Archives: Podcast

Trio of Friends Generate Wealth With Financial Advice

What It’s About

Looking to diversify their income, three friends invest in themselves as online financial advisors.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Make a plan, however rough it may be, and then just get started. Know what your service/ product will be, how you’ll get in front of customers, and what costs might be involved. Be resourceful and creative; taking outside funding or debt is not always necessary and should not be the first step.

Fun Fact

Robo advisers are a relatively new product, taking advantage of technology to offer customers low fees in what is traditionally an expensive market. Businesses like Polaris, Betterment and Wealthfront are operating in this space, trying to take a slice out of the multi-trillion dollar investment funds industry.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1055

Michael McDermott and two of his friends, Evan and Grant, had a desire to leave their jobs and work on something they were more passionate about. Each of them also had corporate jobs that came with suits, ties, conference calls, and cubicles. Michael worked in operations, Evan in finance, and Grant in marketing. They had salaries and benefits, but something was missing: inspiration and drive.

In fact, they viewed those suits and cubicles as symbols of imprisonment … an 8-5 jail cell for their next forty years. Unless, of course, they made an escape.

In an effort to shorten that time frame, the three friends would talk about investing during sessions at the gym. They figured that a solid investment plan could emancipate them from long commutes and office politics.

However, something interesting surfaced during their research. Very quickly, they realized that the average person has no idea about investing. They either don’t want to know, find it too complicated, or simply get bad advice.

They believed that effective investing offers a realistic path to getting rich slowly and were adamant that everyone should be armed with solid advice.

Thinking quickly, they put a deposit down on an idea. It was an opportunity they saw could become a side business, and possibly something much more. While their original goal was to learn as much as they could about investing, they now felt like they knew enough to offer some sort of product or service to those wanting to do the same.

They noticed that most errors people made with investing were human. They’d invest emotionally, usually in the wrong stocks or bonds, and then get out at the wrong time. Or worse, they wouldn’t invest at all and end up without any savings.

Michael, Evan, and Grant envisioned creating an online platform, commonly called a robo advisor. A robo advisor is similar to a traditional financial adviser, but the service is offered online only. There are no offices, no extraneous staff, and minimal overhead. By forgoing those expenses, they could allow low investment commitments while keeping their own costs low.

The best part was that all three could combine their skills and work on the project together, which they called Polaris Portfolios. They also agreed that the business should be self-funded, which meant no outside investment. They’d have to remain resourceful and solve problems in a cost-effective way, but the lack of funds meant they could keep control.

They built the first version of their website on Weebly—a free website builder—and used LegalZoom to incorporate. They also needed to obtain certification to become qualified advisers. After that, they invested three thousand dollars of their own money into the venture for any ongoing expenses. It made for a total of around four thousand in startup costs.

Michael, Evan and Grant are now all in on Polaris Portfolios, and have left their jobs to dedicate themselves to it. Their hope is to continue to keep compounding their efforts all while improving services for their customers.

After investing their time into escaping traditional employment, the three friends are starting to see real dividends.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Polaris Portfolios: Learn more about the financial advising services of Polaris Portfolios on their website.
  • When the guys first started they created their website using Weebly and got legal help with Legal Zoom

 

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
"The biggest struggle is patience; it takes time to grow a business and gain clients."
—Michael McDermott #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

Texas Banker Teaches Classes on Painting Your Pet

What It’s About

These pop-up painting classes are a howling success.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

One of the best ways to find a side hustle is to observe businesses around you. If you know you could provide a better service or product, you might be onto something. Chelsey took the time to research and figure out how to differentiate herself from similar businesses.

Fun Fact

Chelsey’s favorite artists are Van Gogh, Andy Warhol and Wayne Thiebaud. She loves Thiebaud because he loves to paint cakes and all things food, which is what Chelsey paints when she paints for herself. As she says, “It’s weird but oddly satisfying.”

