Product Side Hustles
Over 1,000 episodes of Side Hustle School follow real people who turned a product — physical, handmade, or manufactured — into an income stream. From the beekeeping couple who built a six-figure honey brand to the engineer who turned a garage idea into a bestseller, these stories show what it actually looks like to create something people will pay for. Browse every episode below.
- Q&A: "How can I make a product to help with applied learning?"
A listener wants to help people learn how to learn — a valuable idea, but a tricky one to package. Here's how to approach it. Side Hustle School Ep. 3490.
- Chemical Engineer Zips Up Solution for Baggy Shirts
SiDi Huang invented the ZipSeam — a DIY gadget that tailors baggy shirts in minutes — after getting a baggy company shirt he couldn't afford to alter. Side...
- Q&A: "I'd like to sell a toolkit to sole proprietors…"
Jair from Portland wants to build a toolkit for sole proprietors — but "sole proprietors" is a very large market. Here's how to think about it. Side Hustle...
- Aerospace Apprentice Soars to Seven-Figure Heights
Ed Snelson sold personalized t-shirts from his childhood bedroom after his Airbus apprenticeship and built a £1.4M/year eCommerce empire. Side Hustle School...
- Enjoy an Ice Cold Beverage in a Mug Made from Ice
Glenn Auerbach accidentally invented the nICE Mug in his backyard sauna and turned a $25,000 Kickstarter campaign into a side hustle selling 4,000+ units. Side...
- Tinder Matched Couple Swipes Right to Sell Cupcakes
Carolina and Benny met on Tinder, combined food, art, and pop culture into custom $20 cupcakes, and landed Nike, Adidas, and Beyoncé as clients. Side Hustle...
- Music Graduate Makes Spare Change Filling Spare Rooms
A music grad with no coding experience builds SpareRoom.co.uk—now the UK's largest flatsharing site—starting with a last-minute housemate noticeboard bolt-on....
- Hawaiian Native Teaches Virtual Ukulele Lessons
A Hawaiian goes all-in on the popular instrument of the islands, touring Europe and teaching virtual ukulele lessons… Side Hustle School Ep. 3459.
- Financial Blog Sprouts into $35,000/Month Money Tree
A registered nurse and a financial manager start a blog for millennials. After a rough beginning, they figure out… Side Hustle School Ep. 3457.
- Mental Health Counselor By Day, Headband Artist by Night
A mental health counselor gets a head start with a side hustle that brings in $3,000 a month. Side Hustle School Ep. 3452.
- Divorce Leads Banker To Boudoir Photography Empire
Inspired by her own session after a divorce, a corporate banker finds her calling in boudoir photography. The business now earns… Side Hustle School Ep. 3445.
- Tote-ally Functional Bags for Women on the Go
Keep calm and carry on! After struggling with her bags on the subway one too many times, this New Yorker takes the problem into… Side Hustle School Ep. 3443.
- Dog Lover Fetches $250,000 in Canine Clothing
Dog clothing business earns $250,000 with custom pet apparel. Gina Davis started Dog Threads with $1,000. Side Hustle School Ep. 3438.
- TBT: 26,000 Handmade Hair Scrunchies
Handmade hair scrunchies sold 26,000 units. Cedar Rapids crafter turned a summer camp request into BrynnBands. Side Hustle School Ep. 3435.
- Delaware College Students Place Ads on 450,000 Cars
How two Delaware college students earned $12k placing ads on 450,000 cars. Mobile advertising on vehicles. Side Hustle School Ep. 3431.
- Rustic Wall Hangings Rack Up Worthwhile Profits
Rustic wooden wall art and geometric shelving built in a Spokane garage. How one crafter went full-time in four months. Side Hustle School Ep. 3415.
- Athletes Create "Chewable Energy" Gum
Athletes create nootropic chewable gum for sustained energy without the crash. Side Hustle School Ep. 3410.
- Shoe Designer Runs After $1 Million Challenge
Shoe designer creates custom dress shoes after challenge from a friend. Justin Schneider's 90-day prototype sprint. Side Hustle School Ep. 3403.
- Art Director Turns Passion For Puppets Into Profit
Art director launches Puppet Pelts, selling pre-dyed Antron fleece to puppeteers and earning $9,000/month. Side Hustle School Ep. 3401.
- Q&A: "How to go from prototype into manufactured product?"
How to turn a product prototype into manufactured goods for retail. Manufacturing sourcing and assembly strategies for makers. Side Hustle School Ep. 3398.
- Loan Officer Charts New Course With Nautically Inspired Jewelry
Nautical chart jewelry made from customizable maps. Charlotte Guptill combines sailing passion with metalwork in Maine. Side Hustle School Ep. 3396.
- Q&A: "An old-school magazine about old-school businesses…"
Can a print-only magazine about vintage business advice work in 2024? Exploring the viability of old-school publishing. Side Hustle School Ep. #3395.
- Three Friends Step Up, Pull In Restroom Revenue
Restroom door opener built by three friends solves hygiene problem with foot-operated steel device. Side Hustle School Ep. 3389.
- Two Women Create Swimwear Brand for D-Cups and Up
Swimwear brand for D-cups and up founded by two best friends in Minneapolis who identified a major market gap. Side Hustle School Ep. 3387.
