Tag: Graphic Design

Teen Blogger Draws Up Design Company

What It’s About

An entrepreneurial teenager now runs a full design studio as a college student.

Words of Wisdom

When it comes to starting a side hustle, Hedy has a unique perspective as a young entrepreneur, “Just go for it. Don’t think about how ready you are, it’s more about learning through the process. As a teen who was really brand new to entrepreneurship and business, I know what it’s like to have imposter syndrome thinking ‘who am I to be doing this?’. But if you really stick to it, and show the value you can bring, people will hire you.”

Fun Fact

About 77% of internet users read blogs, 61% of consumers in the United States have purchased something based off of a blog.

SOURCE: 20 Interesting Facts about Blogs

Notes from Chris

Episode 1627
When Hedy Zhou {head-y Joe} was just 15 years old, she had already been running her first side hustle as a piano instructor for about a year.

For her second, she saw an ad for Wix that said she could make a website for free. At the time, Hedy figured that if she made the website, people would simply come to her. Surprise! It didn’t happen. She only got about five visitors, and none of them wanted to give her any money.

After a break, she created a second blog. This time, she was determined to make all the right moves. She took a much more business approach, and decided to interview entrepreneurs from different industries. She also had a few guest posts on the blog.

A year later, she came across a classmate who had her own website and it inspired her to try once more. Third time’s the charm, right? She decided it would be an authentic, online space with a diary-like feel called Happily, Hedy.

This blog was indeed more popular than the first two. Moreover, as she connected with other bloggers, Hedy noticed that she kept getting comments about her website design. It got her thinking. Could she offer design as a service?

If nothing else, she would try. She soon added a “Services” tab to her blog, where she offered to do basic graphic design projects for a low price. From there, she created a portfolio with all the designs she’d made in the past—at least all the ones she was proud of. Not only that, but she started to post in various Facebook groups advertising her website. After a couple of weeks, Hedy got her first inquiry.

After that, Hedy began to reach out to brands for sponsored posts and collaborations. It didn’t take long to realize that she needed to refocus her blog. While she loved writing about whatever she was interested in at the moment, she knew that writing more specifically about design had more potential for her business.

Once she began to focus, interest picked up. Hedy joined a program that was sponsored by her city, and through that she made connections. Eventually, one of them found out about her studio and hired her to do a design initiative.

Hedy is now a student in college working towards her undergraduate degree. She makes at least $1,000/month working her own hours. While the money is nice, it’s also given her valuable skills. She has knowledge in SEO, marketing, sales and of course, has improved her design ability. Once she graduates, she plans to make it her full-time career or maybe even start a new company.

 

 

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

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
"Venture out, learn what makes you uncomfortable and repeat. What I learned about myself in 15 years I could never have learned just from reading books or hearing others tell their stories."
—Eva Rosales #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

Try ShipStation for 60 Days FREE!

Today’s episode of Side Hustle School is brought to you by ShipStation, the #1 choice of online sellers. 📦

To get a 30-day trial AND an additional month free, click the microphone at the top of their page and enter the word HUSTLE.
Get it Here

Like the Show? Leave a Rating!

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

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

Keep in Touch

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


To infinity and beyond,

Chris Guillebeau

Graphic Designer Documents Remote Earnings

What It’s About

A graphic designer draws up a full-time nomadic lifestyle doing freelance work.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Kassandra shares the importance of ratings for freelance work, “Just with a single UpWork rating, I managed to go from applying for 50 jobs a week and getting no bites to applying for 50 jobs and getting one or two jobs from it.”

Fun Fact

UpWork has 12 million registered freelancers but perhaps more importantly, over five million employers looking for workers. It’s a great way to get your feet wet in the world of freelancing.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1443
Kassandra Marsh spent years studying graphic design in Australia. She enjoyed it and was excited to get out into the world, assuming she’d start a high flying job the moment she graduated. But, unbeknownst to her, there was no job waiting. Not for another long, arduous twelve months.

Until a job ad in the local newspaper caught her eye.

The ad described a job for someone with experience working with kids, along with an ability to design business documents. Kassandra, thinking it was such a curious mix of the two skills, applied straight away. After all, she was the ideal candidate!

Turns out, the job posting was an accident—the company erroneously placed a single ad for two jobs, instead of two ads for single jobs. Even so, Kassandra’s mix of skills surprised them and they agreed to hire her on a freelance basis. Her job would be to take their dull business documents, and redesign them so they were off the charts!

