Archives: Podcast

Account Manager Draws Income From Adult Coloring Books

What It’s About

Life organization products that are fun, playful, and colorful.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Need capital to launch a product? Consider crowdfunding but be aware that there’s a lot of research and work needed to launch a successful campaign. Consider this as a good option for funding and compare it to a more traditional option such as taking out a loan.

Fun Fact

Studies show that coloring, like meditation, offers many benefits including decreasing anxiety, improving mood, boosting creativity, and promoting mindfulness. Source: University of West England Bristol

Notes from Chris

Episode 1075

Cleveland-based Lora DiFranco is a creative person who enjoys spending time in nature. She also considers herself obsessed with self-improvement and goal-setting—sometimes, she admits, too obsessed. As you might imagine, these competing focus areas can sometimes create problems.

Lora isn’t alone. Working as an Account Manager for a branding and marketing studio, she’s surrounded by people just like her—free spirits who found themselves spending a ton of time staring at screens or working to cross everything off of their to-do list.

Lora wanted and needed reminders to slow down. When she searched for tools and couldn’t find exactly what she was looking for … she got to work making it. Free Period Press, her side hustle, creates products to help customers unplug and focus on what’s most important to them.

The first product was an adult coloring book. Why a coloring book? You see, looking to make friends post-college, a sometimes-daunting task when you leave the dorms, Lora started a monthly craft night at her house.

While the turnout was good, the result wasn’t what she’d hoped for. Many of her friends would say they didn’t have a craft, and instead brought their laptops. Staring at their screens was no way to build connection, so Lora quickly searched for a solution. She wanted something anybody could do, something that wasn’t too intense but still helps you unwind. Coloring books were the solution!

So when it came time to launch Free Period Press, these nostalgia-inducing pages would be her first product. To get started, she found a designer and then researched and determined startup costs would be about $5,500: $500 for the design, plus $5,000 to print the first run.

Lora had been fully self-funding her new venture with her weekly paycheck, so she decided to launch a Kickstarter. If successful, the campaign would not only validate a market for the idea but also provide the needed funds for printing.

The Kickstarter campaign was successful, raising all of the money she needed. A few months later, she was shipping out the first coloring books—and emboldened by the positive customer response, she immediately started thinking about the next product.

This started in 2013. Lora has now launched a new project nearly every year, many of them via Kickstarter. In 2015, she released five more coloring books. Then in 2016, she launched what’s become her biggest success: The Habit Calendar. In this calendar, you write the habits you want to track in the left column and check off the habits you’ve completed at the end of every day. The easy to use tool was a hit with customers.

All of the hard work has paid off. After earning $6,000 in her first year, annual profits were steadily around $10,000-$15,00 for several years, before increasing further.

Going forward, she plans to focus on increasing her social media presence, influencer marketing, and more direct to consumer tactics, which she’ll now have time to do with Free Period Press as her full-time focus.

One of the things she loves most about her side hustle is coming up with a new product idea, and then having the ability to bring it to market. She also loves seeing the enthusiasm and excitement in people’s faces when they learn about the product, giving her fuel to create even more.

 

 

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
"Starting a business is full of so many possible distractions, so start with one small step that feels right to you and focus on that."
—Lora DiFranco #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

Door-to-Door Salesmen Take Out the Trash

What It’s About

While others see trash, two friends see a golden opportunity.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Are their problems or pain points in the world that you have the knowledge and skills to solve? If so, you might have found a great side hustle idea.

Fun Fact

Jesse and his partner won a gift card for a local restaurant in a raffle. They decided to use it when they got their first client. Then, they pushed it off until they hired their first employee, because they didn’t feel like they deserved to use it yet.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1074
Jesse Lear didn’t get the idea for his hustle after a long brainstorming session. There wasn’t a funny “aha!” moment either. It just came out of being frustrated with a common, daily problem. Even though Jesse and his roommate lived in a nice apartment, the trash compactor was far from their door, and the closest recycling drop-off was miles away.

When they realized that other people were probably feeling the same frustration, VIP Waste Services was born. Or at least it was born in spirit, because Jesse’s first lead was their property manager, and he didn’t go for it.

That property manager explained that Jesse and his roommate couldn’t just start picking trash for cash. They had to set up a legal business, get insurance, and so on.

