Tag: Niche Ideas

Peace Corps Alum Tutors U.S. Military Recruits

What It’s About

A returned Peace Corps volunteer helps military recruits with their exams.

Words of Wisdom

Mickey says that when it comes to tutoring, “Persistence is key, and you ALWAYS get more than you give. If you give as much as you can, you’ll likely get more than you need.”

Fun Fact

The National Guard is known as the “civilian soldiers.” They are meant to have full-time jobs, and help when needed. More than 50,000 National Guard Members helped during the clean-up of Hurricane Katrina, and thousands of them have aided with the COVID-19 response.

[SOURCE]

Notes from Chris

Episode 1634
Mickey Gamonal [gamma-knoll] got a degree in secondary education specifically so he could join the Peace Corps right after graduating from college.

He loved his two years of serving in Morocco so much that when it was done, he joined Teach For America. It’s a nonprofit organization focused on ensuring every child in the United States receives a quality education.

Unfortunately, this second service commitment didn’t last long. The teacher burnout hit hard, and Mickey needed a change.

But first, a friend asked for help studying for a test called the ASVAB. This is an important test: it evaluates soldier’s skills, and determines what jobs they’re eligible for.

He began to talk to army recruiters in Las Vegas, his hometown. They were impressed with his work ethic, and the conversations led to him tutoring some of their newly enlisted soldiers skills in English and math.

Mickey knew he could help. The test focused on 7th grade English and math knowledge, and as a veteran middle school teacher, this was exactly up his alley.

This started in the summer of 2020, and by November, he quit his full-time job as a security officer. Mickey knew November was a good month to quit, since he got three paychecks that month instead of two. He couldn’t stop thinking about his business, now called Gamonal Tutors, and he wanted to go all-in.

It helped that he’d recently started breaking even, meaning that he was making the same $1800/month from tutoring that he used to make from security. More importantly, the ability to grow his income over time is totally worth it to Mickey. As a security officer, there wasn’t much room for salary growth, but by running his own business, the possibilities were much more expansive.

Mickey hopes to make Captain before his National Guard six year contract is over. Meanwhile, he’s delving into online learning, eventually hoping to hire more tutors to learn the ropes.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Learn more about Mickey and his tutoring service at his website, GamonalTutors.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

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
"Persistence is key, and you ALWAYS get more than you give. If you give as much as you can, you’ll likely get more than you need."
—Mickey Gamonal #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

Food Scientist Cooks Up Juicy Profits

What It’s About

A doctoral student get’s paid to write about cake and eat it too.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Bryan urges other freelance writers: “Be willing to charge more. Your time is precious and if you have additional expertise, that’s valuable too … It’s easy to see writing as a commodity, but ultimately you’re offering an expression of your thoughts and words to your client.” Just some food for thought.

Fun Fact

Bryan has eaten chicken feet, coagulated pork blood, and durian, the smelliest fruit in the world. Still, he draws the line at “piftie,” a savory gelatin dish from Romania that’s similar to French aspic. His wife’s family is Romanian, so they convinced him to try it.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1632
Back in 2011, Bryan Quoc Le got accepted to PhD programs in chemistry. But he wasn’t sure if the time was right. His father had passed away the year before, so he needed time to reflect and clear his head. He set out to walk across the country and figure out his next steps.

He ended up walking 2,000 miles from his alma mater, UC Irvine, to New Orleans, Louisiana in about six months. The walk was a sort of social experiment to see how far he could go based on the generosity of others. People would just drive by, leave him money, food, or water, and drive away. Through that experience, he found he liked talking to people from all walks of life, sharing stories with anyone he met, and writing about his journey online.

A few years later, Bryan got married and his wife turned him into a foodie. He also got really interested in how food and science intersect. So, in 2015, he started a PhD program in food science. That’s the study of the science and technology involved in creating food at scale. After an internship, though, he realized that he didn’t want to be an R&D scientist for a company. He also didn’t want to do academic research.

Bryan asked himself: what was the sweet spot between what he was good at, what he liked to do, and what the world needs? It turned out that a new path had been marinating this whole time. He had a friend who worked as a freelance journalist and he liked the idea that writing is portable—it was something he could take anywhere. Plus, he loved to tell stories.