Notes from Chris

Episode 1054

In 2012, Chelsey Roberts was working as a banker while going to school to get her MBA. One night, she felt inspired to create a piece of art to represent a vivid dream she had. Chelsea wasn’t an artist—she’d never even taken a single class in art, but she happened to have some random house paint lying around. Feeling motivated, she sat down and created her very first painting.

It turned out she loved the process. She soon began learning the fundamentals of shading, lighting, and realism, and occasionally sharing her work with friends. One of those friends asked if Chelsey could show her and a group at her church how to paint like her. This first-class was small, just 10 or 15 people, but it was a good experience. In fact, she found that she enjoyed teaching so much that she decided to leave banking and become a sixth-grade teacher.

But a few years and a couple of moves later, Chelsey found herself in a town about 30 minutes outside Dallas. Her experience helped her land a job in one of the best school districts in town. She loved that job, but she wanted to create something that she could have full control over and really make her own.

She looked at what other painting class companies were offering, and decided she could do better. She wanted to focus on mediums that were stress-free, easy to learn, and easy to transport. She also knew she might have more success with classes now that she was much closer to a large city. That’s how her business, ColorHype, came to be.

She puts a lot of emphasis on hands-on learning … which both kids and adults love. Among others, she has an acrylic pouring class, which can get colorful and messy, and another class that uses different media, like boards, potted succulents, stickers and honeycomb tiles. She even hosts a popular Paint Your Pet class.

Even with ColorHype’s rapid growth, Chelsey hadn’t planned to quit her full-time teaching job. But besides touching all the primary colors, her work was bringing in some serious green. In May 2019, she realized that she was making enough money to focus on ColorHype full time. So, she left her high school teaching job at the end of the school year, and since then has seen her sales jump to over $10,000/month.

These experiences are now expanding. She recently licensed her ColorHype brand to a friend back in Texarkana who now uses her methods to teach classes there. Chelsey makes a percentage of the profits from every class, and is looking to license others in cities around the country.

Next, she’s working on creating her first art tour in Italy, and hiring some additional help. This passion project has become a true masterpiece.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • ColorHype: Learn more about Chelsey’s classes at 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
"Art can be such a release for people. It gives you space to create something that speaks to you. Let go of your control, your ideas of what something should look like and just create."
—Chelsey Rogers #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

Attorney Sells Cork Sunglasses With Grape Expectations

What It’s About

Two friends sell sunglasses made from cork for fellow wine-lovers.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Thinking about launching a product. Joseph has some advice; “I would suggest that anyone looking for a supplier in China should go on Alibaba.com and reach out to several different suppliers, get quotes and samples from each. You can negotiate prices down when you have several suppliers competing for your business. You also get to see the different quality of the products.”

Fun Fact

There are an estimated 84 million regular wine drinkers in the USA. While it’s obvious that selling wine to them is a good way to make money, with a market this large there are always other opportunities if you can find complementary products the demographic will love.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1053
Joseph O’Bell and David Eagen live in Austin, Texas. Both are young professionals, with Joseph working as a construction litigation attorney and David in finance. As friends, they bond over fashion and wine. In fact, for them, enjoying a glass of cabernet sauvignon can turn a regular day into a cause for celebration.

Joseph has been a working attorney for several years. The hours are long and the work demanding but, at the same time, it’s a well-paid field that comes with its own job security.

David personifies the side hustler spirit a bit more. Outside of his day job, he’s had several different moneymaking projects over the years. The most successful of which was TacoSweets, a food truck that put a sugary spin on a traditionally savory dish.

One thing they share is that they’re both always on the lookout for opportunities, often discussing ideas together over a glass of red. Most of these conversations didn’t amount too much. But every now and then something fruitful came out of it. It wasn’t unlike growing grapes, where the vine grows for years before it yields fruit.

One particular idea that got their attention was something specific in the fashion space—a sunglasses company. To avoid having to compete with the big companies, they decided to make them specifically targeted to wine lovers. A pair of glasses they could wear in a vineyard while enjoying a cab-sav as the sun goes down.