So it was back to the drawing board. The two friends both worked in door-to-door sales, selling cable and internet services. This gave them a flexible schedule, which turned out to be very helpful.

They were still set on making VIP Waste Services into a business, so they worked around their jobs. In the morning, Jesse and his roommate would meet up at Panera Bread. If either of them wasn’t up and ready to go in time, they had to buy breakfast for the other. That got them motivated to get out of bed.

For the first several months, that was it. They didn’t have any clients, so Jesse’s workday ended there. After six months of prep work, however, the schedule changed. He and his partner still met up at Panera Bread in the morning, and after that came the day job. But at 8pm, they put on their shiny new hazard vests and went out collecting garbage and recycling.

It turned out there was cash in the trash—six figures of revenue in their first year—and it was a win-win for everyone. Property management companies could offer the doorstep trash service as an amenity (allowing them to increase rent prices to offset the cost). And for residents? Well instead of having to schlep a dirty trash bag, they could just leave it right outside their door at night. When they woke up in the morning, it was gone.

It wasn’t until he buckled down and focused exclusively on VIP Waste Services that the business saw its greatest periods of growth. That grind and dedication helped VIP Waste Services go from a late-night side hustle to a company with seven-figure revenue. The business even grew to span five cities across three states, and Jesse and his partner sold the company in 2018.

He’s now working on a new project that manages high-end AirBnB rentals. Whether it proves as promising as waste services or not, he’ll be able to spend his time on whatever attracts his attention next. All because he was frustrated by having to take out the trash.

  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
"Your idea doesn’t have to be original to be good. Simply find an unmet need that people actually care about, and then figure out a way to fill it to their satisfaction."
—Jesse Lear #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

Product Manager Profits From Carnivorous Plants

What It’s About

The world’s greatest resource for lovers of carnivorous plants.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

David has some great words about niche ideas: “By definition, niche hobbies have small communities supporting them. Word travels fast in small communities. Building positive relationships with members of your community is crucial in building and maintaining a good reputation. Overdeliver for your customers. Treat your vendors with respect, and try to find ways to delight them.”

Fun Fact

There are roughly 600 different species of carnivorous plants, some of which have come up with incredible ways to catch their prey. From a pitcher plant’s cup-shaped trap to the closing ‘mouth’ of a Venus flytrap these fascinating plants have become master hunters, without stepping so much as an inch from their roots.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1073

David Fefferman takes his hobbies seriously; he’s the type of person that doesn’t do anything halfway. When he becomes interested in something, it becomes an obsession. He’s also always been business-minded, even from a young age. In fact, his very first side hustle was selling Pokemon cards to fellow students in elementary school.

Around the same time that he was obsessing over Pikachu, he discovered carnivorous plants. They’re plants that obtain their nutrients by trapping insects and sometimes small animals, instead of from soil. The most famous is the Venus flytrap, but there are hundreds of other species.

His interest started when a friend brought one to school as a science fair project. That same day David begged his mom to take him to the nursery so he could get his own, and he was instantly hooked.

Over the years these fascinating plants became one of David’s true passions. He dedicated himself to learning everything there is to know so that he could grow many different types. Sure, that venus flytrap was the most popular, but he also ventured into Sundews, Pitchers, Cobra Lilies and dozens of others that most people have never heard of.

The community of growers helped David foster this hobby and turn it into a passion. As he got a little older he’d attend local meetups to learn more from experienced members. Within that group, he’d sell or trade drawings of plants to obtain species he desired but didn’t yet have.

Fast forward to 2017 and David was doing some online research regarding the plants. But he noticed it was hard to find useful information. Tips on how to grow the plants, what sort of nutrients they preferred and what climate they liked were severely lacking.

At the time, David was working remotely as a Product Manager for PayPal, a technical role in a large business. Gaining technical knowledge, and an ability to work remote were huge perks of the job.

He decided to use his technical prowess to create an online resource. Something with easy-to-digest info about everything related to all different species of carnivorous plants.

He registered the domain CarnivorousPlantResource.com … and it cost him almost nothing. Since he did all the work himself, his only costs were for the domain name and hosting, around one hundred dollars total.

