Archives: Podcast

WEEKLY RECAP: Understand Your Ideal Working Conditions

Notes from Chris

Episode 925

THEMES & TAKEAWAYS:

We’ve just finished week 28 of Season III!

This week, we featured on-the-go energy gel for mountain bikers, profitable paint-by-numbers kits, and a BBQ hustle that smokes out the competition.

This week, we’ll delve into the topic of ideal working conditions. Generally speaking, when people think about career decisions, they don’t pay nearly enough attention to working conditions. How much control you have over your schedule and how collaborative you like to be makes a huge difference in your happiness.

We also have an audio update from the guy who made Swoveralls!

WHERE ARE THEY NOW:

Today, we have an update from Kyle Bergman who was featured on the show in Ep. 394.

Listen to the Weekly Recap to hear from Kyle!

You can also check out his website!

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. 919 – When two friends create an all-natural energy gel that’s as good as the processed alternatives, they shift into a higher gear and crank out a side hustle
  • Ep. 920 – An account manager solves the mystery of “What happens to soap after it’s used in a hotel room?”—and turns it into a sustainable side hustle
  • Ep. 921 – They loved smoked BBQ … and one day, they realized doing it for a living was the dream. So they jumped in full-force to the idea—heading straight for near-disaster
  • Ep. 922 – A visual arts teacher creates “paint by numbers” kits to help others experience joy through painting
  • Ep. 923 – A working mom finds an unconventional side hustle that allows her to make money, have fun, and spend more time with her kids
  • Ep. 924 – Drawing on a Nigerian heritage work ethic, a ministry leader turned entrepreneur uses social media to build a digital agency

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:

  • An employee for a video game company turns a childhood love for adventure into a real-life escape room business
  • When a new mom quits her job to stay home with her daughter, she ends up building a seven-figure online store. Meanwhile, her husband documents their success with a six-figure website of his own
  • 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
"It’s not just what kind of work you do; it’s how you do it that matters a great deal in your overall quality of life. Take time to understand your ideal working conditions."
—#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

College Ministry Leader Starts Digital Agency

What It’s About

Ministry leader builds a six-figure business helping members of his church create an online presence.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

One struggle was deciding how to value the work. He says that he doesn’t believe in set pricing packages. Instead, he spends time customizing packages with clients and then he and the team figure out how much time it will take to complete that work and pay the team fairly to decide the final price.

He also says that working with creatives and artists, who are often driven by emotions than analytical thinking, can be challenging. But Izu says that even when tempers flare around him, he tries to keep calm. In his words, “Turn on emotions when it comes to fighting for your team, turn off your emotions about everything else.”

Fun Fact

The @world_record_egg account began a campaign to crack the world record for the most-liked post on Instagram with this picture of an egg, and with over 53 million likes at the time of this episode going live, it was clearly an invitation people just couldn’t turn down.

There was a lot of speculation about who was behind the egg, and as time went on the egg began to crack. Literally, it posted pictures of itself cracking. The big reveal came during the Super Bowl when it was revealed Hulu had partnered with the egg to raise awareness around mental health. Pretty eggcelent, if you ask us.

Notes from Chris

Episode 924

24-year-old Izu Aginwa says that hustling and entrepreneurship have been in his blood almost since birth. Infusing him with a strong work ethic and culture was so important to his parents that they moved from the United States back to their native Nigeria when he was a child.

Returning to the U.S. for college, Izu saw hustling opportunities everywhere. But Izu says that, like most Nigerian children, he was expected to focus entirely on school in order to get what he calls “astronomically high grades.” So that’s what he did.

Still, during summer breaks, he was in hustle mode. One time in college, Izu traveled to Chicago for an unpaid internship at the largest public broadcasting station in America. He learned the ins and outs of social media and was also able to apply what he was learning in school. But the internship was unpaid, so Izu hustled and paid his bills each month by building websites.

Fast forward to 2017, Izu was a new college graduate and moved to Southern California for his first big post-college job as a leader in the college ministry for a large, dynamic church. The job was a perfect fit—at least for a while. He dedicated himself to the work and his ministry area grew quickly. One of the ways he did this was using the branding and social media skills that he had learned earlier. It was the perfect way to engage the college students in his target market.