Their original idea was to make them out of cork, to stick with the wine theme. It would make the glasses unique, allow them to be marketed directly to wine lovers and, beyond that, they’d be a great conversation starter.

They put a corkscrew into this idea, diving in further.

The first thing they needed was a supplier, someone to actually produce the glasses. To find one, it seemed obvious to turn to China. David had some experience working with suppliers there and was able to provide Joseph with a couple of promising leads. He made a few calls and soon found a suitable manufacturer.

David, who had some experience in web design from his previous ventures, built their website—and with that, it was time to celebrate. Vineyard Sun, their new side hustle, was officially open for business.

What flowed over the next year was a series of marketing experiments: more cold calling, snail mail and email to wineries. They tried pitching to boutique stores and gift box subscription services. What worked the best building up a following on their Instagram and Facebook accounts. It has helped get the word out and produced direct sales. Also, having a brand with an online presence makes things seem more legitimate when cold selling.

Which brings us to today where, like a fine wine, Vineyard Sun has only gotten better with age. The side hustle is now at the point where its consistently bringing in five hundred dollars profit per month. While nowhere near enough for a full time living yet, that is the eventual goal. To sell enough pairs of sunglasses to wine lovers all over the world that Vineyard Sun can become Joseph and David’s primary pursuit.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Vineyard Sun: Snag a pair of your own cork sunglasses at the Vineyard Sun website.
  • Joeseph and David use Shopify to sell their sunglasses. (use the link to start a 21-day trial and get 10% off for an entire year!)
  • Want to launch your own product and are considering working with a supplier through Alibaba? Listen to Extended Cut Episode #400 and look for the Shopify guide to Alibaba, posted in the notes.

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
"Getting started, making mistakes, figuring things out, and finding solutions to problems is the only way you are going to move the ball forward and make a company successful."
—Joseph O'Bell #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

Guitar Builder Carves Out Woodworking Moneymaker

What It’s About

A guitar builder turns scrap wood into a supportive hustle.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Eric has some important advice for people thinking about products for the masses, “When it came to figuring out what I should sell I started with simple obvious things. That turned out to be disappointing. So I stopped putting any focus on those types of items that anybody could make.”

Fun Fact

There are online platforms for just about everything. If your stuff is for the masses, get on Amazon. If you have handmade items, get on Etsy. And if you are into music accessories, get on Reverb. There’s something for everyone.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1052

As a teenager, California native Eric Blackwell loved the guitar. Playing gigs in bands made him realize that he wanted to spend his life around music. After finishing high school, Eric found his way into the electronics department of a custom guitar factory. This was a job that he loved—it allowed him a firsthand glance into the world of his obsession. Not only could he hear the music the strings made, but he could see how everything worked within the instrument.

Over the years, Eric gained experience at the factory. He also paid attention. One of the things he noticed was how much wood would get thrown away. The pallets that arrived had to be sorted out and cut up into different shapes and sizes. But in this process, large batches of wood would be set aside when any imperfections, no matter how minor, were found.

While this wood was unsuitable for making quality guitars, it was perfect for almost any other endeavour—so Eric started a series of small woodworking projects on the side where he would make gifts for friends and family. He began with cutting boards and other simple items such as serving trays.

He did this for many years before realizing that he might be able to make extra money from it. It dawned on him that there were others out there who would probably enjoy his items made from wood as well. Once again, he started with the simple things—cutting boards, tap handles, and bottle openers were first on his list. These seemed like everyday items that would appeal to those who liked the aesthetic of wood.

This drove him to sell his products on Etsy (Blackwell Woodworks), the platform that specializes in handmade and vintage items. The Etsy audience tends to appreciate personalized and sustainable gifts, so he decided that this was the market he wanted to focus on.

But a not-insignificant problem still remained. Even though Eric was sure Etsy was his platform …. he hardly had any sales at first. It turned out that because he was making simple, everyday items, there were lots of them on the market. For a newcomer who didn’t know much about marketing or have a long list of reviews, there was little chance to stand out.

