Tag: Health & Wellness

Dog Sled Trainer Becomes Women’s Fitness Coach

What It’s About

A woman in her 50s finds her calling helping other women her age youthfully.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Mary decided to put her focus on women in the 45-55 age group instead of on all women in general which felt scary at first. But it also made a great deal of sense since she could speak specifically to the needs and desires of these women being one of them.

Fun Fact

Mary is planning on competing in a Strong Woman competition for the very first time in February of this year at age 51. Go, Mary!

Notes from Chris

Episode 392

Mary Black and her husband, Mark, trained sled dogs for 22 years in Minnesota. They spent ten of those years living off the grid in the backcountry, 6 miles from the end of the nearest road.

They fed the dogs high special diets for peak performance, massaged them to ease their aches and pains, and loved them on good days and bad. But on one of those days, Mary and Mark looked at themselves and said, “We’re taking better care of the dogs than we are ourselves.” While racing the dogs gave Mary and Mark plenty of exercise, they didn’t eat well, and they constantly felt exhausted.

They wanted to make a big change, so Mary kicked her smoking habit and hit the gym instead. Since they were a team, Mark followed suit and they both got hooked on a new habit—getting healthy and their lives back on track.

They weren’t the only ones to notice the drastic physical and lifestyle transformations that they were making—friends, family, and even strangers at the gym started going up to them to ask them what they had been doing. Not only were they getting fitter, it seemed like they had found the fountain of youth and were reaping the rewards. They felt better than they had in decades, and that’s when they decided that aging gracefully is fine but aging youthfully is even better.

They decided to document their journey and share what they’ve learned with others, so they created a free WordPress blog called “Aging Youthful.”

What she wanted to do more than anything else was to help women like her stop wishing for the youthful days behind them and instead start living a more youthful, vibrant life full of purpose and passion.

She decided to offer a 12-week coaching program that mirrored her own journey with three different elements: the mind, the body, and the soul. She began allocating an hour each weekday on her side hustle and anywhere from four to fifteen hours on the weekends.

That first program just ended, and following its success, she’s already planning on launching signups for her next one this month! When everything is said and done, this new coaching program brings in an additional $500 – $600 a month for Mary after the $200 startup costs for her website, domain registration, mailing list host, and PayPal fees.

The extra money has been great to help Mary out with her aspirations of joining her husband as a Strongman competitor, but more than anything, it’s helped her prove to herself and others that life doesn’t end at 50.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Aging Youthful: Learn more about Mary, her journey, and the coaching program that she’s created on her website!
  • WordPress: Mary used WordPress to form her website for Aging Youthful, and here you can learn how to install your own WordPress site in 5 minutes
  • MailChimp: The email marketing platform that Mary used to connect with those who signed up for her coaching sessions
  • Zoom: The video communications service that Mary used to communicate with her coaching clients

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
"‘Small hinges move big doors.’ I’m learning to take small steps and believe they will turn into big results."
—Mary Black #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

Side Hustler Gets Paid to Run 7 Ultramarathons on 7 Continents

What It’s About

An ultramarathoner helps others get back on track after sports related injuries.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Joel’s advice to anyone else wanting to build a side hustle with an app (and limited developer experience) is this:

1. Opt for a subscription service, and 2. make it as low-tech as possible.

Apps are fun and really useful, but they can get expensive and unpredictable quickly which can make them a more problematic. Something as simple as Apple or Google updating their operating system can cause a whole slew of things that you don’t want to necessarily deal with. Keep it simple!

Fun Fact

Until December of 2011, Joel was a marketer with a half-million dollar monthly marketing budget for a well-known outdoor company. It was his job to increase the company’s search engine position and make their pay-per-click campaigns profitable.

Joel’s head was in the game but his heart was out doing his own thing. He followed his heart and quit his job.