Between 2018 and 2019, Bryan earned about $2,000. He wasn’t exactly rolling in dough, but he’d tasted the fruits of his labors and knew he could grow his earnings even more. After a year of writing, he created a portfolio website using JournoPortfolio to help him keep track of his writing samples. He kept writing for free for the association to position himself as an authority in that industry and eventually moved up to managing their blog, Science Meets Food.

Bryan is now earning $4,500/month consistently and projects that he’ll hit $6,000/month in June if all goes according to plan. In the next year or two, he hopes to earn $10,000/month on a consistent basis by adding subdisciplines with high demand, like food safety consulting and technical documentation for food manufacturers

He also plans to add additional revenue streams such as writing a second book and starting a podcast. One of the limitations of freelance writing is that it’s hard to really scale up earnings, because you’d have to raise your rates or complete more projects and there are only so many hours in a day, so adding those revenue streams is smart.

He’s also in talks with a food startup company to become its spokesperson and chief storyteller.

 

 

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
"Be willing to charge more. Your time is precious and if you have additional expertise, that’s valuable too … It’s easy to see writing as a commodity, but ultimately you’re offering an expression of your thoughts and words to your client."
—Bryan Quoc Le #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

Social Worker Finds Calm, Makes Cash with Business Course

What It’s About

A therapist helps others start their own private practice.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Ariana encourages fellow side hustlers to get support from their community. “Let people love and encourage you along the way.”

Fun Fact

Ariana is a single mom, and her kids interrupt many sessions with clients or other therapists. She’s had to pull some hilarious moves to make it look like it’s the camera freezing, and not really her kids trying to kill each other in the background. Still, after 2020, she thinks a lot of people can relate.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1590
Ariana Lloyd is a psychiatric social worker at a VA hospital, and a clinical supervisor for therapists. Many therapists don’t know how to run a business, but she’s that rare person who loves both therapy and business and wanted to help professionals improve in each area.

When two of her colleagues came to her for help setting up their own practices, it sparked an idea. Ariana realized it was deeply satisfying to be a part of their work and to know how many people they could reach. Plus, with all of the increased awareness about racism in 2020, she wanted to create something where therapists build a better model altogether.

Ariana’s new project, Lloyd Collective, has two parts. One is an eight-week program where therapists learn how to set up their own liberation-focused private practice. The program includes videos, worksheets, and resources. Therapists do the work on their own time, then join her each week for two-hour online sessions along with a few of their peers. They can also submit questions to her during the week.

The other part of Lloyd Collective is a monthly workshop and fundraiser. It’s a free, one-hour online workshop each month where Ariana and a clinician teach on topics related to therapeutic practice and business development. They pause in the middle of the workshop and do a collective community donation to a chosen organization. Lloyd Collective then matches the donations.

Lloyd Collective launched in October 2020. To get started, Ariana spent $1,500 on a business coaching course that helped her conceptualize her program, and around $200 on filing an LLC. So far, it’s brought in more than $10,000.

Ariana’s clinical supervision private practice started as a side hustle, too. After going through a divorce, she wanted to create something that allowed her to spend more time with her two kids. That eventually became her main source of income and helped her realize that starting and running a business can be just as much a vehicle for healing as therapy can.

Going forward, Ariana is excited to settle into the business, slow down, and get a dog. She also has a new low-pressure side hustle selling things on Facebook Marketplace.

 

 

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
"put something into the world that you feel genuinely passionate about and proud of. If you are not passionate about what you are contributing to the world, you can’t reasonably expect that others will buy into it either."
—Nico Millado #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

Frequent Flyer Formulates Travel-Friendly Dry Shampoo

What It’s About

Travel-friendly dry shampoo for busy people.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Even if you have a great idea, you may need to put that project on hold until you secure what you need to launch. In this story, Laura used one side hustle (walking dogs) to generate enough money to invest in her other side hustle (Dirty Blonde).

Fun Fact

Laura started a side hustle to pay for her side hustle! She used Rover.com to walk dogs, bringing in $500 a month to keep her out of debt as she invested in Dirty Blonde.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1090

As a Senior Account Manager for a marketing agency, Laura Armstrong is most often found on a plane or in a hotel. The time, effort, and supplies needed to bring her hair to life on the road was a constant struggle. She turned to dry shampoo, but the traditional aerosols constantly made a mess. The alternative shake powders were just as frustrating, and they all came in one shade: white.

