Archives: Podcast

Weekly Recap: Will People Pay for History Lessons?

Notes from Chris

Episode 645

THEMES & TAKEAWAYS:

Greetings! In this week’s Side Hustle School recap, I respond to a listener question from Jerome:

“I think I’ll be able to execute, but finding good ideas remains difficult. I am more of a jack of all trades, master of none (I work as a corporate finance advisor). The one thing that does really interest me is history. Have you ever heard about a side hustle related to this subject? People won’t pay for online history lessons…”

 

I think: where there’s a will, there’s a way. You’d be surprised at what people will pay for. In fact, we’ve even featured some lessons of people who get paid for their knowledge of history.

To hear more, check out today’s Weekly Recap.

P.S. I’m running a marathon today! Follow along with my Instagram Stories at @193countries.

 

WHERE ARE THEY NOW:

This is a new segment we’re trying out with the help of side hustlers that we’ve featured in the past. Today, we have an update from Dale Janée, who was featured on the show in Ep. 143.

Listen to the Weekly Recap to hear from Dale herself!

You can also check out her website, Savvy Sleepers.

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. 639 – From the local farmers market to the kitchens of major tech corporations—this granola recipe isn’t good, it’s grrrrrrr-eat!
  • Ep. 640 – For years, she wanted her own side hustle—and she finally uncovered it in a drawer of intimate apparel
  • Ep. 641 – Taking advantage of some downtime, this Alberta firefighter picks up a chainsaw and begins carving out life-sized wooden bears. He sells his creations to universities, restaurants, and anyone who wants a unique (and large!) handcrafted item
  • Ep. 642 – After a false start with an online course that fails to sell, a DJ in Germany takes a risk with a more controversial product—and finally finds the right beat
  • Ep. 643 – A trip to South America inspired this pet supplies manager to launch his own “free” walking tour company
  • Ep. 644 – Fall into a hole and don’t come out until your work is complete! These three friends create daylong, distraction-free zones for the masses

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 niche market of photographers who use analog film hasn’t had a one-stop shop for all the supplies they need—at least until this UK sales manager develops one in partnership with his mom and sister
  • Yes, really: this Pennsylvania couple rents out 2,000 chickens to people interested in urban homesteading. It’s a side hustle worth clucking about!
  • 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
"What will you be better off with having found a way to make time for this week?"
—#SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

CRAZY ENOUGH TO WORK

This week, Side Hustle School is brought to you by Crazy Enough to Work, a popular podcast and film series. 📈

When the rest of the world is still zigging, some companies know when it’s time to zag. Elizabeth Banks has teamed up with State Street Global Advisors to make a series of podcasts and films that uncover the bold moves mid-cap companies make to thrive and survive. Listen 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

“Productivity Nannies” Dig Concentration Caves for Modern Workers

What It’s About

Three friends nanny workers needing to unplug and focus.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

If you’re struggling on making progress with your own side hustle, you could also make your own Caveday—or even a Cave Morning or Afternoon to work without distraction.

You don’t have to check your phone every 10 minutes. The Pomodoro method can be really helpful in forcing you to move forward on something you need to do but keep resisting. I use a version of it myself with an app called Be Focused.

Fun Fact

Jake recommends defining co-founder roles as early as possible. It doesn’t help for everyone to do everything and for every decision to need everyone making it. Playing to people’s strengths is a key factor in maintaining harmonious roles…something Jake and his friends are practicing every day.

Notes from Chris

Episode 644

Have you ever been caught in the loop of checking your messages, then Facebook, then Instagram, then back to Facebook to see what you missed in the past 30 seconds? And you think to yourself… since you’re already on your phone, you might as well check another platform, too, even though you haven’t used it in months?

It’s a cycle of distraction that keeps you from doing your work efficiently and productively. And it was a problem that Jake Kahana, a freelance graphic and user experience designer from New York City and two of his friends knew a little too well.

They all had interesting projects in the works. They were working on things they were passionate and excited about, but they were also getting desperate. None of them seemed to be able to finish anything they started. It’s not because they didn’t love what they were doing—they just all seemed to be too distracted to make enough progress to get it over the finish line.

One of the friends felt like they could all be more successful at finishing something, anything if they could just shut away somewhere. A magical place without phones, notifications, apps, or someone knocking at the door with a question that had a Google-able answer. A cave, almost—just not as dark.

