Archives: Podcast

Comic Book Curator Creates Custom Crate Subscription

What It’s About

A subscription box that gets all of your favorite superheroes in the eager hands of a new generation!

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Gene’s advice to someone following the subscription box model? Don’t try to build everything from scratch. There’s a lot of heavy lifting needed upfront. Gene wanted to bring on the Incredible Hulk originally to help with all that heavy lifting. Instead, he chose to partner with Cratejoy. Apparently, The Hulk doesn’t know the first thing about web programming…

Fun Fact

The storyline that got Gene hooked on comics was the Trial of Yellowjacket (Avengers) in the early ‘80s. He loved the story because it had a flawed hero who was dealing with his own demons and was much more nuanced and complex than anything on TV or movies at the time. His current favorite comics are Avengers and Iron Man. He loves their storylines, history and long character arcs.

Notes from Chris

Episode 685

Gene Farley has been reading comics since he was a little kid. They’ve always been a source of joy for him. He even thought how cool it’d be to own a comic book store someday. Two years after he got married, opportunity came knocking. The owners of the comic shop he’d been going to longer than Iron Man’s feud with Loki, decided to sell.

At the time, Gene was a graphic designer earning minimum wage. His wife, Pam, (featured in Ep. #418) was an admin assistant. When he asked his wife about buying the store, Gene imagined her slamming the hammer of Thor down on him with an emphatic, “NO!” Instead, she said, “OK, cool.”

So, on April 1, 1998, they maxed out all of their credit cards and bought the comic book store. (Kids, don’t try this at home.)

Fast forward to 2018. Gene is still running the comic book store alongside his wife. Business is good. They survived the recession and countless comic and pop-culture fads.

One day Gene and Pam were reminiscing about the good ‘ol days when you used to bike down the street to the neighborhood 7-11, blow your week’s allowance on a larger-than-life cherry flavored slurpee, and spend the rest of your day in sugary bliss reading Avengers comic books.

This thought made Gene stop and wonder, “What if there was a way to get kids off their electronics and, I don’t know, maybe open a book or something?” He knew how important reading was to his success. He also knew that comics are a great way to spark interest in reading.

Gene says that comic book people already know where to get their comics. However, busy parents may not have the time to make a special trip to the comic book store and try to figure out which comics are appropriate for their kids. (The whole goal is to reach new readers.)

Gene’s utility belt taser struck him with an idea. What if he started a subscription box service where customers would get comics delivered to their homes once a month?

Genes’ Spidey-sense kicked in and he devised a plan. All the customer would have to do is choose a G-rated or PG-rated comic book crate. He’d use his knowledge of comic books, what was popular that comic season, and any special information about the recipient to create a crate that will match either rating.

Gene doesn’t believe in assigning age or gender to the crates because he doesn’t want kids to feel “less than” if they’re older but they want to read Disney, or if they’re boys who want to read My Little Pony.

So, did this subscription box service idea actually work? By the mighty power of Stan Lee’s pen, yes. It did. Gene was pumped because he got annual subscribers right away. ComicCrate was a hit!

Since launching in July of this year, ComicCrate has been averaging a few thousand dollars a month in sales. Gene’s focusing on organic traffic only for now. His brick and mortar store is still their bread and butter, but ComicCrate is letting him reach many more people.

So, what’s on the horizon for Gene and ComicCrate? He’s been thinking of adding another rating level to his service, rated T for Teen+ readers. Gene said this could expand his audience significantly!

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • ComicCrate: Learn more about Gene’s comic subscription box over on his website!
  • CrateJoy: The platform that Gene used to streamline his ordering system
  • Gardening Mama Monetizes Frugal Living Blog: By focusing on a specific group of readers—and understanding their core needs—a blog about natural living and saving money earns $3,000/month. Coincidentally, Pam Farley is Gene’s wife—learn more about her side hustle, here!

 

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
"Although we didn’t realize it as kids, comic books help improve literacy and encourage a genuine love of reading. Now that we have a family of our own, we know how important it is to be a good reader and to love reading. If our kids want to hide under the covers at night and read, we let ‘em!"
—Gene Farley #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

Dutch Engineer Sells TableTop Games for Second Income

What It’s About

When headaches strike, this engineer finds pain relief in the form of a side hustle.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

The one thing Dennis has learned from this whole side hustle experience is that it’s good to have a plan. That means thinking ahead about what’s might be next and working to future-proof yourself against any unforeseen problems.

Fun Fact

Good Look Gamer sells games and accessories for popular card and tabletop games like Magic The Gathering and Warhammer. But don’t be fooled, with millions of players worldwide and tournaments with up to $50,000 prize money they’re anything but child’s play.