Soon, the content he produced for the ministry was getting attention from entrepreneurs and artists within the church who began coming to him to ask for help with their social media. After several months of referring them to others so that he could focus on the ministry, Izu finally made time for a new side hustle. He called it Frsh (pronounced: fresh) Culture.

In the few spare hours he had each week, Izu began helping clients with their social media and branding needs. He did everything from writing Instagram posts to designing strategy and shooting video content. Soon he was earning an extra thousand dollars per month.

He says this thousand odd dollars each month showed him the potential of his project and it also turned his entrepreneurial drive into high gear. He quickly began thinking about what he really wanted to build.

About four months later, he partnered with another creative and rebranded the agency, now called Riches & Saint.

In the first four months, the new agency was generating $4,000 per month as a side hustle. When the time came to transition from his ministry job, Izu jumped at the chance and now his one-time side hustle is his primary work. Business continues to grow quickly and in less than a year, revenues are more than $15,000 per month.

Izu is excited about the future and hopes to expand to serve more celebrity clients, as well as begin a new ecommerce venture. He loves what he’s doing and credits it with giving him a safety net.

 

 

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
"Turn on emotions when it comes to fighting for your team, turn off your emotions when it comes to everything else."
—Izu Aginwa #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

Learning Designer Presses Play on Voiceover Gig

What It’s About

A working mom presses play on a voiceover gig and creates more freedom for herself.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Carrie says that having an excellent demo is a great way to start finding commercial work. A good one typically costs anywhere from $1,000-$2,000, but she says that it’s important to get some experience under your belt before investing money into one.

Fun Fact

Carrie and her family traveled around the United States for 9 months in a travel trailer. While this was an awesome adventure, it became difficult for Carrie to find a place quiet enough to record her voiceovers. Once, she even drove to a cemetery to record. She says that, “you may have heard a commercial on the TV or radio that was recorded from the back seat of a Durango in a cemetery in New Mexico.”

Notes from Chris

Episode 923

On the way to work one morning, Carrie Olsen decided that she was going to start listening to a new podcast. Already a lover of side hustles, Carrie was drawn to one about people who did unusual jobs—and it wasn’t ours! She pressed play on the latest episode and started listening to an interview with professional voiceover actress Alyson Steel.

Alyson was a mom, just like Carrie. But, unlike Carrie, she got to start her day by doing yoga and seeing her kids before they went to school. After that, she settled into her home recording studio for her day of work. With a newborn at home, the idea of being able to work from her house was music to Carrie’s ears.

Not only that, but Carrie also had a background in freelance podcast hosting and had narrated several courses for her day job as an eLearning Designer. Suddenly, it seemed like voiceover work wasn’t just something that she could pursue, it was something that she should.

She scored her first job about a month later. It was a 2-minute long narration for a Danish company, and she was paid $450. With extra cash in her bank account and pep in her step, Carrie kept her ear to the ground in the pursuit of more jobs.

After another small job, her third client brought Carrie a fat paycheck and a newfound sense of confidence. She was hired to record a national radio campaign for the outdoor gear store REI. This gig brought in $2,000. Not only that, but REI wanted to keep doing projects with her in the future. With the promise of more money, Carrie began to wonder how much she could make if she pursued her hustle full-time.

She began to pursue voice acting full-time only four months after she started her hustle, Carrie Olsen Voiceover. In her first year, she made almost exactly the same amount of money that she made in her old, corporate job, which was right around $45,000.

Since then, Carrie has been steadily increasing her salary. In the meantime, she designed her own course for voiceover coaching, combining both of her strengths in eLearning and in voice acting. In 2017, she broke six figures.

While Carrie has made serious (sound) waves in the voiceover industry, she already has new ideas for her business growth. She just did a few promos for Netflix and hopes to get into more promo work in the future. Carrie will also be releasing a new online course, all about marketing for voiceovers.

With the help of a side hustle, Carrie used her voice to hit all the right notes in her search for a better life.