He spent the next several months filling the site with content. His goal was to make this the only resource anyone would need to learn about the topic, a sort of Wikipedia for carnivorous plants. Something so useful that he himself would reference it when needed. A place to devour anything necessary to become a carnivorous expert.

Since there were very few quality resources online for this topic, Google began to reward David for his efforts with traffic through their search engine. On top of that growth, the online carnivorous plant community helped spread the word that David’s resource was THE place to go.

In 2019, so far David’s marketplace has generated over thirty thousand dollars in sales. He’s on track to earn commissions of over six thousand dollars by the end of the year and is confident that number will only grow in 2020.

From a childhood hobby, to a now successful side business. David’s story is proof that with a little effort and a lot of passion… anything grows!

 

 

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
"Building positive relationships with members of your community is crucial in building and maintaining a good reputation. Overdeliver for your customers."
—David Fefferman #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: Take an “Active Pause” to Reset & Regroup

Notes from Chris

Episode 1072

THEMES & TAKEAWAYS:

We’ve just finished week 49 of Season III! The final countdown begins.

The “Active Pause”

In Ep. 1062, we featured the story of an engineer who stumbles into a custom cartography business. He found it after a few previous attempts at e-commerce failed.

Instead of trying again right away, he began volunteering at a local maker’s space … it was there that he learned a new skill, surrounded himself with creative people, and then got the idea that became his new venture.

It’s often helpful to step back and get another perspective on a challenge.

Listen to today’s Weekly Recap to hear more…

WHERE ARE THEY NOW:

Today, we have an update from Andrew Taylor. Ep. 481, Aussie Man Eats Nothing But Potatoes for 365 Days.

Listen to the Weekly Recap to hear from Andrew!

Learn more about Andrew and follow his journey at his website, Spudfit.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 PayPal employee turns his childhood obsession with carnivorous plants into an online resource, he earns an income with a marketplace that doesn’t leaf anyone out.
  • 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
"Coming in 2020: The Year of Interaction! We’ll be taking listener questions and answers throughout the week. Ask your question now at Sidehustleschool.com/question"
—#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

Art Teacher Draws Her Way Into Ceramic Shop

What It’s About

A side hustle crafted from an Art Teacher’s diverse skillset.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Asking for help and being open about her business has been a huge key to Lisa’s success. When she was still figuring out how to create the Intentional Touchstones, Lisa determined that she needed a laser to engrave the stones.

However, she wasn’t ready to drop $450 on a laser that she wasn’t totally sure would work for her. She posted about it on Facebook, and one of her friends offered to let her borrow his laser for a month to see if she liked it – it was even the same brand and model that Lisa was considering purchasing!

By being vocal about her business and the processes she was going through, Lisa was able to test her creation process before fully investing in a high-cost purchase.

Fun Fact

Lisa has her very own Intentional Touchstone! Her stone has the word “freedom” on it. Each morning, she looks at the stone and thinks about ways that she can find freedom in every moment of the day – especially in the most difficult ones.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1071

Lisa Long has been a creator for as long as she can remember, eventually studying for a career as an art teacher.

When her son was born, Lisa decided that she needed to have some sort of side hustle. She was a single mom, and raising a family on a teacher’s salary was just not cutting it.

So, during that year’s holiday season, Lisa molded and sold a bunch of ceramic pots. She ended up earning $600 and felt like she could be onto something. Next, she decided to save up her money to buy a kiln and pottery wheel, with the aim of making her very own studio at home.

Then, in early 2019, Lisa was approached by a friend who worked as a coach, to create “touchstones” for her clients. That friend wanted her clients to have a physical reminder of what they learned at the retreats she facilitated.

Lisa designed the touchstones in a unique way. Rather than incorporating a crystal, she used small ceramic stones with words like “freedom,” “kindness,” and “peace” imprinted on them. She also made ceramic mugs with a word of intention etched into the side.

It was a bold choice, and the gifts went over well—so well that her business coach suggested she should sell the touchstones to a broader audience. Lisa’s initial reaction was “No way” … it would just be too much work.

But the idea stayed with her. One night, she woke up with touchstone designs swirling around in her head. The next day, she got to work, creating three types of packages she’d sell under the name “Intentional Touchstones”.