Notes from Chris

Episode 381

Joel Runyon lives a life of his own design. While he focuses his mission on doing things that seem impossible, he creates side hustles to support that mission. The formula is simple. He tosses an idea out there. If it catches enough interest, he turns it into a side hustle. If it makes enough money, he turns it into a business. If it doesn’t, he moves on, and tries it again, thanks to what he calls his short-term memory and positive view of failure.

That’s how Joel has started at least half a dozen successful projects over the past six years. His current side hustle is an app called MoveWell.

He created a blog called IMPOSSIBLE, designed to test a series of experiments on himself. He was tired of backing down from challenges that seemed impossible and he wanted to see if he could attract a following of others who felt the same. The plan worked and IMPOSSIBLEHQ.com has become an active community that takes on fitness and mindset challenges on a regular basis.

As you would expect of someone with a blog called IMPOSSIBLE, Joel likes taking on things that seem impossible. One item on that list was to run seven ultra-marathons on seven continents, raising money to build 7 schools. He called it the 777 Project. He got the campaign ready and launched it in Patagonia. What happened next was the motivation behind his current side hustle, MoveWellApp.

At mile 26.2 of his first of seven ultra-marathons, the 25 miles per hour Patagonian winds shifted and literally swept Joel off his feet and down the hill. He rolled his leg past his ankle, injuring himself pretty badly. He stubbornly finished the race, which made things worse, and the doctors told him to take six months off to heal and rehab the ankle.

Joel discovered something about himself and physical therapy: he performed well when his rehab coach is right there with him, but in between sessions he forgets about it. Joel wondered if other people had that same problem, and that’s when it hit him. What if he created an app that could serve as a mobility coach? Would other people want it, too? He decided to find out.

The app has been out for two years and currently brings in about $1,000 per month, a nice amount of extra cash, but not really a sustainable business yet.

Interestingly enough, though, even though MoveWell brings in the smallest amount of revenue of any of Joel’s ventures, the project has some of his most enthusiastic followers. Joel says it’s in that awkward in-between place of growth and he and his partner are figuring out what to do next. They have a lot of interest in building it but not much income to do it with. Joel says if they get the app to earn $4,000 – $5,000 a month they can scale it and turn it into a business with its own team.

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

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
"You only get one life. Do something impossible."
—Joel Runyon #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

High-Risk Pregnancy Becomes Healthy Baby and Side Hustle

What It’s About

A clinical therapist finds an opportunity to help women in the midst of challenging pregnancies.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Part of why Parijat’s coaching side hustle has been such a huge success is because of the fact that she built a community around what she offers (in a market where community is very much needed) and cultivated a sense of belonging. She also lets you know that she’s been there, walked in your shoes, and come out victorious on the other side.

If you have a unique experience and knowledge that might benefit others, it may make for a natural side hustle addition!

Fun Fact

While it wasn’t actually something she planned on doing, several of her online business friends had been suggesting that she start a podcast for a while. Parijat was skeptical, but decided to give it a go and started Delivering Miracles at the beginning of January 2017.

She releases episodes once a week, and the episodes with just Parijat range from answering listeners questions to busting misconceptions about infertility and high-risk pregnancies and sharing her personal story through infertility, high-risk pregnancy and prematurity. As Parijat said, “I make the podcast for what I wish I had known when I was pregnant.”

Notes from Chris

Episode 378

Parijat Deshpande’s side hustle journey started back in 2012 when she was pregnant. What should have been one of the most joyous moments of her life ended up being one of the most challenging. Parijat’s pregnancy was considered very high-risk. With eight complications, sixteen weeks of bed rest at home, and another two at the hospital, she was understandably very concerned. As a clinically-trained therapist, Parijat assumed that there would be a strong online support system and resources for someone in her position, but after hours of fruitless searching, she came up empty-handed.

She was discouraged by a lot of generic pregnancy advice that didn’t really apply to a high-risk situation, so she decided that if she and her baby made it out of this experience okay, she’d find a way to help others like her.

And make it out okay they did! In her 22nd week, she was rushed to the hospital, but despite the odds and the predictions of her doctors, she was able to remain pregnant for an additional two more weeks giving her baby a better chance at life. After that long uphill battle, Parijat was finally able to take her infant son home.

