Archives: Podcast

Social Worker Bakes Cupcakes for The Walking Dead

What It’s About

A sweet side hustle with pinup appeal!

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

What we’re seeing now is Carrie thinking even smarter and asking herself how she can go from baking more cupcakes (which is ultimately not sustainable, at least not on its own and with her doing much of the baking) to those side-side hustles that allow her to reach more people

That’s the path you need to follow if you want to grow. And as always, it’s also okay to just make cupcakes and sell them at the market. On this Boxing Day and every day, your next steps are your own!

Fun Fact

Carrie is a third generation hustler. Her dad had a letterpress side business he ran from the basement. Her grandparents were holocaust survivors that came to America with no education. They began working out of their own home offering sewing and wallpapering services.

Notes from Chris

Episode 725
Carrie Buchanan has a demanding—and might I say selfless—day job. As a social worker in her hometown of Canton, Ohio, she provides support to people with disabilities. But, sometime a few years ago Carrie found herself needing some support of her own.

She was going through a stressful divorce. After the separation, she moved into a small condo with her two teenage daughters. A few close friends helped pack her things on moving day. To thank them, Carrie couldn’t buy expensive gifts, so she turned to her creative side instead.

While shopping at a local craft store, she came across a large muffin baking tray and an idea struck. She could use the muffin tray to bake extra large cupcakes for her friends. What’s better than cupcakes? Extra large cupcakes! She whipped up a batch, and all her friends loved them. During the next year, she received several requests to bake the extra large cupcakes again. Gradually she modified them, adding creamy flavored icing and topping it off with an extra treat like a peanut butter cup or s’more.

The cakes became Carrie’s signature dish. She’d often bake them for special occasions or for friends and family. It was a fun hobby that made people smile. But, while the cupcakes solved her original thank you gift problem. They couldn’t eliminate all of life’s stressors.

As the next year rolled around, Carrie was still stressed and fantasized about packing everything up and escaping in a trailer. In her fantasy, she’d sell homemade french fries out the back of the trailer while traveling around the country. The idea was so appealing that she even went to a local carnival to ask the workers about life on the road. It sounded so freeing!

But this particular fantasy wasn’t meant to be. She couldn’t just drop everything and run away. She had commitments at home and two teenage daughters to care for. But the idea didn’t go away entirely. Carrie soon began dating someone new and told him about her ‘life on the road’ dream. He suggested she could do something similar, but keep things closer to home. Instead of running away, she could bake and sell some of her giant cupcakes at a local market called First Friday.

Initially, she dismissed the idea, saying, “What do I really know about baking? I still use canned icing to decorate the cakes!” Even so, he assured her it was worth trying and even suggested a business name, Bombshell Cupcakes!* Carrie was a fan of pinup culture so it fit perfectly.

*[producer note: since the airing of this original episode, the name has now changed to Bombshell Baking Company]

For a couple more years Bombshell Cupcakes continued to drop Bombshells at the market. Carrie was still baking out of her home kitchen all while still working full-time.

But then she introduced iced cookies. These turned out to be even more popular. People would request custom orders for parties, or with their favorite characters or corporate colors. Over time, this part of the business became so popular that Carrie added it to the name. It was now called Bombshell Cupcakes & Cookies!

Carrie continued with both her day job and side hustle. She’d work all day and then come home at night and bake cookies and cupcakes. It was time to bring on a little help in the form of her first and only employee. Although the employee only worked part-time, she allowed Carrie to increase the volume of her operation while still working a full-time job.

Over the last year, Carrie was able to take home close to $20,000 profit from the business. This is made all the more impressive by the fact that each order is just $35 – $50. That’s a lot of orders! She’s also been able to expand to include a few side-side hustles.

Carrie has even bigger plans for Bombshell Cupcakes in 2019. She understands you can only bake and decorate so many cookies by hand. It’s not a business that scales well. Just recently she began offering live streamed baking courses which has opened up another source of income. Next up is a Youtube channel so that she can share her knowledge. The goal of all that will be to create a paid video tutorial course to generate income in a more passive way.