Notes from Chris

Episode 684

Dennis Michels grew up playing card and tabletop style games. He found himself interested in the strategy of the games as well as their collectible nature. It was an enjoyable hobby that kept him occupied for hours on end.

But, as the game of life rolled its dice, Dennis found himself playing less and less of the games. His enjoyment never waned, he just found it hard to find the time with so many other commitments.

It’s not that he lives a bad life. Dennis works as a professional audiovisual engineer at a Dutch university. He’s well paid, likes his colleagues, and he enjoys the work. It’s just that he had a simple plan for his life—and when it was working out, he never thought something might go wrong and throw a kink into things.

But as the universe reminds us from time to time, even the best-laid plans go awry. One morning, Dennis woke up with a terrible headache. He put it down to a bad night’s sleep and assumed things would wear off during the day after he took an aspirin.

He went to work… and things didn’t wear off.

In fact, it got a lot worse. Over the next three days, Dennis’ headache got so bad that he had to call in sick. The first of many sick days over the next eight months. He saw doctor after doctor and specialist after specialist but none could tell him what was wrong and why the headaches persisted.

He figured he needed to start working on a side hustle. His goal was to build something that would give him a cushion from having to work a full-time job, a sort of financial safety net. After sitting at home and worrying about his job and income for a while, Dennis put two and two together. Why not start an ecommerce store selling the things he loved?

He’d call it Good Look Gamer. An online store selling card and tabletop games and accessories.

For the launch, Dennis decided to list a few popular games that could be placed on pre-order and hope to sell a few. That way, he could take money from his customers before having to buy the actual game from the distributor. Dennis shared his store online and with luck, a few orders started trickling in. He purchased the games from a distributor on release and shipped them to his happy customers.

He used the profit to purchase more games to stock the store with additional products. Since Dennis is a gamer himself, he chose only products he thought looked cool and skipped on the ones he wouldn’t play himself. This approach has worked as slowly but surely more orders started trickling in. Just enough to encourage him to keep going on.

So, where exactly is he at financially?

Well, Dennis is making at least 500 Euro profit per month. That money is made from roughly 50 to 100 sales per month. He sells everything from deluxe game sets where he might make 30 Euros down to individual playing cards for a euro each.

So far, the additional income from Good Look Gamer has given Dennis the confidence to change his working hours from 40 hours per week to 32. Since his online store is still growing, he is already planning a transition down to 24 hours per week.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Good Look Gamer: Looking for some tabletop games of your own? Head on over to Dennis’ website!
  • WordPress: Dennis used WordPress to setup Good Look Gamer, 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
"When you get right down to it, a goal without a plan is just a wish."
—Dennis Michels #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

Consolidate With LightStream!

Side Hustle School is brought to you by LightStream.

Have you ever looked at your credit card statement and been shocked by the interest rate? LightStream offers Credit Card Consolidation loans from 5.89 percent APR with Autopay.

Get a special discount on top of LightStream’s already low rates! 💳 Visit LightStream

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

Aussie Couple Logs Six Figures Selling Wellness Diaries

What It’s About

Self care journals help two friends find peace of mind… and six figures in side income.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

This isn’t supposed to sound disempowering, but Alex and Tom highly recommend that you don’t try to “do it all” and compromise your wellbeing as a result. Your business will suffer if you’re not taking care of yourself first and foremost.

Fun Fact

Research has found that writing about one’s thoughts and feelings can be both emotionally and physically beneficial. It seems that mindful journaling can increase one’s well-being.

Notes from Chris

Episode 683
Burnout—the struggle is real. This is exactly what happened to Alex Phillips. In 2015, Alex was working full-time as a senior SEO account manager for a digital marketing agency in Melbourne. She was also doing some freelance work for a small business AND trying to build a side business as a lifestyle and wellness blogger for millennials.

This was simply a case of too many goals.

As a “Type-A” personality, Alex was driving herself too hard towards self-destruction, and her burnout manifested itself both emotionally and physically. She realized that she needed to change her trajectory.

It was Alex’s own lifetime of experience with attempting to prioritize her well-being, along with her partner Tom’s desire to start a business, that was the catalyst for starting Saint Belford.

Named for the street where their idea was born, Alex and Tom created a diary that helps others to stay grounded, organized, and mindful. Alex knew there are many others like her who struggle with prioritizing their health and well-being while trying to “do it all”. People who often neglect their health in favor of an aggressive “live to work” mentality.