Parijat knew that she didn’t have any special powers and that if she could do it, others could too. She thought back to her experience where she had wanted someone with her that had been in her shoes. And that’s when it occurred to her that maybe the best thing she could do for other women in these situations was to show up for them, offering them the resources and support that she never had. You could say it was the birth of her side hustle!

Like many of our featured stories, Parijat bounces back and forth between satisfaction with her side hustle progress and impatience for the next thing. But she’s not just waiting around for the next big thing, she’s actively working on building her business and her profile. She wants to make sure that no one going through this struggle feels like they are alone—and now, because of what she’s created, they don’t need to be.

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 share private struggles and triumphs with these moms fighting for their baby’s life. And every single time we cross a milestone it takes my breath away. It’s life changing for them and me."
—Parijat Deshpande #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

Insomniac Dreams Up Herbal Hustle

What It’s About

Today’s story proves that even for insomniacs, side hustle dreams can come true.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

If the problem you’re experiencing is a common one, especially something that millions of other people struggle with, your search for solutions may end up being a search for a side hustle.

Fun Fact

This isn’t Aycee’s first investment in a side hustle. In past, she has also had a side hustle business sewing costumes for exotic dancers!

Notes from Chris

Episode 370

Aycee Brown has been suffering from insomnia since the age of 15. Afflicted by vivid dreams and nightmares that would leave her terrified to fall asleep, she found herself addicted to over-the-counter sleep remedies just trying to get a few hours shut-eye.

The older she got, the more she found this system of sleepless nights and synthetic solutions to be an unhealthy way to live. She wanted a reliable way of falling to sleep that didn’t involve popping pills. In order to wean herself off medication and improve her sleep naturally, she began to learn about herbal remedies and how fragrances can affect your sleep.

She learned about the herbs, flavors, and smells that promote good sleep, and began to try the different concoctions on herself. After a few months of research and experimentation, she found a handful of mixtures that helped her soothe her insomnia and drift off to sleep.

Having found a medication-free solution for herself, Aycee turned her attention to a larger community. For years, she’d been a part of Facebook groups and message boards for other insomniacs. She became driven by the mission to help these people escape their meds and sleepless nights too.

She decided to package and sell the remedies she’d created, and founded the business Goodnight Darling Co.

The combination of her great products, knowledge of her audience and being able to connect with people from first-hand experience has helped Aycee go on to earn between $2,000 and $3,000 in profits each month. After recently being laid off from her full-time job as a corporate account executive, this has helped make ends meet while she looks for another job.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Goodnight Darling Co.: Catch some z’s using some of the products on Aycee’s website
  • Shopify: Aycee used Shopify to set up her store for Goodnight Darling Co., and they’re offering a 21-day trial and exclusive discount for all Side Hustle School listeners!
  • ShipStation: The app that Aycee used to simplify her shipments. For a limited time, you can get a 30-day trial AND an additional month free! Click the microphone at the top of their page and enter the word HUSTLE

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
"Sometimes we are so afraid to fail or mess up and we never actually do anything. My advice is to just start and keep going. Failure is your friend."
—Aycee Brown #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

Picky Eater’s Year Abroad Cooks Up $500/Month Side Gig

What It’s About

Give peas a chance and listen to this episode.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

While communicating with other picky eaters in a Facebook group, Jacky realized that many of them had tried to unlearn their picky habits. However, the nutritionist or therapist they were working with didn’t understand what it was really like to be an adult picky eater.

But Jacky, she understood. She had been there herself—and she knew she could help others outgrow their limited diets more effectively than confused and frustrated health coaches.

Fun Fact

When Jacky was 6 years old, she agreed to try a baby carrot. Her parents were so excited about her trying a vegetable that they pulled out the camera and started taking pictures. Jacky immediately felt a heavy pressure and self-doubt. As you can imagine, she didn’t eat the baby carrot.

