Notes from Chris

Episode 2619

Welcome to another episode of Side Hustle School. Today, we’re responding to a question from Jackson, a dedicated listener preparing to enter the world of content creation with a podcast and a YouTube channel. He’s looking for ways to monetize his content, focusing on attracting sponsors that resonate with his niche.

It’s a challenge many new creators face: finding the right sponsors and pitching your channel effectively. Let’s look at how you can align your brand with suitable sponsors and approach them in a way that maximizes your chances of success.

“Hi, I’m Jackson, a longtime listener. I’m preparing to start both a podcast and a YouTube channel. My audience is small but engaged, mostly consisting of young men interested in different ways of living. I found Side Hustle School while searching for tips on monetizing my content and now I’m considering seeking sponsors. How do I find sponsors that align with my niche audience, and what steps should I take to approach them effectively?”

Listen to today’s episode to learn more…

SEE ALSO:

• Catholic Designer Creates Stylish Apparel Line: What shall it profit a man to gain the whole world but not sell any t-shirts? This designer cast his bread upon the waters and ended up with a profitable fashion line.
• Seattle Couple Creates New “Income LiveStream”: When a married couple runs into logistical problems at their wedding, it leads to an innovative service that other engaged couples need during the pandemic.
• Role-Playing Pastor Rolls The Dice On $2800/Month Hustle: Listener success story! This Presbyterian minister turns to his lifelong interest in role-playing games to set up a sustainable second income source.

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

Yours in the revolution,

Notes from Chris

Episode 2618

In today’s episode of Side Hustle School, we’re joined by Theo from Corpus Christi, Texas. He’s been navigating the world of freelance graphic design with great passion, but like many creatives, finds the financial management aspect challenging. Theo is considering the Profit First model, a unique approach to business finance that’s piqued his interest.

He’s curious about its applicability to his small, service-based business, particularly given the often unpredictable nature of freelance income. Let’s explore if this financial model is a fit for Theo’s business and discuss the potential challenges and downsides he might face.

“My name is Theo from Corpus Christi, Texas. I’ve been running a freelance graphic design business for a couple of years. While I’m passionate about my work, managing finances isn’t my strong suit. I recently came across the Profit First model and am intrigued by its approach to business finance management. Considering the size of my business and the irregular nature of freelance income, is this a practical model for me? What are the potential challenges or downsides to implementing Profit First in a small, service-based business?”

Listen to today’s episode to learn more…

SEE ALSO:

• Catholic Designer Creates Stylish Apparel Line: What shall it profit a man to gain the whole world but not sell any t-shirts? This designer cast his bread upon the waters and ended up with a profitable fashion line.
• Seattle Couple Creates New “Income LiveStream”: When a married couple runs into logistical problems at their wedding, it leads to an innovative service that other engaged couples need during the pandemic.
• Role-Playing Pastor Rolls The Dice On $2800/Month Hustle: Listener success story! This Presbyterian minister turns to his lifelong interest in role-playing games to set up a sustainable second income source.

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

Yours in the revolution,

Notes from Chris

Episode 2617

I believe we can learn as much from failure as we can from success, if not more. It’s with this principle in mind that I offer you a weekly segment called Failure Friday: a collection of short stories all about mistakes, missteps, disasters, and of course, failure.

Just like our Throwback Thursday segment, you’ll hear directly from side hustlers who have struggled to get something off the ground. They’ll tell you a short story of something that went very wrong.

The stories will vary, but often it starts with an idea, what they thought would happen and what really happened—and of course, what they learned.

Today’s short story features Jeff from Salt Lake City, Utah. As you might guess, his business has had a couple of challenges.

Let’s hear from his about one of those struggles… I’ll be back at the end to wrap us up.

SEE ALSO:

• Marketer Creates Six-Figure Subscription Box Success: He looked for a simple solution for a client, and didn’t find one—so he spent the next year building it.
• Comic Book Curator Creates Custom Crate Subscription: A Sacramento-based comic and collectibles owner sparks an interest in reading with a monthly comic book subscription box service.
• A Packed Closet Leads to Secondhand Subscription Boxes: A professional organizer finds a way to stitch her passion for thrift shopping into profits.

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

Yours in the revolution,

Notes from Chris

Episode 2616

Welcome to Throwback Thursday / “Where are they now?” where we take an in-depth look at someone who’s story has evolved considerably since we first featured them.

Last week, we heard from the owner of a social media agency who works as a matchmaker between online creators and brands who pay for coverage.

Today, in our latest feature, we’ll hear from a voice actor who uses Fiver to build his portfolio before trying his hand at the booming video game industry.