Alex had a strong desire to re-invent the diary by creating a journal that included an empowering set of wellness lifestyle tools. But she had no concrete plan of how to do so. In fact, when Tom proposed the idea to Alex in February 2017, neither of them had any experience in the world of printing.

The couple first defined their company mission, which helped them to focus on the best set of tools to include in their planners. Alex and Tom wanted to include items that would empower others to keep self-care at the top of their to-do list while building a genuinely fulfilling life.

They brainstormed and researched a TON of other diaries, planners, and journals for inspiration. And then, they surveyed family, friends, and friends of friends for input to gather the most common pain points of people. And then, they created a short list of features to include in their diary that would alleviate the biggest problems others faced. These features included:

  • – A Weekly Meal Planner
  • – A Savings Planner
  • – A Mission Statement
  • – A Habits Curator
  • – And of course, a Bucket List to plan the experiences and adventures you want to embark on in the next year

Alex worked and was friends with a designer from her full-time job, and they collaborated on the design of her “Curation 2018 Diary” during its development.

Alex and Tom’s startup costs were $15,000, with the first year’s revenue totaling $46,000. For this year, they are planning to generate revenue of more than $160,000.

The process has not been completely stress-free. One of their struggles included finding good suppliers to work with; they had multiple defect issues last year. After two customer reports of a printing error, Alex emailed all customers to alert them to the issue. They offered to send a new diary if a customer had any print errors. There weren’t any other reports, but customers did email to thank them for their honesty and tell them what an amazing job they are doing.

For Alex and Tom, creating the Curation diary has been equally exciting and terrifying. The best part is receiving feedback from customers who love the planner, appreciate what Saint Belford has created, and how it’s enabled them to make positive life changes.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Saint Belford: Self care is important! Snag a journal from Alex and Tom’s website and find some peace of mind of your own

SEE ALSO:

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

Yours in the revolution,

cg-sig-newsletter

Resources

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
"How boring would it be if EVERYTHING went exactly to plan and you achieved your goals without any hurdles. The hurdles are what keep things interesting. The hurdles make us better, more resilient versions of ourselves."
—Alex Phillips #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

Working Mother Sells Coats to Buckle in Babies

What It’s About

Strap in for this one—baby coats lead to plush profits for a fed-up mother.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

There are two things every side hustler must know: your risk boundaries and your target audience. Think about how far you can go without losing control over your finances and your own mind. Once that’s done, jump right in and consider the needs of your target audience!

Fun Fact

Buckle Me Baby Coats was chosen out of 7,880 companies as a FedEx Small Business Grant Winner in its first year.

Notes from Chris

Episode 682

As a working mother of three, Dahlia Rizk is no stranger to frenzied and chaotic family life. It was against this backdrop that Dahlia stumbled upon the inspiration for her side hustle. Like many parents, when Dahlia had her first child, she found it extremely tiresome to have to remove her daughter’s winter coat each time they got into the car only to struggle to put it back on the fidgety toddler when they arrived at their destination.

This annoyance only amplified exponentially when her two other children came along.

Dahlia’s strict enforcement of the no-winter-coats-in-car rule was not unwarranted. She knew too well of the risks she would otherwise be exposing her children to. The average puffy coat adds up to 4 inches of extra bulk to the car seat harness. In the unfortunate event of a car crash, air gets pushed out of the puffy coat, and the child would instantly be too loosely strapped into their car seat.

This means that they could easily be propelled out of their seat in the event of a crash, which would result in injury or even death. This occurs more common than one might think. In fact, car crashes are the leading cause of death among children. And yet, every mother doesn’t want to expose their child to the cold. Toddlers are finicky enough—nobody wants to compound that by allowing them to get a cold because they’re improperly dressed!

Her eureka moment came one day when she was, as usual, struggling to get her toddler’s coat off and thought, “why does the zipper have to be in the middle anyway?”. This prompted Dahlia to experiment with various designs to see if she could find a solution.

It worked like this: the coat buckles up on the side, and you can dress your child in the coat when you put them in the car. Then, when you put them in their seat, you open the coat, move the fabric aside and just strap them into their harness without the coat underneath.

She created a video with her nephew using one of her prototypes, and that video went viral, garnering more than five hundred thousand views on Facebook with thousands of likes and comments in no time at all.

But Dahlia had nothing concrete to offer—there was no money and no manufacturer. Having decided to ride on the momentum and determined to make the most of this second opportunity, she jumped into Kickstarter to raise funds and receive orders while she searched for a manufacturer. This was the birth of Buckle Me Baby Coats and the rest, they say, is history.

