Archives: Podcast

Savvy Bride Turns Budget Wedding Into Six Figure Success

What It’s About

Budget savvy bride helps others say “I do” on a budget!

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Consider how you’ll monetize. Will you place ads on the site, promote affiliate offers, or create and sell your own products? Will you use the site to get hired by clients? Decide your strategy on what to tackle first, and any additional streams you could add over time. Rome wasn’t built in a day!

Fun Fact

In the beginning, Jessica kept her blog, The Budget Savvy Bride, a secret from almost everyone in her personal life. She felt kind of dorky about the whole thing! It wasn’t until she had already gained a large readership that some of her friends and family discovered the site and started reading.

Notes from Chris

Episode 849

Jessica Bishop had just gotten engaged and was excited about walking down the aisle, but she was seriously fretting over the expense of it all. She didn’t want one of the biggest moment of her life to be financially crippling. So, from the beginning, she looked for ways to cut corners and save money, yet still have the wedding she’d always dreamed of.

During the planning process, Jessica became completely consumed by all things wedding related. Almost every waking moment she was thinking of something she had to plan, actually planning it, or making sure the plan already set was coming together.

She often found herself venting to family and friends and anyone who’d listen about her upcoming nuptials. It became so regular that she started to feel self-conscious that it was all she could talk about.

Rather than risk gaining a reputation as a “Bridezilla”, Jessica came up with another way to get out the thoughts inside her head. She chose to start a blog, a place where she could write about her trials and tribulations around planning a wedding as a frugal bride-to-be. She didn’t realize it at the time, but she was about to tie a side hustle knot and make another long-term commitment.

Unlike the wedding itself, where every intricate detail was planned, the blog had very little thought put into it. Jessica simply wanted a space to share what she had learned with other people on the same journey to create their perfect wedding. To keep things simple, she decided to launch on WordPress, the free hosting platform.

She called it The Budget Savvy Bride. It had a nice ring to it!

A couple more years down the line and a big life change occurred. Jessica and her now-husband decided to move to New York City. By now, she’d been blogging for four years. It was time to take this side hustle relationship more seriously and go full-time.

Soon, she was receiving over 500,000 visitors per month and reaching couples all over the world. By this point, Jessica had built relationships and arranged deals with big name brands in the wedding space. This brought about new revenue streams in the form of affiliate commissions and branded, sponsored posts.

By working hard, the blog had its six-figure year in 2015, earning over $100,000 in net income. It was a huge moment for Jessica. It also hasn’t stopped, with similar success coming in every year since then.

Then, in 2017, a new opportunity came knocking when Jessica was offered a publishing deal to write her own book about planning a wedding on a budget. It was released in 2018 and went on to sell over fifty thousand copies in its first year.

Through hard work and constant effort, Jessica has built an exhaustive resource for couples wanting to save money on their wedding. Although the path hasn’t always been romantic, she has no regrets about enthusiastically saying “I do” to this opportunity.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • The Budget Savvy Bride: Head on over to Jessica’s blog to learn more or forever hold your peace
  • The Budget Savvy Wedding Planner & Organizer: From planning tools and checklists to worksheets and calendars, Jessica’s book has all of the need-to-know advice to help you navigate the wedding industry traps. Learn more, here!
  • WordPress: Jessica used WordPress to set up The Budget Savvy Bride, and here you can learn how to install your own WordPress site in 5 minutes

 

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’ve had to remind myself that I did not start this with the intention of it becoming a business. And I didn’t necessarily do everything right. I screw up regularly and lose track of what’s important, but at the end of the day, I’m still here, still going strong!"
—Jessica Bishop #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: Should You Feel Guilty About Passive Income?

Notes from Chris

Episode 850

THEMES & TAKEAWAYS:

We’ve just finished week 17 of Season III! This week, we featured a zip-up solution for baggy shirts, a plant-based meal-planning service that just started and already has 300 subscribers, an avid book reader who resells used books on Instagram, and so much more.

In this action-packed recap: I have a really interesting question from a listener. I’ll bring you an audio update from a previously featured side hustler—two of them, in fact. (One update, two people.)