 

  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
"As a side hustle, the best part of the experience was the joy I got from it. Everyday, I was discovering more about the industry, and when I started bringing in an income from it, it didn’t even seem real. Now, the best part of the experience is feeling like I’ve been able to design my lifestyle. I don’t feel trapped at a job that keeps me from the things I love most."
—Carrie Olsen #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

Nashville Paint-by-Numbers Kits Become Etsy Bestsellers

What It’s About

A visual arts teacher builds a side hustle—one shade at a time.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Camilla’s words of wisdom for anyone wanting to begin their own paint-by-numbers hustle:

“Start with research. Collect samples of various paint by numbers kits, meet with local printers and assembly companies to have in-person conversations about different types of papers, or other materials used in production. Test a variety of paints and brushes to become familiar with what’s available in the industry. Creating designs are important too. Hire an artist or graphic designer to develop the packaging, and embrace every step of the revision process.”

Fun Fact

Camilla had three short-lived side hustles before landing her successful Paint the Town by Numbers. The first was a hand-painted invitation business for the rich and somewhat famous; the second was a coloring book series that was more serious in subject matter; and the third was creating original works of art, custom coloring pages, and custom acrylic portraits. Camilla said the best thing about these failed attempts was how they led to her paint-by-numbers business!

Notes from Chris

Episode 922

Camilla Spadafino loves to create. Growing up, an atmosphere of creativity seemed to surround her. Her mother encouraged her to express herself through drawings, and her uncle was a local, well-known artist. Over the years, she found other forms of expression through sewing, decorating and storytelling.

Camilla now spends her days as a visual arts teacher in Nashville, Tennesee. People always told her she should teach art, but she was reluctant, worried her “passion” would turn into a job. Camilla admits she was wrong. It turns out she loves it more than ever.

She also owns the boutique paint-by-numbers studio, aptly named Paint the Town by Numbers. She creates curious paint-by-numbers kits of people, places, and things that reflect positivity.

Some of her bestsellers include pop artist Andy Warhol, Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg (aka The Notorious RBG), and famed television personality, Mr. Rogers.

The color names for Camilla’s paint palettes help tell the story of each kit with flair. For example, her “Nashville” paint by numbers kit features color names like Hot Chicken, Biscuits Y’all, and BBQ Sauce.

She’s on a mission to heal hearts, inspire imaginations, and to get paintbrushes in the hands of as many would-be painters as possible. Her kits have been enjoyed by people in every state across the country!

So how did this come to be? Well, it started as a project she was creating for fun. When she finished, Camilla knew it was special and ran across the street to show her neighbor, boldly declaring: “I’m going to turn this into a paint by numbers kit!”

Startup costs were $12,000, all of which went to cover production and shipping of her first product. She said her costs were higher in order to raise the quantities produced and lower the prices for her customers (some manufacturers have minimum ordering quantities, aka MOQs).

In order to foot this sizable sum and recover costs (she and her husband paid for everything in advance), Camilla turned to crowdfunding through Kickstarter and I Fund Women. To gain additional campaign exposure, she wrote press releases and even received a couple of spots on local television.

Her efforts paid off. Camilla raised over $10,000. She recovered the remaining costs by selling hand-built kits at local art festivals.

Her customer base grew out of those first crowdfunding campaigns. Camilla said when they ended, she personally delivered her kits to the doors of every person who ordered one in her local area… broadly speaking. She covered hundreds of miles and says now:

“Meeting the people who believed in us and took a chance on our product was one of the most soul-satisfying experiences of my life.”

Since launching in February 2017, Paint the Town by Numbers has artfully crafted a significant income. The kits run between $20 – $25. In 2018, she earned $30,000 … and she’s on track to double that number in 2019.

She’s also approaching a point where it might be possible to leave her day job and pursue Paint the Town by Numbers full-time. In preparation for the leap, she and her husband have begun looking more seriously at how that might work.