Today, Buckle Me Baby Coats pulls in up to $12,000 in sales during winter months, mainly from parents and grandparents alike. This all sounds well and good, but that is not to say that running a business has not been challenging. Last year, Dahlia made the coats in the USA which was incredibly expensive and she only barely managed to break even. She has since moved production overseas and is even looking forward to expanding sales beyond Facebook, onto Amazon.

But the future is only getting more exciting, and Dahlia’s going to buckle in and enjoy the ride.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Buckle Me Baby Coats: Keep your kids safe and warm—head on over to Dahlia’s website to learn more about her coats and get some for your little ones!

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
"Think about your risk boundaries—how far can you go financially without losing your home, finances, and mind then jump in!"
—Dahlia Rizk #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

Farmer Makes “Tater Tats” for All Your Produce Tattoo Needs

What It’s About

A spudtacular temporary tattoo side hustle that’s fresh off the farm!

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Jenna feels that she’s really been able to help the farming community because farmers don’t always have the time to think of their own creative marketing ideas and farmer’s markets are always looking for ways to engage with kids. To be able to have a window into that has helped her to see where the opportunities are.

Fun Fact

Every once in a while they’ll get someone who reaches out and asks if they can get one of her designs tattooed for real. One Tater Tats lover got a tattoo done of the “Eat Real Food” design that’s in a carrot. That was a really neat moment for Jenna.

Notes from Chris

Episode 681

Some people show their love of local produce by joining a community garden or slapping a “Powered By Plants” bumper sticker on the back of their Subaru. Some proudly hoist “Eat More Kale” tote bags as they peruse the stalls at their local farmer’s market. And thanks to Jenna Weiler, a real-life part-time farmer from Grand Rapids, Michigan, you can now broadcast your love for produce right on your sleeve. No, we’re not talking about t-shirt sleeves—we’re talking about tattoo sleeves.

And it’s a side hustle that took root with the help of a running joke.

If you’ve ever found yourself up to your wrists in mulch around bean harvesting time, you’ll understand the struggles that go with determining at what point a bean is ripe for the picking. A good rule of thumb is that a pod is ready to harvest once it reaches a length of four to seven inches long and has a diameter that’s just a little fatter than a pencil.

But what Jenna and a couple of her fellow bean pickers realized a few rows in one fateful harvest season, it was challenging without a visual guide. Jenna joked that she should just get a tattoo of one on her arm so that she’d always have a reference, and as the beans piled up, they realized that the idea had merit.

It’s not uncommon for die-hard chefs to get their chef knives tattooed or hairstylists to add clippers to their sleeves. When something is such a big part of your life, paying homage to your craft in the form of a tattoo seems fitting. Since Jenna and her friends spent so much of their time out in the fields, they started talking about what kind of produce they’d get tattooed on them if they had the chance.

When one of them mentioned that they’d get a “tater (or potato) tat”, a seed was planted in Jenna’s mind. “Tater Tat” had a nice ring to it!

Every time they met up at the farm, they’d joke about how they still needed to go and get those tattoos together, and eventually, that seed began to sprout. Although she wasn’t ready to go under the tattoo gun herself, Jenna realized that this could be a pretty cool idea for a business.

Temporary tattoos were popping up frequently in mainstream culture, and companies like Tattly had paved the way for more designer-inspired works of wearable art. Jenna could totally see herself creating a line of produce tattoos that would be educational for kids and a fun way to get people excited about eating vegetables.

Once Tater Tats was validated, Jenna located a manufacturer to create her tattoos, built a website using Squarespace, and started taking orders. In their first year, Tater Tats brought in $17,000, by 2017, that number grew to $59,000, and at the time of this episode going live, they’ve made $68,000 (~$5,000/month) in sales with 50% profit margins!

But what’s the Miracle Gro that’s caused Tater Tats to grow and thrive? Jenna says that their placement in the farming community and the sustainable food movement has been a major driver of sales. As she said to us, she’s narrowed down to a niche market of farmers and people who are motivated to support them and their efforts supplying local produce.

Jenna also gives back to the community that she loves. She donates 10% of all of her profits to farms and growers, and because of this, she has been able to gain a lot of authentic followers. In return, these recipients have been huge advocates for Tater Tats.

Jenna’s isn’t passionate about temporary tattoos, she’s passionate about farming and healthy eating habits. And Tater Tats has served as a spud-tactular bridge between a product that brings in money to that larger, bigger passion. It’s a mash made in heaven.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Tater Tats: Wear your love of produce on your sleeve—head on over to Jenna’s website to score some spudastic temporary tattoos of your own!
  • Tattly: A temporary tattoo company that inspired Jenna to create her own line

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
"You don’t have to go into debt in order to determine whether people will like your idea."
—Jenna Weiler #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: End of Civilization, Voter Postcards, and Nepalese Sherpas

Notes from Chris

Episode 680

THEMES & TAKEAWAYS:

We’ve just finished week 45 of Season II!

