Archives: Podcast

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

WEEKLY RECAP: Our Big Plans for 2020!

Notes from Chris

Episode 1065

THEMES & TAKEAWAYS:

We’ve just finished week 48 of Season III

This week featured a Tuscan vacation that inspires a leatherworking hustle, a book lover who ships out YA novels for fun and profit, an engineer who stumbles into a custom cartography business, and more!

Let’s jump right in to something big and exciting…

I want you to be the first to know a big announcement:

  • – Some context: we are now at episode 1,065(!) of what was originally a big undertaking to do 365 days in a row
  • – Longterm listeners may know that at the end of the first year – and then the second – I was encouraged, inspired, and challenged to keep going. So here we are and I want to first honor everyone who’s been part of this community (that is how I think of it). You are amazing and I’m really honored to be a small part of your world every day or however you choose to listen
  • – If we ended tomorrow, or at the end of December, I think we could say that we’ve done a pretty cool thing. I hear from listeners every single week if not every day who have drawn on the stories in the show to start projects of their own. It’s literally one of my favorite things in the world to hear
  • – But does this mean it’s winding down?? Until about a month ago, I was torn. I do like doing it, but I also tend to do my best work when I’m pioneering something, not maintaining it.
  • – So I kept going back and forth … it’s a good thing, but I want to always give my best … to keep it short, after a lot of back and forth, I found what I think is not just a modification, but an improvement. In talking with the team, they’re excited too.

Are you ready??

We want 2020 to be: The Year of Interaction!

I’ve always said that the community is the best part of everything I do—and I’ve always wanted to involve more people in the show without turning it into an interview format

So in 2020, we’re going to have:

  • * Real-time coaching throughout the year (you can follow along with listeners who are working on their projects)
  • * A CLASSROOM series that builds from January to December
  • * Several days a week that are all listener questions and answers

We still have a month to go, but you can expect that starting January 1, the show will continue to roll out every single day next year, and it will still be short – I respect your time – and now in addition to the stories (which we’ll still have, just not as frequently) there’s going to be a lot of listener interaction as we work with people throughout the year on their projects.

Want to be part of this? Go to –> Sidehustleschool.com/question

We’ll begin an all-new adventure on January 1. If you’ve been listening passively, that’s cool, but I want to invite you to get a little more active as part of your 2020 goals.

Thank you again for being part of my world and allowing me to part of yours. The best is yet to come!

WHERE ARE THEY NOW:

Today, we have an update from Callie. Ep. 432, Call Center Employee Uses Patreon to Fund LGBTQ Podcasts.

Listen to the Weekly Recap to hear from Callie!

Learn more about Callie’s mission over on their podcast pages, The Gaytheist Manifesto & The Queer side.

 

Also consider supporting Callie’s work at The Gaytheist Manifesto Patreon Page.

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 short-term holdover project between jobs becomes a seven-figure empire, all built on dog collars.
  • This yoga teacher offers classes just the way nature intended. No need to pack any exercise clothes for the workout!
  • 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

Librarian Turns In Card for Booking Speaking Gigs

What It’s About

A librarian books gigs as a presentation skills coach.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Don’t forget the importance of pricing when it comes to your service or product. Keep adjusting as needed to find what works best to attract your target audience.

Fun Fact

Up Front Communication is not the first side hustle Lauren has had. She is also a semi-professional belly dancer and has danced in restaurants around her city for years.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1064

For many years, Lauren Sergy worked as a Librarian at a Library Consortium in Canada. In her role, she coordinated conferences, organized slide decks for the CEO, and ran training programs. During these programs, she’d often be asked to give presentations to a variety of audiences. While training presentations can often put their listeners to sleep faster than reading the dictionary, Lauren’s presentations were different.

People would approach her after she spoke and ask her to present at their conferences. But they didn’t want to hear her speak about library databases, they wanted her to teach them how to present.

With a background in acting and radio announcing, it’s not surprising Lauren excelled at speaking to a crowd. And she was happy to share her knowledge and support others in improving their skills. However, the more requests she got, the more she realized that she could add to her financial bookshelf by offering her knowledge to others in exchange for a fee.

To start, she made a free posting on Kijiji—Canada’s version of Craigslist. She positioned herself as a speaking and presentation skills coach, and within two weeks she had received her first paid client. From there, the requests slowly started rolling in.

