Archives: Podcast

Project Manager Discovers a Better Way to Ship Worldwide

What It’s About

If you don’t find a global shipping and fulfillment solution … maybe you should build one!

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Working with a team? Kais has some great advice, “Empower the people that surround you and learn to delegate. In no time, your team will be able to take ownership and become subject matter experts.”

Fun Fact

Kais has been the mastermind behind three different side hustles. After moving to Hong Kong eight years ago, Kais started his first business. Being in the perfect place to start a business, Kais saw his location as an opportunity. Since then, he hasn’t stopped hustling!

Notes from Chris

Episode 1024
An IT professional working in Hong Kong, Kais Khadhraoui’s new venture sought to provide a solution for a problem he encountered while building his original side hustle. In 2012, he started a mobile and travel accessories company, based largely on his prime location—close to suppliers in China.

It was then that he experienced the common pain points of small business that the next project would seek to address.

Kais and his business partner kept a small stack of inventory at home, shipping out orders as they were received. But, as the business grew, they quickly saw sales jump from just a handful of orders a day to hundreds per day. Naturally, this called for some re-evaluation around fulfillment.

So, as the story goes, if someone else wouldn’t build it, he would.

Knowing the pain points of his potential customers because he WAS a potential customer, he developed a way to solve the issues they faced. Things like shipping, dealing with providers in different time zones, or being unable to provide consistent service to customers would be a thing of the past.  He’d become a bridge between sellers and providers … so he called his new business Fulfillment Bridge.

It began as a one-man show and nothing more than his time and spreadsheets. But after talking with fellow business owners who needed help, Kais knew he would have to scale the entire system to something that could work across countries, even continents, use one or many warehouses, and still fulfill orders using one single system.

Less than ten months later, Fulfillment Bridge had become a self-sufficient business generating around $40,000 per month. With the rapid interest, Kais decided to shut down his original side hustle, the travel accessories company, so he could focus solely on the new one.

One of his proudest accomplishments is the company culture he’s built. In three years, he has only lost one employee to a different opportunity. With a flexible working environment including video calls and the option to work remotely, his team members are content and connected.

He continues to re-invest most of his company’s revenue to help them grow. Looking ahead, he’s set a goal of arranging a team trip to Thailand when they reach their first million dollars in revenue.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Fulfillment Bridge: Looking to fulfill and ship globally? Learn more about Fulfillment Bridge and their services 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

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
"Empower the people that surround you and learn to delegate. In no time, your team will be able to take ownership and become subject matter experts."
—Kais Khadhraoui #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

Mom Finds Love As Dating App Ghostwriter

What It’s About

A stay-at-home mom transforms into an online dating fairy godmother.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Meredith has some encouraging words for those who struggle with fear, “I was nervous about doing something new and had common fears like “what if it fails!” but at the end of the day, I knew fear of failure wasn’t a reason not to try. So my advice is to try it. Worst case it doesn’t work out! Better to try than not and have regrets later.”

Fun Fact

According to research conducted by eHarmony, more than 1 in 5 people have had someone help with their online dating profile. It’s clearly working because the same research shows that 20% of all current committed relationships began online.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1024

In 2015, Meredith Golden was a stay at home mom living in New York City. With two young sons to take care of, her life was quite busy—and living in a bustling city didn’t make things any easier.

Meredith’s friends, however, had problems of a different kind—the dating kind. Meredith herself had been married for over ten years so was out of the scene. In fact, smartphones and dating apps weren’t even a thing last time she was single. Even so, she had her own way of communicating and her flirting skills were on point. These were talents her friends loved to tap in to.

They’d often found themselves asking for advice on how to proceed with someone they’d matched with on a dating app. Meredith always seemed to have the right banter or flirty comment at the ready. By following her advice, her friends often found dating success.

After receiving a lot of praise, Meredith wondered if this specialized skill of hers could be useful outside her circle of friends. Luckily, she was about to enter a period of her life where she could test the idea. Her youngest son had just started preschool which freed up a few hours everyday … so she decided to try offering dating app ghostwriting.

On a whim she made a Facebook post about it. Within three days, Meredith felt like the belle of the ball. The response was tremendous! She received eight thousand, seven hundred likes and comments. The post had gone semi-viral and spread well beyond the people she knew. It seemed like a lot of people out there needed help navigating the treacherous world of dating apps.