This week on the show featured zombie apocalypse preparation, voter turnout postcards, and a Himalayan trekking company that comes together when a guy in Nashville meets a Nepalese sherpa who happens to be his Lyft driver.

I’m now on location in Hong Kong, probably my most frequently visited international city.

When we first started the Extended Cut series in early 2017, I remember going on a walk here (from the same hotel) and making notes before coming back to record. These days I’m not traveling as much overall, but I do still get around.

To hear about being in the right place at the right time, check out today’s Weekly Recap.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW:

Today, we have an update from Steve Smith, who was featured on the show in Ep. 203.

Listen to the Weekly Recap to hear from Steve himself!

You can also check out his website, 2Puggles.

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. 674 – To survive the end of civilization, listen to this episode
  • Ep. 675 – After writing hundreds of postcards to voters, this freelancer designs her own sets for sale. In the first year, she sells $60,000 of them
  • Ep. 676 – Two friends want to help Boston’s artists bring their arts and crafts to the world—so they create a shop to help them showcase their wares, give talks, and connect with the history of the city
  • Ep. 677 – A chance meeting inspires a couple to start a company that provides packaged treks to Nepal
  • Ep. 678 – When two couples can’t figure out how to get their kids outdoors and away from electronics in the winter, a personal challenge blossoms into an unbeLEAFable side hustle
  • Ep. 679 – Wanting to get out of debt, a college student pays off a $4,000 student loan by buying and reselling classic video games

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

Yours in the revolution,

cg-sig-newsletter

We want to hear from you!

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

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

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

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

Here’s what’s coming up next…

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

  • A chance meeting inspires a couple to start a company that provides packaged treks to Nepal
  • When two couples can’t figure out how to get their kids outdoors and away from electronics in the winter, a personal challenge blossoms into an unbeLEAFable side hustle
  • And much more!

Do you have a side hustle story you’d like to share? Fill out the Side Hustle School submission form and your story may be featured on the show!

Also, if you’re interested in joining the Side Hustle Society, visit our Society page to get notified when it goes live!

Resources

GET $625 IN FREE TRAVEL

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

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

CREATE YOUR ONLINE STORE

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

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

Quote of the Day
"Sometimes you can have the right product, but be in the wrong place or the wrong time. If you’re struggling with your offer, make sure it’s the best possible match for your intended audience."
—#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

College Student Pays Off Loans by Flipping Classic Video Games

What It’s About

There’s more than nostalgia hidden in those old game cartridges!

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Why is this a good market? Well, Cesare operated using the “sell what you know” principle, but I’m going to offer some contrarian advice: sell what people buy.

Whether you like a particular market or not, consider these qualities of the video game market: 1) there’s a large user base, 2) they are used to spending money, 3) there’s an established marketplace for buying and selling items, and 4) there’s a global supply chain that lends itself to arbitrage opportunities.

Fun Fact

You might have already known Super Mario Bros. was the first video game to be made into a movie. But did you know that an up-and-coming actor named Tom Hanks campaigned for the role of Mario? At the time, Nintendo execs worried he wouldn’t have enough box office clout to carry the film.

Notes from Chris

Episode 679

Cesare Esposito was born in 1986, the year after the Nintendo Entertainment System [NES] launched in North America. I remember that time very well myself. I was 7 years old, and when I got a Nintendo, my life changed. I spent hours upon hours playing the very early NES classics: SMB, Duck Hunt, Excitebike, Ice Climber, and the list goes on all the way to Legend of Zelda and Final Fantasy and more. Video games affected and shaped my entire childhood—so when I stumbled on this story, of course, I paid attention.

I’m about eight years older than Cesare, but we’re in the same generation—his life was also shaped by games. Growing up, he played the NES, then the SNES, on and on through many different consoles. In fact, at one point he owned a dozen video game consoles and thousands of games. I thought I was hardcore. I had maybe 5 systems at once… obviously, I tip my hat to Cesare.

This podcast is not about video games, so let’s fast-forward a bit. Cesare was in college and had also just gotten married. He worked the usual part-time jobs, and he was one year from earning a degree in geographic information systems, but he also had a student loan of $4,000 that was bothering him.