So, the three friends decided to make a cave for a day. They got together at 9 am, holed up in Jake’s apartment, put all of their phones in a basket by the door (so they wouldn’t be tempted), set up a series of Pomodoro timers that would serve as ‘sprints,’ and settled in.

By the end of the day, they had all made more progress on their individual projects in one day than they had in months. Pretty soon, they were doing this every weekend and adding in more friends as they showed interest.

It was when enough other people wanted to join, and they started to run out of space, that they realized that not only were they not alone in their search for increased productivity… but that there could people out there who would pay for a Caveday of their own to help them be more efficient.

Never one to shy away from unconventional ideas, Jake got to work and set up their first public Caveday for January 15, 2017. They teamed up with a local co-working space, put up some flyers, made some Facebook ads, told their friends, and hoped for the best. Within a week, they had sold out all 60 spots for their first event at a price of $40 each. This price included two meals, snacks, coffee, and a handful of work-related services like access to the space.

A few events later, Jake and his two friends had a legitimate side hustle helping people get away from their distraction-filled life to focus on what they really want to create.

Jake and his friends now bring in around $1,400 a month in profit. Although they started with an individual, pay-per-event model, they’ve since shifted into a membership model. They have chapters in New York and LA, and have also incorporated remote days that allow users to meet on Zoom (a video conferencing platform) for a three hour, “deep work” intensive on Fridays and Sundays.

They’re currently training 3 new Cave Guides in New York City so they can test outgrowing their offering in new ways. From there, assuming it works, they plan on creating a program where they can train other hosts in other cities. And then they can take over the world… but first, they’re going back in the cave.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Caveday: Learn more about this highly focused side hustle over on their website!
  • Zoom: The video communication platform that this trio used with their clients
  • Be Focused: If you’re having trouble focusing, give this app a try—it will help you find some focus

 

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
"We started Caveday because we realized that no one ever taught us how to actually work. We all have different and dysfunctional relationships with technology, and we needed to be trained in how to use (and not use) that technology to serve all of the projects and work we had going on. We created a side hustle to solve our own problem, and it worked!"
—Jake Kahana #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

CRAZY ENOUGH TO WORK

This week, Side Hustle School is brought to you by Crazy Enough to Work, a popular podcast and film series. 📈

When the rest of the world is still zigging, some companies know when it’s time to zag. Elizabeth Banks has teamed up with State Street Global Advisors to make a series of podcasts and films that uncover the bold moves mid-cap companies make to thrive and survive. Listen 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

Hit the Streets With These Chicago Walking Tours

What It’s About

The tours are “free,” but this creative Chicago guide still earns $2,500/month from them.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Jeff has found his ‘free’ business model to be more beneficial than tours that charge per person. However, he stressed the need to maintain a five-star rating and grow his reviews. This is critical. Just like he was skeptical on his first walking tour, some people question his service’s legitimacy because it advertises as free. The rating assures guests that he’s a legit business.

Fun Fact

There’s a lot of interesting (albeit sordid) history in Chicago, and Jeff’s Free Chicago Walking Tours takes advantage of that with his Chicago Crime & Gangster Tour. On this tour, you’ll learn how the Chicago mafia came to power as well as take you to some lesser known, infamous Chicago mob hangouts!

Notes from Chris

Episode 643

Jeff Mikos has been the manager of a pet care business for a large grocery cooperative. He’s also dabbled in real estate, with two rental properties, including one he manages himself.

A few years back, Jeff and his wife had an experience while traveling that ended up turning into an accidental side hustle. On an extended trip through South America, they stumbled upon a free city walking tour in Santiago, Chile. They were skeptical at first—how good could a free tour be?—but they decided to try it out. They ended up enjoying it so much that they sought the tours out in every city they visited.

While on a tour in Quito, Ecuador, Jeff’s idea sprouted legs and took a walk of its own. He thought that implementing this model in his hometown of Chicago might have a walking chance. Jeff did some research and discovered this model had a low barrier to entry. “Who wouldn’t want a free walking tour?”

Jeff got to work!

He and his wife spent an entire weekend passing out brochures to every hotel and hostel in the area. Jeff racked up more steps than his pedometer knew what to do with but said it was hard to determine the ROI because there was no way to track it. (There weren’t any coupon codes or anything else that separated signups from one source versus any other.)

Once his site was published, people began signing up. He remembers looking at his wife and thinking, “Huh, we’ve got guests!”