Notes from Chris

Episode 350

Mac n’ cheese. Pizza. Grilled cheese. Chicken fingers. For 23 years, these were the main food groups of Jacky Lamenzo’s diet. She wasn’t just a picky eater. She was a notoriously picky eater. Every attempt at a new food earned gasps and shocked faces from her friends and family.

“Wow! Jacky’s trying something new!” they would say. Every. Single. Time.

It was always a big fuss—so big of a fuss that Jacky just embraced the label and stopped even trying new foods altogether. It wasn’t worth making a scene every time she ate a green bean.

But things were about to change—and change very fast.

Jacky’s application to teach a year abroad in China was approved, and before she knew it, she was off to the other side of the world. As you can imagine, she was in for a rough ride—culinarily speaking.

However, it actually wasn’t that hard for Jacky to break outside of her self-imposed food boundaries. All she needed was a mindset and environmental shift.

Her very first dinner in China, Jacky tried everything—yes everything—on the table. Since dinner was served family-style to her and her fellow teachers, she got to try what she wanted, in the time that she wanted, and in the amount that she wanted.

There was no pressure to eat everything on a paid-for plate. There were no friends staring her down ready to applaud her if she tried something new.

Finally, at 23 years old, Jacky no longer considered herself a picky eater. And she wanted to help others break away from the label as well.

Only six months into her year teaching in China, Jacky had completed the online health coaching certification program from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and taken her passion for good food and wellness to an official level.

By this time, Jacky had made a bit of a name for herself in the Picky Eaters Facebook group. And when she announced that she was officially certified to be a health coach, she quickly found her first client.

At one point, Jacky was consistently earning around $500 per month through her very niche health coaching. However, she realized that she was most effective (and had the most fun) when she only took on one client at a time.

Jacky’s thrilled that her story and hard work have resulted in changing lives and widening palettes, but she’s eager to see if she can impact far more with her upcoming book. And she still has more new foods to try!

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
"My very first dinner in China, I tried everything on the table, from pineapple and eggplant to tofu – nothing which I had ever dared to try before. And without the pressure of others asking whether or not I liked it, I was able to try comfortably and LOVED everything!"
—Jacky Lamenzo #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

Business Analyst Turns Weight Loss Problem Into $130,000 Solution

What It’s About

A subscription box service that helps people achieve their weight-loss goals.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Nikki says she’s been able to achieve such strong financial figures because she found something in the weight loss niche that nobody was catering to and didn’t come up against any real competition. Plus, having been through the surgery herself allowed her to really get into her customer’s minds!

Fun Fact

In addition to starting up a new source of income for herself, Nikki has also made some noticeable health changes. Since starting the business, Nikki has also managed to lose a whopping 60 pounds herself and get her health back on track. Go, Nikki!

Notes from Chris

Episode 333

In May 2016, Nikki Willmore’s life started taking a series of unfortunate turns. Thirteen years after Bariatric weight loss surgery, she found herself putting on weight again and preparing to undergo a second surgery. All the while she was facing an impending layoff from work, the second she’d had in the last few years.

Putting her health first, Nikki used one evening to search for a subscription for supplements that were compatible with the surgery she was about to have. But, much to her surprise, she couldn’t find any such thing. Turning to a Bariatric weight loss Facebook group for help, she saw other people had shared the same problem. They wanted a simple delivery service to help them manage their weight and reduce their stress, but they couldn’t find one.

It was there and then she had the idea for a product that could solve both her physical and financial problems.

Sitting in the stands of her daughter’s Softball game the next day, Nikki posted about her idea in a Facebook group and created a Facebook page called My Bariatric Box. Before she’d even done any research into her product, she’d gathered 100 likes and knew she had a good idea on her hands.

Since starting My Bariatric Box in May of 2016, Nikki has gone on to make over $130,000 in that time, and is currently averaging $20,000 per month in sales!