But what she is most proud of, is that this side hustle has enabled her to purchase her own home. Those bombshell cupcakes have had extra-large benefits.

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
"First things first, you must love what you are doing, and you must love to learn and be patient. It takes a lot of time and practice to get good. But hang in there!"
—Carrie Buchanan #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

London Clerk Hires Ghosts to Visit Boss, Earns Passive Income

What It’s About

Side Hustle School takes on a Christmas classic!

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Okay, holiday specials are great and all, but what exactly can we learn from this story?

First, if your morning porridge is the most exciting thing in your life, you definitelyneed to make some changes.

Second, don’t wait on your boss to change … create change yourself!

And third, outsource however you can, even if it includes hiring your friends to dress up as ghosts.

Fun Fact

Charles Dickens started A Christmas Carol in October 1843 and wrote obsessively for six weeks. As Dickens said, he wept, laughed, and wandered around London at night “when all sober folks had gone to bed.” He finished the novella at the end of November so it could be published in time for Christmas. A Christmas Carol hit the shops on December 17, 1843, and sold out in three days!

Notes from Chris

Episode 724

Bob Cratchit, a records clerk from East London, was in trouble. He spent his days—every single day—toiling away for an ungrateful employer. Not only was his work tedious and unfulfilling, he wasn’t getting ahead. All he had to look forward to was the morning bowl of porridge (with extra raisins!) that he picked up from Pret a Manger on his way into work.

Worse of all, his son Tim was seriously ill. In these days before Britain’s National Health Service kicked in, Bob needed funds to care for him.

According to our sources, “Mr. Cratchit worked for 15 shillings a week at a rate of three pence (“thruppence”) an hour.” And according to Wikipedia, “In terms of modern-day purchasing power, this would be approximately £63.00 or about $94 US per week.”

His boss Ebenezer was a miser, and couldn’t be counted on to lift a finger … in fact, Bob had asked Ebenezer for help, only to be rebuffed. “Get back to work,” said the boss. “Be grateful you even have a job.”

There was no way around it: Bob needed a side hustle.

To find the solution he looked within himself, opening up a consultancy he called Cratchit Co. He also leaned on three friends for help. As part of a detailed delegation strategy (or was it early outsourcing?), he would send these friends to visit Ebenezer late at night in an attempt to scare him into paying up. Maybe Ebenezer would learn a moral lesson … but even if not, maybe he’d still cough up the coffers.

Bob did what consultants do best: he sent Ebenezer a bill. The bill was for a lot of money—more than he needed to cover his son’s medical costs. Thinking about the approaching holiday, he also itemized an expense for a large turkey.

When the holiday arrived, Bob was thankful. He looked around at the additional money in his bank account and the free turkey on his table. If he hadn’t taken action and started Cratchit Co., he would have continued to live on $94 a week. But he did, and now he was unstoppable.

One success tends to lead to another. Next, Bob thought he’d write an ebook about his experience. He imagined himself as a motivational speaker, traveling from town to town and turning stock clerks into consultants. Or maybe he’d just start a podcast.

 

 

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

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
"I got tired of waiting for my employer to take pity on me. When I sent him three visitors on Christmas Eve, he finally got the message."
—Bob Cratchit #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

Get Your Logo Today With Logojoy!

Side Hustle School is brought to you by Logojoy, an online tool that uses artificial intelligence to help you design a beautiful, custom logo.

Try Logojoy today and get 20% off any logo package when you visit logojoy.com/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

Art Director Turns Passion For Puppets Into Profit

What It’s About

An art director discovers a niche where there are no strings attached…

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Laurie and Cindy chose the pricing for their fabric based on how much they wanted to earn per hour, after the cost of raw materials. They wanted professional puppet-makers to get the highest quality products possible, but also wanted affordable options hobbyists could buy as well.

Yes, you want to price something so that it will sell, but also remember that you’re creating this for you! Make sure that it’s going to be worth it to you in the long-run.