Since its creation, Free Chicago Walking Tours went from nothing to a 5 star TripAdvisor tour company with hundreds of reviews. Jeff has maintained that five-star rating, earning a Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor. They walk a fine line!

So far, they’ve led more than 15,000 guests on the tours, and it’s regularly bringing in more than $2,500/month in extra income. It’s not a ton of money, but at this point, the business is low-maintenance—not completely passive income, but close.

He’d like to expand his operations to include additional cities in the midwest. He supplements his income with the private tours and hopes to be running even more tours next year.

 

 

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
"Time’s up. Stop reading the blogs. Quit talking about it to your friends and family. Put down the books… You’re going to learn and have better questions the books and blogs can help answer once you start doing something."
—Jeff Mikos #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

CRAZY ENOUGH TO WORK

This week, Side Hustle School is brought to you by Crazy Enough to Work, a popular podcast and film series. 📈

When the rest of the world is still zigging, some companies know when it’s time to zag. Elizabeth Banks has teamed up with State Street Global Advisors to make a series of podcasts and films that uncover the bold moves mid-cap companies make to thrive and survive. Listen 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

German DJ Turns Up Profits with Magic Marriage Mixes

What It’s About

A German DJ lays down beats and picks up a check for an extra $1,000/month.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Tobias said something interesting when we were talking with him: “While it often makes sense to listen to your customers, sometimes they don’t even know what they want until you give it to them.”

Wise words indeed!

Fun Fact

One of Tobias’s old side hustles was selling “mix DVDs.” Yes, you heard that right. It was like a mixtape but all videos.

Notes from Chris

Episode 642

As a teenager growing up in Germany, Tobias Laemmle used to listen to a radio show called “Battle of the DJs.” Every Friday night they had a contest between three mixes from three different DJs and listeners could call in to vote for their favorite one. Finally, Tobias decided that he didn’t just want to be a listener. It was time for him to make his own killer playlist.

However, at the age of 17, he had no equipment or money to buy much equipment. But… he did have a double cassette tape deck at home. [For our young listeners: the double cassette tape deck was invented by the Egyptians, last used in the Middle Ages before these other things called CDs came out.]

So, for a few months, Tobias worked and worked to create a mix using this ancient technology. When it was finally finished, he sent it into the “Battle of the DJs.” Not only was he accepted onto the show… but he won! He was elated.

Three years later, he was in university. It was there that his DJ skills developed even further. He also began to get paid, building playlists and spinning tracks to make some extra cash so he could pay for school.

He then kept DJ’ing after graduating, while working a day job as a software architect and doing some freelance coding for another side gig. After a while, Tobias had been DJ’ing for over a decade and was well known in the industry. He had 14,000 followers on social media, many of whom were aspiring DJs. So one day, he decided to ask them what their number one problem as a DJ was.

Almost every single one of them said that it was getting booked for gigs. So, ever the self-starter, Tobias made an online course about booking more gigs … and it was wildly successful, to the point where Tobias is now a multi-millionaire!

Just kidding—it totally flopped. Like absolutely, completely flopped.

Tobias was shaken. For his next attempt, he decided to simplify. What was the easiest thing he could offer that people would value?

Around this time, he noticed that almost all of his friends who were getting married asked him for his wedding playlists to get their wedding DJ inspired. What if he were to start selling those playlists? He could make a little something for himself while making one of the most important days of a person’s life that much more magical.

But there was a problem. Selling playlists was a big issue in the DJ community… and not in a good way. Playlists THEMSELVES were controversial—many people thought that real DJs didn’t need one. To sell them would surely put Tobias under fire, and likely decrease his popularity in the community.

He knew he was on to something when he found a third way. A lot of DJs wanted to know how to get people moving at weddings. Some had trouble recovering the party vibe after a slow song and others didn’t know how to get both the bachelors and grandma on the dance floor. Tobias’s playlist served as inspiration.

Because he did something a little different and paid attention to what people were actually purchasing—rather than what they said they’d buy—he’s now rolling in an extra $1,000 a month.

This side hustle had zero start-up costs. He already had many playlists, twenty years of experience, and a website to sell them on. Once he grouped enough of them together, he could just let it sell… over and over.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • DJ TOBANDER: If today’s episode left you grooving to the music, learn more about Tobias and his side hustle over on his website!