 

  MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Paint the Town by Numbers: If you’re interested in bringing the likes of Mr. Rogers, Arethra Franklin, and The Notorious RBG to life in vibrant color, head on over to Camilla’s website!
  • Kickstarter | Paint the Town by Numbers Nashville: The Kickstarter campaign that started it all
  • I Fund Women: An alternative crowdfunding platform that caters to female-run organizations that Camilla used to fund her startup for Paint the Town by Numbers

 

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
"Plan your business carefully and make sure that you’re ‘walking’ your business so that your business doesn’t ‘walk’ you. Start slowly, maintain that pace, and then push to the next level once you’re ready."
—Camilla Spadafino #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

BBQ Catering Hustle Smokes Out Competitors

What It’s About

A smoking side hustle helps a new family discover a different path.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Jeff and Nancy learned some valuable lessons. The first was how much food to cook. Jeff quickly learned how to estimate sales volume, as well as make guesses about what dishes would sell more than others.

The second was not to worry so much about what other BBQ caterers were doing. They tried to serve everything you could want, rather than focusing on a few key items, and that led to a lot of food waste (and killed their profit margins). They didn’t need to worry about everyone else. They just needed to do what was best for their business.

Fun Fact

The first indigenous tribes Christopher Columbus encountered on the island he named Hispaniola had developed a unique method for cooking meat over an indirect flame, created using green wood to keep the food (and wood) from burning. Reports indicate that the Spanish referred to this new style of cooking as barbacoa: the original barbecue. Read more about the history of BBQ over on The Smithsonian!

Notes from Chris

Episode 921
Jeff Flores, a credit analyst by day, was known among his friends as an all-star BBQ smoker by night. He had several years of experience and had dedicated himself to getting the perfect smoked meat. One day he was telling his wife, Nancy, about how much he loved the craft and science of it and wished he could do it professionally. That’s when a lightbulb went off in her head.

Why couldn’t he start catering his smoked meats? It seemed like a much better idea to Nancy than going into professional gambling, which Jeff had also considered.

The BBQ craze had made its way from Texas to California, where they lived, but the market wasn’t overly saturated yet with caterers. Many of their friends had casually made comments about them starting a business in the past… maybe this was the dream he could follow?

The two talked about the idea for a few weeks in August of 2018. They had two kids and a mortgage. Was it really financially responsible? But Nancy was in, and she encouraged Jeff to get moving. The market was ready, they had some money saved—it just felt right.

Work started immediately in September by looking at large catering smokers. They started off by researching Texas builders, where most custom trailer-sized smokers are from, but the prices were high. They ended up finding a few locally with more competitive prices and placed an order.

It was risky going in so quickly without tons of research, but they were determined to make it work—and now they had to.

By mid-December, Nancy and Jeff had received a business license, food service licenses, insurance, and all the other fun regulatory stuff needed to sell food. And then the smoker arrived. Their new business, The Rustic Que, was almost ready.

The holidays were just weeks away, so this gave them the final time they needed to work on their recipes, design a menu, and sign up for the January event that nearly destroyed the whole business. That’s right … it wasn’t an overnight success, and part of the problem was something that happened overnight.

The night before their big debut at the Yorba Linda Farmer’s Market, Jeff was up all night smoking his meats. At least, he was supposed to be. At one point he dozed off—exhausted from the stress of the next day’s event—and his coals went out. It’s Rule #1 in smoking meat: never let the coals go cold.

When Jeff woke up a short while later, he was mortified. This had never happened to him before. He rushed to check the meat. Thankfully, it was still safe to eat, but he had no idea what was going to happen to its flavor. He just knew it was ruined, and that meant their first event—after all that hard work—wasn’t even worth going to.

He nearly called the farmer’s market coordinator to cancel, but Nancy stopped him. They had done too much prep to let their first event go up in smoke. So they tasted the meat once it was fully cooked. It was … okay. Not as stellar as he was used to, but definitely better than he expected.

Since January, Jeff and Nancy have worked two to three events per month. Sometimes they participate in farmers markets. Other times they reach out to breweries that are hosting events but don’t have food vendors lined up. Door knocking has worked out well, especially for events that most caterers don’t think of serving at, like Crossfit competitions.

