EXTENDED CUT #14: Start a Service Business in Less Than a Week

Notes from Chris

Episode x14
What if I could show you how to pick a topic that you have knowledge in, or a skill you already have, and then help you extract a specific idea from that topic, turn that idea into an offer, and finally publish that offer for a chance to get paid?

Well, that’s what we’re going to talk about today—starting a service-based side hustle in less than a week!

First and foremost, you should know that everyone is an expert on something. You might have heard me mention this in the past, and it’s true! There’s no such thing as a consulting degree, but you can still craft your knowledge into a marketable offer.

In order to build a service based side hustle that someone will pay you for, you really need to:

  • a) Choose something specific
  • b) Choose something marketable
  • With that in mind, listen to this Extended Cut to hear some examples of service based side hustles and how you can get started within a week!

    SERVICE BASED SIDE HUSTLE CHECKLIST:

    • 1. Do you have a clear offer?
    • 2. Do you describe your offer in simple terms (two sentences max)?
    • 3. Do you have a clear market or ideal customer?
    • 4. Additionally, do you have an idea how to reach that person?
    • 5. Do you know exactly what you’ll do in terms of workflow when someone signs up?
    • 6. Do you have an easy and obvious way to get paid?

    EPISODES MENTIONED IN THIS EXTENDED CUT:


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

    Yours in the revolution,

    cg-sig-newsletter

    EXTENDED CUT #13: When to Let Go of Good Ideas

    Notes from Chris

    Episode x13
    “Ideas are like buses—there’s always another one coming.” -Richard Branson

    Scarcity thinking is human nature. The fear of missing out (FOMO) can overtake all of us. This is not good because it prevents us from following up on what we already know is important, and also from being present and appreciating what we have.

    It happens to me too. I’m getting better but it’s all-too-easy for me to hold on to something just because it’s familiar to me or because I don’t want to admit defeat or I’m just not able to see the forest for the trees.

    I want to introduce you to a new way of thinking about this. If you can learn to take joy in letting go of opportunities, even good ones, what you’ll gain is far greater than whatever it is you’ll pass up.

    You want to be able to jump on opportunities … but you also need to match an opportunity to your situation in life. You have limited capacity, especially if you’re like most of our listeners who have jobs and no shortage of other responsibilities.

    You probably already know that this is a good idea, but because most of us have that FOMO ingrained in us, we’re still afraid to embrace it.

    That’s why you need a reward! The benefits of letting go of good ideas include:

    • – You’ll gain more experience
  • – You’ll feel better
  • – You’ll likely be more successful
  • Even if two out of three: that’s a victory! Letting go of good ideas is a good exercise in thinking bigger and working smarter.

    With that in mind, listen to this Extended Cut to discover 7 ways to know when you should let a good idea go!


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

    Yours in the revolution,

    cg-sig-newsletter

    EXTENDED CUT #11: Lessons in Podcasting

    Notes from Chris

    Episode x11

    If you’re thinking of starting a podcast, what do you need to know? This special episode includes tips on marketing, content, gear, and more.

    Why podcasting? From the perspective of getting your message out there and reaching people, it really is an incredible medium. It’s been a long time since podcasting came onto the scene (I still remember the first podcast I heard—The Accidental Creative—while volunteering in Ghana in 2006!). Since starting Side Hustle School and recording 300+ episodes, I’ve learned a few things.

    RESOURCES, TOOLS, & GEAR:


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

    Yours in the revolution,

    cg-sig-newsletter

    EXTENDED CUT #8: How to Recover from a Side Hustle Disaster

    Notes from Chris

    Episode x08

    This special episode features a personal story from Chris, along with four tips for making the most of an unexpected crisis.

    If you find yourself in the middle of a side hustle disaster, here are four tips that you can use in the event that your side hustle of quick highlights from this Extended Cut:

    • 1. Triage—a fancy word for prioritizing. Separate all of the other stuff from what absolutely needs to happen. It can be really overwhelming to think of the twenty different aspects to the problem, but there are probably three or so aspects that are the most critical of all. Identify those three aspects (of whatever that is) and direct your attention there first and worry about the rest later.
    • 2. Make a list. Don’t try and keep all of this in your head. Write down immediate actions as well as your biggest concern or fear. If you’re starting to think about solutions, write those down too. Write down a list of people you can talk to—people who can help!
    • 3. Make a recovery plan. And when I say “recovery,” I don’t mean for you, I mean if other people have been adversely impacted by this disaster (e.g. – your clients, customers, partners, suppliers, etc.). Ask yourself how you can rebuild those relationships, and try to identify a handful of practical action steps that you can take to begin to repair that relationship—one of which should be honest and open communication where you explain what happened and how you’re planning on fixing it. Build and maintain that trust!
    • 4. Make a “getting back on track” plan. Now, this is your plan to move forward. Use this plan to help your turn this disaster into an opportunity to be even better than before.

    EPISODES MENTIONED IN THIS EXTENDED CUT:


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

    Yours in the revolution,

    cg-sig-newsletter

    EXTENDED CUT #7: Pricing Your Product or Service

    Notes from Chris

    Episode x07

    When you’re starting a new product or service, how do you know what to price it at? Good news: there’s a simple method you can use that will take you less than 10 minutes to apply.