 

SEE ALSO:

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

Yours in the revolution,

cg-sig-newsletter

Resources

GET $625 IN FREE TRAVEL

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

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

RELIABLE WEBHOST FOR $2.49/MONTH

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

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

Quote of the Day
"While it often makes sense to listen to your customers, sometimes they don’t even know what they want until you give it to them."
—Tobias Laemmie #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

CRAZY ENOUGH TO WORK

This week, Side Hustle School is brought to you by Crazy Enough to Work, a popular podcast and film series. 📈

When the rest of the world is still zigging, some companies know when it’s time to zag. Elizabeth Banks has teamed up with State Street Global Advisors to make a series of podcasts and films that uncover the bold moves mid-cap companies make to thrive and survive. Listen 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

Firefighter Uses Chainsaw for Jumbo-Sized Woodworking

What It’s About

A firefighter carves out a lucrative side hustle… with a chainsaw.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Lots of people won’t get into woodworking or a similar niche because of how much the tools can cost. But if you’re willing to get one second-hand, you can get it at one-tenth the price. This is often still better than a cheap and low-quality tool that you buy new. As Cameron says, “buy nice or buy twice.”

Fun Fact

Woodworking is the skill of making things from wood and can involve the making of decorations, furniture, and houses. In the days of Ancient Egypt and Ancient China, woodworking was so vital that you could say it helped build those civilizations. Today, woodwork continues to be of interest to many as a specialized craft.

Notes from Chris

Episode 641
As the leader of a helitack wildfire-fighting team, Cameron Vilcsak spends a lot of time near the Canadian Rocky Mountains of Alberta. During periods where there is heavy rainfall or high humidity, wildfires are significantly less common and his team takes the opportunity to train. Training includes a lot of chainsaw work, and it was during one of these training sessions that Cameron decided to save two of the biggest logs his team had cut for an idea he had. Most of the logs were usually left to rot or used for team campfires, so he figured that there was nothing to lose.

His idea was chainsaw carving. Think of it like wood-carving … just with a chainsaw instead of a pocketknife.

Growing up, Cameron had spent weekends camping with his family and whittling small wooden figurines. This taught him how to use various carving tools and gave him the basic skills he needed. Naturally, the difference is that he would be using bigger tools and materials this time, which he was also comfortable with as well since he used them all the time in firefighting. In fact, he says that using a chainsaw is easier than the usual micro-carving because it’s machine powered and you get greater room for error when using a bigger log.

On his first attempt, Cameron managed to carve a bear standing on its hind legs. This got the attention of everyone at the fire base where he worked, and he received requests from his colleagues to share his techniques. That was the moment when he realized that he was creating something of value and that woodworking could amount to more than just a hobby.

The next week, Cameron carved a replica of an Easter Island Moai statue which he shared on his Instagram profile. After seeing it there, one of his friends asked if he could put it on display in the front window of his store, along with the bear.

A whole series of fortunate events quickly followed. He received a call from the city’s art director who had noticed the two pieces of work and wanted to display them at the upcoming arts festival. Cameron readily agreed, and the very night of the festival, he received an offer of $800 for the two woodcarvings. Later that week, he was featured in the local paper.

With all the attention, he knew he was on to something. He began spending his free time on Reddit, YouTube, and in Facebook Groups learning more about his new craft.

Today, he averages about $1,000 a month from his side hustle, Mountain Fire Woodworks, all without any initial startup costs. As his projects have gotten more complicated, however, Cameron has invested in his equipment, spending almost up to $1,500 on high-quality tools.

Cameron’s next project is to build a 1,500 square foot log cabin. He plans to document the entire process and upload it to his YouTube channel, which he hopes will inspire others to take up woodworking as well.

If you’re not into chainsaw woodworking, not to worry: you can carve out another side hustle that is just as well suited to your talents.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Mountain Fire Woodworks: If you’re interested in learning more about this cutting side hustle, head on over to Cameron’s website and head on over to his Instagram page to see some of his work!
  • YouTube | Mountain Fire Woodworks: If you think you’d like to try your hand at woodworking, Cameron has some videos on his YouTube channel that might help you find your first product

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
"Lots of people won’t get into woodworking because of the cost of the tools needed, but this is definitely the kind of work where you should invest in used tools to start. That’s because a brand new tool is over 10x what you pay for it used. Buy used tools and go for it! Watch a tutorial and give it a go, woodworking is not very difficult."
—Cameron Vilcsak #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

Don't Do Business Without It

Side Hustle School is brought to you by American Express.

No matter what you do in business, from working nine-to-five to working five-to-nine, it’s easier when you don’t go it alone. Get the powerful backing of American Express—don't do business without it! 💳 Visit American Express

Like the Show? Leave a Rating!

