Archives: Podcast

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

Father and Son Duo Produce Traveling Play

What It’s About

A father and son turn their separated past into a side hustle, bringing them closer together.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

The first step in getting started would be to just get started. Ahmarr and Coley had no clue how this would pan out when they first began. If they spent too much time overthinking it, they would never have started.

Fun Fact

Ahmarr and Coley enough money from the ticket sales of their first event that it allowed them to cover their costs to perform at a conference in Los Angeles. They were so popular at the conference that the conference allowed them to perform multiple times.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1015

One in twelve American children, or more than 5.7 million kids under the age of eighteen, has had a parent in jail or prison at some point in their lives.

Ahmarr Melton was one of those children. His father, Coley Harris, went to prison when Ahmarr was just two years old and spent the next 14 years there, missing out on most of his son’s childhood.

When Coley was released, the pair wanted to find a way to rebuild their relationship. Both had responsibilities that made it difficult to find time, so they began to schedule weekly walks where they could spend time catching up. They knew that there were a lot of other people out there dealing with situations like these, but they lacked guidance and a model of how to rebuild a bond that had been damaged.

As part of their rebonding, the two began writing Out of the Ashes, a one-act, spoken-word play detailing their reconciliation process. Coley had some writing experience, having previously authored two books.

The pair called several venues looking for the best space for their performance. When they found one that worked, they had the play and the venue… they just needed an audience. They promoted this first show through Facebook ads—and the response in terms of RSVPs was tremendous… but almost no one showed up.

The father-son duo persisted, putting on other shows wherever they could, but now putting more emphasis on getting people to come out. The good news is that there is typically at least one person in the audience for each performance who wants to book the show for an organization they’re involved with.

In fact, the show was so successful that it turned into a cottage industry. The play is now the basis for speaking engagements, workshops, and even a DVD they’ve produced. In keeping with the theme of family bonds, Ahmarr’s stepmother came on board to help with booking and promotion.

Start-up costs were around $900 which was for setting up the LLC, purchasing their business license, booking the first venue, some graphic design work, and hiring the DJ who is part of the show. Annual profits are around $50,000 and a big chunk of that is from their contract with the state of Delaware for the programs they bring to schools.

This media-based side hustle is ripe for expansion—and Ahmarr and Coley plan to do just that. Next, they’re starting a podcast called Missing Dad, where they’ll interview adult children whose fathers were incarcerated about the impact that had on their lives. They are also working on a movie script.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Out of the Ashes: Learn more about Ahmarr and Coley, their story, and their play at 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

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 best part of the experience has been being able to work in a business with my father. We’ve spent so much time apart and that makes this venture that much more special."
—Ahmarr Melton #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

Clean Eating App Leads to Relatable Results

What It’s About

Two Aussies work out a successful mobile helping people with food and fitness planning.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Andrew recommends treating your side hustle just like you would your body when working out and eating well. Create a plan, be consistent, and track your results along the way. Before you know it, you’ll be looking in the mirror at the transformed product.

Fun Fact

Chris has a Masters of Exercise Science, and believes in creating a simple, easy to follow program. The Clean 5 isn’t designed to be a 12-week training program or a get-abs-quick website, it’s a genuine, do-it-for-life educational experience to keep you fit, lean and healthy for the rest of your time.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1014

Andrew Scott and his best mate Chris Dalmau were chatting one day about all the amazing food and drink they’d indulged in during the holidays. And while many of us resolve to hit the gym starting January first, Andrew and Chris were already committed to working out regularly, no matter what time of year.

Still, they wondered whether the extra weekend nights at the pub and the holiday treats they were consuming might start to add up. Everything they had ever read about diets suggested that cheating your diet, drinking more than a small amount of alcohol, or getting less sleep on the weekends would turn your body into a chaotic mess. However, even after a few weeks of holiday splurging, they weren’t finding this to be true. As long as they were consistent with their workouts and ate a balanced healthy diet most of the time, they could maintain fit, toned bodies, even with the weekend splurges.

This discussion got them thinking…if they could do this, could others reap the same benefits? They decided to put their theory to the test. They created a plan for eating clean and working out five days a week, with room for cheating on the weekends. The results were consistent. And rather than rely solely on their own experience, they enlisted some volunteers to try out their clean method.