What’s happened since? Let’s hear directly from them. I’ll be back at the end to wrap us up.

Listen to today’s episode to hear more…

SEE ALSO:

• Raver Turns LED-Powered Gloves Into Bright Future: When a raver-turned-salesperson falls in love with an underground art form, he turns it into a successful side business.
• Bright Idea Leads Chicago Woman to Million-Dollar Hustle: A Chicago-based plastic recycling sales rep overcomes her fears and doubts to transform her love for DIY lamp shades and $10 in supplies into a multi-million dollar business.
• 3D Printing Brings Cosplay Into 21st Century: With a 3D printer and sense of imagination, a California natural gas industry worker takes superhero DIY cosplay to a whole new level.

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

Yours in the revolution,

Notes from Chris

Episode 2615

Welcome to Side Hustle School! Today’s episode features Aisha from Savannah, Georgia, who’s stirring up success with her local culinary tours. As her side hustle garners interest beyond her city, she’s pondering the possibility of franchising.

It’s a big step, turning a local hit into a potential national sensation. Aisha is looking for guidance on the key steps to transform her side hustle into a franchise and how to ensure her business model is suitable for this expansion.

“I’m Aisha from Savannah, Georgia. My side hustle involves organizing local culinary tours that highlight regional cuisine and hidden gems in our city. It’s been a hit with both locals and tourists, growing faster than I expected. I’m now getting inquiries from other cities about my business model. This has led me to consider franchising. What are the key steps and considerations in turning a side hustle like mine into a franchise? How do I assess if my business model is replicable and robust enough to become a successful franchise?”

Listen to today’s episode to learn more…

SEE ALSO:

• Catholic Designer Creates Stylish Apparel Line: What shall it profit a man to gain the whole world but not sell any t-shirts? This designer cast his bread upon the waters and ended up with a profitable fashion line.
• Seattle Couple Creates New “Income LiveStream”: When a married couple runs into logistical problems at their wedding, it leads to an innovative service that other engaged couples need during the pandemic.
• Role-Playing Pastor Rolls The Dice On $2800/Month Hustle: Listener success story! This Presbyterian minister turns to his lifelong interest in role-playing games to set up a sustainable second income source.

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

Yours in the revolution,

Notes from Chris

Episode 2614

Hello and welcome to another episode of Side Hustle School! Today we have Hannah from Missoula, Montana, who has successfully grown her wellness blog over the past year.

Her blog currently relies on ad revenue, but she’s contemplating introducing a membership model for exclusive content. Hannah’s concern is a common one: balancing ad revenue with a paid subscription model without alienating her audience. She’s looking for strategies to manage these dual revenue streams effectively.

“My name’s Hannah, and I’m reaching out from Missoula, Montana. I run a wellness blog that’s grown significantly over the past year. Currently, ad revenue is my main income source, but I’m thinking of introducing a membership tier for exclusive content. I’m worried, though, that combining ads with a subscription model might push my readers away. How can I balance these revenue streams without alienating my audience, and what are some successful examples of this dual approach?”

Listen to today’s episode to learn more…

SEE ALSO:

• Catholic Designer Creates Stylish Apparel Line: What shall it profit a man to gain the whole world but not sell any t-shirts? This designer cast his bread upon the waters and ended up with a profitable fashion line.
• Seattle Couple Creates New “Income LiveStream”: When a married couple runs into logistical problems at their wedding, it leads to an innovative service that other engaged couples need during the pandemic.
• Role-Playing Pastor Rolls The Dice On $2800/Month Hustle: Listener success story! This Presbyterian minister turns to his lifelong interest in role-playing games to set up a sustainable second income source.

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

Yours in the revolution,

Notes from Chris

Episode 2613

Today’s episode is part of a feature we call ‘Your First $1,000.’ As you might surmise from the title, this is all about how someone made their first $1,000.

How did they get to that point? Not their first $100,000—that’s cool, but it would probably be a long story.

One thing I’ve learned is that once you begin to earn real money, the steps required to go to the next level—whether it’s $1,000 to $2,000, or even to $5,000 or $10,000 are often easier than that first real paycheck.

With that in mind, today’s feature comes from Michael.

Let’s hear it from him. I’ll be back at the end to wrap us up.

SEE ALSO:

• Military Spouse Starts Subscription Box Mission:When an HR Director’s husband is away on military deployment, she uses the alone time to march toward a subscription box.
• Think Inside the Subscription Box:Looking for more community, a North Carolina web agency owner starts a subscription box for female entrepreneurs. It’s supposed to be a referral tool for her agency, but it ends up becoming a full-time business of its own.
• Nature-Loving Neighbors Create Kids Subscription Box: 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.