She launched her service and called it Spoon Meet Spoon. She already had her first client through the viral Facebook post so she started working on what she’d actually do. At first, Meredith would merely try to replicate what she did for her friends. It went a little something like this…

She’d review the client’s dating app profile and offer advice on improving it. That might be by updating their bio or improving the photos. Then, Meredith would take control of the clients dating profile and handle all the back and forth messaging with their matches.

Soon enough, that first client was going on more dates and having a great time.

Word of mouth spread, and before she knew it she had too many clients to handle and was often working up to twelve hours a day. That was awesome at first, until she realized she wasn’t valuing her time enough and charging too little for the time taken.

So, she came up with a system of pricing packages to maximize her time and offer the best possible service. Her top tier clients would be charged two thousand per month for an initial face to face meeting and daily communication about the engagement and success of their profiles.

Meredith has been featured in several media publications like CNBC and The New York Times. This exposure continues to bring in clients on a regular basis. By only taking on ten to twelve clients at any one time, she’s able to remain focused and provide the best possible ghost writing quality.

Meredith is still incredibly busy, sometimes still working all day and into the evening. On the bright side though, this romantic side hustle has proven to be quite lucrative. Merdith is on track to easily clear six figures in revenue this year.

What started as a hobby helping friends has become a moneymaking project she’s fallen in love with.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Spoon Meet Spoon: Need a little help with your online dating game? Learn more about Meredith and her services 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

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 knew the fear of failure wasn’t a reason not to try. So my advice is to try it. Worst case it doesn’t work out! Better to try than not and have regrets later."
—Meredith Golden #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: One Small Change Can Make All the Difference

Notes from Chris

Episode 1023

THEMES & TAKEAWAYS:

We’ve just finished week 42 of Season III!

This week featured swimwear for women with D cups and up, a mystery trip coordinator who is on track to bringing in $500,000 this year, and a dating app ghostwriter.

I have a very enjoyable audio update for you today (I’ve listened to it three times myself) and before that, I want to talk with you about a topic I’ll call “One Small Change Can Make All the Difference.”

Listen to the Weekly Recap to learn more!

WHERE ARE THEY NOW:

Today, we have an update from Jeannine who gets paid to remove poisonous forgs in Florida. Wait for the end of this update. Ep. 332 — Florida Woman Gets Paid to Remove Poisonous Frogs.

Listen to the Weekly Recap to hear from Jeannine!

Hop on over to Jeannine’s website to learn more about her ribbiting business at Toad Busters:.

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.

  • Ep. 1017 — When a young couple embarks on a journey by RV across the United States, they spot an opportunity in campgrounds that don’t have a convenient way to reserve spots.
  • Ep. 1018 — A childhood summer camp experience leads to a brand-new career and a mystery trip out of corporate life.
  • Ep. 1019 — When an uncle responds to a family tragedy by creating a children’s book, he weaves a story that’s inspiring for both kids and adults.
  • Ep. 1020 — After getting fed up with poorly-fitting swimwear, two friends realize that women with larger bust sizes are just an afterthought when swim brands design suits—so they set out to create an alternative.
  • Ep. 1021 — A Los Angeles designer pivots from making clothes to selling vintage, semi-fine jewelry inspired by her love for the beach.
  • Ep. 1022 — An Aussie woman develops a line of cotton sleepwear based on Fair Trade practices.

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:

  • When a stay-at-home mom displays a talent for helping her friends with online dating, she swipes right on a side hustle that becomes a perfect match.
  • After moving to a new state, an operations manager struggles in finding a Mandarin-speaking caregiver for her baby—so she starts a network that matches them with families.
  • 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
"After you have an idea, you need a product or service … and sometimes a small change in your revenue model can make a huge difference."
—#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

Organic Loungewear Becomes Sleeper Sensation

What It’s About

A non-profit worker goes in search of fair-trade, quality sleepwear.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Anna has some words of encouragement if you’ve got a side hustle idea that might seem strange at first to others, “trust your own intuition on what you are wanting to do. People thought I was crazy when I said I was starting a sleepwear label.”

Fun Fact

Sorella’s first customer’s had an interesting name: Cash. Anna felt like it was a good sign for the business!