But first! For this week only, my publisher is offering the e-book version of SIDE HUSTLE: From Idea to Income in 27 Days for just $1.99 on several popular e-reading formats, including Amazon Kindle, Nook, Kobo, and more.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW:

Today, we have an update from Alicia Ostarello & Angie Sommer who were featured on the show in Ep. 271.

Listen to the Weekly Recap to hear from Alicia and Angie!

You can also check out their website, Vow Muse.

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. 842 – A Canadian Communications Officer and lover of plant-based food starts a meal prep service, earning $2,000 in monthly recurring revenue within her first three months
  • Ep. 843 – When an engineer receives a ridiculously baggy work shirt, he grabs it by the collar and designs a DIY tailoring device. Four years later, he’s sold $150,000 of them
  • Ep. 844 – An IT analyst makes page-turning profits after building a dedicated audience of book enthusiasts. You can make money without a large following!
  • Ep. 845 – This Canadian mom woke up to find her son cuddling a sprinkler she’d left on the porch the night before. The realization her son had left the house in the middle of the night prompted her and a friend to create the next stage of baby monitors
  • Ep. 846 – With a goal of avoiding “fluffy” content, a new mom launches a parenting blog that provides lots of detailed, practical info. In one recent month, she earned more than $1,500 from advertising and referral fees
  • Ep. 847 – A New York City opera singer channels her inner handywoman skills to become a “practical diva”

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 frugal bride starts blogging about how to save money while planning a wedding. After a lot of hard work, she’s now generating over six figures per year
  • A digital marketer freelances away his nights and weekends, eventually turning his side gig into a multi-million dollar ad agency
  • 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
"Passive income is the goal for everyone. Once you’ve achieved it, congratulate yourself and move on to other projects."
—#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

Opera Singer Moonlights as Home Improvement Contractor

What It’s About

An opera singer hits all the right notes as a home improvement contractor.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Try to get one to two clients as quickly as possible so you can get reviews, and then make your offerings as attractive as possible so you stand out more. And whenever possible, find a way to combine your job or skills with your side hustle to add a unique twist to your profile.

Fun Fact

The Practical Diva also offers classes in basic lighting and electrical, plumbing, drywall repair, and mounting applications. She can also teach you to sing, really—which is a win-win for all!

Notes from Chris

Episode 847

Taerra Pence came to New York City to live the stage artist and performer life. Starstruck by the bright lights of the Big Apple, she had high hopes of being an opera singer and performing on all over the city. But like many artists before her, she set out to get a waitressing job to support her while she pursued singing gigs and voice teaching work.

Should be simple, right? But her confidence began to waver after receiving a steady stream of rejections. The final blow was when she applied for a job at the three-Michelin starred TGI Fridays in Times Square. She was turned down and left feeling like nobody would hire her.

As the old saying goes, “If you build it, they will come,” so Taerra shifted her attention to what she could build with the skills she already had in her toolbox—literally. Because Taerra wasn’t just an Opera singing diva. Growing up in her home state of Virginia, Taerra knew her way around said toolbox, and she spent much of her free time helping her dad with remodeling projects.

She took this as her cue, and The Practical Diva officially took to the stage! With $150, Taerra purchased some more tools and printed up some simple cards to hand out at hardware stores.

In the beginning, she’d get hired to do odd jobs like hanging TVs and curtains—but she soon found herself rolling up her sleeves for more large-scale projects like remodeling bathrooms, replacing tile and countertops, and hanging light fixtures as well.

Today, Taerra gets the majority of clients from HomeAdvisor and through an abundance of word of mouth referrals.

But what really sets this diva apart? Taerra says that it’s the fact that she is a handy woman in a male-dominated field. She has found that women who hire her are oftentimes more comfortable having a hardworking diva in their home than a man.

And Taerra has a great track record building this side hustle to a comfortable number as well. She earned about $14,000 in her first year, $36,000 her second year, and now is averaging about $4,000 a month in profits. With the move to HomeAdvisor, she was able to secure more high-quality jobs and income with fewer commitments. She started out with about 10 jobs a week and now averages 2-4 depending on the workload.