Side Hustle School is for you! If you’re enjoying it, please take a quick moment to leave a rating or write a quick review. It's really easy and it makes a difference! ✅

It also makes a huge difference when you tell your friends about the show. Remember, it's 100% free and listener-supported.
Here's How

Keep in Touch

There’s a new story every single day on Side Hustle School. Episodes are produced to be short and to the point—I know you’re busy. Be sure you subscribe to get instant notification of the day’s broadcast!


To infinity and beyond,

Chris Guillebeau

New Yorker Covers Up With Comfy Underwear Line

What It’s About

An intimate side hustle for all shapes and sizes!

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Rachel has already done a lot of work on Jonesy, and since it’s already profitable, there’s nowhere to go but up. With that in mind, it can be helpful to look at what the bigger names are doing. They tend to invest a lot in testing, so often there’s a reason why something is priced or sold in a certain way.

Fun Fact

The total market for underwear in the USA is around $12 billion dollars. It’s safe to assume that women account for the bulk of this market. The average American woman owns 21 pairs of underwear and 10% of women own over 35 pairs. Contrast this with men, where 9% say they own underwear that is at least 10 years old!

Notes from Chris

Episode 640

Rachel Jones knew a lot of people working on creative side projects. She wanted to learn more about how they made them happen—so she started a blog called Industry Of One. The goal was to profile people in the creative space using an interview format. Over the course of a couple of years and dozens of interviews, she started feeling like one day she too, could make a side hustle dream a reality.

Rachel was working full-time as a project manager at a mobile development agency. The work was fine but the idea of starting something of her own never left her. She began brainstorming and, after tossing out a few ideas, landed on a surprising concept. You might say it was like being caught with your pants down.

See, Rachel had noticed the market of intimate apparel for women explode in recent years. She also knew there were plenty of options available for basic undies. However, she firmly believed there was a gap in the market between your everyday basic undies and bras and the more special items one might buy and wear every now and then.

She would fill this gap by designing her own underwear line. Something that would be both stylish and comfy.

The only problem was that she had no design experience! But like many a side hustler before her, she wasn’t about to let inexperience get in the way of ambition. So she began to sketch out her ideal of truly comfy undies using pencil and paper.

After working away for a while, Rachel came up with some concepts she was happy with. It was here that she hit a roadblock. While confident in her concept, she knew there was no way she’d be able to sew and produce the undies herself. So she began asking around for recommendations for a good garment producer…. And she wanted them to be made close to home.

Before long, she was referred to a mom and pop establishment in the New York Garment District. After a few meetings, Rachel believed they were the perfect fit to bring Jonesy to life. She commissioned them to start producing her first batch of undies and samples.

As the brand matured through 2017, Rachel’s skills from her day job came in handy. Most notably, the idea of iterating on the product as time goes on based on customer feedback. Although she didn’t launch Jonesy in that manner, she has used the methodology to refine the product as it matures.

Jonesy is still finding its way, but in doing so it’s generating around $1,500 each and every month. Not bad for what started as a creative side project while working full time.

Rachel’s next goal is to move the project from side hustle into something more like a full-time business over the next six months. For her, that includes increasing the range of products and connecting directly with more customers. She’s excited to continue iterating on her lifestyle brand of not-basic briefs.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Jonesy: If you’d like to learn more about this intimate side hustle, head on over to Rachel’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

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 wish someone had told me to listen to my customers before releasing an actual product. I’ve always taken a minimum viable approach to building the brand, so testing ideas and styles has always been part of our philosophy. But I wish I’d done more focus groups prior to launching, as it would have taken some pressure off of the initial idea."
—Rachel Jones #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

Food Lover Sells Granola to Hungry Google Employees

What It’s About

A tasty side hustle with real crunch!

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

A lot of the lessons in this story are quite affordable. As much as I try to highlight stories that have almost no startup costs or just a few hundred dollars, the reality is that even if your idea does require a larger investment, and even if your idea then completely fails (it might not!), you’re still out less money than you would be if you went to a typical MBA program.

Fun Fact

At the time she started, Erica was training for her first—and last—physique/bikini competition. So when she was trying to perfect her formula, she could only taste-test it during a once-a-week 2-hour cheat window. Her ex-NFL football player of a husband, Tank, became her official taste-tester for the remaining 6 days and 22 hours of the week! (Not a bad gig, and you can imagine how much willpower and control this took from Erica!)