Notes from Chris

Episode 1022

Back in 2010, when Anna McGregor started Sorella Organics—an online sleep and loungewear company—there wasn’t much of a market for ethical and sustainable clothing in Australia. Anna saw an opportunity, not just to claim that market for herself, but to work the way she wanted to.

She had previously started a private rehabilitation company as a side hustle that became a full-time business, so she knew that she could do it again … and that she could carry over some lessons from building one business to the next.

Anna had left her prior company and was working full-time with a non-profit in India and Vietnam. What she saw and learned doing this work inspired her to look at using fair labor in the supply chain, and organic fair trade cotton in the products.

While many people were advocating against sweatshop-made garments, few were talking about the people providing the raw materials for those garments—the farmers who were growing the cotton in the first place.

The biggest issue she had, in the beginning, was finding good sources for the cotton. And while there was such a thing as organic fabric, it wasn’t readily available, because most suppliers didn’t see a need to stock it. Thanks to her non-profit contacts, she ended up buying cloth directly from a mill in India.

The brand made its first in-person sale to a customer at a trade show, and then launched their online store three months later. However, Sorella was always designed to be a flexible business. At some point, Anna went back to work at a non-profit again, both because she missed the work, and because she wanted a break from the fast fashion business.

While she was at the new non-profit, she kept working on Sorella. She came back to it full time in 2018, after she and her fiancé Alex decided to start a family. She’s now able to work from home with their son.

She hasn’t had quite the massive growth she first expected. There are a number of larger companies she’s competing against. Because these other companies have greater profit margins, they can invest more in marketing.

Still, 2019 has seen the company’s best period of growth—60 percent for revenue, 50 percent in the number of sales — with a 40 percent increase in U.S. sales. With this success, and a child who is getting a bit older, Anna is ready again to take Sorella to the next level.

In addition to her full-time hustle with Sorella, she’s a partner in her fiancé’s business, which provides training and employment to local disadvantaged youth in Melbourne. She’s also pursuing a couple of new ideas.

She looks at all these projects as opportunities. Most importantly, they’re a chance to keep improving each step of the way.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Sorella Organics: Learn more and checkout Anna’s luxury organic sleepwear 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

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
"The worst thing you can do is assume your friends and family will buy your product simply because they know and trust you."
—Anna McGregor #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

When Fashion Flops, This Designer Follows a Shiny Object

What It’s About

A stylist chooses a new direction taking jewelry making into her own hands.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Noor advises people interested in this type of business to do a ton of research before starting and investing any money. She recommends “…having a specific idea of who your target customer is and a real way of reaching them”.

Fun Fact

When Noor was a kid, she would spend her time after school making jewelry. She loved trying different styles and gifting them to family and friends. She had no idea that her hobby as a child would lead to her business years later.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1021

From a young age, Noor Molvi was interested in fashion. Back in high school, she would spend her time making pendant necklaces and charm bracelets. She didn’t sell any of those pieces then; she just enjoyed the process of making. But after high school, she went on to pursue fashion design and apparel production. She always dreamed of being her own boss and running a fashion business.

Her career started out as a remote stylist for Stitch Fix, an online personal styling service. She also worked in customer support for a jewelry and accessories company. She learned valuable skills in both areas, and began building confidence to pursue other endeavors.

While Noor liked her job well enough, she still had the desire to be her own boss. With her background in fashion design, she used her skills to create high quality jersey basics. She wanted to design pieces that would allow people to have a variety of outfits simply by styling them with different accessories. So to showcase the versatility of the clothing, she dusted off her jewelry making skills and made some nice pieces to match.

She spent a few thousand dollars to buy fabric and other materials for making patterns, and to pay for production. After finding a pattern maker and factory in her hometown of Los Angeles, she had the lofty task of finding suppliers to sell her designs. One day a week, Noor would drive around to different boutiques and pitch her designs. At stop after stop, she had no luck. Finally, one store agreed to listen and take a chance on her brand, which she called NOORNOIR.

This experience was reassuring, but Noor learned quickly that clothing was not going to be a big money maker. The cost of her time combined with a small return on investment gave her pause. Her jewelry, on the other hand, was generating quite a bit of interest and a number of sales. So, she decided to respond to her customers and change her strategy to focus just on jewelry making. After the stressful experience of cold-pitching her clothing line to boutiques, she decided to stick to online sales and small craft fairs.