So he switched to making more complicated items such as wooden clocks and guitar stands. They were practical and classy. Besides, he felt there was a real need for guitar stands in the world of music, because the ubiquitous plastic and metal ones were cold and utilitarian.

This turned out to be the right move. Eric got his first sale on a wooden clock—and they continued to sell. His customers told him that they appreciated the vintage and retro designs. The guitar stands were also a hit.

Three years in, Eric is now earning $2,000/month in additional income. It all began by working with materials that others considered useless.

 

 

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
"Don’t be afraid to mess up. Don’t try to get all of your plans perfectly in place before you begin. Just start right away."
—Eric Blackwell #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: Simple, Boring, and … Highly Profitable?

Notes from Chris

Episode 1051

THEMES & TAKEAWAYS:

We’ve just finished week 46 of Season III

For now: let’s talk about simple, boring business ideas. Isn’t that why you listen to podcasts … to hear about boring topics?

I thought about this as I worked on two stories this week, one of them the ergonomic desk accessories, which is really a fancy way of saying “elbow pads,” and the other (#1048) about a guy who earns extra money mounting TVs and hiding the wires in people’s homes.

What do these things have in common? They are simple, boring, and profitable … highly profitable in the case of the elbow pad business.

In my inbox on any given day I have a lot of people writing in about big tech projects—many of which will never see the light of day or be profitable. Meanwhile, my entire focus is on showing you examples of real people who are starting profitable projects by solving simple problems.

A practical solution to a clear problem, a product or service that meets a specific need … it may not always be sexy, but if your goal is to make money, not just talk about your cool tech idea, this is not at all a bad approach.

I went back through some of the archives to make a list of other projects that fit this category…

Ep. 280: Boring Desk Job Leads to $14,000/month Coffee Pod Biz Ep. 430: Choir Teacher Tunes Sight Reading Workbooks Into $20,000 Hustle Ep. 542: Graphic Designer Chalks Up Gripping Side Hustle [Crossfit] Ep. 611: Accountant Earns Six-Figures Selling Spreadsheets to Etsy Sellers Ep. 964: Knoxville Man Rents Reusable Packing Totes

Be encouraged and inspired: if you haven’t found your idea yet, maybe you’re overthinking it. What can you do that compares to elbow pads, TV installation, choir workbooks, chalk for athletes, packing totes, or spreadsheets?

WHERE ARE THEY NOW:

Today, we have an update from Caleb Kingston. Ep. 413, UX Designer Earns $1,000/Month After Posting in Facebook Groups.

Listen to the Weekly Recap to hear from Caleb!

Learn more about Caleb’s online design courses on his website, App Design Tips, and check out his page at Udemy! .

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! Most Weekly Recap episodes include Listener Q&A.

Call the Side Hustle Hotline at 844-9-HUSTLE (844-948-7853), record your question and send it to podcast@sidehustleschool.com, or just send us an email!

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 California guitar builder finds a way to put spare materials to good use, earning an extra $2,000/month selling retro clocks and classy guitar stands.
  • A former banker hosts pop-up art classes where the paint flies and the creative ideas flow.
  • 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!

Also, if you’re interested in joining the Side Hustle Society, visit our Society page to get notified when it goes live!

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
"A practical solution to a clear problem may not always be sexy, but if your goal is to make money, you could do much worse."
—#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

Retail Frustrations Inspire Upcycled Fashion Brand

What It’s About

A designer adds new life to old materials, creating fashionable, upcycled bags.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Lucia knows that this intentional work to upcycle is challenging and counter-cultural; “I think it’s very important to know exactly why you’re doing what you’re doing and how that would benefit other people’s lives.”

Fun Fact

Lucia’s first real business investment was her first sewing machine, which she snagged for $20 at a thrift shop. And that’s it!