It wasn’t sustainable relying on only one client, so she set out to find more. To do that, she posted a profile on oDesk—which is now called UpWork—and promptly received … very little attention. Like zero divided by zero attention.

Kassandra modified the one variable she could: her prices. She gradually dropped her rate until she had someone employ her at the going price. It would mean working for peanuts but hopefully scoring a few prized reviews after nailing the job.

Eventually, she found an equilibrium, where she could charge the maximum amount possible yet still receive responses to her bids. Kassandra would often use a trick to ‘lever’ her pricing and schedule. When really busy, she’d price herself highly, to justify taking on additional work. When things were a little slower, she would drop her prices to drum up interest.

Between the website and her UpWork client stream there’s no shortage of gigs available to Kassandra. She now earns over twenty-six thousand US dollars per year, all while living remotely.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Learn more about Kassandra and her business from her website, Lakazdi.com .

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 am really glad to have got to learn through mistakes and build a nice business for myself."
—Kassandra Marsh #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

Learn More With Skillshare!

Supporting the sponsors keeps the show free. Today’s episode of Side Hustle School is brought to you by Skillshare. 📷

Skillshare is giving Side Hustle School listeners 2 months of unlimited access—for $0.99! Join the 2 million students learning everything from street photography to SEO on Skillshare today!
Get Started 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

Homeschooler Unleashes Creativity with Penmanship Posters

What It’s About

A mother of twins flips the script with her penmanship poster hustle.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Instead of buying expensive monthly subscription design programs like Adobe Photoshop of Illustrator, Melissa bought Affinity programs instead. “I paid a flat $50 for each one… I think it’s helpful for people who can’t afford Photoshop.”

Fun Fact

Until 1984, homeschooling was actually illegal in Virginia. In the 1970s, families homeschooling children fought a series of legal battles until they were finally allowed to legally teach their kids from home. By 2018, about 37,000 children in Virginia were being homeschooled. [source]

Notes from Chris

Episode 1366
Melissa Paden has loved fonts and design ever since she was a teenager. In high school and college, she was the go-to person for designing flyers for different clubs and organizations. After she graduated, she got a job working as a front desk agent, and over time she worked her way up to become the online marketing manager.

The new job was a good fit, and she liked the company she worked for. The only downfall was that she didn’t get to be as creative as she was in her previous marketing career. She needed a new project to unleash her creativity.

So, Melissa started an Etsy shop called Honey Lime Co. in July of 2018. Using her skills from designing flyers, she created a few art prints. Customers could download them for just a few dollars. At that point, she didn’t really have a plan, but it was a good way for her to experiment.

That same year, Melissa started homeschooling her twins, who were now five years old. She started looking for a writing sign to help her kids learn cursive. Unfortunately, she couldn’t find any that she liked. All the ones available were bright and colorful, and she wanted something a little bit more simple.

So, she decided to make one herself. Her first chart was for cursive handwriting and she made it with three background options: all white, a black chalkboard, and a green chalkboard. They were more minimalistic and aesthetically pleasing than all the others she could find. With the encouragement of one of her friends, she decided to list them on her Etsy shop.

Since then, Melissa has expanded her product line to include close to 30 different designs, including translations for Spanish, French and even Greek! She also takes custom orders, and most of the time, she is then able to add those to her store as a general offering. Most of the products on her Etsy shop cost about $20.

By June of 2020, she’d already surpassed $10,000 in revenue. With the extra money, she has been able to buy even more homeschooling supplies for her twins, as well as pay off last year’s taxes. Not only that, but Melissa’s husband works for a large hospitality company and has been on extended furlough due to COVID-19. Melissa’s regular job and her posters are paying the bills.

As time goes on, Melissa hopes to build her own eCommerce website to use alongside Etsy. Not only that, but she plans to continue adding posters and other products, like homeschool themed mugs and shirts to her store.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Learn more about Melissa and checkout her creations at her Etsy store, Honey Lime Co..
  • Looking to sell your own artistic creations? Check out Etsy.com.
  • Looking to a more affordable alternative to Adobe products? Melissa recommends Affinity Design Software.

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
"Design for a product you would want for yourself instead of just something you think will sell "
—Melissa Paden #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

Learn More With Skillshare!