Upon making the switch, sales picked up. She was getting her brand out there and becoming connected to more boutiques by hosting pop-up events and exhibiting at trade shows.

For anyone wanting to launch a product, she recommends being strategic about where you invest your money. Earlier in the process, she took a risk and invested a few thousand dollars on an event that promised “great exposure” for her brand. However, the return on investment was a complete flop. She’s learned that if someone makes vague promises like “this will be great exposure for your brand,” it’s probably not a smart financial or business decision to make. (Side note: people die of exposure!)

Instead, she has found more value in sharing the behind the scenes wins and work that goes into creating her pieces. By being open and sharing her wins, customers are more engaged and return again and again. By doing that, last year she sold more than $10,000 worth of jewelry, and is on track to double that this year.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • NOORNOIR: Check out Noor’s beautiful collection of jewerly at her online store.

 

SEE ALSO:

Hometown Bracelets Support Local Marine Life:

    A marketer for the financial industry regains touch with his upbringing and starts a jewelry business that benefits the marine wildlife of his home region.
  • Actor Lands Role Of Her Life In 24 Carat Side Hustle: A creative outlet leads to a profitable business earning at least $3,000 a month.

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
"Make sure you are clear on the outcome of an investment before you agree to it. Often brands or events will promise ‘great exposure’. If the opportunity seems vague, save your money."
—Noor Molvi #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

Two Women Create Swimwear Brand for D-Cups and Up

What It’s About

Frustrated by the lack of supportive and stylish plus-sized swimwear, two friends launch their own brand.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Liz and Lu have some great advice developing a product, “Hire a research group, or a friend to test your product without you in the room. Don’t stop iterating based on YOUR idea, you have to solve for your target customer’s problem.”

Fun Fact

Most clothing brands don’t actually make swimwear. They just order products from the seasonal catalogs of a few giant manufacturers, which leads to low-quality products that are designed for a one-size-fits-all model, rather than being designed for specific body types.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1020

Best friends Liz and Lu both hated shopping for swimsuits. It wasn’t unheard of for them to walk into a dressing room with twenty suit options, only to leave half an hour later empty-handed. But it wasn’t because they were picky. They just couldn’t find anything that fit well.

Liz and Lu—both in Minneapolis, Minnesota—didn’t understand why it was so hard to look and feel great in traditional swimsuits. They weren’t the only women with this challenge, so why weren’t swimwear brands making it easier for people with their body shape to shop?

As a UX Designer by day, Lu was used to finding problems that customers face when using a product and thinking up creative solutions to solve them. She kept coming back to this idea that shopping for swimsuits was a user experience problem—a disconnect between brands and shoppers—and if she applied her problem-solving skills, maybe she could fix it.

That’s when she started researching swimwear in her free time. She created a huge spreadsheet of over 200 swimwear brands and realized that fewer than 20% even sold a single top designed for D cups or up—a clear sign there was a market gap.

A few nights of Googling turned into two weeks, then a month, and by the end of three months, she had all the research she needed to truly understand the problem.

What she discovered was that there were two sides to the issue. The first was on the side of the swimwear brand. For most clothing retailers, swimwear makes up less than 5% of their sales, so they don’t actually focus on it—they outsource it. A few giant manufacturers dominate the mass market swimwear world because most clothing brands order from the same few manufacturer catalogs and only make minor customizations. These companies tend to design for “medium” bodies—whatever that means—which leaves everyone else without great options.

Between Lu’s UX experience and Liz’s marketing experience at a local clothing design studio, they knew they were right for the challenge. They were going to launch their own swimwear brand: Wild Isles.

Liz, Lu, and their freelancer worked on prototypes for the next few months, doing try-on testing with friends they knew would give honest feedback. They ended up with a top piece they were really proud of: they dropped the underwire and foam cups, using a tie in the back to create adjustability. They also found an exceptional fabric from Italy that behaves more like a yoga pant than traditional swim polyester, which makes their suit far more comfortable. (Look out, LuluLemon.)

Liz and Lu missed the 2019 Spring Break season, but when they finally launched their signature suit in May, they couldn’t keep abreast with inventory and sold out three different times, even after launching two more styles.