Notes from Chris

Episode 1050

For years, Lucia Gasparidesova knew she wanted to have her own fashion brand. She studied Fashion Design in college and worked for a well-known British clothing brand. Free time was spent sketching her own designs, and she even designed an initial collection of three outfits to present to buyers.

But there were some problems bringing it to market.

The first was cost. It cost her $500 to buy materials to produce samples, mostly to show what she could do. That wouldn’t buy anything she could actually sell, and that well-known British clothing brand she worked for didn’t pay her very well.

The second involved the fashion industry itself. The more Lucia researched, the more disillusioned she grew. The thought that the clothes she helped sell might be made in sweatshops made her shudder. Not to mention the impact all these clothes were having on the planet.

She had to do something about it. So she applied an old family saying to the problem: “Use what you have.”

By then, Lucia had come across the concept of upcycling. Upcycling is all about taking old items and repurposing them to create new pieces. Upcycled clothes can be made of anything from scarves to shirts, sweaters, and pants.

However, Lucia didn’t like the way most of these pieces were put together. They looked homemade. It was as though the mission of being environmentally-friendly had to come at the cost of the actual design.

That’s when she began a set of experiments. It was half a moral undertaking, and half practical. Since she didn’t have the money to invest in her next collection, she got creative. She asked for donations of old jeans, guessing that most people had at least one pair kicking around their closet that they never wore.

And she was right.

Armed with her locally-sourced fabric—and a sewing machine she snagged for $20 at a thrift store—she got to work. Lucia spent about a year and a half experimenting with different methods and styles. 

But she still didn’t like how it turned out. Even with her fashion design training, the pieces once again looked like they’d been upcycled. You could almost point to what each piece of fabric had once been. And that wasn’t the point.

Everything changed when Lucia started making tote bags. In retrospect, it made perfect sense. Tote bags sit at that perfect intersection of timeless and trendy, meaning just about everybody has one. But most modern tote bags were not designed for extended, sustainable use. They’re often made from cheap cotton, and they’re not stitched to last. But denim? That stuff is designed to be tough.

As a bonus: Lucia knew that denim went with just about any outfit.

She made her tote bags as custom pieces, and she sold them to friends and acquaintances. She did some marketing through organic social media posts, but mostly she relied on people she knew.

Within a year, she wanted to expand. She hoped to undo some of the damage the industry was causing, instead of contributing to it.

She called her business PROLONG, based on the idea that existing items of clothing, which are no longer in use, can be transformed into completely new products.

Lucia now works part-time at a local co-op vegan cafe. The rest of her time is spent sourcing fabrics and designing new products. Plans for the future include moving into a new studio, where she can work on turning Prolong—and saving the planet—into her full-time job.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • PROLONG: checkout Lucia’s current upcycled bag offerings on the PROLONG website.
  • Big Cartel: is the e-commerce platform (for makers and artists) Lucia uses to sell her bags.

 

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’ve been pricing my products in the wrong way. I thought that my budgeting was correct but actually I never counted my time in it as I thought that is such a luxury to be paid for my time as well."
—Lucia Gasparidesova #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

Sports Videographer Finds Slam Dunk with Production Agency

What It’s About

What starts as a web series becomes a “Maine” hustle for this video producer.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Kurt has some important advice for working on larger projects: “surround yourselves with good people and knowledge. Know you are not good at everything and get help when you need it.”

Fun Fact

Kurt is also a trained concert cellist, and has side-hustled wedding gigs and chamber performances in the past.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1049

Fresh out of university with a dual major in film and government, Kurt Graser [“Grah-zer”] landed a job that many would dream of: he started working as a video production assistant for ESPN and NBC Sports. He then spent five years filming, interviewing, and editing footage for some of the top sports personalities and events in the industry.

Eventually, though, the dream job turned into a grind, and Kurt started looking for other opportunities. So he started moonlighting, doing freelance work. This allowed him to make some extra money, and keep doing the creative video production he loved.

One day, he was on a train ride back from New York City with another freelancer and friend, Alex Steed. They started talking about how much fun it would be to make a web series featuring the food and drinks of various towns and regions around the State of Maine.