Fun Fact

Larry is Laurie’s fabric distributor and is the only person in the world who distributes Antron fleece. He was approached by Jim Henson to create the fabric for The Muppets and then ran the world’s only puppet-fleece mill. He has no website, only a telephone number, and if you don’t know him, you can’t order fleece in bulk.

Notes from Chris

Episode 723

Laurie Nickerson, an advertising art director, knew she didn’t want to work behind a desk. Eight hours a day staring at a computer screen left her sad, sore, and searching. She wanted a job that was creatively fulfilling and allowed her to share her love for arts and crafts with others. And, seeing as she couldn’t find one, she decided to create one.

Laurie and her just-as-creative mother, Cindy, began renting studio space where they could teach classes and offer other services, such as long-arm quilting.

When she wasn’t at work, Laurie found she spent more and more of her spare time at the studio. She also picked up an exciting side project: puppet making.

Laurie loved the process of making puppets because every stage of the process was done by hand. Contrary to what was out there, there was no “puppet by numbers” system, and you had to do the work from scratch. One of the most fun, yet challenging, aspects was dying the puppet fabric. She felt like it was the perfect blend of science and art, trying to get the colors to stick properly and turn out just how she wanted them.

Puppets are made from a fabric called Antron fleece. When you purchase Antron, it only comes in pure white, and the puppet maker needs to dye it to the color they want. Even in small quantities, this can be notoriously difficult to do in your bathroom or kitchen. But at the studio, Laurie had more than enough space to create all the puppet fabric she needed.

Much to her surprise, Laurie found other people in the puppet-making community didn’t enjoy dying their fabrics anywhere near as much. For many, it was even a burden.

On one particularly frustrating day at work, Laurie’s mind kept wandering to how she had the space and love of the process to solve this problem for people. When she got home from work, she decided to create a simple website, which she called Puppet Pelts, posting photos of fabric in several different colors for sale. She then shared the link with a couple of puppet groups she was a member of to see if there were any takers.

There was an instant demand for it, and puppeteers kept coming back weeks and even months later to ask for more. This was when Laurie knew she had a new business on her hands.

Puppet Pelts now averages around $9,000 a month in revenue and, more perhaps importantly, it has freed Laurie from the shackles of her nine-to-five job.

Looking to the future, Puppet Pelts wants to expand into offering a complete range of colors, fabrics, and accessories for puppet makers, including furs. They’ve also recently relocated from Las Vegas to Orchard, MA, and are looking forward to the challenge of working from a bigger and better space.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Puppet Pelts: Learn more about this puppet-possible side hustle over on Laurie’s website!

 

SEE ALSO:

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

Yours in the revolution,

cg-sig-newsletter

Resources

WEB HOSTING @ $2.49/MONTH

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

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

GET $625 IN FREE TRAVEL

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

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

Quote of the Day
"I started this with no money or inventory. Everything in our studio was built and created by saving our pennies. We didn’t take out a loan, or have investors. If we couldn’t afford something, we waited until we could."
—Laurie Nickerson #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: Find Holiday Time to Invest in Yourself

Notes from Chris

Episode 722

THEMES & TAKEAWAYS:

The holidays can be hard for all sorts of reasons.

Even if you love the season and your family is perfect, you still might find it challenging to devote time to yourself. I often mention that starting a side hustle is essentially an investment in yourself.

If you have a hard time exercising or otherwise following your routines during the holidays, you might also run into obstacles trying to build or improve a project.

On the other hand, if you can work it out, this can be an ideal time to start something new. You’ve got some time off from work. There are fewer emails going around that you need to respond to.

So what can you do?

    • Give yourself a holiday deadline (i.e. “This weekend” or “Before new year’s”)
    • Consider if you need to do everything you normally do. Do you need to bake those cookies? If yes, then do so! Would your family be happy with Pillsbury cookies? If so, save half an hour and use the rest of the time to write copy for your sales page or list more items on Etsy!
    • If everyone else is off caroling or sledding, maybe you could sneak away and spend a couple hours

My advice or encouragement is: Be festive, but don’t forget about yourself!