They’ve nearly made back their initial investment and are looking into a brick-and-mortar deal that could allow Jeff to go full-time in The Rustic Que. Already, their earnings have allowed them to take a vacation in Cabo that wouldn’t otherwise be possible. And If he did two to three more events each month, he’d replicate the income from his day job. Last but not least, they’ve made lots of friends, and are demonstrating to their kids how rewarding it can be to stick with something you believe in.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • The Rustic Que: Learn more about this smoking side hustle over on Jeff and Nancy’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

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
"First thing’s first, make sure this is the path you want. Then, understand your ultimate goal. The course you have to follow will sort of create itself one step at a time as long as you know where you want to end up."
—Jeff & Nancy Flores #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

Lather, Rinse, Recycle: Soapy Problem Leads to Clean Solution

What It’s About

A sudsy side hustle that cleans up in more than one way.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

For anyone selling a product as part of a side hustle, Tristan recommends asking lots of questions. Why is this product important to you? Where will you get your materials? To whom will you sell it? These questions will support you in getting started and taking action.

Fun Fact

Over 2 million bars of soap are thrown away every day in the United States. In order to combat this, Tristan and The One Gallon Soap Company partner with hotels to change that. They collect, clean, and sterilize used bars of soap from hotels, and then they manufacture it into their 100% recycled liquid hand soap.

Notes from Chris

Episode 920
Have you ever stayed up at night wondering what happens to used soap in hotel rooms? Like after a bar is only used once? For Account Manager Tristan Corriveau, this question kept him awake in his hotel one night about three years ago.

Rather than letting this question simply wash away, Tristan decided to spend time researching this probing question. As he researched, he learned that something like two million used bars of soap are thrown away every single day. This figure completely blew his mind—and before it slipped down the drain, he decided to do something about it.

His first thought was to collect the used soap and see if he could make something entirely different out of it. But why make something new when you can just use it for how it’s intended? He contacted the hotel where he was staying in Portland, Maine and asked if they would be interested in donating all of their used soap to him for a project. To his surprise, he discovered that the hotel had been wanting to do something with the soap … but didn’t have a great idea.

So Tristan began by working with local university students to run experiments alongside their professors. Together they began to develop a process for sterilizing partially used bars of soap and turning them into liquid hand soap. For this process, they use an autoclave— a strong heated container that uses steam sterilization. Once the soap is sterilized, it is repurposed into liquid soap and packed into 16oz glass bottles. Why glass? Every year over eight million tons of plastic finds its way into the ocean, and Tristan wanted to change that. So in addition to repurposing soap, he’s also improving the environment by cutting down on plastic use.

The testing process was a little slippery at first … it took months of trial and error. They landed on a simple product made from the bars of soap, water, and baking soda. Finally, Tristan had his concoction, and The One Gallon Soap Company was officially born.

Tristan started small in the beginning by testing the product with his community. He then built a website, which is now the main source of sales.

The One Gallon Soap Company is now profitable at a low but sustainable level. He utilizes his website, Instagram, and word of mouth for sales. As he grows, he’s been able to add additional hotels to his roster of soap suppliers.

Tristan utilized many resources for getting this product out of the trash and into the bottle. He partnered with the hotels to collect soap, worked with local university students to create a sterilization process, and relied upon early customers for feedback on what they liked and disliked about the product as it was being developed.

He plans to continue to partner with more hotels and hopes that The One Gallon Soap Company will bubble up all over the world.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

SEE ALSO:

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

Yours in the revolution,

cg-sig-newsletter

Resources

WEB HOSTING @ $2.49/MONTH

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

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

GET $625 IN FREE TRAVEL

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

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

Quote of the Day
"Just keep asking questions. Ask potential customers what they like or dislike about the product they’re using that yours will replace. Ask yourself where you’ll get your materials, who you’ll sell to, how you’ll make it. If you keep asking those questions, eventually you’re going to act."
—Tristan Corriveau #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

Mountain Biker Takes B-Line To All-Natural Profits

What It’s About

A mountain biker creates natural-energy gels for those on the go.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

There’s nothing wrong about jumping in and building a plane as you fly it, but why not preserve time (which is also money in this case) and find a company or person you admire in a similar field and meet them—talk with them. Ask them all the questions you think you have and then more. You don’t know what you don’t know. There’s a reason why we all have parents, to grow and be guided safely through the life process and starting a business is no different. I would say go find a business “parent” and ask for help in raising your entrepreneur self.