Their first summer season generated over $50,000 in revenue. They didn’t have a complicated strategy, paid ads, viral social media posts, or lots of press. The magic was in finding an innovative way to solve a problem that nobody else was trying (or willing) to solve.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Wild Isles: Check out Liz and Lu’s swimwear lineup at the Wild Isles online store.

 

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
"Hire a research group, or a friend to test your product without you in the room. Don’t stop iterating based on YOUR idea, you have to solve for your target customer’s problem."
—Liz and Lu #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

Don't Do Business Without It

Side Hustle School is brought to you by American Express.

No matter what you do in business, from working nine-to-five to working five-to-nine, it’s easier when you don’t go it alone. Get the powerful backing of American Express—don't do business without it! 💳 Visit American Express

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Side Hustle School is for you! If you’re enjoying it, please take a quick moment to leave a rating or write a quick review. It's really easy and it makes a difference! ✅

It also makes a huge difference when you tell your friends about the show. Remember, it's 100% free and listener-supported.
Here's How

Keep in Touch

There’s a new story every single day on Side Hustle School. Episodes are produced to be short and to the point—I know you’re busy. Be sure you subscribe to get instant notification of the day’s broadcast!


To infinity and beyond,

Chris Guillebeau

Kids’ Books Prove To Be More Than Child’s Play

What It’s About

A devoted uncle unlocks his gift of storytelling, illustrating a series of award-winning children’s books.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Don’t be afraid to continue working at something you love, even if you aren’t making a lot of money. Dave slogged away at writing for 10 years before he started to earn some real money. While this may seem daunting, it never was – because he loved the process.

Fun Fact

Dave was born with dyslexia, ADD, and Aspergers and was put into special education classes. He was completely illiterate until junior high school. Now… he’s an award-winning children’s book author and illustrator.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1019

David Howard had a difficult life growing up. At a young age, he was diagnosed with dyslexia, ADD, and Asperger syndrome. It was a cocktail of complexes that made conventional learning difficult. Most of his schooling consisted of attending special education classes.

The supportive environment helped, but not quite enough, and David remained illiterate until junior high. As a result, he was often bullied by the other kids and felt alone, ostracized, and scared.

During that time, he found an escape in the form of art and creative writing. By combining words with images, he crafted stories and built his own world. A world where no one could bully or hurt him.

To some extent, it worked! David made it through high school and says now that all those experiences—both positive and negative—shaped him. After graduation, he attended the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, graduating with an associate’s degree in Visual Communications.

Fast forward a few years, and David received some exciting news. His niece was pregnant, and the family celebrated with a baby shower. David wanted to give her a memorable gift, and thought of a poem he’d written about a dog some years earlier. He thought he could expand the poem to create a children’s story book.

He spent some time illustrating and fleshing out the story then, presented it to his niece. It was an instant hit with all the guests. On top of that, it was the first time he had received such direct praise for his work… and he liked it!

Unfortunately, a few months later David’s family was hit with tragedy. That child passed away shortly after being born, dying of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. As a way of coping with the loss, David decided to rework the book he’d gifted, and dedicate the finished product to his great niece.

The book was titled “Lady’s Day To Play” and David self-published several copies through Lulu, a self-publishing website. He donated a portion of the sales to S.I.D.S research. The process was cathartic for him, and he vowed to continue writing and illustrating.

As time went on, he wrote more and more stories and turned them into books. He continued to sell them to family and friends, but it wasn’t until over a year later that he managed to sell to what he considered real customers. That is, people who weren’t inside his direct network. That first flutter of outside sales came in through word of mouth.

Afterwards, he decided to launch a website to showcase some of his work. He named the site “Uncle Dave’s Books.” Under that label he produced several titles including Mouse In The House, Baby Ben Did It Again, and The Cloud That Couldn’t Cry.

Ever since these books were published, he’s sold around two hundred books per month and generates over two thousand dollars profit. The money is still just a bonus for David. What he enjoys most about the process is that his stories put smiles on children’s faces.