 

To learn more about this and everything else, check out today’s Weekly Recap!

WHERE ARE THEY NOW:

Today, we have an update from Erin Austin, who was featured on the show in Ep. 142.

Listen to the Weekly Recap to hear from Erin herself!

You can also check out her website, Le Yogi Francophone.

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. 716 – A banking duo discovers a disconnect between business news sites and millennials, then builds the solution into their full-time occupation
      • Ep. 717 – A former product manager sees the potential in importing specialty car parts
      • Ep. 718 – Did you hear the one about the dad with the blog? He earns an extra $2,000/month
      • Ep. 719 – A journey from Wall Street to a healthy snack alternative—and then to a brand new career
      • Ep. 720 – A creative outlet leads to a profitable business earning at least $3,000 a month
      • Ep. 721 – An Australian communications strategist creates an online memorial service that earns $250,000 a year

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

Yours in the revolution,

cg-sig-newsletter

We want to hear from you!

The best part of Side Hustle School is our community, and around 20% of our episodes come from listeners. Are you working on something and want to share it with us and our audience? If so, we want to hear from you!

Head on over to our online submission page, and we’ll be in touch if your story is chosen.

And if you’re still working on something but have some questions, we want to hear from you too! Most Weekly Recap episodes include Listener Q&A.

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

Here’s what’s coming up next…

Each week I’ll feature more stories from people who are starting side hustles without quitting their job. Here’s a sneak peek of what’s coming next week:

      • An advertising executive discovers the world of puppet fabric and unlocks a new career
      • After a stressful divorce, this social worker and mom needs to make money. She begins by selling cupcakes at the local market, then goes on to establish a sustainable business
      • 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
"Holiday time can be challenging, but it also presents an opportunity. What can you complete before New Year’s?"
—#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

Online Memorial Services Are the New Funerals

What It’s About

An Aussie ushers obituaries into the new millennium.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

We asked Andrew if he’s faced any challenges when explaining to potential customers why they should pay money to have an online memorial for their loved ones since this isn’t common knowledge yet.

He said showing people the benefit of what his service provides is key. Skymorials isn’t expensive. Also, since he’s working with resellers, most funeral directors (as an example) give the product to customers at no charge as an added value.

Fun Fact

Looking to grow his business, Andrew flew to Manila, in the Philippines back in January 2018 on a hunch. The country has an enormous Catholic population and is a colossal social media user—one of the biggest in Asia. Naturally, he figured he’d have a good market! He now has offices and a full sales staff working with 35 funeral home locations who use his software for their clients.

Notes from Chris

Episode 721

Andrew Ranger is a serial side hustler. He created an iPhone app that did NDA agreements. He was involved with a crowdsourced website for coming up with company brand names. And somewhere in there, he developed a payments platform for cafes and restaurants.

He did all this while working his day job at an advertising agency in their marketing and communications department. Andrew is a strategist and likes working hard. While at his 9 – 5, he noticed the rise of publishing tributes and fan pages on Facebook for people that passed away.

However, he noticed these pages weren’t always respectful or built for a specific need. He also wondered about the people who die that aren’t even on Facebook by choice. Some of them might cringe at the thought of being on there when they die.

He also saw the gradual decline of traditional newspapers where tribute notices and obituaries are commonly placed. This led him to create the side hustle we’ll look at today, Skymorials. Andrew said he built this platform for people to create memorial web pages for loved ones in hopes that they’d remain online, cherished forever.

At first, the pages were free. Then he began charging a small price, just $75 for a page that would be hosted indefinitely.

Since his first sale in 2016, Andrew has successfully scaled Skymorials into that $250,000 a year juggernaut. However, he still considers himself in growth mode which explains why he’s content to reinvest most of the profits back into the business.