Moving forward, Taerra has launched her own website for Practical Diva and is expanding her business to hire two more artists/performers to split her workload so she can focus more on her singing career. She’s intentionally choosing to hire within her industry because her goal is to change the conversation from “Starving Artist” to “Succeeding Artist.” As for her opera career, she still hopes to sing in concerts around the city and all over the world.

There’s nothing but high notes for this Practical Diva!

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • The Practical Diva: Learn more about Taerra’s services and business on her website
  • Thumbtack & TaskRabbit: Two of the platforms that Taerra used to list her services
  • HomeAdvisor: The platform that really helped take Taerra’s services and business to a new octave

 

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
"In the beginning, try to get 1 – 2 clients as quickly as possible so you can get reviews, and then make your offerings as attractive as possible so you stand out more. And find a way to combine your job or skills with your side hustle to add a unique twist to your profile."
—Taerra Pence #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 Mom Uses Pinterest to Launch Parenting Blog

What It’s About

A new mom creates the online resource she wished she’d had.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

These kinds of projects have potential to create passive income, with the caveat that a) you usually have to work for quite a while before you get to that point, and b) nothing gold can stay—it won’t keep coming forever. So, plan ahead for your next project!

Fun Fact

Ashley just about gave up in December—and it’s a good thing she didn’t. Little did she know, she was on the brink of a 1,500% increase in revenue.

Notes from Chris

Episode 846

Ashley Bryant is a “Type A” planner. She likes to research, be fully prepared for the worst, and have everything under control. So when she became pregnant with her first child … she just couldn’t stop reading.

Reading about pregnancy and motherhood, however, was not like other topics she’d encountered. Most resources she could find were just message boards full of personal stories, not well-written, thoughtfully organized, articles backed by science. She had to visit ten blogs to get the information she thought she’d be able to find in one. It was exhausting…

And it wasn’t just her. Ashley had plenty of conversations with other new and expectant mothers about how hard it is to find entertaining yet detailed articles that aren’t just based on intuition or a single story or two.

Somewhere along the way, an idea was formed: why not blog about this? Yes, this is 2019, and people still blog! Some of them even make money doing it.

Ashley wasn’t totally new to blogging. She works full-time for a real estate company and is responsible for creating content for their website. However, while she understood writing basics—like keeping someone’s attention and organizing the content in a way that feels natural—she wasn’t very familiar with the business side of starting a blog.

She knew she needed to learn these things, so she studied up. Ashley started paying close attention to Pinterest. It was easy to stay caught up on trendy topics in motherhood from the popular pins in the category—but just as Ashley suspected, most of the pins directed readers to fluffy content that wasn’t very practical.

Her plan was different. She’d take her own experiences of pregnancy and early motherhood, enhance them with really detailed research, and create long, engaging, articles that could be the only article someone would have to read to gain some real understanding of the topic. Once she had a few posts in the pipeline, she officially launched Mom Like You Mean It.

In January of this year, fresh from a couple of weeks off for the holidays, Ashley dove back into her blog—and ended up having her first $500 month.

February was even better: $1,500, all from advertising, Amazon links, and a couple of affiliate commissions.

From the very beginning, Ashley’s been driven by the concerns and questions of new and expecting moms. She’s not looking for a creative outlet or a place to tell stories—she’s blogging to help her readers solve problems.

And because of this ‘listen, then write’ approach, Ashley found the area where she could really shine: pre and postpartum fitness and nutrition. Her early articles on these topics were thriving—and earning. She’s now working on her first product she hopes to release later this year.

 

  MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Mom Like You Mean It: If you’d like to “mom like you mean it,” head on over to Ashley’s blog!

 

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
"Understand that Rome wasn’t built in a day. There will be setbacks—and lots of them—so just plan for that. Plan to learn everything you can that first year and then make a commitment to never stop learning something new."
—Ashley Bryant #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

Canadian Moms Invent Baby Monitors for Active Toddlers

What It’s About

Two moms put their worries to bed with a monitor for toddlers.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Two days ago, we had a similar lesson about Kickstarter! You have to plan for “beyond the campaign.” Finding distribution is often the key for this kind of product. Don’t drop the ball after you get funded—maintain your momentum!