Notes from Chris

Episode 639

The Super Bowl is a big deal for Erica Liu Williams and her husband, Tank, who actually played in the NFL for a few years. Naturally, it’s a time for indulging. So, to undo all the junk food eating, they also do an annual 30-day cleanse starting the day after the Super Bowl. And it turns out, erasing refined sugars, alcohol, and processed foods forced them to come up with some pretty unique and fascinating recipes.

A few years ago, one of these creations turned out exceptionally well. They couldn’t stop eating it—even after the cleanse was over. It became a year-round staple in their home.

This creation was a simple granola—friendly to multiple cleanses and diets, non-GMO, nutrient-packed granola.

It wasn’t long before the granola was a hit at parties they hosted. Everyone loved it, and when Erica realized that there was really no clean granola competition, the idea became clear: she would learn to sell it.

Erica started making granola—buckets and buckets of it, and she called her new venture gr8nola. She had her regular recipe, but she wanted to launch with two others to provide variety and hopefully encourage customers to buy 3 boxes instead of just 1.

Due to recently updated cottage food laws in California, Erica was able to cook her product right out of her house. She couldn’t sell online or wholesale, but she could sell at farmers markets. Speaking of which, she needed to find one. The big, high-traffic markets turned out to have massive waiting lists, so she instead turned to a smaller one nearby. She didn’t have to have the best spot at the best market—she really just needed to get her product out there in the hands of real customers and go from there.

And then came Erica’s big break. A friend of hers worked at Google and offered to introduce her to their food team. They asked for a sample. She sent one. And then she got something in the mail that would change the direction of gr8nola forever: an invitation to present it at Google’s annual Micro Kitchen Fair.

It was simply too good to be true. She’d have the opportunity to offer samples to thousands of Google employees and maybe even make a contract with the kitchens at Google—and all thanks to someone in her network who saw her page on Facebook.

The week before the event in September, Erica and her mom baked all day long to produce 160 pounds of gr8nola and package it into 2,000 mini bags. It was a long day, but it ended up being worth it. She was going to be an official Google supplier!

The large purchase was for 1,400 pounds of nutty, whole-grained goods. It was incredible. And I was also quite the challenge.

Three years after starting on the side, Erica became a full-time business owner. It was a meaningful transition—her business alone could now support her. But the move didn’t come without a few hiccups.

She immediately scheduled a new flavor launch—matcha green tea—for two months away. The co-packer said the new packaging would be in, so she scheduled a photographer and PR blitz accordingly. Of course, the new packaging did not arrive on time—and rescheduling everything was an expensive nightmare. “Next time,” she says, “I’m scheduling a buffer!”

Erica equates these lessons learned to free business school—because even if the mistake costs money, she continues to get paid through regular sales. Next up, she’s launching another new flavor, and considering how to grow into new product lines next year.

The post-Super Bowl 30-day cleanse is now a lot easier, thanks to Erica’s good-tasting and good-for-you gr8nola.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • gr8nola: Learn more about this gr8t side hustle over on Erica’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
"You can Google a lot of things, but a lot of my initial questions and problems were very specific, and most of my solutions and problem solving were an output from networking. Networking is so critical!"
—Erica Liu Williams #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: Making Time for What Matters

Notes from Chris

Episode 638

THEMES & TAKEAWAYS:

At the end of my yoga class the other day, the instructor said something about how “your body appreciates you making time for it.” I know as well as you that it can be hard to find the time for yoga or running or hitting the gym—but when you make time, you’re usually better off.

It’s this weird paradox of how the things we need to do for ourselves tend to get de-prioritized in comparison to other peoples’ needs or the demands being placed on us—yet if we’re not caring for ourself, sooner or later we’re not going to be a great help for anyone else.

Naturally, I think this is true in the world of your income-generating project, the one you do apart from your job. Sometimes it’s tough to find time.

What will you be better off with having found a way to make time for this week?

To hear more, check out today’s Weekly Recap!

WHERE ARE THEY NOW:

This is a new segment we’re trying out with the help of side hustlers that we’ve featured in the past. Today, we have an update from Daniel Grove, who was featured on the show in Ep. 119.

Listen to the Weekly Recap to hear from Daniel himself!

You can also check out his website, Daniel Grove Photography, and podcast, The Visionary Variety podcast.