    If you’re struggling with pricing your product or service, here are a couple of quick highlights from this Extended Cut:

    • 1. Ask yourself: what is your time worth? Nobody can answer this question but you, and you have to be honest with yourself regarding what you’re willing to accept for the time you put into your side hustle.
    • 2. Set your initial prices on the higher end of the range that your customers are willing to pay. After all, if you can make more money for your time or product, why not see if it’s an option?

    EPISODES MENTIONED IN THIS EXTENDED CUT:


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

    Yours in the revolution,

    cg-sig-newsletter

    EXTENDED CUT #6: The Million-Dollar Etsy Shop

    Notes from Chris

    Episode x06

    Most Etsy shops don’t make money—or if they do, they make a small amount of money. But some make a lot of money. What separates them? This special episode takes a detailed look at the online storefront for a million-dollar Etsy shop whose full story is coming up next week on the show.

    LINKS FROM THIS EPISODE:

    • Hangout Lighting | Etsy: Browse the ‘Million-Dollar Etsy Shop’ while you’re listening to this month’s Extended Cut!

    ETSY RELATED EPISODES & RESOURCES:


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

    Yours in the revolution,

    cg-sig-newsletter

    EXTENDED CUT #5: How to Choose Between Multiple Ideas

    Notes from Chris

    Episode x05

    Once you’ve learned the power of observation, being able to identify potential ideas is rarely a problem. The problem lies in knowing which ideas to choose at any particular time!

    What do you do when you have multiple ideas? Here are a couple tips to help you get started:

    • 1. Get clear on your goals. The idea that you choose should connect directly to those goals. There are a lot of different potential side hustle goals out there, so you need to know the outcome that you want.
    • 2. Whenever possible, remove the pressure from the decision. It’s natural to feel a lot of pressure when making any kind of big career decision, but you should not experience that kind of pressure for a side hustle. It should be something that makes you feel secure.

    SIDE HUSTLE SELECTOR:

    If you already know the hustle you’re going to commit to during your month-long plan, great! But since a key part of hustling is learning to brainstorm and generate multiple ideas (just like you saw in the first week’s notes), it’s also important to learn how to compare ideas against one another in search of the best possible one at any given time.

    side-hustle-selector

    Listen to the Extended Cut for a more in-depth look at these two tips + more information regarding the simple methodology for making decisions called The Side Hustle Selector.


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

    Yours in the revolution,

    cg-sig-newsletter

    EXTENDED CUT #4: Simple Marketing Plan

    Notes from Chris

    Episode x04
    Imagine being able to connect with the people who want what you have to offer – you don’t have to persuade them or convince them – they are already pre-sold or at least pre-interested. They know that you can give them what they need. That’s what it’s like when your message connects with the right person or the right group of people.

    So… how can you create a situation like that? It doesn’t usually just appear in the middle of nowhere. Listen to this episode for a four-step primer!

    EPISODES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

    LINKS FROM THIS EPISODE:

    • Later: Upload, schedule and manage your Instagram posts with this marketing platform for Instagram
    • Hootsuite: This social media marketing and management dashboard helps you manage all your social media in one place.
    • Buffer: Another social media dashboard that helps you schedule, publish and analyze all your posts in one place
    • ConvertKit: At some point, you’ll probably want to collect email addresses from people. Not only will you want to collect them, you’ll also want to have them in some kind of program that allows you write them about your product or service. This is often the very next step in terms of launching your hustle to the world. This is the same service I use for Side Hustle School and other projects.

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

    Yours in the revolution,

    cg-sig-newsletter

    EXTENDED CUT #2: 9 Starter Ideas for Your First Hustle

    Notes from Chris

    Episode x02
    If you’re just getting started in the world of side hustling, explore these different platforms and ideas, including Skillshare (teaching a class), Wyzant (tutoring), Etsy (selling handcrafted items), and 6 more.

    Consider taking on the challenge to try out one of these platforms and see it through. There’s little to no risk, and you may learn some valuable lessons along the way.

    MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

    • Fiverr.com Looking for an easy way to experiment with offering services? Testing out your ideas on Fiverr can help you develop your product or service (see Ep. 5)
    • Upwork.com Upwork is a fantastic resource whether you’re looking to test out your own services or find someone to help you get your side hustle off the ground.
    • Fulfilled by Amazon You can store your products in Amazon’s fulfillment centers, and they will pick, pack, ship, and provide customer service for all of your products. Best of all, FBA can help you scale your business and reach more customers (see Ep. 19).
    • Etsy The world’s largest homemade marketplace and ideal to help you get started selling your products today (see Ep. 6)
    • Wyzant.com Do you possess knowledge that others would pay for? Wyzant is a massive community of tutors that are matched to people looking to learn what you know (see Ep. 29). Helping people one-on-one
    • Clarity.fm Clarity is another website that is great whether you’re an expert or in need of one. Test your service in platform like Clarity before breaking off on your own.
    • Skillshare With thousands of videos spanning topics like mastering illustrations to mastering SEO, there’s plenty of ways you can share what you know with others or pick up a new skill.
    • Highbrow Pick up a new skill or create an online course yourself with this quick and easy service.
    • CreativeMarket.com Creative Market is a platform for designers and ideal for “mouse-made” design content and assets from independent creatives all around the world.(see Ep. 26)
    • Society6 If you’re artistically inclined, Society6 may fit the bill. You can sell your designs on a variety of items including laptop sleeves and travel mugs.

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

    Yours in the revolution,

    cg-sig-newsletter