. They have plans to improve their systems to scale, looking at replicating the Nashville model in other cities.

So, if you’ve got a hankering for Hot Chicken Crackers, or maybe some artisanal Soberdough Beer Bread mix, you may want to request a box from Batch.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Batch: Learn more about Batch and their gift offerings on their website.

 

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

Quote of the Day
"It’s been great to work with, help, and support so many other entrepreneurs (and side hustlers). We’ve worked with 200+ other small businesses to market and resale their items as part of our gift line."
—Sam Davidson #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

Modest Men’s Style Blog Nets Six-Figure Income

What It’s About

A restyled strategy turns this modest fashion blog into a six-figure hustle.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Building an audience is not for the faint of heart. It’s a slow grind. Brock has some words of encouragement, “When I had very little traffic, it’s the comments that kept me going. These random strangers somehow found me, read my content, and took the time to interact. That’s what really kept me going—that audience engagement.”

Fun Fact

Brock set up a Hue lightbulb to flash green when he got his first ebook sale. When it went off, he was thrilled! His girlfriend didn’t think it was as cool as he did.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1082

Brock McGoff was like many of us. He’d come across affiliate marketing blogs and saw people making money online. He was hooked on the idea of finding his own way, working for himself, and having the freedom to build something of his own making.

He started a few small websites, including one on modern decor tips, but was struggling to put real effort into them. Inevitably, he’d look at the low traffic numbers—just a few visits per day—and burn out.

So Brock decided to try something new. Instead of creating a site and trying to be the authority, he’d take on the role of what he calls “The Curious Reader.” He wouldn’t write as if he had all the answers, but as if he was genuinely exploring his next topic … because, he was.

The topic he settled on was men’s fashion, but not just fashion for all men. Brock focused on short men’s fashion, to be precise. He wanted to be a better-looking guy, but most fashion blogs were written for taller men with bulkier frames. As a shorter man—a man of modest height, you might say—that advice wasn’t all that helpful for him, and he figured he wasn’t alone.

He opened TheModestMan.com at the end of 2012 and started to publish articles every week. He wrote about getting clothes tailored to fit better, having custom clothes made, and brands he really liked.

There was no grand strategy or thought process—he just did what felt natural. Bought a pair of chino pants from the Banana Republic? Write a review! Learned a new way to pair a coat and tie? Share a guide!

Brock can remember the first time he had fifty people read his articles in a single day. It was incredible! Of course, most days were just ten to fifteen. But despite the small numbers, something was different. People—complete strangers—were commenting. Unlike earlier attempts to create niche sites, these readers were actually engaging with Brock’s content.

In 2013, Brock started trying to get readers in new ways. He went to the men’s style blogs he’d been reading and pitched article ideas to them. The big publications said no (or didn’t respond), but when he landed his first guest post at PrimerMagazine.com—a mid-sized website—he also landed his first referral traffic.

That post also helped Google to see that The Modest Man wasn’t another fleeting hobby, but something with real potential and value. Google started ranking Brock’s own content higher, and organic search traffic slowly grew.

Over the years, he expanded to a YouTube channel and started making videos. He got his website approved on AdThrive, a premium display ad platform. He joined affiliate programs with brands directly, rather than relying on Amazon.

In 2019, TheModestMan.com generated a profit in the low six-figures, but Brock’s not done yet. He’s looking to accelerate growth over the next six months, and is considering selling it a year or two from now.

His dream of making his own way in the world has become a reality, and along the way, he’s been able to help thousands of readers become more confident with authentic, practical style advice.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • TheModestMan.com Learn more at Brock’s blog, the Modest Man.
  • Primer Magazine: One of the first sites that Brock guest posted on to help improve his own SEO rankings.
  • Once Brock had a strong proven audience, he got connected to Adthrive.com which helped generate income through Ads placed on his site.

 

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
"When I had very little traffic, it’s the comments that kept me going. These random strangers somehow found me, read my content, and took the time to interact. That’s what really kept me going—that audience engagement."
—Brock McGoff #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

Sales Rep Seasons the Day with “Bad Spanish Tacos”

What It’s About

We’re spilling the beans on this taco pop-up concept.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Looking to start a similar hustle? Billy has the following advice; “Immersion is key. If you wanna sell tacos, it needs to be your life. Get to know the people who eat like you and like what you like. Avoid people who don’t get it and think it’s just a product. You better love what makes you hungry or you’re just chasing money.”