With that amount of revenue, David feels comfortable enough to take the next step. He will soon be opening a brick and mortar store to sell his books in a physical location. The story is far from over…

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

 

SEE ALSO:

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

Yours in the revolution,

cg-sig-newsletter

Resources

CREATE YOUR ONLINE STORE

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

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

GET YOUR FIRST 1,000 EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS

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

Quote of the Day
"I just love helping kids. Just seeing the joy on their faces is payment enough."
—Dave Howard #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

Mystery Trip: The Best Adventure You Know Nothing About

What It’s About

Inspired by childhood memories, a former recruiter coordinates mystery trips for adults.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Dave shares some encouragement for those looking to start a side hustle, “Life is way too short not to be happy. That means following a dream. The worst that can happen is you go back to your old job.”

Fun Fact

The noun “mystery” comes from the Greek mysterion, meaning “secret rite or doctrine.”

Notes from Chris

Episode 1018
Attending summer camp is a childhood rite of passage for many kids. The average camper often heads home with no more than a popsicle art project and some extra sand in their shoes. But former executive recruiter Dave Green came away with something a little different. He turned his summer camp memories of a surprise bus excursion into an experiential event planning company that’s on the road to bringing in $500,000 this year.

This company creates custom-made excursions for clients looking to plan something unscripted for corporate team-builders, bachelorette parties, or family gatherings. The idea started on a not-so-mysterious day long ago. Childhood Dave was at summer camp and boarded a bus with his fellow campers to an unknown destination. The trip ended up with a not-so-exciting conclusion—he says they went to a show or harbor cruise—but the fun was in sharing a mystery destination with a group of friends. That excited, nervous, wonderful feeling stuck with him.

Years later, as a young adult, Dave was successful in his work, but personally feeling a bit blue. He decided to recreate the concept with an annual gathering of friends. They had a great time! Then, when he found himself in the midst of a divorce, he returned once more to the idea of mystery trips and decided that it was time to take a figurative hop back on the bus … this time, as a business venture. He sent out emails to everyone he knew and within a few weeks got his first gig hosting a friend’s 30th birthday. Over the next five years, Dave slowly grew the business, exploring and refining various marketing strategies as he went, and happily doubling profits every year.

To get started, a client contacts Dave with a few ideas and a budget. Then Dave, or a member of his “Mysterious HQ Team,” takes over all the planning. Everyone on the trip signs on to an itinerary known only to Mystery Trip and the group coordinator, allowing the adventure to unfold from there. Trips usually last between four and eight hours and consist of three to four stops. Prices begin at about $175 per person for a 15-person trip.

In the past six years, groups from YouTube, Netflix, Lyft, TOMS, Kaiser Permanente and Airbnb have participated in Mystery Trips. They’ve taken part in music videos, hand-fed animals in a wildlife sanctuary, played basketball on an NBA court, and even recreated the hit We Are the World 1985 single in the same studio where it was originally recorded. It’s all about fun, fantasy, and group bonding. The goal is that having everyone share the same experience creates surprise, delight, and more than a little magic.

Since 2015, Dave has been able to operate Mystery Trip as his main business. He delights in the triumph of being able to do a job that puts him in touch with excited clients and cool experiences on a daily basis. That same sense of childlike enthusiasm and wonder that inspired Mystery Trip in the first place is what Dave hopes to inspire other side hustlers to realize: “Life is way too short not to be happy. That means following a dream. The worst that can happen is you go back to your old job.”

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Mystery Trip: Whether you want to coordinate your own adventure with Dave or just want to learn more, check out his website.
  • For his email campaigns, Dave first started using MailChimp and then moved to G Suites (Google). He was then able to use the compatible plug-in YAMM, “Yet Another Mail Merge” which worked well with Gmail.
  • For his CRM, Dave uses Insightly finding it ideal for a small business with a limited budget and the need for customization.

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
"Life is way too short not to be happy. That means following a dream. The worst that can happen is you go back to your old job."
—Dave Green #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

Newlyweds Operate Campground Booking Biz From RV

What It’s About

A newlywed couple traveling with their RV drive into a helpful solution for booking campsites.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

A few years ago, Heath told his friend Kevin that he was ready to go all-in, but Kevin responded with some advice that Heath has never forgotten. He said, “Companies don’t run out of money, but founders do.” It took 3x longer than they expected to start generating revenue and if they hadn’t had multiple revenue streams outside of the business, they could have run out of funding.