Fun Fact

The majority of parents who review the DECCO toddler monitor absolutely love it, but they seem to have a problem with the cuteness of the toy. Kids just want to pick it up and cuddle it!

Notes from Chris

Episode 845

One morning in Calgary, Alberta, Krista Teare woke up to find her two-year-old son cuddling the lawn sprinkler that had been on the porch the night before. Although her first reaction was to laugh, it quickly turned into a terrifying revelation: her son had left his room and their house that night, and the baby monitor she had set up hadn’t alerted her to it.

Krista’s maternal instincts kicked in and she immediately began looking online for a solution. But she came up short. There were baby monitors that tracked in-the-crib movements and there were expensive video systems that tracked out-of-the-crib movements but couldn’t be used while traveling. There was nothing she found that could tell you your child was out of the crib or had attempted to make a break for it.

She turned to online parent communities to ask for their stories. Little did she know, this would be her first venture into market research. Her questions returned endless anecdotes—and sadly some tragic stories—about children who’d attempted to flee their bedrooms.

Hearing these stories, and feeling the terror herself, had an impact on Krista. She felt it was her duty to solve the problem. But she also knew she couldn’t do it alone, so she enlisted the help of her friend and co-founder, Lisa Caruso.

Over a few glasses of wine one evening, Krista and Lisa brainstormed the look and feel of the baby monitor they wanted to create. It needed to be:

● Easy to manufacture

● Even easier for parents to use

● Affordable for families to buy

They eventually settled on a concept that could hang on a door handle and detect when it opened.

To create the design, Krista and Lisa connected with a local industrial designer they’d met through friends. He helped them to turn their wine-fuelled ideas into a real-life design, and advised them on what materials they could use.

With the product blueprints in hand, they needed a name. They settled on DECCO, a shortened and conjoined version of both their son’s names, DEClan and COoper.

Buoyed by the success of a hit Kickstarter and an appearance on Canada’s Dragon’s Den, they’re currently seeing sales of over six-figures each year.

There was one challenge though—after the initial momentum created by the campaign, the team tried to accelerate growth. They paired with numerous people and agencies, only to find that they didn’t deliver as expected or wasted lots of valuable time and resources they won’t ever get back.

But when they do get DECCO in front of parents, they love it. So much so that Krista and Lisa don’t seem to show any signs of slowing down.

In fact, they’re now beginning to explore a second market for this product. The door-monitor capabilities of the tool can work great for adults with disabilities or elderly people who suffer from conditions like dementia. Whenever someone needs to be alerted to someone leaving a room, DECCO has a positive use. Krista now sleeps easier, knowing that her son is safe in his room, her lawn sprinklers remain on the porch, and together with Lisa, she’s helping other moms and dads feel better too.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Toddler Monitor: Have an active little one with nighttime extracurriculars? Put your worries to bed too—learn more over on Krista and Lisa’s website!
  • Shopify: Krista and Lisa used Shopify to set up their site for Toddler Monitor, and they’re offering a 21-day trial and exclusive discount for all Side Hustle School listeners!
  • Kickstarter | DECCO the Toddler Monitor: Check out the Kickstarter campaign that started it all

 

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
"Talk to everyone and anyone—every conversation has a nugget that you can learn from."
—Krista Teare & Lisa Caruso #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

Avid Reader Sells Used Books On Instagram

What It’s About

Bibliophile has a novel idea that breathes new life into old books.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

If you’re selling books, in particular, determine the genres you’ll cover. Some people exclusively sell vintage, or horror, or children’s books. It helps if it’s something you’re knowledgeable and passionate about. Then, you can look at social media hashtags in that niche and find out which books are new or popular.

Fun Fact

Instagram has become the go-to social media platform in recent years. It’s become the place to promote a brand or business. In the US, 71% of businesses use Instagram and 80% of users follow at least one business.