A lot of people listening probably think that a loan of $4,000 is no big deal. I understand that—but let’s focus on what his problem was and how he solved it.

First, he realized he had a ton of inventory just lying around that he could potentially sell. He began with listing those games on eBay, Craigslist, and another auction site that no longer exists. By doing this, he improved his process. He was really excited about gaming, so when he wrote his listing titles and descriptions, that passion shone through.

He began going to yard sales and flea markets. Inevitably, most of them—at least the larger ones–would have at least some games for sale.

Once in a while, he’d hit the motherlode, like when a family was selling more than 100 classic NES games, as well as a comprehensive collection of Activision games for the classic Atari 2600 system.

Most people don’t know much about what these old games are worth. And to be fair, it’s not like all of them are worth a lot of money—most of them aren’t. Knowing how to spot the diamonds in the rough collection of cartridges was Cesare’s competitive advantage.

He kept buying and selling, and within 2 months, he’d mad enough to pay off that $4,000 loan that was bothering him. He kept going, earning between $1,000 and $3,000 a month for most of the rest two years. After that, he moved on to other things.

However, he likes the fact that even though he’s not gaming as much now, he still has this knowledge he can use to make extra cash whenever he needs to or whenever he has extra time.

 

 

SEE ALSO:

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

Yours in the revolution,

cg-sig-newsletter

Resources

CREATE YOUR ONLINE STORE

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

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

GET YOUR FIRST 1,000 EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS

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

Quote of the Day
"If you’re not sure what kind of side hustle to launch, start with what you know. You’d be surprised to see how far it can take you."
—Cesare Esposito #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

Nature-Loving Neighbors Create Kids Subscription Box

What It’s About

A subscription box to help kids get outside and exploring!

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

To market their product, the team experimented with the traditional methods of online advertising. They tried paid social marketing, then Google pay per click ads. Neither of these methods got them the traffic they were looking for. At some point, they realized that their story was difficult to tell in those ways.

Instead, they began attending outdoor events as vendors and connected with nature-loving influencers. This had been a big help to their profits!

Fun Fact

Although the people in the team were raised in vastly different areas—from farm life to suburbs to city life in Germany—all four of them grew up being strongly connected with nature. They all remember their parents telling them to “go find something to do outside.”

Notes from Chris

Episode 678

Justin and Crystal Wren had just moved into a new neighborhood with their toddler. The day they moved, Justin saw his new neighbor Richard next door mowing the lawn. Justin knew exactly how to start their relationship off on the right foot, and held up two ice cold beers for them to share. Richard could get behind this peace offering. The two had their first conversation and would continue to have friendly chats in the yard from time to time in the coming years.

Over those years, their families began to grow. Justin and Crystal had two more children of their own, and Richard and his wife Kerstin gave birth to a baby girl. As they grew up, the girls were always running back and forth from one another’s houses. Through constantly trying to figure out where exactly their kids were, the couples began talking more and more. They started to hang out together, even without the kids. Eventually, they planned a trip to Chicago for both families in December of 2017.

The Friday the week before the Chicago trip, every single parent managed to have the day off work. They took the opportunity to walk the kids to school together. All four parents loved to be outside. In fact, they loved it so much that they wanted to walk nearly a mile in the cold both ways—just because they could.

During the walk, they started talking about how to keep their kids outside and active over the winter months. They knew that the allure of tablets and indoor toys was even stronger when it was cold outside. By the end of the walk, a competition had been started. Each couple had to come up with the most fun outdoor activities to incorporate into their trip for the next weekend.

Just a few days later, they had realized something through their research. There was no resource out there with all the information they were looking for. With the plethora of parents gripping about kids spending too much time on electronics and not playing outside anymore and the difficulty in finding the tools they needed to create fun outdoor activities, it seemed like there was an opportunity for someone to figure it out.

In fact, they believed they had enough ideas, with enough depth, that they could create a subscription box program.

Their excitement ignited, they went to Chicago the following weekend and spent their days exploring the city. And at night, they worked on their idea while the kids were sleeping. By the end of that weekend, the team had agreed on and bought the domain name for THiNK OUTSiDE Boxes, applied for an LLC, set up 8+ social media handles, and had a rough layout of what they wanted to work towards together.

After some deliberation, they decided that each box would cost $35. The price goes down a bit if you decide to subscribe quarterly, and down even further if you commit to a year.

But wait—you won’t beLEAF what they decided to do next. They chose to create only 12 boxes total, one per month for a year. That’s right—they decided to cap the length of time a customer could commit to their business. Each box is themed and follows a track that teaches topics including nutrition, first aid, navigation, and my favorite, fire-setting.