That was February 5th of 2019. By February 25th, Lisa launched the new product line. She used Wix to host her newly revised website.

At the time, Lisa thought that Intentional Touchstones maybe her sole brand. A bunch of her friends and family members were buying them, and she got a lot of requests from life coaches.

Unfortunately, long-term sales did not match expectations. While people were still buying the products, they weren’t buying enough for it to be her only venture.

Not ready to stop, Lisa decided to combine all of her creative pursuits into one hustle, called Lisa Long Designs. She still sells the stones, but most of her profits now come from her pottery.

Here’s the point: Lisa learned a lot of important skills from developing that product line. She now knows how to work with lasers, for example. Intentional Touchstones also provided the perfect platform for Lisa to combine her love of pottery and digital art.

This side hustle currently makes anywhere from $1,500 to $2,000 a month from her various products. Every now and then, she’ll have an off month where she makes closer to $500, but it always picks back up.

She’s also still making passive income from her Skillshare classes, and attending art shows. Lately, she’s been selling handmade jewelry, cups and mugs at a local boutique.

 

 

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

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
"I know people feel like they don’t have the time or resources, but I am a single mom and teacher. I don’t just find the time, I create the time!"
—Lisa Long #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

Friends Turn Gift Boxes into Prosperous Project

What It’s About

Two friends team up to make presents more presentable.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

For other side hustlers, Gabi and Catherine highly recommend developing a network of people around them who know the answers to things they don’t. Whether that’s founders who are 1-2 years ahead of you and have lived through some lessons, founders who are 10 years in and household names, or their “BFF Google”, the answer to everything is out there, and you will save money, time, blood, sweat and tears if you ask first.

Fun Fact

Gifts and presents are used interchangeably but do you know, they are not exactly the same? According to Dictionary.com, if you give something to the recipient at a ceremony, it is a present. Otherwise it’s a gift.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1073

Gabi Koshgarian and Catherine Wang have been best friends since their senior year of college. After graduating, they found themselves living just four blocks from each other in New York City as both embarked on careers in finance.

As their personal and professional lives grew, they each attended more and more events, which means they needed gifts. Both Gabi and Catherine absolutely love gifting, and always put effort into making their gifts thoughtful.

Unfortunately, they found their customized approach made gifting somewhat of a hassle. After finding the “perfect gift”, they were left with toddler-style wrap jobs, “Oh no! We forgot the card!” last-minute sprints, and uninspiring department store gift bags when they were particularly desperate. Of course, there was one other option—the pre-curated gift box.

But even when the boxes were chic and beautifully presented, the tradeoff was often generic, impersonal gifts their recipient didn’t want or need. That didn’t work for Gabi and Catherine.

So, they searched for more solutions to their gifting problems. One would think it would have been an easy search- after all, unique packaging for gifts is certainly nothing new. Fun fact: the first documented use of wrapping paper goes all the way back to Ancient China circa 2nd century BC.

But Gabi and Catherine found nothing that met their needs … and the options they did discover left them underwhelmed—they could either have beautiful presentation or the personal touch they were looking for, but not both.

So, naturally, they decided they would create a ‘ready to gift’ gift packaging that they called BlankBox. It’s just as it sounds: a set of gift boxes featuring chic designs, no visible branding, a fold-over magnetic closure, and a built-in satin ribbon for that effortless first impression.

Plus, each BlankBox—in three simple steps—becomes a custom gift box with a personalized gift tag, featuring handwritten calligraphy text or a printed corporate logo. And, of course, they are convenient. BlankBox arrives right to your door and ready to roll… just add your gift and go.

Gabi and Catherine believed in their new idea for a chic, turnkey packaging solution, and so did many of the people they market-tested, which encouraged them to move forward. They immediately began sourcing the product, which—of course—required money.

These startup costs weren’t cheap. All in, they spent approximately $30,000, more than $24,000 of which went to their first packaging order. They opted for a large first order to keep their profit margin high and sourced their materials from a Chinese vendor after a process of trial and error to find the perfect options.

Their investment proved fruitful, and in the first year, BlankBox earned back $30,000, allowing them to repay themselves. They not only broke even but also had product left over for their second year.