Within a few weeks, they hashed out the concept for Food Coma TV. They would build a small team from contractors they had both worked with before, and enlist a friend and personality from the local foodie scene to be the on-camera talent.

While getting footage at a facility in Northern Maine, the manager asked them if they ever did commercial work. Kurt thought about it. He had originally imagined Food Coma TV as a fun project that would allow him to flex his creativity, and didn’t plan to make any money off it. But he admits that while they all knew the footage would be a nice addition to their portfolios, they didn’t realize what they were really creating.

Once the series was wrapped up, Kurt, Alex, and a third partner brought all their clients together under the newly incorporated Knack Factory production agency umbrella. With contracts from international brands, athletes, and regional personalities, they had plenty to do.

The team did everything on their own that they could. To offset their costs, they negotiated barters with creative and business friends. When they needed a logo, they offered to do a brand video for a design agency. For their website, they did behind-the-scenes content for a developer.

They divided tasks by the needs of the project, as each owner had their own specialty—but they now had two other people to help with the crew work they’d each been doing on their own, or outsourcing to contractors. They each made about $10,000 a year at the beginning.

By the end of year two, Knack Factory was bringing in over six-figures, and Kurt was able to make the move to full-time himself.

In addition to production space for their now six-person team, they also opened offered coworking desks and small offices for rent. This has helped with their own increase in rent, and allowed them to build a creative and collaborative space filled with writers, brand marketers, designers, and more.

They now host events in the space, often featuring workshops on all the business things they wish someone had told them from the beginning.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Knack Factory: Check out the Knack Factory’s work and learn more about them from their 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
"I think I had anti-mentors. Watching how they operated, and the mistakes and issues they had, helped me figure out the type of business I wanted to run."
—Kurt Graser #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

Mega TV Installer Mounts Extra $1,000/Month

What It’s About

A security installer answers the call for requests to install mega TVs.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

One of the simplest ways to start a side hustle is to think about a skill or area of expertise you have that can help serve someone else. In Abou’s story, it’s AV setup. What’s a common pain point or something missing that requires your skills, abilities, and knowledge? There’s a good chance, someone will be willing to pay for your help!

Fun Fact

Thanks to the additional money earned from his side hustle, Abou has been able to take his whole family on a trip to their native country of Senegal.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1048

Several years ago, Abou Toure was working as a cable installer. He would go into people’s homes and get their TV services set up. On numerous occasions, he would be asked by his customers if he could mount TVs or hide all of the wires so they weren’t visible. Abou hated the look of loose unkempt wires, but it wasn’t his job to fix them … so time after time, he would respond and tell the customer that he unfortunately couldn’t do it.

After seven years of working for a cable company, Abou transferred his skills and began working for a security company installing security systems. Being in security allowed him to learn new skills such as fishing wires through walls and ceilings so they’re not visible. Once he gained this knowledge, he thought back to all of the missed opportunities of not being able to mount TVs and hide wires. And suddenly it clicked. He had the knowledge and the skill … what if he could offer it as a service?

The only thing left to do was mount his skills into action. Luckily, he didn’t have to buy a lot of equipment in the beginning. He was able to use a lot of tools he already had for his job. He spent about $100 getting a few extra supplies like screws, electrical wire, and junction boxes. He also spent $200 getting a business license and tax ID. Just like a quick install, Mega TV Installations was in business.

And slowly from there, Abou began to get customers, and now averages about 7 to 10 jobs a month. After he got a handful of clients, Abou started asking his customers to write reviews on Yelp. Business increased further, and Abou found himself gaining more confidence. He used this momentum to create a website using Wix, and upgrade his business card design with someone he found through Fiverr.

As his list of reviews and completed jobs piled up, so did the money in his bank account. Installations range in price, but start at $175 and go up from there. In 2018, he earned around $4,000 in profits and is on track to more than double that number in 2019. He’s also begun offering additional services including home automation, soundbar installation, and light fixture installation.