Supporting the sponsors keeps the show free. Today’s episode of Side Hustle School is brought to you by Skillshare. 📷

Skillshare is giving Side Hustle School listeners 2 months of unlimited access—for $0.99! Join the 2 million students learning everything from street photography to SEO on Skillshare today!
Get Started 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

TBT: “Graphic Designer for Dogs” Retrieves New Clients

What It’s About

An update from a graphic designer who’s gone off-leash to broaden her client base.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1335

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.

Recently, we’ve heard from a cybersecurity expert whose side hustle brings in seven-figures, all while he still works his government job, and the “Near and Deer” faux taxidermy service that has proven surprisingly resilient.

Today, in our latest feature, we’ll hear from we hear from a graphic designer who specialized in pet businesses. She’s now trying to go off-leash and retrieve clients in other industries … is she barking up the wrong tree?

Listen to today’s episode to hear Kalia’s updates…

 

 

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

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
"I would say building a community or a niche right away definitely helped us grow fast."
—Kaila Piepkow #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

The Great British Baking Scratch-Off Poster

What It’s About

After her 3D cookie-cutter plans crumbled, a British military officer launched a scratch-off baking poster.

Words of Wisdom

Collette has some advice for those looking to utilize social media: “If you want to save money on marketing on social media, you need to invest LOTS of time and effort in building up relationships organically.”

Fun Fact

Millions of people have started baking as a form of stress relief during the Covid-19 lockdown, with surveys indicating that sugar and flour sales have gone up by 130% and 221% respectively.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1333
When British military officer Collette Preece started baking, she did it as a hobby. It offered her a break from her physically and mentally demanding job—in fact, she says it was just the kind of therapy that she needed. She and her partner James would bake pastries and cookies, exploring fun shapes and unique flavors.

Then, one day Collette stumbled upon a cookie-cutter design that caught her eye: a 3D dinosaur model set. She thought it would be fun to test out with James’ family. Together they baked the cookies, assembled them, and added icing and sprinkles for the finishing touches.

The experience was so positive that Collette decided to look around to see if there were more 3D cutters on the market. When she found out that there weren’t, she thought that might just be an opportunity to design her own. James, an engineer by training, volunteered the two 3D printers he owned to turn the designs into reality.

One of the biggest concerns in the UK at that time was the lack of personal protective equipment (PPE). In response to that problem, an online 3D printing community sprang up, asking for those who had 3D printers at home to produce face shields. Collette and James knew that this was far more important than their business, and joined in to help.

Although their 3D cookie-cutter plans were put on hold, Collette quickly discovered a new opportunity to keep her side hustle dreams alive. As people were staying at home due to a lockdown, a lot of them started trying their hand at baking. Colette wanted to inspire some of these cooped-up homeowners and apartment dwellers to expand the types of tasty treats they could create.

Enlisting the help of a friend who had graphic design skills, she created the 100 Bakes Scratch Off Poster. The poster lists 100 classic bakes to try from hot cross buns to focaccia to treacle tart. Once you make an item, you scratch off the square below the bake to reveal a picture of the item. The goal is to bake all 100!

Their website and design work ended up setting them back about $600, with the posters themselves costing about $1,500 to print. However, Collette has had great success in her marketing techniques, and her quick thinking and hard work has brought in about $1,000 a month since May, with 200 of the original posters sold and counting.

As military officers, Colette and James are no strangers to uncertainty. They know they’ll need to continue to be flexible and adapt to changing circumstances. One challenge they’re facing is the overseas assignment that Collette will have to undertake in the upcoming months.

To ensure that James can keep up, the two of them have since taken their business onto the Fulfilled by Amazon platform, solving any delivery problems that might arise because they’re shorthanded. Pivoting from one product to another, and now to another means of distribution, Collette and James have shown that there isn’t a single cookie-cutter approach to building a side hustle.

 

 

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

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
"If you want to save money on marketing on social media, you need to invest LOTS of time and effort in building up relationships organically."
—Collette Preece #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

Try ShipStation for 60 Days FREE!

Today’s episode of Side Hustle School is brought to you by ShipStation, the #1 choice of online sellers. 📦

To get a 30-day trial AND an additional month free, click the microphone at the top of their page and enter the word HUSTLE.
Get it Here

Like the Show? Leave a Rating!