Entering year two and poised for higher profits, the BlankBox hustle is all wrapped up in a nice satin ribbon.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • BlankBox: Get your own BlankBox and start gifting today at Gabi and Catherine’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

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
"You don’t get what you don’t talk for."
—Gabi Koshgarian #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

Graphic Designer Finds Success in the Cards

What It’s About

Hand-painted cards to brighten anyone’s day.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Thanks to online marketplaces like Etsy, personalized physical arts and crafts are a HUGE market, even in the digital age.

Fun Fact

Elizabeth’s first card design was two dinosaurs and said, “I’m so glad we don’t have to hide our weirdness from each other.”

Notes from Chris

Episode 1069

When Elizabeth Kraft started Bright Light Paper, she had two goals. First, to keep her graphic design skills sharp. Second, she wanted to add a personal touch to the way people communicate.

A self-taught graphic designer, Elizabeth originally went to school to study marketing. Her first job out of college was in a sales and marketing support role. While there, she was asked to create flyers for the sales team and instantly got hooked on design work. From there, she improved her skills and eventually moved into design as a full-time job.

A few years later, Elizabeth was coming home to Orlando, Florida after a trip to the west coast. She had found some cute things she wanted to send to her cousin, and thought it would be fun to make a card to send with the package. She enjoyed the process so much she decided to start designing cards as a hobby.

What is that card-designing process, exactly? Well, it starts when she comes up with a phrase—and her inspiration comes from all sorts of different places. From there she works out illustrations that go with the words. She sketches the illustration, then moves to the computer to put the design into a program. Once she’s happy with the design, she prints the card and then hand paints them with watercolor.

Her first few sales were from friends and family, and came right after she officially started the business. Even now, Elizabeth does no paid advertising. She says that Orlando is a tight-knit community and loves to support local businesses, so she’s found the support of local bloggers invaluable.

Her first sale to someone she didn’t know came through her Etsy shop, which she set up as soon as her personal sales confirmed this would be something people might be interested in.

The Etsy shop is one of her main sources of business, but she’s also found opportunities to get her cards in brick-and-mortar stores. Some store owners approached her after seeing her work on Instagram or featured in local blogs—and Elizabeth reached out to other stores because she liked them and thought it might be a good partnership.

Her biggest challenge has been figuring out how to scale her business. Because every card is hand-painted, it’s a time-intensive process, and she hasn’t been able to find a good way to scale.

Nonetheless, she’s excited for the future of Bright Light Paper. It’s all about bringing joy to the people who buy her cards, to the people that receive them, and to her own life.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

 

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
"We are so desensitized these days, so I always feel like getting a personal note in the mail is special."
—Elizabeth Kraft #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

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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

Book Reviewer Finds Money In The Stacks

What It’s About

A librarian discovers income-generating ideas in making book recommendations.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Often times we are unaware of the variety of ways we can create income streams from a particular market. Michelle’s story is great because she demonstrates the multiple ways she generates revenue through publishing.

Fun Fact

While Michelle was working at Marie Claire, she wrote an article titled “Does Your Guy Need A Makeover?”, which was one of the main inspirations for the original TV show Queer Eye for the Straight Guy

Notes from Chris

Episode 1068

Michelle Zaffino had what most would consider a successful career in journalism, writing for high-profile women’s magazines. And yet, she was looking for something new. She tried freelance copywriting for e-commerce, but while creative to a point, was not challenging her in the same way her previous writing had. And so she dove into writing her first self-published young adult novel and then using a company called Smashwords to distribute it.

The novel sold a few dozen copies, at least until a prominent teen-lit librarian happened upon the book, bought it, and gave it a glowing recommendation on her book review blog. With that one recommendation, Michelle’s sales skyrocketed. She made a couple thousand dollars in short order.

Unsurprisingly, Michelle was fascinated by the power reviews had to influence a book’s success. When she shared her experience with other self-published authors, they confirmed that her one high-profile book review had shattered the returns they found on their own carefully curated marketing campaigns and paid ads.

Her book had the professional recommendation of a librarian—and that made all the difference.

Around this time, Michelle enrolled in a masters program at the University of Pittsburgh in Library and Information Science with a concentration in Information Architecture.

For her thesis, she decided to merge the world of Library Science with digital technology, and started recording video reviews of books from her librarian perspective, calling the project “In The Stacks TV.” It didn’t take a lot of equipment, beyond what she already had: her computer’s webcam, free video editing software, and a YouTube account.