Gaining clients and being compensated for sharing her knowledge helped Lauren to boost her confidence. She began to wonder, “What if I could get paid for giving presentations on how to give presentations?” Based on the number of requests she’d received, she suspected there was a real demand—so she decided to give the idea a try.

She created a website under her name, Lauren Sergy, (her only real startup cost), and positioned herself as a professional speaker who specialized in presentations. From there, she started reaching out to all the Rotary Clubs in her city to build up her experience. She also told every single person she knew about her new business. Her hard work paid off, and her first speaking gigs came from word-of-mouth recommendations.

It’s not just her number of clients that has increased—the number in her bank account has also gone up. Within the first couple of years, she had earned $10,000 from coaching and paid speaking opportunities, and that number seemed poised to rise. However, she was still working as a librarian, as well as raising children at home, and was starting to feel burned out.

Looking back, Lauren is grateful that she saved her side hustle income so she could smoothly transition after her job loss occurred. Having a side hustle also supported her during two maternity leaves with little change to her family’s lifestyle, and has allowed her husband to become a stay-at-home dad.

She recommends that anyone starting a side hustle remain flexible. By leaving herself open to work with different types of clients, she’s been able to custom tailor her services based on their input. She’s also determined to keep things simple, and not worry too much about getting everything perfect.

Those qualities have allowed Lauren to now bring in a steady yearly income. Looking forward, her goal is to improve her systems to become more efficient.

 

 

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
"Don’t be afraid to test different prices or services. Put something out there and gather feedback and adjust as necessary. As you gain more experience you can increase your prices to reflect your expertise."
—Lauren Sergy #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

Book Lover Ships Out Fantasies for Profit

What It’s About

A recent college graduate goes old-school Netflix, but for book lovers.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Subscription-based models, especially niche ideas can be really great but it’s important to find a passionate community looking for a product or service you can provide. Kaylin did an awesome job of identifying her target audience and making sure to curate an experience just for them.

Fun Fact

There are more than 168 different book subscription boxes on Cratejoy, and at least 37 of those are just young adult-focused.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1063

Kaylin Peyerk has an insatiable love for reading, especially young-adult fiction, also known as YA. One day, she noticed that her local bookstore was selling used books for as little as $1 each, and they were flying off the shelves. It got her thinking: if they could make a profit off used books, why couldn’t she?

While she had just graduated from college and landed a full-time job as an accountant, she’d also been looking to make a little extra cash. With her love of reading, selling books seemed like it could be the perfect side hustle.

Kaylin was familiar with the monthly subscription box model and thought it might be a great way to package used books. To sweeten the deal, she added a stash of tea and a bookmark to create an ideal gift. Wanting to keep things simple (and concentrate on books she loved) she decided to offer boxes focused on one of three genres: mystery, romance, or young adult fiction. Her first books and boxes cost her just $150, and with that, Literary Dream was born.

She hosted her book box subscription on a website called CrateJoy. The site provides her with a built-in audience of subscription box enthusiasts and a simple e-commerce platform. There are no upfront costs, only a fee for each transaction.

In her first month she received seven subscribers—a good start, especially since they’d be paying monthly! However, she quickly learned a couple important things. Her audience really just wanted to focus on the books and didn’t need the tea or bookmarks. So she replaced her original box with a straightforward envelope containing just one or two books, and offered plans starting as low as $6.25 per shipment. Additionally, she was also forced to remove young adult fiction from her genre options, after discovering that used copies were difficult to find.

However, after a year of running Literary Dream Crate, Kaylin found herself a bit uninspired. Young adult fiction was her favorite genre, and she was disappointed not to be working with it. So, she decided to launch another book based subscription box focusing only on newly released hardcover YA fantasy. She called this one Fantasy Monthly.

Kaylin invested what she had learned for Literary Dream Crate into the rollout of Fantasy Monthly. She planned a deliberate prelaunch, spending time to build up a targeted social media following (something she wished she’d done with Literary Dream Crate). She pulled in other organic marketing strategies, such as reaching out to YouTubers for exposure. Not stopping there, Kaylin got serious about Instagram, spending time on the platform daily to grow her account to over 5,500 followers. Her thoughtful roll-out worked, leading to 40 subscribers in the month after launching.

With nearly 200 active subscribers, she’d profiting more than $1,000/month. Catering to fellow bookworms has allowed Kaylin to pay off her credit card bill each month and enjoy nice meals from time to time. Plus, the work revolves around something she already loves to do, with the added perk of attending book festivals every now and again, as well as interacting with a community of passionate readers.