Their plan included food and workout recommendations, but with room to have a beer or two … or three … on Saturday nights. Their volunteers loved it! And many found this lifestyle easier than others they’d tried to follow. It meant they could work hard during the week, but not be afraid to have some fun on their days off. Andrew and Chris were thrilled to hear about the amazing results from their volunteers. They learned a lot from this trial run and gained inspiration. What if they could create something of a larger scale that supported others in achieving their fitness goals?

With the iron pumping, Andrew was inspired to create an app—a project that takes a lot of dedication and skills to bring to fruition. Luckily for Andrew, he has a background in Digital Marketing, along with some coding experience, while Chris runs a personal training studio. Combined, they had the perfect skills to create something profitable and sustainable.

In November 2018, The Clean 5 app was ready for launch. The app included meal plans, nutrition advice, workout recommendations, and training programs, all centered on doing that hard work Monday through Friday with room to splurge on the weekends.

In less than one year of being in the gym, The Clean 5 has gained 180 members, each paying $5/week! They acquired most of those customers through paid Facebook and Instagram ads, though now they also use Google Ads, organic search, and Snapchat. After their advertising and software hosting costs, they net about $3,000 per month in profit.

Even with all of the hurdles they’ve jumped, they wouldn’t change anything. Andrew and Chris continue to run The Clean 5 on top of their full-time jobs, and have no plans to change the pace.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • The Clean 5 app Learn more and download Chris and Andrew’s app at their website.

 

SEE ALSO:

23-Year-Old College Student Uses “Sweatcoin” App to Earn $2,000/Month:

    After getting fit with a customized training program, this enterprising college student now provides coaching services, using a popular fitness app to generate leads.
  • iPhone “Progress App” Weighs in with Measurable Profits: He missed out on the early gold rush of the Apple store, but this UK bank employee arrives three years later with an app that’s built to last. He now earns a full-time income from it while traveling the world.

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
"Treat your side hustle just like you would your body when working out and eating well. Create a plan, be consistent, and track your results along the way. Before you know it, you’ll be looking in the mirror at the transformed product."
—Andrew Scott #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

Loan Officer Increases Income With Signature Move

What It’s About

A loan officer signs onto a notary-worthy side hustle.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Jon started this side hustle in 2008 because he knew that having a day job just wasn’t going to cut it. He wasn’t built for a 9-5, and many people aren’t. His parents always had a small business on top of their “jobs”, and starting a side hustle was a way for him to keep that entrepreneurial spirit alive.

Fun Fact

Jon has done signings where there were pigs running around inside the house. He’s done signings where a parrot kept telling him to “shut the #$%@ up”. He’s even gone out in hurricanes to do paperwork and has seen waterspout tornadoes. All in a day’s work for a Notary Signing Agent.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1013

Jon Snedeker had recently graduated college with seventy thousand dollars in student loan debt. The constant burden hanging over his head was awful. His job as a loan officer paid decently, but it was the very definition of the average 9-5 grind. It would take him years to earn enough to both support his lifestyle and pay off the massive bill he’d racked up for his education.

Jon knew that to knock out that debt as quickly as possible he’d need additional income. In other words, he needed a side hustle … so he was on the lookout for the right one.

Although he had the motivation and the goal, he wasn’t sure how to go about achieving it. All he knew for certain was that whatever he did had to fit a few important criteria. First, it would have to be done outside normal working hours. Second, it had to pay well to justify the extra work he’d be doing. Third, it should be interesting and fun.

Knowing what he was looking for helped Jon keep his eyes open for opportunities. And, funny enough, a suitable one walked right through the front door at his office job, during work hours no less.

As a loan officer, Jon helped people sort through and decide which loan and terms were best for them. It was a very bureaucratic process, and one that needed a lot of documents signed and notarized. In the business Jon worked at, there was one gentleman who came in, notarized all the signatures, and then delivered the documents where they needed to go.

Jon got to talking to him one day. He learned that being a notary signing agent could be a pretty lucrative gig, paying anywhere from seventy five to two hundred dollars per signing. On top of that, the work could often be done outside business hours and was very easy. In other words, it checked all the boxes for his dream side hustle. Jon was ready to sign on the dotted line.

At first, he would only commit to notarizing documents in between 6 and 8pm, after his day job was done. But, even with that restriction, it didn’t take long to get his first customer. He remembers it vividly because he was paid one hundred dollars for a half hours’ ‘work’—if you can call it that. He simply sat there and instructed two people on where to sign and date their loan documents. This first customer was a very good sign of things to come.