This came to be because customers started asking him for it … and rather than saying no upfront, Abou said he would get back to them. He then went home, got onto YouTube, and learned the new skills he’d need for that customer.

He recommends this approach to anyone doing a service-based side hustle. Rather than telling your customer or client that you can’t do something, learn what you need and finish the job.

He hopes to expand Mega TV Installations in 2020 and hire a couple of full-time installers to support the workload … that way he can focus on launching an all-new project.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Mega TV Installations: Learn more about Abou and his services on his website.
  • Abou launched his website using Wix.com (get 10% off) and used the online freelance marketplace Fiverr.com for his business cards.

 

SEE ALSO:

Stay At Home Mom Delivers Fresh Side Income:

    After relocating to Tennessee from Canada, a restless homemaker creates an online farmers market, delivering produce to more than 200 homes a week.
  • Aussie Woman Earns Up to $4,000/Month Painting Faces: When she left her job, she found herself longing to reconnect with a favorite hobby. So she grabbed some paints and brushes—and within an hour, found her first client.

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
"Don’t wait to learn everything before you start. You can learn on the job by trial and error."
—Abou Toure #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

Event Planner Writes Her Way Into Custom Calligraphy Shop

What It’s About

Brushed on by friends, an event planner launches her online calligraphy store.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Maghon says that she tries to keep in mind that the point of creativity is joy, not perfection. She messes up letters all the time, but rather than getting frustrated, Maghon turns her mistakes into confetti – literally! Maghon rips up the letters she messes up and throws them in the air as a celebration. Happy policies like these can help keep you energized and enthusiastic about your hustle!

Fun Fact

When Maghon made her first sale that wasn’t from friends or family, she was at the Wyndham Championship Golf Tournament. According to Maghon, it was the type of place where her phone should have definitely been on silent, but a loud “cha-ching” erupted from her purse! This story eventually made it back to the golf tournament organizers, and they invited Maghon to commemorate the event by doing a book signing!

Notes from Chris

Episode 1047

Maghon Taylor has been a doodler and artist for as long as she can remember. When she was in middle school and would pass notes back and forth in class, she designed the slips of paper so they looked beautiful. The teacher would threaten to take the notes and show them to the class and Maghon would think, “Open it up and show it off! I worked really hard!”

In high school, she painted the banner that the football players would run through every game day. Her lettering got better and better as time went on.

After graduating from college, she got a job as an event planner. One day, she decided to take a calligraphy class just for fun. After the class was over, Maghon was on her way to her friend’s house for a book club. As a hospitality gift, she decided to write some typical Southern home sayings on cards for her, like “Hey Y’all”, “Bless Your Heart”, “Love You Lots” and “Thanks a Bunch.”

Her friend loved them! Soon, the other members of the book club were encouraging Maghon to start an online store.

Maghon thought about it and quickly made up her mind. She loved doing calligraphy, and she could use a little extra cash. At that point, she couldn’t afford WiFi at her house.

Maghon decided to go for it! That night, on August 13, 2013, she started her new side hustle in bed, on her iPhone 4.

She started an Instagram account for her business and decided to call it “All She Wrote Notes”. A lot of other sellers named their shops after themselves, but Maghon knew her name was difficult to spell and she wanted to make sure people could find her shop.

That night, her Instagram account had only one follower, and it was herself from her personal account!

Soon after that, she opened up an Etsy shop so she could officially start selling her cards.

In the weeks that followed, Maghon began posting sets of cards on her website for people to buy. She started with the Southern-style set that she gave to her friend and kept building from there.

Over the last few years, she’s been able to grow her little Etsy shop into a full-fledged business. One day she was speaking and teaching at a women’s conference and was approached by a publisher to ask about writing a book. She had already self-published a 20-page workbook for her class and sold 1,000 copies, and that really motivated the publisher to invest in her

Maghon’s book,“Happy Hand Lettering,” came out in 2017. Today, she makes around $200,000 a year. About $110,000 comes from the All She Wrote Notes shop, which now includes t-shirts, mailbox decals and mugs. Another $65,000 comes from the hand lettering classes, which Maghon travels around the country to teach, and the last $25,000 is an estimation of her book sales for the year.