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

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

Keep in Touch

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


To infinity and beyond,

Chris Guillebeau

TBT: These iPad Paintbrushes Never Run Dry

What It’s About

An artist in New Zealand uses her iPad to paint a sustainable side income.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1314

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.

Today, in our latest feature, we’ll hear from Karin in Ep. 457: Kiwi Coder Makes Extra $50,000/Year from Digital Paintbrushes.

I really liked this story and it’s a classic example of something that could only exist in this New Economy that we’re all experiencing.

A lot has happened since we first featured Karin—she’s moved into a new apartment, thanks in part to that very healthy side income, and she’s also noticing how her industry is changing with more competitors, so she’s thinking ahead about her next steps.

Listen to today’s episode to hear Karin’s updates…

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • iPad Lettering: Up your digital calligraphy game—check out Karin’s brushes on her website!
  • Procreate: The iPad program that Karin used to create her calligraphy creations and brushes
  • Adobe Business Catalyst: The platform that Karin used to create her website for iPad Lettering

 

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
"One of the things that’s actually made a big difference is having an accountability group. It is a group of people who don’t do exactly the same thing, but they have similar aspirations to myself."
—Karin Newport #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

Don't Do Business Without It

Side Hustle School is brought to you by American Express.

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

Like the Show? Leave a Rating!

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

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

Keep in Touch

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


To infinity and beyond,

Chris Guillebeau

College Student Starts Million Dollar Design Biz

What It’s About

A hard-working college student improves upon a popular wedding trend.

Words of Wisdom

Taylor says that when it comes to growing a business, you can’t do it alone. “Ask for help. I really started to see business growth when I brought in business mentors who I respected and trusted. And I didn’t lie to them, I was honest about what my problems were, areas we needed to grow in, and how much help I needed. Pick mentors who you look up to and trust. Find people who you don’t always agree with too, because their ideas and advice will challenge you. It takes a village to run a successful business.”

Fun Fact

One of the founders of Etsy, Robert Kalin, revealed in an interview for Reader’s Digest that the name “Etsy” was derived from the Italian phrase “eh, si” or “oh, yes.” (source)

Notes from Chris

Episode 1312
Taylor Walden had just begun her freshman year of college. She had always been interested in all things artistic, from painting to photography to calligraphy—so she chose to major in interior design.

For the holiday season, she used her skills in calligraphy to make meaningful, homemade gifts for her friends and family. Soon, the people around her took notice of what she was making.

As more and more people became interested in her art, Taylor decided to try opening an Etsy shop to sell art prints. Unfortunately, there was a ton of competition on the site for products like that. She didn’t get many sales.

But she thought that if she could just tweak what she was making to create something a little more unique, she could get a lot more sales. So, on Black Friday of 2016, Taylor woke up at 2am to buy a die-cutting machine so she could make her own vinyl stickers, designed with her own handwriting.

By the end of her freshman year, Taylor had over 500 Etsy sales. Since she had the summer off from school, she decided to expand her shop. She’d noticed a new trend of “bridesmaid proposal” boxes being sold on Etsy. But after reading the comments, she quickly noticed a lot of frustrated customers. The people selling these boxes never seemed to include everything they showed in their pictures. Plus, once the box arrived the customers had to assemble it themselves.

It didn’t take long for Taylor to decide that she could solve this problem. She created her own bridesmaid proposal boxes. She included everything that was needed, put it together beautifully, and even offered to send the box directly to the bridesmaid to take out an extra step for the buyer.

Since this trend was already popular (and since Taylor already had established herself on Etsy), the boxes ended up being hugely successful! By the end of the summer, Taylor had 2,000 Etsy sales and three local stores carrying her products. She realized that she was onto something, and when she went back to school in the fall, she was ready to take her side hustle even more seriously.

By the end of 2018, Taylor had brought in $250,000 worth of revenue while still maintaining her full-time college course load. It was a lot to take on, but the hard work and dedication paid off. She paid for college, her rent, and her wedding to Nick, who works with her in the business.

By the time she graduated, she was ready to commit to her business full-time. Last year, Simple & Sentimental brought in over $600,000 worth of revenue. In 2020, she expects to bring in over a million.

The business now donates a portion of their proceeds to a local nonprofit. Taylor says she can’t imagine doing anything else.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Check out Taylor’s wedding themed store, SimpleSentimental.com.
  • Like other makers and artists, Taylor started her hustle selling through Etsy.