Kaylin is looking forward to gaining more subscribers in the upcoming holiday season. When she’s not boxing up the next delivery, she’s working on publishing a novel of her own.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Learn more about Kaylin’s literary subscription boxes at the Fantasy Monthly and Literary Dream pages.
  • Kaylin uses the online marketplace, Cratejoy, to sell her subscriptions.
  • Kaylin also mentioned an online resource called Subscription School, which has a bunch of free YouTube tutorials and a Facebook Group.

 

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
"A skill that I’ve learned to benefit the rest of my life is budgeting. You really learn the value of every single dollar."
—Kaylin Peyerk #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

Engineer Stumbles Into Custom Cartography Business

What It’s About

An engineer engraves a new chapter to his story.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Curtis says that entrepreneurial ventures can pop up when you’re least expecting it. For a while, he forced himself to try out ideas even if they didn’t seem quite right. When he stopped putting pressure on it, suddenly his side hustle popped right up in front of him.

Fun Fact

One of Curtis’s favorite products to make was a series of four glasses, each depicting a significant location in someone’s relationship. There was a map for the place the couple met, their first date, where they got engaged and where they got married.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1062

Ever since he was a child, Curtis Singer has had an entrepreneurial spirit. It all started before one of his parent’s garage sales. Curtis decided to collect some sticks from his yard, whittle them down and sell them as “air fresheners.”

As he grew up, he began wanting to delve into more profitable ventures. Yes, even all-natural, preservative-free air fresheners couldn’t cut it in the market!

Curtis then started selling cold brew coffee filters that would fit inside a mason jar. While his product worked pretty well, this time he struggled to find an audience. He thought that he could build it up if he invested more time and money into marketing and began a strict social media regime. However, Curtis wanted his side hustle to be just that … something he did on the side.

See, by then he was working as a mechanical aerospace engineer. He loved his job, he just wanted to diversify his income. Because his job is 100% based on program funding, he was looking to create more stability in his life—and he didn’t want to spend a long time on something that didn’t have much promise.

At that point, Curtis decided to stop forcing it. He had been putting so much pressure on himself for so long to find a viable idea. So, instead of jumping into another attempt right away, he decided to volunteer his time at a makers’ space in his area. A friend of his was starting it up, and needed some help.

There, Curtis worked on establishing a process for the laser engraver that the shop had. As a consequence, he was soon trying to find all kinds of things that could be laser engraved, just for fun! In his search for finding cool things to laser engrave, he stumbled upon an open source data map. Over time, he was able to work the map into a file format that is readable by the laser.

Then, it hit him. He wasn’t looking for a new idea just yet, but a new idea had appeared before his eyes. He could create laser engraved pint glasses with maps on them. Curtis loved going to local breweries to chat and share stories with his friends. An essential part of stories was the location. He envisioned people sipping from a pint glass while looking at the map on their glass, and being reminded of the experiences they’ve had.

He knew he needed to open a new online store, and fast. He decided that Etsy was the fastest and cheapest option, so he made that store in about five minutes and called it Outward Cartography (Etsy link). He posted his Denver pint glass and also included a second listing with a custom map pint glass option. That way, even people with no connection to Denver could submit whatever maps they wanted.

Over the next few months, the custom map pint glass was ordered over one-hundred times, and in his first year, Curtis made about $850.

This year, he’s on track to earn close to $20,000 from Outdoor Cartography. He’s currently selling his pint glasses for $39. He also sells other products, like engraved flasks for $47 and bottle openers for $27.

Next, he’s developing a website separate from his Etsy shop to sell his products. With that, he’ll include some custom software that allows the customer to design their own map, choose the product, and order it directly from the site!

He puts in about ten hours a week on his hustle, and plans to pull that back in the near furture. Curtis loves his day job, but the hustle has allowed him to no longer live in fear of being laid off. He’s even used the extra money that he’s made for a down payment on a house.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Curtis’s new website OutwardCartography.com is being engraved as we speak. Until it’s ready, learn more and check out Curtis’s awesome products at his Etsy store.

 

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
"When I stopped trying to force something to happen, and really just followed what I was interested in; only then did I find something that actually ‘worked’."
—Curtis Singer #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

Expectant Mom Gives Birth To Organic Products Business

What It’s About

Organic skin products made in urban Oregon.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

This is another great example of the “Power of Observation”. Great side hustle ideas often come from something that’s missing in our world that you believe should exist. But it also requires action. Though Emily determined that organic skin care for her baby was important she took the steps to research and figure out how to make her own.