She’d post the reviews from her own library of books, and put together a website that organized those videos for people to easily find recommendations. This meant breaking them out into categories, with tags for authors and genres, and back-linking everything across the website to establish an intelligent site map.

She looked into what it would cost to set up a publishing imprint, which would simply be a business entity she could publish her writing under. This would also allow her to grow by publishing other authors or projects, without giving away any of her royalties or production costs.

Michelle was surprised to find that she could simply file for a DBA or “Doing Business As” status under In the Stacks Publishing, while still operating as a sole proprietor. The registration, filing, and subsequent announcement only cost about $150.

However, this was all happening at the same time she was attending a 3 month evening coding school to learn to code. She wanted to grow In the Stacks, and to do that she would have to build a more robust internal book recommendation program.

But she couldn’t learn how to code a program, write a new novel, work on her freelance projects that were her primary source of income, and continue creating new content on the site. That’s when she began to reach out to librarians she knew or had communicated with online, asking them to start sharing some of their recommendations.

This was the beginning of the MyLibrarian portal on her site, which offers crowdsourced librarian recommendations.

After that proof of concept, she was able to build out her book recommendation program and start developing an app that will give users those recommendations from her curated network of librarians.

That’s what’s coming next: the idea that if you aren’t able to get into a library to speak with a librarian in person, at least you can get their insights while staring at the shelves in your local bookstore.

Michelle plans on continuing to build In the Stacks publishing as well, looking to add new authors and titles. With her own books making such an impact on her revenue bottom line, it seems like the next novel idea.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

    • In the Stacks TV: Get great book recommendations and learn more about Michelle and her business from her website.

Smashwords: Looking to self-publish your own book and need help with distribution? Consider Smashwords. This is the platform that Michelle used.

 

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
"It’s amazing having creative and marketing control over your books, while also getting a large portion of the profits directly deposited into your bank account."
—Michelle Zaffino #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

Stripping Down Yoga To The Bare Essentials

What It’s About

Yoga that removes all the barriers.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

If you’re thinking of launching your own naked yoga business Dan warns that the information out there is limited. He suggests creating a mission statement first. “You’ve got to be clear about what kind of culture you’re creating with the group and make sure people understand what to expect.”

Fun Fact

Men were expected to swim nude in public swimming pools (like the YMCA) until the 1960’s, and non-sexual nude culture still exists in many countries outside the US.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1067
Dan Carter moved to Washington D.C. after college and started working for the Discovery Channel. The job was fine, but he quickly found himself in a bad groove. He’d get little sleep, work long hours, then relax over an adult beverage or two at the bar with his friends. Over the next four years, he found himself less confident, less energetic, and less healthy—and he wanted to take control of his life and body.

For him, the answer was obvious: yoga. He’d been practicing since high school—though he’d certainly been far from consistent since starting the new job. It was meditative, refreshing, and brought him to a healthy sweat. He knew he could reconnect with his healthy and balanced self by returning to his practice.

Within a few months, Dan started to feel alive again. He woke up early, found friends who go on runs together instead of to the bar, and his beer belly stopped expanding. This was it. This was what he wanted to do, at least part-time.

He started teaching yoga classes under the name Danimal Yoga. He’d rent space from a local studio for an hourly fee, and all he had to do was find paying class-takers. Dan was quickly making a name for himself in the DC yoga community, and before long he left his job at the Discovery Channel. Dan’s hustle became his full-time gig.

But little did he know he was about to stumble upon another hustle—one that would make him more in-tune with his body than ever before.

A friend invited Dan to a “men’s-only” class, and he agreed. He didn’t find out until an hour before the class that it would be completely nude. Dan was nervous, but he knew that getting out of his comfort zone was usually a healthy thing to do.

The class was great. There was something special about the non-sexual vulnerability of doing yoga naked. He felt a newfound appreciation for his body, and didn’t feel uncomfortable since he wasn’t the only one.

The group, however, was struggling to keep a steady pace and needed a consistent leader. With years of experience, Dan was the clear choice. So within a month of that first class, he had a new hustle: DC Naked Yoga.