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
"Ask for help. I really started to see business growth when I brought in business mentors who I respected and trusted."
—Taylor Walden #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

Try ShipStation for 60 Days FREE!

Today’s episode of Side Hustle School is brought to you by ShipStation, the #1 choice of online sellers. 📦

To get a 30-day trial AND an additional month free, click the microphone at the top of their page and enter the word HUSTLE.
Get it Here

Like the Show? Leave a Rating!

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

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

Keep in Touch

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


To infinity and beyond,

Chris Guillebeau

“Graphic Design for Dogs” Earns $84,000

What It’s About

This graphic designer fetches some niche clients with her pet company specific design firm.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Kaila joined pet-related and ‘petpreneur’ Facebook groups, offering her skills as a graphic-designer-slash-dog-lover to pet companies looking for a new website or fresh branding. She landed several clients through Facebook alone and noticed an immediate growth to her side. But she didn’t want to stop there. Cold emails became her next hot ticket to getting her foot in the door, and she spent a weekend emailing every dog store, veterinary office, dog walker, and dog trainer she could find.

This outreach strategy paid off, to the tune of $20,000 in her first year, on top of her full-time job. Don’t wait for clients to come to you—reach out to them! With the power of the internet, anything is paw-sible.

Fun Fact

We don’t want to alarm you, but your dog can smell your feelings. They are able to pick up on any changes in your scent and figure out how you’re feeling based on those changes. So if you get nervous or scared, they can smell the difference from your perspiration. On the plus side, it helps them detect certain diseases. Dogs really are man’s best friend!

Notes from Chris

Episode 485

As a full-time graphic designer, Kaila Piepkow knows a thing or two about branding and visual communication. And, after a chance conversation with a photographer, she learned how to unleash her skills into a highly targeted market that fulfilled her craving for a new outlet for her ideas.

Feeling uninspired by her nine-to-five endeavors and needing a new channel for her vision, Kaila decided to open her own design studio on the side. But, since she was already in the business, she knew just how overwhelming the marketplace could be with seemingly endless competition. That being said, she also knew how to stand out, if she could define the right focus for her ideas.

Kaila thought about different audiences to target. Lists were made, and she talked to her friends about it. She even talked to her dog about it! And that’s when it hit her. It was a dog-eat-dog world out there… but there were no graphic designers that targeted pet companies.

The self-described ‘crazy dog person’ knew that focusing on the pet industry would mean foregoing other projects, but it would also be a surefire way to stand out with both her design and the projects she would take on. Therefore, Dox Designs, as she called it, morphed into her new side hustle.

Once she launched the Dox Designs website and put together a business strategy that included Facebook Advertising and a more targeted outreach strategy, she began to earn an extra $7,000 a month on average. That’s right—Kaila is projected to earn $84,000 this year, in side hustle income alone.

Like so many stories, Kaila’s side hustle wouldn’t be as successful as it is now if she had waited for “the perfect moment.” She credits the fact that she launched herself into a specific target market without a plan as one of the main reasons she’s been so successful. Since Dox Design began, it’s paid off in the form of referral clients all around the country and the ability to double her income, working only during evenings and weekends.

Taking the skills that she’s already had has allowed Kaila to work in an industry that she’s truly passionate about—and hopes to turn into her full-time job down the road. She’s also able to combine everything she loves into one life. Dogs, graphic design, the job, her side hustle, and the financial freedom that comes with it, are now rolling over into one great package. That one life she loves is looking quite fetching.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Dox Designs: It’s a dog eat dog world out there—make sure that your web design has you standing out from the pack. Learn more on Kaila’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
"If you don’t know where to start, think about what you love doing—what you enjoy doing in your spare time. That’s the market you can target to help make your side hustle special. Even (especially!) if it’s super niche."
—Kaila Piepkow #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

Get a Free Audit on Your 401k!

Side Hustle School is brought to you by Blooom. If you're still working a 9-5, make getting a 401k your side hustle!

Blooom is the simple and smart way to grow your 401k. Go online to Blooom401k.com and get your truly FREE 401k audit when you use promo code "HUSTLE" at checkout.💸 Get it Here

Like the Show? Leave a Rating!

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

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

Keep in Touch

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


To infinity and beyond,

Chris Guillebeau