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • My Bariatric Box: Get a box of healthy snacks delivered right to your door that will help you keep on track—visit Nikki’s website to learn more!
  • Cratejoy: The subscription box based e-commerce platform that Nikki used to create her bariatric subscription box line
  • Celery: The online platform that Nikki used to create a simple web page for My Bariatric Box and offer a 15% lifetime discount to anyone who signed up in the first month
  • Canva & Trello, Zendesk : Some of the programs and platforms that Nikki used for design, communication, customer service, and shipping

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
"Create a positive customer experience, but always make sure that you can make money while delivering value to the customer."
—Nikki Willmore #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

ER Nurse Masters CrossFit and Becomes Nutrition Coach

What It’s About

A change up turns an unknown recipe blog into a successful fitness and nutrition coaching side hustle.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Show your passion so others know they can trust you, and document your journey on social media. This helps significantly when you’re looking for clients as your clients will think of you when they require help with a specific problem.

Fun Fact

Heather went part-time as a nurse in August and aims to turn her side hustle into a full-time job by the end of next year. Her goal with The Positive Thread involves transforming the minds, bodies, and lives of 100 women by December 31st, 2018.

Notes from Chris

Episode 308

For Heather McConochie, becoming a nutrition coach was an easy decision. As an Emergency Room nurse, Heather had plenty of experience in the healthcare industry, along with an extensive knowledge of human physiology, and she realized that while taking care of patients was meaningful, she wanted to do something that would allow her to help people before they landed in the hospital.

Heather knew that she could make an even bigger impact by coaching others on how they could have a healthier lifestyle and approach. Not only that, but her own personal fitness journey had taught her that many illnesses could be prevented with proper nutrition and sufficient exercise.

When she began her CrossFit journey in 2015, she ventured into healthier eating education to make sure that she could perform at her best during gym sessions. Her better eating habits quickly yielded results as she not only set personal records in her weightlifting, but also mastered skills like handstand pushups, ring dips, and pull-ups.

Eager to document and help others replicate her success, she launched her website with a vision of having a successful food and wellness blog. However, her site quickly fell into neglect as she found that she had no audience. It was simply too demoralizing and difficult to write quality posts consistently, knowing that her words weren’t reaching the people she’d hoped for.

Things remained that way for awhile. As she trained, Heather completed a nutrition certification program to ensure that she was properly fuelling her workouts. Over time, she gained a reputation for fitness, and her colleagues started approaching her for advice on nutrition.

During one such interaction, her coworker remarked that she should start a business around nutrition coaching. Heather wasn’t sure that it would work until she found out that a friend from her gym was paying $75 an hour for nutrition coaching. If there was one person willing to pay that much, Heather figured, it would probably be possible to find more people who would be willing to pay such rates for good coaching. She could have an entire business doing nutrition coaching!

She now has 19 clients and ended up making $6,250 within the first 4 months of starting her nutrition and fitness coaching side hustle, The Positive Thread. Now that many of those clients have committed to recurring plans or multiple sessions, she now has a more predictable recurring side hustle monthly income of $1,500.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • The Positive Thread: Reach your health and fitness goals—learn more about how to do so on Heather’s website!
  • SquareSpace: The website building platform that Heather used to create The Positive Thread
  • Thinkific: The course building platform that Heather used to create courses for her coaching clients, which she eventually aims to release as an individual 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
"You don’t need a degree, but if you don’t know enough to help people get sustainable results, you won’t get clients."
—Heather McConochie #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

Get a FREE Audiobook from Audible!

Audible is offering SHS listeners a free copy of the Born For This audiobook with a 30-day trial membership. 📚

Just go to aonc.co/bftaudible and browse the unmatched selection of audio programs and start listening.
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

Brother-and-Sister Turn Dad’s Medical Practice Into Online Store

What It’s About

A family comes together to create and run a profitable ecommerce site selling dermatology products.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Even if you’re not very tech savvy, there’s something to be said about expanding your side hustle online. Jason’s father’s practice was doing just fine on its own, but his product line was able to jump from 10 brands to over 50 within the first year! When you expand your audience, you expand your sales, and there’s no greater market than the internet.