What’s next for Skymorials? Andrew says he’s scaling fast. Currently, Skymorials has grown to be used by people in 20 countries and he now has a goal to take him into every single country worldwide. By reworking an age-old service to honor the passing of loved ones, he’s able to do well for himself while doing good for others.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Skymorials: Learn more about this memorable side hustle over on Andrew’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
"This is a slow-moving business, so you shouldn’t get into it unless you’re a patient person. Build a simple product that people need first, then work out the bigger picture later. After all, Microsoft started with a couple of guys wanting to build a programming language for a new computer they saw in a brochure. They didn’t envision the rest."
—Andrew Ranger #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

Actor Lands Role Of Her Life In 24 Carat Side Hustle

What It’s About

How a passion project yields 24-carat results.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

If you are planning to leave a stable job to take your side hustle full-time, make sure you’ve got some solid ground under your feet. Do not leave without savings, and do not leave until you have a business already going. It is harder than you think!

Fun Fact

Despite all of the recent advancements in online shopping, buying jewelry is still something people prefer to do in person. Around 90% of jewelry purchases are still made in person. People still want to see and touch an item as personal as jewelry. Knowing that, perhaps online ordering will never completely overtake brick and mortar businesses.

Notes from Chris

Episode 720

Elizabeth Wiltshire is a natural creative, and she’s most happy when expressing herself in an artistic way. It’s little wonder that she chose acting as a career. She attended formal training and achieved some success in productions for both stage and screen.

But sometimes all that glitters isn’t gold. There was a lot Elizabeth didn’t like about acting. Being on stage performing was great, but the auditions, rejections, and schmoozing casting directors was a pain. Perhaps the biggest downside was the lack of a reliable income. For that reason, Elizabeth always had a hustle on the side. She modeled, waitressed, choreographed a school play, handed out flyers … pretty much anything she had to do to pay the bills.

As time went on, she transitioned into full-time work and kept acting part-time. She took a job as a VIP client manager for an online wine store. The job was challenging, and she liked her colleagues. Not to mention that steady salary.

Before long, however, Elizabeth began to burn out. Her acting career wasn’t progressing and the day job was consuming so much of her time that she had none left for other creative pursuits. She decided to take a sabbatical from acting to slow down a bit.

But, it wasn’t long before she missed the creative outlet…

Hoping to find a new hobby to flex her creative muscle, she came across a short course in jewelry making and decided to enroll. It was just the thing she needed, and she was instantly hooked.

She started basic, but it wasn’t long before she was crafting professional looking pieces. She posted pictures of a few of them on Instagram. Unbeknownst to Elizabeth at the time, that was the first step in launching a side hustle that would change her life.

Although Elizabeth never intended to make money from her jewelry, she didn’t tell her friends that. One of them messaged her through Instagram asking to purchase a pair of earrings and, just like that, the new label Elizabeth Wiltshire Jewellery, or EWJ, was forged!

Jewelry can be a tough business. There is a lot of competition out there, and not a lot of people earn a full-time living. So, what does she put her success down to?

Well, for one, she thinks that being stocked in a great store that will champion your brand is huge. They’ll do the selling for you. When it comes to jewelry, there are some statistics that show over 90% of jewelry purchases are still in person. So it was crucial that she get her pieces in front of people. People still like to touch and feel the quality and see the little imperfections that give a piece that bespoke, heavy, handmade signature.

Luckily, that mentality has really helped Elizabeth grow a successful jewelry side hustle where many others fail. While not quite a gold rush, there are certainly significant profits. Currently, Elizabeth’s monthly profit is between $3,000-5,000. For now, she’s reinvesting much of it back into the business.

She’s also targeting engaged couples so that she can make wedding pieces, and trying to get into more stores.

It’s not easy to succeed in a market as competitive as jewelry. But it is possible. This side hustle might not last as long as a diamond—forever—but it’s holding up under pressure.