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

Yours in the revolution,

Notes from Chris

Episode 2612

Today on Side Hustle School, we’re joined by Anthony, a dedicated environmental conservationist with a passion for urban gardening. For over ten years, he’s been developing innovative methods in this field and now feels ready to share his insights with a wider audience.

Anthony’s aspiration to take the stage at a TED or TEDx event brings him to us, seeking advice on how to break into this prestigious platform, especially coming from a non-academic background.

He’s looking for guidance on preparing his application, honing his presentation skills, and ensuring his content resonates on such an influential stage.

“Hey there, I’m Anthony, a longtime listener and follower. I’ve been involved in environmental conservation for over a decade. I’ve developed some unique methods and ideas that I believe could inspire others. I’m intrigued by the idea of sharing these on a larger platform like TED. How does one prepare for, apply, or get noticed for a TED or TEDx talk, especially when coming from a non-academic background? What steps should I take to refine my presentation skills and content to be suitable for such a prestigious and influential stage?”

Listen to today’s episode to learn more…

SEE ALSO:

• Catholic Designer Creates Stylish Apparel Line: What shall it profit a man to gain the whole world but not sell any t-shirts? This designer cast his bread upon the waters and ended up with a profitable fashion line.
• Seattle Couple Creates New “Income LiveStream”: When a married couple runs into logistical problems at their wedding, it leads to an innovative service that other engaged couples need during the pandemic.
• Role-Playing Pastor Rolls The Dice On $2800/Month Hustle: Listener success story! This Presbyterian minister turns to his lifelong interest in role-playing games to set up a sustainable second income source.

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

Yours in the revolution,

Notes from Chris

Episode 2611

Today on Side Hustle School, we’re talking with Nina from Fresno, California. She’s spent the last year pouring her energy into an online store that sells fashion badges, patches, and stickers. Despite her dedication to marketing and community engagement, the business isn’t gaining the momentum she expected, and it’s starting to weigh heavily on her finances and morale.

Faced with this challenging situation, Nina is contemplating whether to push through or move on. She’s seeking insights on how to make this critical decision, looking for practical indicators to guide her and advice on balancing the emotional investment with business realities.

“I’m Nina from Fresno, California, and I’ve dedicated the past year to building an online store specializing in fashion badges, patches, and stickers. Despite my efforts in marketing and community engagement, the business isn’t picking up as I had hoped. It’s becoming a financial strain. How do you decide when to persevere with a project versus when to let it go? Are there specific indicators or metrics I should be looking at to make this decision? Additionally, how do I balance the emotional attachment to my business with practical considerations?”

Listen to today’s episode to learn more…

SEE ALSO:

• Catholic Designer Creates Stylish Apparel Line: What shall it profit a man to gain the whole world but not sell any t-shirts? This designer cast his bread upon the waters and ended up with a profitable fashion line.
• Seattle Couple Creates New “Income LiveStream”: When a married couple runs into logistical problems at their wedding, it leads to an innovative service that other engaged couples need during the pandemic.
• Role-Playing Pastor Rolls The Dice On $2800/Month Hustle: Listener success story! This Presbyterian minister turns to his lifelong interest in role-playing games to set up a sustainable second income source.

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

Yours in the revolution,

Notes from Chris

Episode 2610

I believe we can learn as much from failure as we can from success, if not more. It’s with this principle in mind that I offer you a weekly segment called Failure Friday: a collection of short stories all about mistakes, missteps, disasters, and of course, failure.

Just like our Throwback Thursday segment, you’ll hear directly from side hustlers who have struggled to get something off the ground. They’ll tell you a short story of something that went very wrong.

The stories will vary, but often it starts with an idea, what they thought would happen and what really happened—and of course, what they learned.

Today’s short story features Hollis from Tennessee. As you might guess, her business has had a couple of challenges.

Let’s hear from them about one of those struggles… I’ll be back at the end to wrap us up.

SEE ALSO:

• Marketer Creates Six-Figure Subscription Box Success: He looked for a simple solution for a client, and didn’t find one—so he spent the next year building it.
• Comic Book Curator Creates Custom Crate Subscription: A Sacramento-based comic and collectibles owner sparks an interest in reading with a monthly comic book subscription box service.
• A Packed Closet Leads to Secondhand Subscription Boxes: A professional organizer finds a way to stitch her passion for thrift shopping into profits.

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

Yours in the revolution,