Maghon is currently working on another book, but this time it’s a children’s story. Her long-term goal to become this generation’s Bob Ross, with happy little hand lettering for everyone.

 

 

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
"You’ll never feel 100% ready, but be smart financially, have faith, and be ready to work harder than you’ve ever worked."
—Maghon Taylor #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

Belgian Blogger Gets Paid to Wander Through Europe

What It’s About

Want to get recruited and paid to travel? This blogger maps out a way.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Is it too late to start your own website/blog? Here’s what Sofie says about the topic, “There is SO much great info out there nowadays on how to set up any kind of blog, how to run it, how to outsource things, how to do SEO… All of it. Do your research. Spend a few weeks or even longer mapping everything out.”

Fun Fact

Dutch is the mother tongue in northern Belgium, being spoken natively by three-fifths of the population of Belgium. It is one of the three national languages in the country, together with French and German, and is the only official language of the Flemish Region.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1046
Sofie Couwenergh, a native of Belgium, knew she wanted to do “something with writing.” After graduating with a Master’s Degree, she landed a job as a copywriter for a publishing house, and then with a Belgian press agency.

It seemed as if everything was going according to plan … except she wasn’t very happy with either of those jobs. In fact, she was bored. Sofie realized she needed more creative freedom and a greater sense of responsibility for her work.

It was actually Sofie’s parents who suggested she start a website about travel. With earnings from her job, Sofie had already begun traveling around Europe in her spare time. And having traveled together as a family growing up, her parents saw a way for Sofie to combine her love for writing with her passion for travel.

The idea sounded good to her, so Sofie got to work building out a free blog. It started purely as a hobby with a diary-like collection of stories from her trips—but she figured out pretty quickly that it could also be a business opportunity.

The site was called Wonderful Wanderings. Not being someone who follows blogs to know about the people behind them, Sofie instead focuses on practical advice: what to see, where to eat, and what area to stay in. She meticulously plans her trips around Europe, rarely even entering a restaurant without first analyzing its reviews.

In less than a year, someone offered to sponsor a blog post on her site. That was the first way she monetized her content, but it wasn’t the last—or the most effective.

Sofie’s thorough research on destinations was useful. She wouldn’t just provide an objective collection of “things to do” but a whole, ready-to-use itinerary that people could print out and take with them.

In the second year of the blog, it turned a profit of about €15,000, or a bit more than $16,000. In the third year, it reached a little over €21,000, or more than $23,000. Last year, Sofie re-invested some of her earnings into improving the site, getting contractors on board to help with research and translations (since she runs the site both in Dutch and in English).

The most effective way Sofie earns money is through destination marketing campaigns. Let’s talk about that!

In a nutshell: countries, regions, and city tourism boards hire Sofie to visit their destination and create promotions for them. They ask for a certain number of deliverables (usually social media and blog posts) so they can get in front of the Wonderful Wanderings audience.

Sofie prefers destination campaigns over going on a trip with a specific tour operator. If something on the tour goes wrong, you might be stuck getting paid to write about an experience you don’t recommend. (You also might be stuck on the tour.) Working with destinations, on the other hand, allows Sofie to always be honest and travel as she would naturally.

Now, those travel boards tend to find her instead of the other way around, either through her previous work or from a referral.

In reflecting on her success in turning a hobby into a side hustle and onward into a full-time business, Sofie puts a lot of weight on the intangible benefits.

She has freedom to visit her grandparents more often. The comfort of wearing sweatpants to work. A growing confidence. A newfound network of friends. And the ability to invest in her future while seeing the world.

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
"My biggest struggle during this entire adventure: finding out what worked for me and then just sticking to it."
—Sofie Couwenergh #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