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. 632 – A former sound engineer in Texas maps out a successful career by providing free information guides for hotel guests. The guides are underwritten by advertisers, who pay for their business to get in front of out-of-town guests
  • Ep. 633 – When this government employee is let go from his job, he stumbles upon a reselling opportunity that would end up helping his family ride the coming recession—and eventually earn six figures in a single year
  • Ep. 634 – A physician designs and manufactures plush toys in the shape of human organs. They’re used to teach kids about the human body and as “get well soon” gifts for hospital patients
  • Ep. 635 – Discovering the art of tea-stained prints using publicly available (and free!) art, a Trader Joe’s employee begins earning $3,600 a month selling custom prints online
  • Ep. 636 – It’s no secret that crutches are uncomfortable. Their little-known alternative has led to a profitable side hustle for this caretaker Canadian
  • Ep. 637 – An unconventional workout tool becomes a hit on Kickstarter, then goes on to earn $20,000 a month for its creator

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:

  • From the local farmers market to the kitchens of major tech corporations—this granola recipe isn’t good, it’s grrrrrrr-eat!
  • Taking advantage of some downtime, this Alberta firefighter picks up a chainsaw and begins carving out life-sized wooden bears. He sells his creations to universities, restaurants, and anyone who wants a unique (and large!) handcrafted item
  • 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
"What will you be better off with having found a way to make time for this week?"
—#SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

CRAZY ENOUGH TO WORK

This week, Side Hustle School is brought to you by Crazy Enough to Work, a popular podcast and film series. 📈

When the rest of the world is still zigging, some companies know when it’s time to zag. Elizabeth Banks has teamed up with State Street Global Advisors to make a series of podcasts and films that uncover the bold moves mid-cap companies make to thrive and survive. Listen 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

Jiu-Jitsu Instructor Pins Down Mobile Workout Tool

What It’s About

Inspired by his coach, a Jiu-Jitsu instructor takes his training to the next level.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

If you’re going through a manufacturer, Jason recommends having a set of questions ready to ensure you’re working with a real factory and not just a third-party company who’s just out to take a commission.

Fun Fact

This is Jason’s second fitness based side hustle. His first was creating grappling equipment for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu!

Notes from Chris

Episode 637

Jason Gulati still remembers the moment he saw the most amazing training tool. He was a teenager in a gymnastics class, and his coach wheeled out what can only be described as a contraption. It was a large, flat block of wood which lay on the floor, with two metal poles standing out up to waist height. Each pole had two smaller but thicker wooden blocks at the top.

His coach began to balance his weight on the blocks and contorted his body in strong and powerful ways; handstands, dips, levers, and v-sits. He could do them all using only this simple too. And, when Jason finally got his turn to play with it, he instantly fell in love with it. But, being a teenager, he didn’t quite have the money to get one. So, he’d have to wait a few years.

Fast forward to adult life, where Jason, who was then working as a full-time Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructor, had a little money in his pocket. He decided he wouldn’t just buy one of these training contraptions—which he discovered are called Handstand Canes—but instead, he’d build his own and improve on the design.

He wanted to replicate the same tool but make it suitable for home use. Meaning it would need to be lightweight and collapsible so that it could be easily stored under the bed or transported to your favorite workout spot.

He found some DIY YouTube videos on how to create handstand canes and spend his free time tinkering with the design. When he finished, he showed his fitness friends what he’d created, and they liked his design. A handful of them even asked if Jason could make one for them, too.

This was when he was struck by his business idea. As he was whittling away pieces of wood, he thought if his friends were asking him to create the product, there had to be more people out there who would want this. So, he began to look at how he could create this product at scale. And in order to do that

After a few weeks on Kickstarter, Jason had smashed his target and raised $84,000 for BaseBlocks. There was a clear market out there dying to get their hands on this cool piece of equipment.

He experienced some pretty real setbacks when it came time to getting product from his manufacturer on time, but it was all worth it in the end. These days, Jason is selling around $20,000 in stock per month, at around a 40% profit margin, through his Shopify website ($8,000/month in profit). His orders from China are much more frequent and reliable than in the initial set up process, and he’s got it down to a formula.