Notes from Chris

Episode 844
Taylor Mack is a book fanatic. She has spent countless hours being absorbed in the great novels and modern classics. Everything from Stephen King to J.R.R Tolkien, C.S. Lewis to Edgar Allen Poe. A good story, composed in a good book, sets her world on fire.

In 2017, while working as an IT professional in the healthcare industry, Taylor began working on a story of her own. One directly related to the topic she was most passionate about.

She loved to share her passion for books with others and was particularly fond of what she called gently-used books as well as vintage books. Her home was something of a small library. One day, while pondering her collection, she thought she might have some success as a used bookseller.

Not wanting to touch her own precious stock, she set aside a budget of $300 and hit the streets to find some quality used books. She rummaged through second-hand bookstores, plundered local markets, and investigated thrift stores. In no time at all, she’d accumulated an inventory of books she thought would be perfect.

With those in hand, it was time to start selling. For that, most people would go straight to the large online platforms like Amazon, eBay, or Etsy. But Taylor was determined to write her own narrative. She was wary of the high fees these platforms charge, and she also saw the value in building an audience of her own. It might be slow-going at first, but if it worked, she’d end up with a set of long-term, loyal buyers.

So in what was a very novel idea, she decided to try her luck selling on Instagram instead—not using ads, just free, organic posts. She created an account called SilverFire Books: an online haven for lovers of used books far and wide—or at least in the U.S. To keep costs down, Taylor doesn’t ship internationally.

She took photos of the books and posted them to her Instagram account. Then…. Nothing happened. And things stayed that way for weeks.

A short while later, Taylor turned a page. She began selling, slowly at first, but those sales motivated her. Taylor got better at the process of sourcing, listing, and selling books. She’d focus on specific genres and titles that she knew were hot topics. And she kept selling—within a few months, hundreds of books, and by the end of 2018, year two, more than 3,000 books.

By the time last year came to an end, Taylor had sold so many books using her unique method, that she made a profit of over $10,000. (She also pointed out that, because of her husband’s work, they were in a high tax bracket. Someone else with lower household income would actually make more.)

While she wasn’t exactly putting Amazon out of business, she was thrilled with that result. She was actually making a real side income pursuing something she loved by communicating directly with her audience. It was a dream come true.

And Taylor plans to keep at it, finding great used and vintage books to sell. She’s also launching a side, side hustle, to help other people start stores using a similar model.

SilverFire Books is a real page-turner of a story—and it’s one story that’s far from over.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • SilverFire Books: Learn more about this novel idea over on Taylor’s website, and check out her Instagram page to read through her current book lineup!
  • Small Biz Refined: The resource blog and coaching service that Taylor created to help other online shops and creative entrepreneurs thrive
  • Shopify: Taylor used Shopify to set up her site for SilverFire Books, and they’re offering a 21-day trial and exclusive discount for all Side Hustle School listeners!

SEE ALSO:

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

Yours in the revolution,

cg-sig-newsletter

Resources

CREATE YOUR ONLINE STORE

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

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

GET YOUR FIRST 1,000 EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS

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

Quote of the Day
"You have to get really clear on your ideal audience. Figure out what problem you’re solving for them and/or how you’re adding value to their lives. Then find out where they hang out and interact with them!"
—Taylor Mack #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

Chemical Engineer Zips Up Solution for Baggy Shirts

What It’s About

An engineer grabs a problem by the collar and designs a zippy, DIY tailoring device.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Creating an ingenious and inexpensive solution to a common problem has brought SiDi a lot of publicity, and he’s focused most of his outreach efforts around his Kickstarter campaigns. Which led to a big problem: traffic dropped way off after the campaigns.

His advice is to be aware of this effect, and have a plan for maintaining momentum after the time-limited attention dies down.

Fun Fact

SiDi’s first ZipSeam prototype was made from two planks of wood and bending several nails to create a slot for the other piece of wood to slide into. It made a neat seam, but as you can imagine, was bulky and a tad bit uncomfortable. Who wants to wear an outfit with two planks of wood attached to your inseam? Ouch.