Fun Fact

Although many people associate owning an RV with people well into their 60s and 70s, the average age of an RV owner is 48. In fact, more RVs are owned by people aged from 35 to 54 than any other age group!

Notes from Chris

Episode 1017

As a newly married couple, Heath and Alyssa Padgett were looking for somewhere to call their own. There were many places across the U.S. that they could see themselves living in. Any one of those places might be the perfect spot for their honeymoon. But, when they began to map it out, they noticed that their dream destinations formed a huge zig zag-like pattern all across the country.

The more they thought about it, the more it made sense to take the trip in an RV. If they were going all over the country, why not drive it and get to sightsee along the way? They also had an idea about creating a documentary centered around hourly workers. From there, the idea evolved into Heath working an hourly job in each of the 50 states.

Not only was it the perfect chance to see the country and bring their documentary to life, the couple was also unsatisfied with their current jobs and ready to try something new.

With that, they decided to drive into it head first, only four days after their wedding in May of 2014.

As they moved from campsite to campsite in their RV, they began to notice a problem. At many of the campgrounds, they couldn’t reserve their spot ahead of time. Heath and Alyssa couldn’t believe that in this day and age, there wasn’t some kind of online booking tool available. Instead, they had to drive hours to a campsite and hope that there would be a spot left for them.

For a while, this was just a nuisance. But it turned into an opportunity when Heath met up with a friend he had made through a Facebook group called The RV Entrepreneur. Another member of the group, Bob, just happened to be passing through the town Heath and Alyssa were parked at, so they decided to meet up. They ended up having a long conversation about the difficulties of booking campground spots and the potential to create a solution.

They let the idea sit for six months while they were finishing up the documentary. Then in the Fall of 2016, they decided to really get the wheels turning. Heath and Bob envisioned an app that campgrounds could use to allow customers to book online. They purchased the domain name CampgroundBooking.com and began to draw up some prototype sketches—but they soon ran into some technical challenges.

They knew that they wouldn’t be able to move forward with the design unless they got some help. So, going back to the RV Entrepreneur Facebook group, Heath made a post asking around for people who had strong backgrounds in tech. They got a lot of responses, and they ended up bringing someone named Paul onto the team.

With Paul on board, they were really able to start developing their idea. They spent most of 2017 working on the beta version of the software and performing some test runs. Finally, in January of 2018, they were ready for their first client.

Since the launch of Campground Booking, they have processed over $1.5 million dollars in bookings. Last summer they processed $200,000 worth of bookings per month. You could say it’s the wheel deal.

Heath and Alyssa achieved all this while working on other projects, from starting the RV Entrepreneur Summit, which evolved from the Facebook group, to Alyssa publishing a book, to welcoming their first child, a daughter named Ellie, into the world last May.

 

 

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
"What we were doing wasn’t for the faint of heart and that if you want to build a great software solution, you will have to go through really challenging moments."
—Heath Padgett #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: Creating Rituals for Daily Discipline

Notes from Chris

Episode 1016

THEMES & TAKEAWAYS:

We’ve just finished week 41 of Season III!

This week featured a New Zealander who makes shoes for women with larger sizes, as well as the Mexican Swine Flu that led to a $1.5 million virtual language lab … in addition to our first-ever look at the world of mobile notaries. After 1,000 episodes, are we running out of topics? Absolutely not! If anything, the world of side hustles continues to offer more and more possibilities!

Today I want to share a story I found in our research for Ep. 1012, about the virtual language lab in Mexico. Ray Blakney, the guy in that story, was very helpful and sent us a ton of notes, including a summary of what he calls “the most boring superpower of all time.”

Listen to the Weekly Recap to learn more!

WHERE ARE THEY NOW:

Today, we have an update from Carolyn who was featured on the show in Ep. 341 — Nonprofit Employee Sells 25,000 Gourmet Ice Pops.

Listen to the Weekly Recap to hear from Carolyn!

Learn more about Carolyn’s business and tasty ice pops at her website, Alchemy Pops:.

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:

  • When a young couple embarks on a journey by RV across the United States, they spot an opportunity in campgrounds that don’t have a convenient way to reserve spots.
  • 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
"Self-discipline may be the most boring superhero power of all time … but it’s incredibly powerful if you learn to harness it."
—#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