 

 

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
"There’s a lot of jewelry out there—don’t add more cheap junk into the already soaked market place. Be smart about what you decide to invest in and whether it has a future in the market!"
—Elizabeth Wiltshire #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

Wall Street Banker Places “Buy” Order on Organic Superfoods

What It’s About

An investment banker finds a way to have it all—one bite at a time.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

When you’re planning on starting a product-based side hustle, it’s important to ask yourself where your ideal customer is making purchasing decisions. Also, keep market saturation in mind—grocerie stores are flush in 1lb. bags of granola, but there are not many places selling single servings of granola for when you’re on the go. The switch was a hit!

Fun Fact

Cindy’s facility is powered by renewable energy. All food scraps are composted while things like plastic and glass are recycled. A plan for using compostable, biodegradable packaging is in the works for next year.

Notes from Chris

Episode 719

Cindy Poiesz was an investment banker in the energy sector on Wall Street. It was a demanding job, consisting of 12+ hour days. Never having enough time to snag a meal outside the office, she ate lunch in the office every day.

But, sometimes, she’d want a snack. This proved difficult because of her dietary restrictions. Cindy adhered to a strict paleo diet in order to maintain a pain-free gut and an improved quality of life. No dairy. No grains. Nothing refined or processed.

The snacks available at work just weren’t an option, and none of the nearby coffee shops and vending machines provided her with anything close.

So Cindy started experimenting with different combinations in her kitchen. Eventually, she found one she liked. It was the perfect asset allocation of seeds, nuts, and spices. She named her creation, Supernola, and started bringing it to work.

Like James Brown’s song “I Feel Good”, her paleo-friendly snacks were a hit! Which is fitting because that’s exactly how her snacks made people feel—good.

It wasn’t long before her friends suggested she start selling Supernola at farmers’ markets. So she did. Her first sale was in the amount of $30. She framed the twenty and ten dollar bills to celebrate and has kept to this day. As Cindy put it, “small beginnings lead to bigger things.”

Supernola has come a long way since its creation two years ago. In Cindy’s first year, she sold 4,000 units and this year-to-date she’s sold over 300,000.

One of the freedoms Cindy has found in being her own boss is having greater control over the taxes that are taken out of her paycheck. It’s no surprise she loves deductions—after all, she did used to work on Wall Street.

What’s next for Cindy? She’s in the process of expanding the Supernola brand nationally. Her first step is a round of external funding to help accelerate growth. The brand is in the throes of a bull market with no market crash in sight.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Supernola: If today’s episode piqued your interest (and your appetite), head on over to Cindy’s website
  • Shopify: Cindy used Shopify to set up her site for Supernola, and they’re offering a 21-day trial and exclusive discount for all Side Hustle School listeners!
  • EVOLVE Brands & Gorilly Goods: The two additional snack brands that Cindy created

 

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
"Network, network, network. Other professionals are generally willing to share advice—save yourself some time and learn from other’s triumphs and mistakes!"
—Cindy Poiesz #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

“Middle Class Dad” Earns Passive Income from Parenting Advice

What It’s About

Rest your arms, we won’t leave you hangin’—today’s story is all about a dad who specializes in parenting.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Suggestion: pay close attention to what is working and what isn’t. If something is working and it’s not annoying, great! Do more of that. If it’s not working and it’s annoying, remove it. If it’s working and it’s annoying, then you have a decision to make, and I think it’s okay to push it a little.

Fun Fact

Interestingly, Middle Class Dad readers tend to be about 65% women between ages 25-45, which isn’t always indicative of his popular posts. One of them? Window repairs. Lately, Jeff says that relationship posts, like the ones about rekindling marriage and overcoming infidelity, have started to take over his top ten. But generally? Middle Class Dad’s most popular categories tend to be relationships and do-it-yourself.

Notes from Chris

Episode 718
Jeff Campbell, an Academy Director for a martial arts studio in Austin, spends a lot of time with kids. His days are spent organizing 500 of them, and his nights are dedicated to his three almost-teenage daughters. He also is a self-described handyman around the house and an advocate for healthy eating. Before getting the job at the studio, he spent 25 years working as a manager for Whole Foods. Jeff describes himself as “just your average, Middle Class Dad.”

And now he blogs about it.