Notes from Chris

Episode 843
SiDi Huang is what we like to call a “serial side-hustler.” He manages rental properties, rents out cars through the platform Turo, and flips bulk items he finds at Walmart for profit. He is basically several of our most popular episodes rolled into one!

And that’s not all: SiDi is also the inventor of ZipSeam, a DIY gadget that lets you tailor your baggy clothes in a matter of minutes—no sewing experience required!

Four years ago, he was working as a chemical engineer—a chemical engineer with a ridiculously baggy work shirt. He liked the shirt a lot, and it fit well in the neck—but in the chest and belly section, completely swallowed him up. It wasn’t exactly a good look for him. When he got home and rifled through his closet, it occurred to him that his entire wardrobe could use a little tailoring.

Shackled by student loan debt, a complete wardrobe makeover was out of the question, and his engineering education didn’t include many classes in tailoring. So, SiDi grabbed the challenge by the collar … literally. To see if anyone else had this problem, he went to do some reading on Reddit. There, he discovered that the struggle was real—baggy shirts were a borderline epidemic!

He considered what an ideal solution would look like. First and foremost, it needed to be a temporary, reusable solution—something that could easily be added to and removed from multiple shirts. After all, this was the poor man’s tailoring hack. And if the look he was going for was “tailored,” it needed to create a clean seam and be invisible from the exterior of the shirt. It should also be flexible and move easily with the wearer and the shirt itself.

One day, during a drive, SiDi was struck with visions of a C-shaped, hollow tube that you could place along a seam and tuck in excess shirt material. “This might actually work!” he thought. So instead of heading straight home, he made a beeline to Menards, the Midwest’s answer to Home Depot, and purchased enough fish tank tubing to raise some eyebrows.

A true man of industry, SiDi headed down to his parents’ basement and got to work. He made a few prototypes using the fish tank tubing, a knife to create strategically placed cutouts for increased flexibility, and something to give the tubing a small amount of rigidity (the first iteration involved thin planks of wood—ouch!) before settling on a woodless version that he was satisfied with.

Needing a catchy name, he called it ZipSeam.

Over the last four years, SiDi fine-tuned ZipSeam creating two new iterations that he launched again on Kickstarter. Collectively, they brought in an additional $40,000. Since launching, SiDi says that he’s sold roughly $150,000 worth of ZipSeams. He also received his long-awaited patent.

He’d like to continue growing the ZipSeam business and launch another product in the near future. And, if possible, avoid using more planks of wood as prototypes…

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • ZipSeam: Zip on over to SiDi’s website to get a tailoring solution of your own!

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
"Find an idea that solves a problem then make an inexpensive prototype. Finally, test, test, test the market before you really go all in!"
—SiDi Huang #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

Plant Ahead: Healthy Food Blog Sprouts Membership Service

What It’s About

Plant-based meal prep guides to make healthy eating easy!

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Carleigh’s monthly, recurring revenue is what is so powerful about this model. She’s set it to $9 which is a phenomenally low price! BUT it’s also a price that I expect has a low cancellation rate. I might recommend creating some options where people cannot get as much communication, because (ironically) that’s what causes some members to cancel in these kinds of programs.

Fun Fact

Carleigh says, “I take all my food photos using a $10 ‘desktop’ that I bought from Ikea placed on our kitchen floor while my fiance holds a light over top. This has led to spilled food more times than I can count, and my Persian cat, Tut, trying to get a bite. Our kitchen is tiny but we make it work.”

Notes from Chris

Episode 842

We all want to be healthy, but it’s one of those things that’s often easier said than done. Healthy eating takes intentional effort. When you’re busy, cooking up a nutritional meal is not nearly as convenient as ordering fast food or grabbing something processed and pre-packaged.

Carleigh Bodrug, a Communications Officer for a Hospital Foundation in Ontario, Canada, knew this challenge well. She believed a plant-based, whole foods lifestyle would improve her health. Yet she struggled to stick to it.