Fun Fact

Americans eat A LOT of tacos. This delicious Mexican treat first came to America in the early 1900’s when Mexicans started to move to the USA en masse. Today, estimates have the number of tacos eaten at 4.5 billion per year.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1081
It took Billy Flores a long time to discover his passion in life. All he knew was that he wasn’t finding it at his day job working in sales for a huge beverage company. Still, he believed it’s best to be grateful for what you have, so he never complained. He was a husband and father so, while the job wasn’t fulfilling, it provided a place to live and put food on the table.

But that didn’t mean he couldn’t explore possibilities and look for fun outside that day job. And over the years, he spent a lot of time doing that through various hobbies and hustles.

The one that appealed to him the most was cooking. He loved it! It helped that he liked eating. Best of all, he could indulge in his favorite activity up to three times a day.

He put particular effort into his work lunches. Far from the standard sandwich, Billy often brought himself smoked brisket or ribs. His co-workers would salivate over his food and started requesting he bring in extra to share, which he was happy to do. He soon became a regular Gordon Ramsay at his workplace, their own celebrity chef.

He used the lunches as an opportunity to try new flavors, seasonings, herbs and spices. He’d debut new recipes and see what worked and what didn’t. After a while, he started receiving requests to prepare meals for personal parties and functions. And of course, they paid him for the privilege.

The real benefit, though, was that Billy felt his love for cooking bubbling over. So much so that he decided to take a second job working in a local restaurant, a BBQ joint! He says now that working there was a great experience.

Beyond learning more about cooking and preparing food, he was able to gain exposure to the restaurant industry. He realized you could do well by offering simple food, well made. He also saw first-hand the value of hard work. Success in the food biz came to those who hustled.

As the months went by, Billy kept learning more until eventually he had the opportunity to impress his extended family in his own home. They asked him to make some tacos with a new tortilla press he’d acquired.

They were dazzled by the flavors and encouraged him to have a red hot go at venturing out on his own… and he didn’t burrito around the bush. There and then he decided to start a taco side hustle.

To be clear, he didn’t want to take the risk of opening a restaurant or building out a food truck. No, Billy envisioned that he’d first offer a pop-up taco store. The kind you see out the front of bars and clubs late at night. He could try his idea with minimal risk and expense. But, he needed permission to set up outside someone’s business, so that was the next step.

Luckily, Billy frequented a local brewery and was friendly with the staff. He convinced them to let him set up his shop on the sidewalk by promising that every patron in the place would be well fed if they wanted to be.

From then on, multiple nights a month Billy would be outside the local brewery slinging tacos to hungry beer drinkers all night, and loving every minute of it. As word spread and he improved the recipes, he realized he was doing too much.

Billy’s pop-up taco shop has kept growing. He is now making more than enough to afford him and his family a humble but enjoyable lifestyle which he is totally comfortable with.

For now, he enjoys the pop-up life. A bigger operation means a bigger kitchen, more money and thus more risk. While he isn’t sure if he’ll go down that path yet, for now he is just seasoning the moment.

 

 

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
"If you wanna sell tacos, it needs to be your life. Get to know the people who eat like you and like what you like."
—Billy Flores #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

Musicians Tune Up Classical Concerts For Families

What It’s About

Two new moms prove there’s a way (and a market) for family-friendly, classical music concerts.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

We love this story because so often a great side hustle idea is found when someone wonders, “why isn’t there a way?” and then makes a way themselves.

Fun Fact

Mozart for Munchkins was started after Sara invited many of her new parent friends to a concert, and they didn’t show up. It was understandable because of all the baby woes – what if the child started crying or wanted to crawl around? Sara understood, but also knew that there had to be a way she could share wonderful music with not only parents, but also the young kids.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1080

As professional musicians, Sara Sherman and Hilary Castle divide their time between performing at concerts and teaching at their own studios. This arrangement is common to many musicians, and the two of them were content. But when these friends both became moms in 2017, they began to wonder if there was a way to bring together their two favorite passions: classical music and young children.