By facing the challenges head-on, he persevered and saw his fitness product earning sweat equity and a lot of cash month after month.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • BaseBlocks: Up your training game—learn more about BaseBlocks over on Jason’s website!
  • Alibaba: The platform that Jason used to locate a manufacturer for his BaseBlocks
  • Kickstarter | BaseBlocks: The Kickstarter campaign that Jason started to fund his BaseBlocks
  • Unbounce: The platform that Jason used to create a series of landing pages and email sequences to determine what kind of buyer he should be targeting with his ads

 

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
"Start lean, and keep that super lean mindset no matter how big you get."
—Jason Gulati #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

CRAZY ENOUGH TO WORK

This week, Side Hustle School is brought to you by Crazy Enough to Work, a popular podcast and film series. 📈

When the rest of the world is still zigging, some companies know when it’s time to zag. Elizabeth Banks has teamed up with State Street Global Advisors to make a series of podcasts and films that uncover the bold moves mid-cap companies make to thrive and survive. Listen 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

Canadian Mom Rolls Out Supportive Side Hustle

What It’s About

How an accident can lead to opportunity!

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Adrianna had something really great to say to anyone looking to follow in her footsteps:

“Find a niche product to rent out that has the following characteristics: expensive for the end user to own but cheap to rent, relatively simple functionality (maintenance and service is straightforward and can be done at home by someone with limited mechanical abilities), users only need it temporarily, can be handled by one person and fits into even a small vehicle.”

Fun Fact

Mobility devices have been used in some capacity for centuries. For example, Phillip II, a 6th century Spanish King, was reported to have used a type of wheelchair.

The first mobility scooter was invented in 1968 by a plumber in Michigan who wanted to help a family member with Multiple Sclerosis.

Notes from Chris

Episode 636

Surgery can be a transformative experience. We come out differently—either physically or emotionally—once we, or someone we love, has been under the knife and sewn back up again. Adrianna Coleman, a full-time mom from Canada, found herself driving home with a life-changing side hustle in the trunk of her car.

After intensive surgery, Adrianna’s husband was unable to bear any weight on his foot. Even the slightest strain resulted in soaring pain which made crutches impractical and even a little dangerous. So, he opted to try something new.

He ordered what’s known as a knee walker. If you’ve never seen one, it’s basically a scooter where you put your weight on the knee of the injured leg and push with the other. It has handlebars, brakes, and padding to make it much more comfortable and practical than crutches.

While attending lots of different appointments, check-ups, or even just the grocery store, Adrianna and her husband would find themselves talking about the knee walker to other patients. Entire waiting rooms of people would want to know where they’d found the knee walker, how much they cost and how they could get their knees on one too.

This got them thinking about the potential for a business. There was a large market of people who had no idea about these knee walkers or how to access them, why not create a service for them?

Adrianna set herself a budget of around $3,000, and she named her idea Recovery Rentals. She wanted to create a strong internet presence and look professional from the outset, but she also didn’t want to lose a lot of money if it didn’t work out.

Adrianna admits going into doctor’s offices was scary at first. But she overcame the fear through belief in her product. She knew it would help patients—after all, she’d seen it first hand—and it would be worse for everyone if she didn’t share her idea. Many of the receptionists agreed and let her leave her materials.

Two weeks after her knee walkers arrived, Adrianna had her first order online. Then, two days later, the next two came in. She was already fully booked with her first three units of inventory rented! So, using her side hustle savvy, Adrianna invested the money into more stock so she could take more orders.

As Recovery Rentals has grown, so has Adrianna’s relationship with local doctors. Doctors love having an alternative to crutches to recommend, and these referrals have become the number one source of income for the business. Because, who doesn’t do what their doctor tells them, right?

Recovery Rental’s profits have grown every year since its inception. In 2015, they earned $24,000 which has grown to $56,000 in 2017—not bad at all for a side hustle that only takes her 10 hours/week to maintain!

Looking to the future, Adrianna wants to double down on the franchise side of the business and help take Recovery Rentals all over North America. She wants to help immobile patients cruise to recovery without using those complicated crutches.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Recovery Rentals: Head on over to Adrianna’s website to learn about the side hustle that helps others ditch the crutches!

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
"Find a niche product to rent out that has the following characteristics: expensive for the end user to own but cheap to rent, relatively simple functionality (maintenance and service is straightforward), users only need it temporarily, and it can be handled by one person and fits into even a small vehicle."
—Adrianna Coleman #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

CRAZY ENOUGH TO WORK

This week, Side Hustle School is brought to you by Crazy Enough to Work, a popular podcast and film series. 📈

When the rest of the world is still zigging, some companies know when it’s time to zag. Elizabeth Banks has teamed up with State Street Global Advisors to make a series of podcasts and films that uncover the bold moves mid-cap companies make to thrive and survive. Listen 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