It wasn’t until Carleigh tried meal prepping that she was able to accomplish her goals. If you’re not familiar with meal prepping, it’s all about preparing aspects of your meals in advance. Rather than deciding what’s for dinner at the last-minute and throwing something together, you create a plan for the week.

On weekends, or whenever you have more free time, you do your grocery shopping and initial prep all at once. This may include chopping vegetables, or cooking and freezing sauces. With these steps done, most of your meals for the week are ready to go and take very little time to assemble.

Carleigh had been writing about healthy eating on her blog, Plant You, for two years, so she was well-versed in making meals without oil, refined sugars, or animal products. She knew from experience that meal prep could really help her audience, so she decided to offer a weekly meal prep plan.

While Carleigh had already built up a network of 130,000 followers on Facebook and Instagram, she had created all her blog and social media content for free. Her blog income had previously been limited to product sponsorships and was pretty sporadic. The meal prep service, which is essentially a membership program, gave her the chance to generate consistent, ongoing revenue.

So, just three months ago, the Plant Ahead Meal Prep Program took root. With this plan, Carleigh sends out a new vegan meal plan every single week, as well as a grocery shopping list and nutritional breakdown for each recipe.

She wanted to make sure the program was accessible, so she offers it for just $7.99 USD/month. Her startup costs included a website domain, hosting, a light for photography, and a couple of subscriptions. All of this came to approximately $600, which she quickly earned back in sales. She also spent several hundred dollars in advertising costs the first two months. She covered those costs easily as well, earning over $1,000 in profit in the first month and over $2,000 in months two and three.

The Plant Ahead Meal Prep Program has required a lot of hard work. Carleigh admits that she’s had to sacrifice a lot—from her social life to time planning her wedding—but the sacrifice has paid off in more ways than one.

She says: “I would not be giving up almost every single weekend and hours during my week nights for this if it wasn’t something I love and am deeply passionate about. I think it would be impossible otherwise—and I certainly wouldn’t have gotten to this point if it was just for the money.”

Fortunately, even though it’s not just for the money, the sacrifice is now paying out in money as well. With predictable monthly revenue now coming in, this program should continue to blossom into a business that supports her veggie-filled future.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Plant You: Vegetarians and vegans rejoice! Here’s a meal prep plan that will allow you to maintain your busy lifestyle—head over to Carleigh’s website to get your own meal plan!
  • WordPress: Carleigh used WordPress to set up Plant You, and here you can learn how to install your own WordPress site in 5 minutes

 

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 was at my parent’s house when I launched the program and got my first sale. My mom made vegan cranberry french toast for breakfast and served mimosas when I got my first customer. I was really worried it was going to be a complete failure but the comfort of my family and celebration made it a little easier!"
—Carleigh Bodrug #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: Increase Traffic, Increase Conversion

Notes from Chris

Episode 841

THEMES & TAKEAWAYS:

We’ve just finished week 16 of Season III! This week, we featured a cake artist, bike tours in Amsterdam, a NYC dog-walker, and a guitar enthusiast earning $7,000/month in affiliate commissions.

In this action-packed recap: a reminder about the only two things you can do to increase income in an existing side hustle or small business, and I’ll bring you an audio update from a previously featured side hustler—she has a report of a fantastic income increase, and she’s going to give you some contrarian advice.

But first! For this week only, my publisher is offering the e-book version of SIDE HUSTLE: From Idea to Income in 27 Days for just $1.99 on several popular e-reading formats, including Amazon Kindle, Nook, Kobo, and more.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW:

Today, we have an update from Heather McConochie who was featured on the show in Ep. 308.

Listen to the Weekly Recap to hear from Heather!

You can also check out Heather’s website, The Positive Thread.