Fun Fact

Energy gels are very popular with endurance athletes because they give a quick dose of energy. Most are highly processed and the main ingredient in Maltodextrin, a processed sweetener made from corn, rice, and potato starch. While common, a lot of athletes view them as a necessary evil because eating them often leads to a sore tummy and a run to the restroom shortly after a race.

Notes from Chris

Episode 919

Chris Hawks and his friends are avid mountain bikers and endurance athletes. On any given weekend they’d much rather be pedaling their way up a hill than sitting on the couch watching Netflix.

Chris enjoys his day job—he’s Director of Sales for what he calls the best dairy company on earth—but it’s his extracurricular activities that really get his wheels turning.

Mountain biking is hard going. You can burn thousands of calories in a good session and if you want to keep going, you need to replace that lost energy… fast! For Chris and his friends, they typically turned to energy gels, a sweet carbo-loaded jolt of energy that came in a squeezable packet for on the go eating.

The only problem was that these gels were highly processed and often left Chris and his friends feeling a little off in the gut. This isn’t surprising, considering that they are usually full of junk ingredients. But they worked, giving a much-needed carb dose when your body needed a good pumping up.

Chris believed there must be a healthier way. So, together with one of the friends, he asked a nutritionist for a good natural replacement. Turns out, the replacement was very simple.

The nutritionist advised them to mix honey and molasses in a 1:1 ratio. Both are all-natural ingredients and would serve a similar purpose to the processed gels they’d been using.

It worked… and not only was it totally natural and healthy, it was also delicious. They had just created what they called “craft energy food.” The mixture became a staple of their mountain bike sessions. In fact, they loved it so much they wondered if they could turn it into a product.

Chris had had ideas for businesses before but never got past a note on a scrap piece of paper. Something about this idea stuck with him. So, he and another friend decided to crank it up and see if they could make something happen.

Soon enough they had their first pro-quality batch and decided to go on a long mountain bike trip to celebrate. Of course, they’d be powered by their own brand of all-natural energy gels. They called it B-Line Natural Energy. B-Line is a common way to describe an alternate path in mountain biking, what they were all about.

A few years after its inception, B-Line had become a viable brand and product operating in a competitive space. The team believes they’ve found the right market fit and now it’s just a matter of getting the word out through marketing. Over time, they started to make more money too.

They’re not earning a full-time income yet. But, as Chris puts it, last year they made enough that they could have purchased an SUV with the profits, to use for mountain biking adventures of course. That’s tens of thousands of dollars, and hopefully more to come as they grow.

Their end goal is to generate enough revenue to be their only source of income. For their next climb, they’ll be launching another food product line in the near future with funding coming from sales of B-Line.

They’ll never forget the lessons learned from their first side hustle. The next product launch should be just like riding a bike.

 

 

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
"If we could go back to day one, we would have sat down with a business mentor before we even got to naming a product to walk through the basics of a business plan, investor pitch deck, legally forming a business entity and various other ABC’s before we even took a product to market."
—Chris Hawks #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: Does Your Idea Pass the Grandmother Test?

Notes from Chris

Episode 918

THEMES & TAKEAWAYS:

We’ve just finished week 27 of Season III!

This week, we took a look at a reusable straw that raises $1.8M on Kickstarter, a new mom who creates postpartum recovery kits, an online tea store that becomes a matcha-made in heaven, and more.

I recently made a course for LinkedIn Learning, The Art of the Side Hustle. If you have a LinkedIn Premium membership, you can access that on demand. I’ll be doing two more courses with them later this month, and I’ll keep you posted.

Tomorrow night, I’ll be live in San Francisco to talk about the new book 100 SIDE HUSTLES, making up for a previous date that we had to cancel when we had a venue issue.

Today we have an audio update but first, let’s talk about something important … does your idea pass the grandmother test?