He started his blog in August 2016 as an outlet for all things “dad-related,” which includes parenting (obviously), relationships, personal finance, travel, and household things like product reviews and home repairs. Jeff had decades of experience to share, and he knew his wife would only listen to so many of his opinions. But he also set out with the intention of looking for more freedom and flexibility for his family.

As he says, “I was tired of trading my time for money, given that some people can accomplish much more in the same amount of time than others.” Jeff knew that wherever the blog went, his end goal was to monetize it.

How would he do that? Mostly through affiliate commissions.

Since his overarching goal was to monetize his blog so he could have extra money for his family, Jeff began to add affiliate links once his page views began increasing. As he tells us, “I still recall the first few email subscribers I got, as well as the first affiliate commission. Both were quite small, but I knew if I could do that once, I could do it again and again.”

Jeff also knew that, with careful observation, he could pay attention to other people’s blogs and learn from them. And, while it took about two years to see consistent income and growth, it did eventually happen.

Now, two years later, Jeff earns an additional $2,000 a month, which he adds to the family budget to cover the costs of raising a family. The money on Middle Class Dad comes from Adsense ads and Amazon affiliate links. Last year he started to sell an e-book about budgeting for parents, and offers custom budgets and website building. Jeff says that these sales aren’t usually as consistent, but they still bring in a small amount of revenue.

From one faithful reader to 25,000 unique page views in two years, Jeff has built the Middle Class Dad blog into one serious side hustle. With plans to continue growing his blog so that the income can replace his full-time salary, it looks like Jeff won’t be stopping anytime soon.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Middle Class Dad: Do you want to hear a joke about paper? Never mind, it’s tearable. But, since you’re here, and you’ve made it past the dad joke, you probably want to know more about this parenting blog. Head on over to Jeff’s website to learn more!

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
"The first step is just to start and remember that done is better than perfect. Don’t wait. Don’t hesitate. You can always improve it once you start, but you can’t get back the months or years spent hesitating or procrastinating."
—Jeff Campbell #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

Car Enthusiast Races Towards Reselling Success

What It’s About

A reselling side hustle that’s really racing to the finish line!

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

From time to time, we look at a reselling side hustle that uses drop shipping where the seller never holds any inventory.

Tim’s model is different because he’s actually the importer himself. This requires a lot more work, but it also has the potential to be more sustainable since he controls so many more of the variables.

Fun Fact

In 1896, in England, a design for a car that could be assembled at home was developed. In the USA, in 1912, one particular kit car could be bought for $140.

Notes from Chris

Episode 717

Tim Trampedach is a self-proclaimed car and motorsports nut. So much so that 5 years ago, he decided to build his own kit car called a SuperLite Coupe. A kit car is an automobile sold as a set of parts that the buyer assembles into a functioning vehicle. Kits can vary widely in the amount of assembly required.

Currently, most kit cars are replicas of well-known and expensive classic cars, such as the Porsche 550 Spyder or Lotus 7. You can definitely say for this type of vehicle, some assembly is required!

When Tim was building his own kit car in San Francisco, he decided to import the seats from a company in the UK called Tillett Racing Seats. Tim’s Coupe was limited on what model seats would fit in the car—but Tillett fit the bill. He also chose Tillett because he knew someone else who had successfully installed the seats in their car.

But importing such an item overseas can be difficult. The seats are bulky and there can be a long factory lead time—up to 14 weeks. Why not just buy from somewhere in the USA? At the time, there was no one in the country who stocked the seats. Tim knew if he could bring inventory stateside and have them ready to ship, there was a demand for such a product. He recognized this as a potential business opportunity.

Tim reached out to Tillett about importing and selling the seats here in the US. He started slowly—these are a big ticket item, and not simple to store—for most it’s not feasible to keep a large number of bulky race car seats stashed around their home! The seats start at around $900, and most customers buy a pair.