Fun Fact

Jason isn’t the first to turn a profit from a dermatology side hustle. Dr. Kathy Fields and Dr. Katie Rodan also started a side hustle, Rodan + Fields, which is now worth over $1 billion.

Notes from Chris

Episode 251

For ten years Jason Parks watched his father sell physician-strength dermatological products from his practice. Stocking ten brands, his father capitalized on a small audience and grew his own income by helping pair the right patient with the right product for their problem.

Jason has always felt there was more of a market for the products and when he decided he wanted to start a side hustle around his day job as the owner of a digital agency, he felt it was time to find the true potential of these products.

Because of the nature of the products they can only be sold by dermatologists and not at your local CVS or Target. And Jason knew that limited supply meant there would be a high level of demand.

Bringing his father in as a business partner, Jason spent a year investing his early mornings and weekends into building an e-commerce store he called DermWarehouse.

He enlisted the help of his sister, who helped create relationships with brands and vendors, expanding the original ten brands her father had worked with to a whopping 54 brands by end of the first year. And, to complete the family tree, Jason’s mother joined the team to help with the shipping, warehousing and logistical sides of the business. Working with the family, Jason says, has been one of the best parts of the entire undertaking.

The hard work of everyone paid off eventually and DermWarehouse went on to make $30,000 in its eighth month of business. Going forward Jason is looking to capitalize on DermWarehouse’s early growth, expand their awareness through social media and help pair more people with the right solution for their skin.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • DermWarehouse: Check out the Parks family’s full skincare lineup on their 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
"Regardless of what business you are starting, you need a professional website. Make sure your website is great and everything else will follow."
—Jason Parks #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

Get a FREE Audiobook from Audible!

Audible is offering SHS listeners a free copy of the Born For This audiobook with a 30-day trial membership. 📚

Just go to aonc.co/bftaudible and browse the unmatched selection of audio programs and start listening.
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

New Mother Gives Life To Self-Care Coaching Business

What It’s About

In search of a more sustainable routine, a new mother creates a self-care side hustle.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Brittia found that when she spent time offering help to people and sharing her knowledge for free, she got returns that no advertising budget could ever bring. After all, she knew if other people were talking about her business, word would spread further and faster than she could ever manage talking about the business on her own.

Fun Fact

Online coaching is considered to be a $107 billion industry and often requires no extra qualifications to get started. If you’re an expert, you can start coaching right away—and everyone’s an expert at something.

Notes from Chris

Episode 244

When Brittia Kubeczka was preparing to give birth, she knew she’d be bringing something new and joyful and full of life into the world. But little did she know that her pregnancy, and the few weeks post-partum, would also lead to bringing a new side hustle into the world.

The real challenge for Brittia was marketing the business and bringing it in front of the people who needed her help. There were a few false starts, and she found boosting posts on Facebook to be a waste of time. However she really hit her groove when she began going through social media and connecting with entrepreneurs, and her target women, one-by-one where they hang out online. This could be anywhere from Facebook groups, to forums, to blog comments and online communities.

So far Brittia has managed to generate around $8,000 in sales through her coaching and her products and has expanded her product range to also include affirmation cards in different packages. Whilst this still leaves her a little in the red with her start up costs, her new product launch is predicted to increase her income to $2,500 per month and eclipse those initial fees.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Fringe and Fitness: If you’re interested in learning more about self-care, check out Brittia’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

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
"I have since learned to celebrate every sale and client. When I launched my new program I bought myself a custom made purse that I have been wanting for a while"
—Brittia Kubeczka #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

Create a Stunning Website With Wordpress

Today’s episode of Side Hustle School is brought to you by Wordpress.com! Whether you’re looking to create a personal blog, business site, or both—you’ll make a big impact, when you build your website on WordPress.com. 💻

Get 15% off when you build your website with Wordpress.com—use promo code PODCAST when you check out.
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

Tea Sommelier Turns Leaves Into Million-Dollar Business

What It’s About

On the verge of facing workplace conformity after landing a new job, a tea sommelier in Ottawa decides to find another outlet for her inventive urges.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

If you can’t fathom going full-time and being stocked in the Four Seasons, here’s what you should remember:

-Purchase options and bundles are good. Sheena increased her average order size by offering a special version of the tea that came with a container. Pretty basic but it worked!