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. 835 – This pastry chef starts by baking on the side, then grows her hustle into a full-time business selling more than $100,000 worth of wedding and custom cakes a year
  • Ep. 836 – After graduating and moving to London, this self taught coder builds a website to help housemates find each other. Fifteen years later, it earns millions of dollars in profit and has hundreds of thousands of members
  • Ep. 837 – A traveler’s attempt to pay rent turns into one of Amsterdam’s premier touring companies
  • Ep. 838 – A designer reinvents her life and work, starting an eco-friendly line of multiple-use plastics. It’s good for the environment, AND it’s highly profitable
  • Ep. 839 – A systems administrator and lifelong guitar player generates thousands per month writing about his musical hobby
  • Ep. 840 – A busy college student discovers a way to create his own schedule and make $2,000 a month by walking dogs

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 Canadian Communications Officer and lover of plant-based food starts a meal prep service, earning $2,000 in monthly recurring revenue within her first three months
  • When an engineer receives a ridiculously baggy work shirt, he grabs it by the collar and designs a DIY tailoring device. Four years later, he’s sold $150,000 of them
  • 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
"If you’re trying to grow your ecommerce business, keep your eyes on the prize. There are only two things you can do: increase traffic or increase conversion."
—#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

NYC Student Starts Barking Business Walking Dogs

What It’s About

No bones about it, this is one side hustle that sets tails wagging!

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

If you’re looking to start a simple service business like this, you should:

– Choose the right service. – Offer one service only. – Focus on finding clients. – Create a process. – Keep startup costs low!

Fun Fact

Now that Richard has graduated from college, his main job is to work as a professional dancer for many different studios in New York. His schedule is still incredibly busy, so his side hustle has continued to be ideal for his day to day life.

Notes from Chris

Episode 840

A few years ago, Richard Sayama’s dream of going to college in New York City came true, and he began to work towards his dual degree in Business and Dance. Like many students, his schedule was packed. He struggled to find a job that could fit within his day to day life. Richard longed to be able to work an hour here and there between classes, but he wasn’t sure how to do it.

The longer he lived in the Upper East Side, the more he noticed how widespread the need for dog walkers was. There were dogs everywhere! He thought about it and realized that this could be the perfect side hustle for him. As a longtime animal lover, he wouldn’t have to learn any new skills, and he could create his own schedule.

Richard knew that there were dog walking services available online, so he started there. He signed up for one called “Wag!”, but was quickly disillusioned. There were way more dog walkers than there were clients. Every time someone posted a request for a walk, it was taken within seconds. Soon, he had developed an unhealthy habit of constantly checking his phone for notifications.

After a while, he was sick of being glued to his phone and exhausted by the constant competition. Then, after walking a dog one day, the owner asked if Richard had any business cards. Unfortunately, he didn’t, but this got him thinking—what if he could start his own dog walking business? He was already tired of using “Wag!” and after thinking about it, he realized that his startup costs could be very low. All he needed to spend money on was printing the business cards, and of course, dog treats.

Richard decided to try it out. He started by designing his own business cards, which he gave to dog owners he passed by on the street. Most of the people he gave cards to never contacted him, but the 5-10% that did became his first clients. (Side note: 5-10% is an amazing conversion rate. If you talk to 100 people walking dogs, you have 5-10 clients.)

Although it required a little extra work, choosing to handle all bookings on his own was the perfect option for Richard. And he did it through his website, Gotta Go!

Now, two years later and working full-time as a professional dancer, Richard still makes $2,000 a month from this hustle. That’s right, $2,000 a month just from walking dogs. He says that this is an ideal side hustle for someone with a busy schedule, especially if they work in a big city.

In this dog-eat-dog world, it can be daunting to consider competing with large corporations or an existing, popular app. However, by understanding that there were aspects of dog walking that were even better as a smaller company—like being able to lower the price and have long-term relationships with clients—he was able to make his own work with zero startup costs, all while earning thousands of dollars a month. It’s a barking business model!

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Gotta Go!: Learn more about what Richard is doing over on his website, and if you’re into the arts, check out his dance page as well!
  • Weebly: The platform that Richard used to create his website for Gotta Go!
  • Wag! and Rover are marketplaces where people can list their pet services or hire someone.

 

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
"Though it is obvious that I benefit financially, there are also emotional benefits to walking dogs as well. I can always rely on interacting with dogs to reduce anxiety and stress."
—Richard Sayama #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