At the start, Tim would sell 3-4 seats per month on average. He met lots of cool people, got to hear about their cars, and would help them troubleshoot when they had problems. As a part-time business, Tim estimates he generated $40,000 in annual sales with an approximate 35% gross margin. It was the perfect side hustle for a car enthusiast to earn some extra cash to fuel his own car hobby pursuits.

Earlier this year, Tim decided to turn his side hustle into a full-time online auto racing parts and gear business—on his website, Torqued. His rationale for doing so involved several key points. The opportunity with Tillett was getting bigger and required more of Tim’s time. Timing was also right for his family since his wife recently gave birth to their son. She is returning to work and this will provide them with a steady income.

Tim feels that Torqued is the perfect fit for his varied skills. He has enough technical knowledge to mostly build the website himself. He knows how to build a great user experience through his work in product management. He’s naturally very organized, which lends to running an efficient warehouse. And his knowledge in motorsports allows him to provide excellent customer service in such a niche market.

You could say that he’s is racing towards his own finish line!

 

 

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

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
"I provide all the help I possibly can, both pre-sale and after-sales support. You live and die by your reputation in such a niche business."
—Tim Trampedach #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

Get Your Logo Today With Logojoy!

Side Hustle School is brought to you by Logojoy, an online tool that uses artificial intelligence to help you design a beautiful, custom logo.

Try Logojoy today and get 20% off any logo package when you visit logojoy.com/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

Snack-Sized Business News for Millennials

What It’s About

Bite-sized business news for those always on the go!

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

What is the key to making something like this work? In Nick and Jack’s case, a distinctive voice, a clear target market, and of course, consistency. It’s a winning combination!

Fun Fact

While pumping out content on a daily basis is not especially common, Nick and Jack haven’t missed a day of news for MarketSnacks since they first launched in 2012.

Notes from Chris

Episode 716

A lot of business news just isn’t appealing to younger readers. Bloomberg has been having a hard time getting millennials to read its website. Fidelity Investments couldn’t get them to understand all the financial lingo. The Wall Street Journal can seem like an old-fashioned club that only the elite belong to.

Even as professionals in the world of finance, Nicolas Martell and his roommate, Jack Kramer, didn’t enjoy reading up on the latest news—but they didn’t have a choice. Keeping up with developments was important in their banking jobs.

One day the two met up at Old Town Bar in New York before walking back to the apartment. They talked stocks, economics, spreadsheets—the usual—but they also dreamed of a project. What if they created a business news media company that could be understood by millennials?

Nobody had easily-digestible market news. They knew they could make such a thing, and they called it MarketSnacks.

Their plan was to publish a blog with daily news stories that were relevant and understandable. All they needed was a simple website and an email provider, so the monetary startup costs were almost non-existent. And in just a couple weeks, MarketSnacks came to life.

But the hustle did cost a lot to start … in time. Nick and Jack blocked off multiple hours before and after their day jobs to plan, write, edit, and publish content. It was an intensive project—and it required their focus every day.

The work paid off. In just a few weeks, MarketSnacks had a couple hundred daily readers. The idea was being validated with each new visitor to the site who turned into a regular reader.

MarketSnacks has evolved a lot over the years. In 2017 the duo launched a podcast, in early 2018 they raised outside funding, and later in the year they became full-time content creators.

With the sponsors they have, they’re making a lot of money. But according to Nick, the money’s not the best part—otherwise he wouldn’t have done it for nearly three years without pay.

The greatest rewards are the 5-star podcast reviews and email testimonials that indicate MarketSnacks is successful helping a generation understand business and finance news in a way that’s never been done before. Hustling in the dream job full-time—well, that’s a nice perk, too.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • MarketSnacks: Interested in the business world but finding that you don’t have the time to stay up to date? Get your daily business news over on Nick and Jack’s website!
  • Fidelity Investments, Betterment, Robinhood, & LinkedIn: Some of the partners that Nick and Jack secured for MarketSnacks

 

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
"Having a co-founder with a skill-set that balances yours will minimize friction, allow you to strategically balance the workload, and optimize the value of your product."
—Nick Martell & Jack Kramer #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