The idea came when Sara was performing at a concert with the Chelsea Symphony. She had invited several of her friends, all of whom were new parents, to come and watch her perform. Her husband had brought their four-month-old daughter along as well, but to Sara’s disappointment, all of her friends had cancelled at the last minute due to baby concerns. What if their little one started crying or needed a diaper change? Nobody dared to bring young kids to a classical music concert.

Sara understood, but at the same time, she didn’t believe that there was no way a family could enjoy music together. After making some calls and checking out the scene, she realised that there was a gap in the market for family friendly concerts. There were musical events that were family friendly, but none that had a first-rate repertoire. Deciding that there was an opportunity to have classical music concerts for everyone, she called up her friend Hilary and said “I have a wild idea.” Within the hour, Mozart for Munchkins was born.

The first thing they did was to set up a website. They marketed their idea to the very same demographic that they were in: new parents—and Facebook groups was their first port of call. With some groups boasting over 10,000 members in the New York City area, Sara and Hilary quickly got their first ticket sales.

It helped that their proposal was entirely unique—no one else was producing concerts that featured Bach or Tchaikovsky to parents with young children. The results spoke for themselves: Mozart for Munchkins sold out their first venue within a week.

Today, Mozart for Munchkins hold anywhere from 8 to 12 concerts every month, each with about 60 adults and 40 children in the audience. This allowed them to generate not only a fair amount of ticket revenue, but also the chance to secure sponsorships from companies as well. Building upon what they’re familiar with, they also started holding music classes for families. These families could now not only enjoy classical music together, but learn how to play an instrument together.

The team is now expanding into the Boston area. By treating their business the same way they do their children—with tender loving care and a lot of attention—their business has managed to grow along with them.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Mozart for Munchkins: Learn more about this family friendly concert series at Sara and Hilary’s website.

 

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
"It’s so important to get input and use it when applicable, listen when you don’t agree, and adjust as needed."
—Sara Sherman #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

WEEKLY RECAP: All the Things You Want to Do

Notes from Chris

Episode 1079

THEMES & TAKEAWAYS:

We’ve just finished week 50 of Season III! The final countdown continues.

This week featured carnivorous plants (a first for us…), adult coloring books, and two door-to-door salesmen who take out the trash … literally.

In my world I’ve been on the road, spending a few days in Amsterdam and two in London before heading back to the U.S. for Christmas.

All the Things You Want to Do

Two weeks ago I had my Annual Review, and along with this not being a difficult month for a change, I was also really excited about 2020 and some big projects. I’ve already mentioned the major change we’re making for Side Hustle School: it’s The Year of Interaction, where we’ll be featuring listener Q&A throughout the year, as well as rolling out a new series called CLASSROOM.

Listen to today’s Weekly Recap to hear more…

WHERE ARE THEY NOW:

Today, we have an update from Kristen. Ep. 460, Stay-at-Home-Mom Hires Army of College Students.

Listen to the Weekly Recap to hear from Kristen!

Learn more about Kristen and her unique business at, PartyEase.com.

 

EPISODES FROM THIS WEEK:

Here’s what we heard this week on Side Hustle School! Listen to this week’s recap for a more comprehensive highlight reel.

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

Yours in the revolution,

cg-sig-newsletter

We want to hear from you!

The best part of Side Hustle School is our community, and around 20% of our episodes come from listeners. Are you working on something and want to share it with us and our audience? If so, we want to hear from you!

Head on over to our online submission page, and we’ll be in touch if your story is chosen.

And if you’re still working on something but have some questions, we want to hear from you too! Starting Jan. 1, 2020, we’ll have dedicated episodes for Q&A.

Go to the following link and leave us your question.

Here’s what’s coming up next…

Each week I’ll feature more stories from people who are starting side hustles without quitting their job. Here’s a sneak peek of what’s coming next week:

  • When a soft drink sales rep starts bringing cooked lunches to work, his co-workers fall in love with his food—so he seasons the day and tacos a chance on his own pop-up kitchen.
  • And much more!

Do you have a side hustle story you’d like to share? Fill out the Side Hustle School submission form and your story may be featured on the show!

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
"Make or review your list of big goals, dreams, and ideas. What have you held off on? What have you been afraid of pursuing?"
—#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