- Cigar Subscription Box Delivers Smoking Returns
- Failure Friday: "Perfect SAT Score" Tutor Gets Rejected by 100 Publishers
- Q&A: "Help, my bank said I can't open a business account!"
- First $1,000: "I went door-to-door selling home alarms…"
- Firefighter Uses Chainsaw for Jumbo-Sized Woodworking
- Q&A: "Should I offer a pay-what-you-will price?"
- Savvy Stationery Site Offers Cards for Divorce & Diwali
- Veteran Turns Sweet Compulsion Into Obsessive Candy Hustle
- Designer Earns $1M Giving It The Old College Try
- Working Mother Sells Coats to Buckle in Babies
- "Productivity Nannies" Dig Co-Working Caves for Modern Workers
- Trader Joe's Sign Artist Earns $43,200 Selling Tea-Stained Prints
- Beard Oil Behemoth Expands to 35 Countries
- Q&A: "How to break out of a sales slump?"
- Proud Mainer Brings Whoopie Pies to the World
- Game of Cones: Two Women Make Architecturally-Inspired Ice Cream
- Dog Stocking Hustle Earns Husky Payoff
- Physician Designs Plush Toys to Teach Anatomy
- Jiu-Jitsu Instructor Pins Down Mobile Workout Tool
- Failure Friday: “We opened the box and it was a totally different product…”
- Engineer Makes $80,000/Year Handing Out Free Maps
- Dachshund-Loving Duo Designs Doxie Apparel
- Side Hustle School Season 10 Starts TODAY
- STORY: Military-Themed Teddy Bears Help Kids Hibernate
An in-house ad executive turned teddy bear manufacturer creates a military-grade sleep system for children, earning six figures in sales and making a … Side...
- Weekend Workshop: From Rock Bottom to Business Empire
- Frenchman Says Bonjour to $35,000/Month Foodie Hustle
- Six-Figure Beekeeping Biz Buzzes for Minnesota Couple
- Q&A: “What’s a fair founder-investor deal between friends?”
- Line Chef Makes Millions Cooking Up Apron Empire
- Aussie Stretches Out with Online Store for Tall Women
- Canadian Bidets Modernize Bathroom Life
- Underwear Side Hustle Turns Into $500,000/Month Business
- College Grad Shares “More than Mac & Cheese” Student Recipes
- Movie Industry Friends Rewrite the Credits, Earn $20,000/Month
- IT Guy Earns Extra $50,000/Year Restoring Vintage Radios
- Curated Gift Boxes for Breakups and Baby Bumps
- First $1,000: YouTube Bonsai Channel Grows Into Online Store
- Weekend Workshop: Emotional Products Command Premium Prices
- Q&A: “Can I sell my ideas for inventions?”
- Metal Detectorist Gets Paid for Finding Lost Jewelry
- TBT: How Selling $2 Digital Products Earned $185,000
- Nerdy Kickstarter Campaign Raises $1 Million
- Ex-Baseball Players Hit Home Run With Baseball Bat Subscriptions
- Q&A: “How can I launch a no-recipe cooking channel?”
- “Graphic Design for Dogs” Earns $84,000
- Aussie Man Eats Nothing But Potatoes for 365 Days
- Engineer Turns Home Energy Problem Into Million-Dollar Solution
- Faux Taxidermy Turns Heads on Home Decor
- Kiwi Coder Makes Extra $50,000/Year from Digital Paintbrushes
- Four Friends Create Conversations, Earn $400,000 in 8 Months
- High School Student Earns $20,000 Making Wooden Bow Ties
- Golfer Takes Swing At Content Website
- Architect Creates Mini-Blind Repair Tool
- Internet Trolls Eat Their Words In This Comedic Cake Hustle
- TBT: From Cracked Screens to Tech Buyback Business
- Fashion Buyer Creates Quirky Comfort Craze
- Frozen Yogurt Dog Treats Are No Barking Matter
- Q&A: “How can I incorporate activism into my brand without seeming performative?”
- College Student Hacks Into $40,000 A Month Side Hustle
- TBT: When Selling Prints Wasn’t Enough
- Immigrant Couple Translates Heritage Into Children’s Flash Cards
- Weekend Workshop: Create a Side Hustle Shopping List
- “Pocket Monkey” Tool Sells 500,000 Units
- Q&A: “Can I legally sell t-shirts with retro images of celebrities?”
- Homemade Art Tutorials Turn Struggling Artist Into YouTube Star
- Itchy Honeymoon Shaves Way To Pubic Oil Kingdom
- TBT: Production Assistant Specializes in Props Sourcing
- Former Construction Inspector Helps Students Pass Exams
- 13-Year-Old Australian Creates Schoolyard Lollipop Fortune
- Coffee Lover Bets Beans On Workplace Coffee Subscriptions
- Q&A: “What’s the best way to pre-sell a product I haven’t made yet?”
- Florida Man Leads Scooter Tours After Watching Macklemore Video
- Lifelong Girl Scout Earns Her Side Hustle Badge
- Q&A: “How much time should I spend on social media each week?”
- First $1,000: Career Transition Guides Quickly Earn $25,000
- Role-Playing Pastor Rolls The Dice On $2,800/Month Hustle