In the beginning, THiNK OUTSiDE Boxes was making about $500-$1500 a month. When they made time to attend those events, their October profit ended up being about twice as much as before, at right around $3,000. Plus, they were recently featured on CrateJoy, a database full of subscription box businesses.

The team created a joint bank account for all of the money made by the business. This just seemed like the right move for them. Justin says that a key part of doing business is to put the relationships you have with the people you’re working with ahead of the business – always. By doing this, they’ve continued to TREE-umph. We hope the trend continues, and remember: we’re rooting for you!

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • THiNK OUTSiDE Boxes: Head on over to Justin, Crystal, and the gang’s website to help you and your kids get outside!
  • CrateJoy: The platform that the THiNK OUTSiDE Boxes team use to streamline their ordering system

 

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
"Our group has four different backgrounds, skill sets, and personalities, so our iteration process, what is important to each, what needs to be aligned on, etc. differs for each of us. We all think this has been a strength for us."
—Justin & Crystal Wren #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

Tennessean Meets Nepalese Sherpa on Lyft Ride, Sells Adventure Trips

What It’s About

A couple says “yes” to adventure and help others with their bucket lists.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

How does one decide on pricing for such a huge package deal? Mark starts with Dawa’s pricing as a subcontractor. Mark and Holly then add their margins on top of that. They want to be known as a company that offers an amazing service with extra goodies and attention at a reasonable price.

Fun Fact

“Sherpa” is a word commonly used to describe a mountain guide or porter who works in the Everest region. However, Sherpa is the actual name of an ethnic group of people who live in the mountains of Nepal.

Notes from Chris

Episode 677

Do you believe in fate? Call it kismet, chance, or the stars aligning, Mark Johnson believes that without it, he never would have started his side hustle. This fortuitous experience all happened because his truck needed repairs.

Mark and his wife Holly founded and operate Hobnail Trekking Co. They provide full-service treks to majestic locales in Nepal, including Everest Base Camp.

So how did fate play a part in the start of this side hustle? Trek back to August 2016, when Mark was one day away from leaving his job as a communications director at a nonprofit organization. It was a hot and sticky afternoon in Nashville, Tennessee, and the air-conditioner in Mark’s truck had quit working. Needing a ride to pick up that truck after repairs at his mechanic’s garage, Mark summoned a Lyft driver.

This was a Lyft ride that would change the course of history…. Or at least, the next point in our story.

Mark struck up a pleasant conversation with the young driver, whose name is Dawa Jangbu Lama Sherpa. Dawa spoke fluent English, but with an accent Mark couldn’t pinpoint. When Mark discovered Dawa was from Nepal, he asked if he knew anything about the Everest Base Camp trek. The trek was something Mark and Holly had put on their bucket list years ago. Dawa grinned and answered, “I am an Everest Region Sherpa. I’ve guided that trip dozens of times. I own a small trekking company in Nepal.”

This was a defining moment for Mark—what was the chance that he would meet this man, an Everest Region Sherpa—on a Lyft ride in Nashville, Tennessee?!

They exchanged information, and a few days later, Mark and Holly met to learn more about making the Everest Base Camp trek in the spring of 2018. At the time they had no idea how they’d pay for it, or how to even manage the logistics with their three kids, but they committed to making it happen.

As Mark researched more on the Everest Base Camp trek, he began to notice there were no regional companies that offered this trek. In fact, as far as he could tell, there were no companies with headquarters east of Colorado. Mark’s next thought was—why not create their own trekking company?

In January 2017, Mark and Holly launched Hobnail Trekking Co. After creating a company website, the couple booked a local venue to hold an informational meeting about trekking in Nepal. By Mark’s own admission, Dawa was the key to their success. A huge difference in their business is the fact that Dawa actually lives in Nashville part of the year. This means that potential trekkers get to meet and socialize with Dawa at pre-trek social events. This builds trust in the company before heading to the other side of the world.

Over the next few months, Hobnail held numerous meetings in outdoor retail stores in the Southeastern US and was featured in several newspapers. They also developed some strategic partnerships with other like-minded businesses. By October 2017, they had booked a full trek—15 people—including Mark and Holly—to depart in March 2018. After returning from that first amazing trek, they booked another group for the Fall 2018 trekking season. They are expecting substantially more business in 2019.

Gross annual income for Hobnail in their first year was $54,000—with start-up costs almost that much. This was in part due to initially underpricing treks and some steep costs associated with the custom gear they provide trekkers. However, Mark feels the custom gear is important to inspire confidence and trust in the company. The family has been able to start this company while Mark works as a freelance writer and Holly works as a nonprofit administrator.