Over the coming months and years, Jon committed to turning his part-time project into his full-time gig. He figured, if he could earn over forty-five thousand per year it would be enough for him to quit work as a loan officer and become a full-time signing agent.

Depending on how much he works, which is completely up to him, he’s earned up to eighty five thousand dollars per year from his former side hustle, now full-time gig.

That success has produced a desire for Jon to pay it forward. He enjoys the job so much he’s created an online course called Notary Signing Agent Blueprint. It’s his way of helping people who are looking for a flexible side hustle no matter where they are on their journey in life.

Jon, we’re in, where do we sign?

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

 

SEE ALSO:

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

Yours in the revolution,

cg-sig-newsletter

Resources

GET $625 IN FREE TRAVEL

Earn 50,000 travel rewards points (enough for 2 round-trip plane tickets or $625 in travel credit). You'll also earn 2x points on all travel and dining spend, with zero foreign transaction fees.

I use this card every day all over the world! ✈️ Learn More

RELIABLE WEBHOST FOR $2.49/MONTH

Want to build any kind of website for your hustle? If so, you'll need somewhere to host it! This is the reliable company I've used for my past 5 websites. It's cheap, flexible, and you can get support 24 hours a day.

Get your own hosting plan for just $2.49 a month!
Learn More

Quote of the Day
"This side hustle has allowed me to support my parents, become full time, and now pay it forward to others. You serve yourself, through serving others."
—Jon Snedeker #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

Mexican Swine Flu Leads to Virtual Language Lab

What It’s About

A disaster threatens a language school, but opens a new opportunity for this savvy programmer.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Have an interesting side hustle idea? Ray suggests looking for what you are offering by using Google Keyword tools to see if it’s viable. If there are not enough monthly searches, consider another idea.

Fun Fact

Ray wakes up every day and does what he says he is going to do. He plans his week two weeks in advance using a simple app called Wunderlist and every day he does what is on his list. He has not missed the gym, martial arts practice or meditation in years. He said it gets easier with practice as you get a better idea of what you are capable of.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1012

In 2008, Ray Blakney was in charge of operations and marketing for a Mexican language school when the swine flu struck. A lot of U.S. news outlets presented over-the-top, plague-like coverage of the event, and he was worried that students would stop crossing the border for classes. His worries proved to be well-founded, as the upcoming classes almost completely emptied. This was hugely problematic for not only Ray’s income, but even more so for the teachers.

But, hope was restored for all involved when Ray came up with an inventive idea. One that would not only benefit him greatly in the long run, but also a lot of teachers … as well as students!

Ray decided that he would start his very own language classes … via Skype. When he started, it was a novel concept and would give teachers a realistic opportunity to continue earning a living by teaching online. He called it LiveLingua.com.

Ray had a background in computer programming, having taken jobs as a programmer for Fortune 500 companies. This knowledge helped him build the website for Live Lingua—which started with just five simple pages. He also says that “the first version looked embarrassingly bad.”

But he began implementing SEO into his website and it soon started to shoot up the Google rankings.

Ray ran the marketing side of things—his Mexican wife, who was, and still is, a teacher, oversaw the classes. Roughly two months down the line, demand began to skyrocket, so they hired more teachers to ease the workload. All of these classes were conducted remotely through Skype … so you could say “The Skype was the limit.”

Ray had found a winner with Live Lingua.

After six months, he was bringing $4,000-$5,000 a month with the side hustle. All through SEO marketing, and with only a startup cost of $59.99 for a Bluehost annual subscription, Ray was now earning more than his full-time position as a director at the other language school, where he had been working at the time. He didn’t quit his full-time position right away. He stayed there for another twelve months, scared that his success was just a fluke.

As of today, Live Lingua generates annual revenue of $1.5 million, and Ray has staff working for him throughout the world, all remotely. Language classes cost students as little as $10.99 per hour.

Among several other projects, he’s now working on a podcast called the Anomalous Educator, which launched recently with the goal of helping teachers make money online as a side hustle—or to even replace their 9 to 5 full-time income. He thinks teachers aren’t paid enough money, which inspired him to launch the podcast.

It all started with a $59 web host subscription, and a clever idea in response to the swine flu.