–Tease Tea’s sales grew exponentially when Sheena listed them on Amazon. That’s not uncommon for the right product. However, it’s not necessarily best to run out and do that right away. Do it after you’ve done some testing and feel confident in what you’re offering.

Fun Fact

Sheena is often featured on-air as a “Tea Expert,” regularly engaging and educating SiriusXM Radio, CTV, Global News & Rogers TV viewers/listeners. If you’re interested in learning more about the benefits of tea and its origins, check out her media page.

Notes from Chris

Episode 240

The side hustler you’ll hear about today now runs a million-dollar business… and in true side hustle fashion, this business started with just a $500 investment by an employee in the hospitality industry who continued to work her day job until her project was bringing in a lot of money and needed her full attention.

Sheena Brady had worked in the hospitality industry for many years, both in her native Canada and abroad. When a new luxury hotel in Toronto invited her to launch the most extensive tea program in the city, she excitedly agreed.

Running such an impressive tea program was rewarding, but it had its drawbacks. The required wardrobe was specific and had no room for interpretation: she had to show up in a suit, pantyhose, red lipstick, heels, hair in a bun, and beige or clear nail polish. For some people, a limited wardrobe and routine can help create focus and clarity, but for Sheena, it ate at her soul.

But she needed to create. She needed to imagine. So she eventually decided to leave that position and took a position at Shopify instead which ended up being a life changing decision for Sheena. Unlike her previous employer, they encouraged her creative instincts and she started creating her own tea blends after work—and they were great (which isn’t a surprise, considering all that training she had).

The entrepreneurial spirit kicked in and, before she knew it, she had developed an entire brand from the ground up. She got in touch with her tea leaf connections from the hotel, sent them her packaging design, and placed her first order.

She naturally got her start on Shopify, but once she was two years in, Sheena put Tease Tea on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca. And thank goodness she did! Growth has been exponential for the last 9 months since then. Sales continue to climb, with the average monthly revenue falling $30,000+!

NOTE: If you’re interested in creating your own e-commerce website but aren’t sure where to start, Shopify has just released a special video series that you may find useful! This comprehensive series is free to you, and Shopify is also offering a 21-day free trial so that you can see if Shopify is right for you.

—>Visit the video series page to learn more!

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Tease Tea: Sip your way over to Sheena’s website and discover a new tea blend to help you with your goals
  • Shopify: Sheena used Shopify to set up her website for Tease Tea, and they’re offering a 21-day trial and exclusive discount for all Side Hustle School listeners!

SEE ALSO:

  • Cottage Law: Interested in starting your own tea side hustle? You might be able to get started in your very own kitchen! Here are the cottage laws in the U.S. by state
  • Entrepreneur Reads Tea Leaves to Launch Subscription Hustle: A New York-based consultant brews his need for energy into a tea delivery service that offers customers a chance to discover new tea varieties each month
  • “Mommee Coffee” Becomes a $20,000/Month Side Hustle: Tired of the guilt associated with consuming coffee while pregnant and breastfeeding, a biomechanical engineer creates a line of coffee bean options that keep Mom happy and baby healthy

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
"The secret to getting ahead is getting started. Too often we bog ourselves down with the granular details and problems that might not even exist or matter yet. Get messy, dive in, tailor and tweak later if necessary."
—Sheena Brady #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

Create a Stunning Website With Wordpress

Today’s episode of Side Hustle School is brought to you by Wordpress.com! Whether you’re looking to create a personal blog, business site, or both—you’ll make a big impact, when you build your website on WordPress.com. 💻

Get 15% off when you build your website with Wordpress.com—use promo code PODCAST when you check out.
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