For those first few months, Dan could rely on only a few die-hard fans to show up each week. Everyone else in the group came and went from month to month, seemingly without a pattern. But once Dan gave the group a digital presence, he started experiencing more regular attendance. DC Naked Yoga was becoming less of an event to go to, and more of a community to be part of.

Since that first year, Dan has hired other yoga instructors as contractors to lead new classes, planned naked yoga retreats in the woods, and started offering new kinds of classes. Between Danimals and DC Naked Yoga, he’s earning just over $4,000 per month.

He still loves all types of yoga, but he knows that naked yoga, in particular, has a lot of room to grow. There are a lot of people out there who would benefit from a non-sexual nude space where they could truly embrace themselves in a vulnerable way—they just don’t know that one exists.

So he’s going to start testing paid ads to expand his reach. He’s also looking to expand into new class types and payment options to grow the business, because most of his classes are booked our weeks in advance. But while the thrill of growing a business has been an adventure, it’s a small prize compared to the reward of creating a unique experience and community.

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
"Creating a non-sexual nude space is an important reminder of our own body’s uniqueness, an appreciation for the uniqueness of our neighbors’ bodies, and an opportunity to be vulnerable with them."
—Dan Carter #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

Electrical Engineer Rides Demand to Dog Collar Empire

What It’s About

Nothing holds back the kingdom of dog collars.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Some of the best side hustle ideas happen when there’s a collision of a pain point/or something missing that meets your skillset and experience. In this story, Alisha was looking for a dog collar, came up short, and decided to make her own.

Fun Fact

Alisha and her husband financed their honeymoon by making and selling their own candles (pre-dog collar side hustle!).

Notes from Chris

Episode 1066

You might think that graduating with a master’s in physics would set you up for life. Engineers are in demand everywhere, and rarely spend much time looking for work. But for Alisha Navarro in Indian Trail, North Carolina, job security wasn’t good enough. She was working as an electronics engineer, and she didn’t love it. She wanted to do something she was more enthusiastic about, but she wasn’t sure what that was.

Meanwhile, back at home, Alisha had a different problem. Well, two problems really—her two greyhounds. Because a greyhound’s head is smaller than its neck, typical buckle collars tend to slip off. So she needed martingale collars … which are specifically designed to be non-slip. She wanted something that hit the perfect combination of beautiful, humane, and safe—but she wasn’t happy with anything she found.

Alisha was crafty. She’d been making Christmas ornaments and candles since she was a kid, and she knew her way around a sewing machine. So it didn’t take long before her greyhounds had beautiful, functional collars she (and they!) could be proud of.

The collars made an impression. Soon, she was running into other dog owners who wanted to know where they could get her handmade collars. Alisha saw the opportunity and jumped on it. She started by making collars for friends and acquaintances, buying just enough fabric to sew each collar.

But it didn’t take long for the demand to outpace her one-by-one production plan. So, she invested $500 to buy a bulk set of fabric and materials, and set up a store on eBay. Whenever she sold a collar, she’d use the money to buy more fabric. She’d make more collars, sell them, and repeat the process.

Although she was enjoying it, things were still a little ruff at her engineer job. She couldn’t help but wonder if she could make some real money off her collar designs. Alisha decided to ramp up efforts, ditching eBay and making her own website under the name 2 Hounds Design.

She was already involved with her local community—including animal rescue—so she leveraged those connections to create awareness for her product. She also made sure to optimize her website for organic searches and post on Facebook whenever she designed a new dog collar.

The side hustle grew enough that Alisha decided to quit her job. You could say it had her on a short leash … it was a dog eat dog world at the office. Her initial plan was to look for another job while using the income from 2 Hounds Design to support her in the interim.

In 2019, 2 Hounds Design has grown far beyond the small side hustle that was there to hold Alisha over until she found her next engineering job. They sell their collars both direct on their website and at independent pet retailers worldwide. The company is now housed in a custom-built 20,000 square-foot building, employs fifty-two people, and averages over four million dollars in sales each year.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • 2 Hounds Design: Learn more and get your own collar for your best friend at Alisha’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
"Keep doing what you are doing for as long as you love it. I’ve always said that the day I wake up and hate my ‘job,’ I will sell the company."
—Alisha Navarro #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