 

 

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
"If the idea is financially feasible, then do competitor research. See how many people are offering what you are offering and honestly answer the question “Can I do better?” If you answer yes, move on. Get it up and out as fast as possible. Analysis paralysis keeps most good ideas from getting off the ground. Put up a website and start promoting what you have to offer as quickly as you can. That’s it. If the first time does not work, rinse, lather, and repeat."
—Ray Blakney #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

New Zealand Shoe Hustle Sizes Up Profits

What It’s About

Facing a lack of larger shoe sizes for women, this Kiwi takes her own steps to solve the problem.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Gustavia has some great words of encouragement for anyone dealing with haters, “Don’t take advice from people who have never been where you’re wanting to go. They often respond from a place of what they would do rather than from a place of experience and knowledge.”

Fun Fact

When Gustavia was testing suppliers, she flew to China to check them out in person. When she landed on one, shed decided to stay for 7.5 weeks to learn about the whole shoemaking process. She developed great relationships with the teams there and even got to help them make some of her shoe designs.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1011
Gustavia Lui has faced the problem of wearing a larger shoe size most of her life. She would find a great pair of shoes and then be disappointed with its quality or poor construction. And on top of that, she wasn’t finding a lot of options in her native New Zealand to fit her feet. So she did what many of us do when we have a problem, started researching better options. After not having much luck, Gustavia decided to fix this problem and find fashionable shoes for women who wear shoes sized 10 to 13.

But how does someone start a shoe brand when they know nothing about shoe manufacturing? Gustavia started by registering for a course. In addition to a base level of knowledge, it gave her reassurance that if she was going to design a line of shoes, she might as well go all in and ensure they were of utmost quality.

Next, she hired a freelance shoe designer who helped her to come up with several different designs. She then took the designs and sent them off to a shoe factory. When she got her first sample back, it was surreal. Her concept had been brought to life with her name on it. The only problem was a big one: the quality was not up to par. She put her foot down on that company and ended up finding another manufacturer who was able to produce and outsource her designs. Her dream for high-quality fashionable shoes for larger sizes had taken another important step.

This was not a quick-and-easy side hustle; the process took Gustavia nearly five years to complete. From researching the shoemaking process to understanding global shipping and marketing, it’s a lot of work! And throw in having a baby in the midst of this and a full-time job. While many would’ve broken a heel during this time, Gustavia was committed to seeing this through.

She officially launched Staavias [Star-Vee-Ahs] Shoes in January of 2016, with the goal of becoming a fashion life-saver for all of Cinderella’s stepsisters around the world who were dreaming of better quality designs and glass slippers that actually fit.

Since launching, shoes have really taken off the shelf. Staavias averaged around $3,000 per month with no advertising and then about $10,000 per month once Gustavia started running ads. A few months into the launch, Staavias had a feature in New Zealand’s largest new publication. The day the feature ran, she made $15,000 in sales. Since then the brand has been featured on TV, radio, and blogs which have helped immensely. What sets Staavias apart from other larger sized shoes is the unique craftsmanship and high-end quality. Staavias has now replaced its initial investment of $15,000 nearly 5x over.

Thanks to Gustavia many women are able to wear fashionable shoes that accommodate larger shoe sizes. In the near future, she plans to put her best foot forward and expand sales to the United States.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Staavias Shoes: Though not available in the US (yet) checkout the stylish Staavias lineup and stay tuned!

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 take advice from people who have never been where you’re wanting to go. They often respond from a place of what they would do rather than from a place of experience and knowledge."
—Gustavia Lui #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

Popular Instagram Account Becomes Fashionable Clothing Brand

What It’s About

A recent college grad turns his love of Stumptown into a successful Instagram account and apparel company.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Though Marcus is happy with the success of the company, the most rewarding part is knowing that he’s building an authentic, passionate community that’s making his city a brighter, better place to live.

Fun Fact

One morning when Marcus logged into his account, he realized it was no longer @portland, but @portland222. He had been hacked! It was the lowest of lows, but his followers sprang into action, commenting on posts made by the new @portland handle hundreds of times until Instagram restored Marcus’s handle.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1010

When Marcus Harvey graduated from the University of Oregon and moved back to his hometown of Portland, he entered into a partnership where he co-ran an apparel design agency. Through that process, he became an expert in clothing design, screen printing, and fashion marketing.

The agency started picking up clients here and there—many of them local to Portland. And that’s when Marcus began to appreciate his city in a whole new way. There were a lot of great companies in the area, and he wanted to not only help them design products, but elevate their brand recognition. As a personal project, Marcus convinced the owner of @portland on Instagram—a middle-aged dad somewhere on the east coast who mainly posted pictures of his daughter—to sell him the handle name for $1,500.