WHERE ARE THEY NOW:

Today, we have an update from Brandi & Kyler Russell who was featured on the show in Ep. 146.

Listen to the Weekly Recap to hear from Brandi & Kyler!

You can also check out their website!

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. 912 – Walking on a Thailand beach and seeing all the plastic pollution was the last straw for this environmentalist
  • Ep. 913 – A professional organizer finds a way to stitch her passion for thrift shopping into profits
  • Ep. 914 – After trying Japanese matcha for the first time, a high school student has a tea-riffic idea that earns thousands of dollars each month
  • Ep. 915 – Happy Independence Day! After a difficult shopping experience, this new mom creates and sells her own products to aid in postpartum recovery
  • Ep. 916 – After traveling the world, a college graduate works with B corporations to help them tell their stories
  • Ep. 917 – An orthodontist sets out to invent a modern alternative to the age-old practice of pulling teeth

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:

  • An account manager solves the mystery of “What happens to soap after it’s used in a hotel room?”—and turns it into a sustainable side hustle
  • They loved smoked BBQ … and one day, they realized doing it for a living was the dream. So they jumped in full-force to the idea—heading straight for near-disaster
  • 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
"Write your mission statement in a single sentence. Make sure it passes the grandmother test: it’s so simple, you could easily explain it to your grandmother (or anyone else)."
—#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

Orthodontist Bites Off Solution to Teeth-Pulling Problem

What It’s About

An orthodontist springs into action with an innovative solution.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Grant says that when it comes to side hustles to, “Look for ways to improve the job you are currently in!” By choosing a hustle that involves your day job, you are more aware of what that audience needs.

Plus, you likely have a network of people in your field that can provide valuable feedback on your idea, or even be a future customer!

Fun Fact

Not only did Grant invent something that helped him with his day job, he also used materials that were already available to him at his office. He says that his invention was less like an experiment, and more like taking the materials around him and configuring them into something new.

Notes from Chris

Episode 917

For the last sixteen years, Grant Coleman has worked as an orthodontist. Between all of the procedures he’s performed, the teeth he’s cleaned, and the times he’s told his patients to floss, he started to notice that some of the ways he did things seemed a little old-school.

Not like the dentist-from-Little-Shop-of-Horrors, but old school, nonetheless. Grant was particularly concerned with the way that they fixed “impacted teeth.” Impacted teeth are teeth that are stuck in the gums, and it was Grant’s job to get those teeth to come out. It can be a slow, painful process that typically involves attaching a gold chain to the tooth and pulling it down little by little, over a series of appointments.

Grant felt that it was best to leave the gold chains to “Mr. T, pocket watches, and grandma’s spectacles.” Surely, the dental industry was ready for something new.

So, leaning on his experience performing this procedure over and over, Grant started tinkering around with objects lying around the office to create a new version of the antique gold chain. His prototype was a nickel-titanium coil that could continuously pull the tooth down without multiple appointments.

With this shiny new device in hand, Grant brought it into the office and started to use it on the next few patients with impacted teeth. He was amazed with the results! Not only did his invention look better than that infamous gold chain, it also moved the tooth way faster than anything he had seen before. Grant then sent his product to a friend in the industry for him to try out too—and the results were the same. His invention worked!

Over the next five years, Grant kept using the device and making tweaks to the design. Although his prototype worked, he hoped to improve the device even further, both in its function and for the comfort of the patient.

After many experiments, he was confident that he had created a truly solid design. Time after time, it worked better than anything else he had ever seen—and he didn’t know anyone else who had made anything like it. Soon, he was having thoughts of producing his invention on a large scale and selling it to orthodontists all across the country. Not only did he have a great new tool to use at work, he had also stumbled across a major business opportunity.

After getting the Isoglide Spring FDA approved, he officially launched his online store in May of 2019. It’s very early days—we’re recording this in early July 2019—but he’s already bringing in $3,000-$4,000 a month, most of which he’s reinvesting back into the company.

Although the product isn’t making him a ton of money just yet, it is making his full-time job easier by decreasing the time he needs to spend with each impacted tooth patient. He’s also got his family involved, with a whole room dedicated to the Isoglide Spring in their house.