Hobnail Trekking Co. is taking a bucket list item to new heights!

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Hobnail Trekking Co.: Cross Mt. Everest off your bucket list—head on over to Mark and Holly’s website to get yourself on the fast track to base camp!

 

SEE ALSO:

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

Yours in the revolution,

cg-sig-newsletter

Resources

GET $625 IN FREE TRAVEL

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

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

RELIABLE WEBHOST FOR $2.49/MONTH

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

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

Quote of the Day
"The biggest lesson I can impart? Learn to recognize opportunities and then ACT on them! Even things that seem nearly impossible. The bottom line is, even if we closed shop tomorrow, we found a way to fulfill a major bucket list dream AND help a bunch of other people do the same. It has been an amazing experience."
—Mark Johnson #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

Consolidate With LightStream!

Side Hustle School is brought to you by LightStream.

Have you ever looked at your credit card statement and been shocked by the interest rate? LightStream offers Credit Card Consolidation loans from 5.89 percent APR with Autopay.

Get a special discount on top of LightStream’s already low rates! 💳 Visit LightStream

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

Boston Designers Open Authentic Arts & Crafts Shop for Visitors

What It’s About

Two friends bring the best of Boston local to 20 million the world over!

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

It’s no small thing to start a retail shop and operate it for three years while you’re also running a design agency. And this is why it’s good to start with a pop-up shop. Also, leverage your contacts! You can’t do something like this on your own and without a lot of resources … $25k isn’t much for a project like this. Their greatest asset was the relationships they had.

Fun Fact

Here are a couple facts about Beantown that you may not know:

1. You won’t find any “Happy Hour” signs in the local Boston pub. The typical post-work drink deals have been banned since 1984.

2. A favorite American sweet snack for decades, the Fig Newton, is actually named after the Boston suburb of Newton, Massachusetts.

Notes from Chris

Episode 676
Susan Battista and Fritz Klaetke love Boston almost as much as they enjoy working with each other. They’re both senior partners at the creative agency Fritz founded in college, Visual Dialogue. Over the years, the pair have started a number of side hustles outside their day jobs.

It was on a trip to Fritz’s native Detroit that they would find their next big idea. Wandering down the high street, they came across a unique little shop which showcased local artist’s creations. They had trinkets and t-shirts and tasty treats which really represented the region’s history and culture.

They felt that their beloved Boston needed a similar type of shop. Every tourist-centric shop focused on cliche stuffed lobsters and your usual sports t-shirts. There was nothing which represented and championed the life, history, art, and culture of this beautiful and important city.

When the pair returned home, they began to look at why a shop like this didn’t exist, and it quickly became clear. The cost of rent in Boston’s most trafficked locations was too high for local artists to sell their goods, which forced them to sell hours away in far-off suburbs, away from the eyes of most visitors.

Susan and Fritz decided to create a shop which brought out the best of Boston to those visitors. They would set up a store somewhere with high visibility and enable artists to share their wares. They gave the concept a name—1630 Boston, after the year the city was founded—and set about putting their plan into motion.

To test their idea, they decided they would create a pop-up shop. They’d run it for a weekend in a prime location and see if they gathered interest. If not, they could walk away knowing they tried.

They looked to their client base at Visual Dialogue and approached a property management company they’d been working with. They were able to land a weekend-long spot—in a location which usually costs $20,000 a month—on Boston’s Newbury Street.

With the property in place, the official date of the pop-up was set to five weeks away, in November of 2015, which gave them a strict deadline to hit. They had no inventory, no POS system, no merchandising and no website.

When the weekend finally rolled around, the pop-up was a resounding success. Local people and tourists alike were drawn to the shop to see what they were selling, both out of curiosity and a desire to buy. The pair had an antique bell on their desk which they rang every time they made a sale, and they found themselves ringing it a lot. That is … until someone asked if they could buy it.

With the initial success, Susan and Fritz knew they had an idea they could move forward with.

The startup costs for 1630 Boston were around $25,000. This was made up of money they saved, and what they reinvested back into the business. And their profits average at approximately $10,000 per month.

Looking to the future, 1630 Boston is going to build more of an online store presence to increase their reach and make Boston’s art, culture, and history available to people all over the world.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • 1630 Boston: Learn more about Boston’s nearly 400-year history through the products on Susan’s website that showcase the history, intellect, pastimes, and local lore of New England’s cultural capital

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
"Shadow someone who is doing what you’d like to do so you have a better sense of ‘all the hats’ required."
—Susan Battista #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