He then used it to post pictures of the city. Because the name was so simple, people found it organically. Some people were searching for local events or tourist hotspots. Some tagged him without realizing it. And organically—without much work at all—Marcus got his first few hundred new followers.

After a few weeks, he began to mention in the captions that if other people wanted their photos featured on the page, they should include the hashtag #portlandnw when they posted. In the coming weeks, Marcus got dozens of high-quality images, which he quickly reposted—twice a day, every day, like clockwork—with credit to the original photographer. And between all the tagging and back-and-forth engagement with Portland natives, the account just grew and grew.

In November, a year and a half after creating the account and 60,000 followers later, Marcus ordered a few dozen t-shirts from a local screen printer and set up his new website: PortlandGear.com. He wasn’t sure anyone would want to buy his shirt design, but with such a large following, it seemed like a no-brainer to try.

That was on Thanksgiving. The next day was Black Friday, so it seemed like as good a day as any to tell everyone about the new t-shirt. He posted a quick image of the shirt mock-up and told followers where they could order.

Marcus remembers it being a rainy morning. He was walking through the streets of Portland. Suddenly his phone vibrated. Then it vibrated again. And it didn’t stop. Within 24 hours, Marcus had sold over $5,000 worth of t-shirts. He immediately reinvested the profits into more shirts so he could keep selling.

Now sitting at 338,000 followers, the @portland instagram account is still Marcus’s #1 marketing strategy for PortlandGear.com and his two-year-old Portland Gear retail store—and he still only posts about his products twice per month.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • @portland: Follow the @portland handle that Marcus still manages today.
  • PortlandGear.com: Love Portland like we do? Check out all the awesome apparel at Portland Gear’s website.

 

SEE ALSO:

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

Yours in the revolution,

cg-sig-newsletter

Resources

WEB HOSTING @ $2.49/MONTH

Want to build any kind of website for your hustle? If so, you'll need somewhere to host it! This is the reliable company I've used for many websites. It's cheap, flexible, and offers support 24-7.

Get your own hosting plan for just $2.49 a month!
Learn More

GET $625 IN FREE TRAVEL

Earn 50,000 travel rewards points (enough for 2 round-trip plane tickets or $625 in travel credit). You'll also earn 2x points on all travel and dining spend, with zero foreign transaction fees.

I use this card every day all over the world! ✈️ Learn More

Quote of the Day
"Every photo says, “Tag photos #portlandnw to be featured.” So the spirit of it is inclusivity: Go out, shoot the town, share it with us, and we’ll share it with everybody else. Go show us what you love about Portland."
—Marcus Harvey #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: Risk-Free Side Hustles

Notes from Chris

Episode 1009

THEMES & TAKEAWAYS:

We’ve just finished week 40 of Season III!

This week featured home-grown mushroom extracts, the hero’s journal, self-publishing ebooks on Kindle, and more.

On that last story, I really liked the lesson on the power of reversable decisions. I’m using it for a blog post this week on The Art of Non-Conformity. It led me to think about a topic I’ll call risk-free side hustles.

Listen to the Weekly Recap to learn more!

WHERE ARE THEY NOW:

Today, we have an update from Jodi from Ohio who was featured on the show in Ep. 317 — Lifelong Girl Scout Earns Her Side Hustle Badge.

Listen to the Weekly Recap to hear from Jodi!

Learn more about Jodi’s business at her website, Leader Connecting Leaders.

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. 1003 — A North Carolina carpenter forages a new income source with mushroom extracts. There’s gold in them ‘shrooms!
  • Ep. 1004 — A goal-oriented journal inspired by Joseph Campbell’s classic model of quests.
  • Ep. 1005 — An Ohio high-school teacher pitches a perfect game with his six-figure side business.
  • Ep. 1006 — Cracking the code of Kindle self-publishing, this former journalist earns up to $7,000 month publishing niche eBooks.
  • Ep. 1007 — Turning their back on traditional financing, this frugal couple bootstraps their own fitness studio and turns it into a new career for both of them.
  • Ep. 1009 — A college sophomore grows her finance and fitness blog into a business that brings in $80,000 a year.

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 New Zealander brings high quality and fashionable shoes to women who wear larger sizes.
  • Faced with a dramatic loss in income when language students stop coming to Mexico, this creative engineer reinvents the model and builds a $1.5 million side hustle.
  • 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
"With a risk-free side hustle, there’s really no reason why you shouldn’t try it. It literally falls into the ‘What do you have to lose?’ department."
—#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