Fun Fact

Twenty-six seconds is all it takes for the ingredients in your personal products to enter your bloodstream.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1061

When Emily Silverstein was pregnant with her first child, she was just like any other expectant mother. She scoured the internet for nursery rhymes, baby names, and tips about how to stay healthy during pregnancy. What she wasn’t expecting to find was a magic number: twenty-six.

This, she learned, was the number of seconds that it took for ingredients in personal care products to get into the bloodstream. With a baby sharing her body, Emily immediately realized she needed to be more careful with what she was putting on her skin. That provided the spark for her to learn more about the different types of ingredients used in personal care.

Hopping onto Pinterest, Emily began to learn how to make her own vegan skincare products. Through trial and error, she became well versed over the next couple of months. This went on even after Emily gave birth to her child. Then, as her maternity leave came to an end and she had to return to work, she thought she could try selling the products she made. After all, she wasn’t the only concerned mother out there.

Her hunch was proven right very quickly. On December 24th, 2013, she listed five products on Etsy and posted on Facebook that she had launched Urban Oreganics (Oregon + organics). That same day, she received an order from a total stranger. It was a pleasant surprise, and with a product already prepared, all she had to do was ship it out.

Startup costs were just $300. Emily purchased ingredients and used baby food jars from friends and family to package her products. As she went along and sales grew, she’d invest much of the profits back into the project.

Working on her hustle part-time, Emily gradually built up an email list and developed a presence on Pinterest and Instagram. A year and a half later, she hit a new milestone. Still working her own full-time job, she started to hire part-time help for the business.

That was when she realized it no longer made sense for her to work this way. She was in a position to double down on Urban Oreganics … if only she had more time. She called it her other baby, and Emily knew it was high time she gave it the attention that it deserved.

Today, Urban Oreganics brings in anywhere from $30-40,000 in sales a month. With over twenty products on offer, including some seasonal ones, Emily has seen her business grow slowly but surely.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Urban Oreganics: Check out Emily’s full organic skin care lineup on her 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
"When I had to start hiring people to help me so that I could work part-time for someone else, that’s when I realized it didn’t make sense anymore for me to have my eggs in two baskets."
—Emily Silverstein #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

Tuscan Vacation Inspires Leatherworking Hustle

What It’s About

Under the Tuscan sun, a program manager discovers a profitable hobby working with leather.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Can you learn anything on YouTube? Maybe not everything, but it’s a great place to start from especially if you aren’t able to afford classes or lessons. Use YouTube as a starting block to help you generate some income, then pay for specialized or more complex lessons to help you grow your business.

Fun Fact

Ritesh found that, by allowing potential customers to request custom colors, sizes, and designs, that they’d be far more willing to spend a premium on handmade items.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1060
Ritesh Shrestha remembers booking the plane tickets to Italy for him and his wife back in 2015. They were especially thrilled to visit the Tuscan hills of Florence. As they explored colorful walkways, wandering from shop to shop, Ritesh noticed something: there was an abundance of leatherworkers selling handmade, premium leather goods.

They walked into one shop and were greeted by a man paying careful attention to his product-in-progress. They admired the man’s attention to detail, his precise handiwork, and his patience. Ritesh was hooked.

He had been in search of a hobby, and this was it. Upon returning to the U.S., he started watching YouTube videos on how to learn about leatherworking—dozens and dozens of videos. He ordered around $500 worth of tools and supplies, then another $400 of leather.

Ritesh then began crafting after work and on weekends. He started by following YouTube tutorials to make simple handbags, which he’d use himself or pass on to his wife. It was challenging, but the pride of making something by hand was motivating.

As his skills grew, he started getting requests from friends to make bags for them. Each new piece turned out better than the last. He finally made a handbag that was completely of his own design—and that’s when people really started noticing.

Ritesh’s wife would get stopped in public by other women wondering where she had gotten her bag. They saw it as a sign, and a few months later he made a second, improved version of that same bag—and all of a sudden she began getting requests to buy the bag.

Quality leather doesn’t come cheap. Ritesh sold that handbag to one of his wife’s friends for $275, which covered the material and some time cost, but didn’t offer a real profit. At that point, he was more surprised than thrilled. He knew he was making a high-quality product, but he assumed there was little to no market for upscale, handmade item—especially with so many factory-produced items available for $20-50. It turned out there were people who wanted that high level of quality and craftsmanship—Ritesh just needed to find them.