Grant says that in an ideal world, the business will grow substantially in the next few years. For his part, he plans to reach out to local orthodontic groups, attend trade shows, and amp up his social media presence. He also says that for him, it’s a marathon, not a sprint. He knows that he has a great idea and that all of his work will pay off in the end.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Isoglide Spring: Take a bite out of Grant’s impactful tooth solution
  • WordPress: Grant used WordPress to set up his site for Isoglide Spring, 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

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
"If you’re struggling to find an idea for a side hustle, look for ways to improve the job you are currently in! Since you are in the field already, you are somewhat of an expert and can see the needs in that profession."
—Grant Coleman #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

Nomad Scripts “Stories that Matter” for B Corps

What It’s About

A journalism school graduate helps organizations share their brand story through a new medium.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

For anyone wanting to launch a similar side hustle, Quinn recommends using the resources in front of you before investing in equipment since gear has lots of upfront costs. And when it comes to ensuring that what you’re producing is in line with what your client is looking for, she says you should, “Ask story-driven questions so that you can create something that resonates with their target audience. Figure out what their values are and who the people are behind the company.”

Fun Fact

While at the “Stop Question Frisk” program rally, Quinn learned that she was the only journalist there. She caught some video footage and followed one of the cases into the courtroom. She created a short documentary film that ended up gaining more than 8 million online views in an age before Instagram. This was the moment that Quinn knew she was pretty good at editing and producing video footage to tell compelling stories.

Notes from Chris

Episode 916

From a young age, Oregon native, Quinn Rose Schneider, has been a visionary, storyteller, and dreamer. As a child, she would watch 60 Minutes with her parents and imagine becoming a journalist, documenting meaningful stories all over the world.

Her love for storytelling later led her to attend NYU to study journalism. While there, she navigated living in a busy, bustling city while juggling academic studies. But, midway through her degree, she decided to take a year off to wander and film her way through India.

With camera in hand, she was becoming the storyteller she always wanted to be. It may not have been on 60 Minutes, but for Quinn, it was just as exciting! She even began swapping her guerrilla video skills for room and board at various Ashrams. It was her first taste into bartering a life in exotic places.

Although she eventually headed back to New York City to finish her degree, her time in India showed her that she wanted to make a bigger impact in this world. One of her professors encouraged her to go to a rally against the “Stop Question Frisk” program which was a program that allows police to stop, question, and frisk anyone they felt was carrying a weapon or seen as a threat to others, even without any evidence—a program that research showed disproportionately targeted minorities.

Quinn made a short documentary film that ended up gaining more than 8 million online views in an age before Instagram. This was the moment that she knew she was pretty good at editing and producing video footage to tell compelling stories.

Upon graduation, she resumed traveling, sometimes freelancing by helping businesses with copywriting and email marketing. But her video production work was where her real passion lay. In Brazil, she stumbled across an opportunity on LinkedIn that led to her shooting courtside as a beach volleyball reporter during the Rio Olympics.

It was an exciting life, but as they say, “all roads lead back home,” and Quinn’s path was no different. She decided that she wanted to work for a “B Corporation”—a growing trend in business that actively works to balance purpose and profit. She continued to do her freelance work as a copywriter, but over time, her new video-focused digital content business, Story Based Brands, began to take shape.

After her first major, corporate client, Quinn was able to purchase her own video and editing equipment. She built a simple website using WordPress to highlight her work, and eventually weaned herself out of freelance work to pursue Story Based Brands full-time. Since launching July 25th, 2019, she’s worked with over a dozen clients.

While Quinn’s childhood dream of being a reporter on 60 Minutes may not have come true, her dream of being a visionary behind the lens has scripted itself into one promising story.

 

  MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Story Based Brands: Learn more about Quinn’s impactful, story based media company over on her website!
  • WordPress: Quinn used WordPress to set up her site for Story Based Brands, 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

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
"Ask story-driven questions so that you can create something that resonates with their target audience. Figure out what their values are and who the people are behind the company."
—Quinn Schneider #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