Random strangers who found his Instagram account and followed weren’t there for inspiring lifestyle images. They were there to see Ritesh’s work—which meant they were already somewhat interested in buying handmade, high-end bags. So between a few new followers on a regular basis, referrals from previous customers, and just using his products out in public, Ritesh was able to stay busy.

In July of 2019, Ritesh broke $1,000 in orders in a single month for the first time. He’s looking at around $7,000 of revenue for 2019, and as the numbers climb, so do his sights.

He’s now looking to standardize a few of his product designs so that he can start selling them directly on his website and at craft shows without customization. Since he’s made wallets and handbags dozens of times over the years, he knows he can do them quickly, which means he can lower prices slightly without sacrificing a healthy profit margin.

But Ritesh isn’t desperate to grow rapidly. In fact, he largely still considers himself a hobbyist. It’s a hobby that brings in money while making him—and his customers—incredibly happy.

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
"I don’t believe in talent. Determination, hard work, and patience are all you need to learn whatever you want to learn."
—Ritesh Shrestha #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

Geologist Rides Away From Full-Time Work

What It’s About

A Geologist rocks on with his mobile bicycle repair business.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Make sure to define your target market/client specifically. The overwhelming majority of bike shops target the high-end client. I have chosen to do the opposite. I focus on servicing “normal bikes” or department store bikes.

Fun Fact

There are an estimated 45 million cyclists in the USA who purchase approximately 17.5 million bikes per year. With that many riders purchasing so many bikes this is a huge market with plenty of opportunities to make money.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1059

Andy Tong was looking for a way to make some extra money outside of his day job. He was working full time as an oil and gas geologist in a role with rock-solid demands. But that was fine, Andy loved Geology, but he loved cycling even more.

You see, Andy was a bicycle fanatic. Zipping around on two wheels was something he’d loved ever since he was a kid. In the decades since, he’d learned almost everything there is to know about bikes. Beyond just riding them, he also knew how to fix and service them.

So, when the idea of earning some extra pocket money entered his mind, doing something with bikes didn’t seem like a terrible idea.

He placed a single ad on a Calgary-based buy and sell website, and received a call almost immediately. Then he hopped in his SUV, drove to their house, picked up the bike, and brought it home. After patching up the necessary repair, he returned the bike to the customer and collected a check.

Over the course of the next month he acquired three customers from that single ad and made over five hundred dollars, while charging significantly less than the local bike shops.

But, soon he encountered logistical challenges. First, his tools and parts were good but not exhaustive, meaning he wouldn’t be able to service every kind of bike. Also, picking up the bikes, bringing them to his house and returning them cost money in gas and took a lot of time.

Juggling all that, along with his day job, proved too difficult. So, with five hundred bucks in hand, he parked the idea in his bike rack for two years.

At that point, two years later, Andy unexpectedly lost his job. His company was restructuring and there was no longer a place for him. Instead of feeling panicked, the gears in his mind began turning.

He revisited his old bike service side hustle and thought it was an idea worth pursuing again now that he had plenty of free time. After all, he wondered, if he was able to make five hundred dollars without too much effort, what might be possible if he truly committed?

This time, he decided to do things a little differently. In cycling, you go where you aim your bike. In other words, pick your plan, focus on that direction and just keep pedaling.

Andy applied that logic to his new venture, which he called the Bicycle Repair Hub.

This time he offered mobile servicing. Instead of bringing the bikes home, he’d work on them at customers’ homes. This would cut his time and gas bill substantially. He also committed to purchasing more tools so that he could service all different kinds of bikes effectively.

After a year, he decided to invest in a new van, something large enough that he could stand inside so it could act as his mobile workshop. Inside, he fit the whole thing out with his tools, parts, racks and work bench. It allowed him to work faster than ever before and therefore service more customers. It was so successful, that Andy’s only regret was that he hadn’t purchased the van sooner.

Andy has doubled revenues every year and makes around ten thousand dollars profit during the bike season months. At his current growth he expects to make one hundred thousand per year within the next two to three years. All while effectively taking half the year off.

No doubt he’ll keep the wheels rolling…

 

 

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
"It’s important to define your target market/client specifically. The overwhelming majority of bike shops target the high-end client. I have chosen to do the opposite."
—Andy Tong #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