Unable to find any options that met her needs, she set to the task of creating her own dirty blonde natural dry shampoo, super packable in a small tin with a no-mess applicator brush. Wash, rinse, and dry turned into dip, dab, and go. Little did she know the long-haul journey it would take her on.

Her side hustle, aptly named Dirty Blonde Dry Shampoo, started with a Rover account, where she walked dogs as a means to save up the money she needed, avoiding any debt. From there, she set up her website on WordPress, paid for social media ads, and invested in enough inventory to make 500 units of dry shampoo. Buying in bulk was key to her profit margin.

After researching the market of regular aerosol dry shampoos, and taking into account the elevated experience she hoped to provide, she set the price at $22 per unit.

Laura’s first sale was to her sister! But it was far from her last. Soon she was dedicating her weekends to making more product, rising early each morning to ship out packages, and sometimes even doing a second run to the post office late in the afternoon.

Her second product was another natural outgrowth of her own needs. Frustrated with how expensive and damaging most hair oil is, Laura again created her own version, and added it to her product line. This addition led to the formation of her Hair Kit, coming with dry shampoo, the application brush, and hair oil to take care of any mane from root to tip.

One year in, monthly profits range from $600 to $2,000, depending on the season and on what marketing experiment she’s trying that month.

For now, Laura continues to build and expand, investing much of the profits into growth. This side hustle is a mane attraction.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Dirty Blonde: Check out Laura’s hair products at here website.
  • Laura uses Shopify to sell her products. (use the link to start a 21-day trial and get 10% off for an entire year!)
  • To bootstrap this hustle, Laura used Rover.com to walk dogs and save enough money to invest in Dirty Blonde.

 

SEE ALSO:

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
"Some people might make you feel like your idea is impossible just because they don’t have the state of mind to create something from scratch and run with it."
—Laura Armstrong #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

Musicians Tune Up Classical Concerts For Families

What It’s About

Two new moms prove there’s a way (and a market) for family-friendly, classical music concerts.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

We love this story because so often a great side hustle idea is found when someone wonders, “why isn’t there a way?” and then makes a way themselves.

Fun Fact

Mozart for Munchkins was started after Sara invited many of her new parent friends to a concert, and they didn’t show up. It was understandable because of all the baby woes – what if the child started crying or wanted to crawl around? Sara understood, but also knew that there had to be a way she could share wonderful music with not only parents, but also the young kids.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1080

As professional musicians, Sara Sherman and Hilary Castle divide their time between performing at concerts and teaching at their own studios. This arrangement is common to many musicians, and the two of them were content. But when these friends both became moms in 2017, they began to wonder if there was a way to bring together their two favorite passions: classical music and young children.

The idea came when Sara was performing at a concert with the Chelsea Symphony. She had invited several of her friends, all of whom were new parents, to come and watch her perform. Her husband had brought their four-month-old daughter along as well, but to Sara’s disappointment, all of her friends had cancelled at the last minute due to baby concerns. What if their little one started crying or needed a diaper change? Nobody dared to bring young kids to a classical music concert.

Sara understood, but at the same time, she didn’t believe that there was no way a family could enjoy music together. After making some calls and checking out the scene, she realised that there was a gap in the market for family friendly concerts. There were musical events that were family friendly, but none that had a first-rate repertoire. Deciding that there was an opportunity to have classical music concerts for everyone, she called up her friend Hilary and said “I have a wild idea.” Within the hour, Mozart for Munchkins was born.

The first thing they did was to set up a website. They marketed their idea to the very same demographic that they were in: new parents—and Facebook groups was their first port of call. With some groups boasting over 10,000 members in the New York City area, Sara and Hilary quickly got their first ticket sales.

It helped that their proposal was entirely unique—no one else was producing concerts that featured Bach or Tchaikovsky to parents with young children. The results spoke for themselves: Mozart for Munchkins sold out their first venue within a week.

Today, Mozart for Munchkins hold anywhere from 8 to 12 concerts every month, each with about 60 adults and 40 children in the audience. This allowed them to generate not only a fair amount of ticket revenue, but also the chance to secure sponsorships from companies as well. Building upon what they’re familiar with, they also started holding music classes for families. These families could now not only enjoy classical music together, but learn how to play an instrument together.

The team is now expanding into the Boston area. By treating their business the same way they do their children—with tender loving care and a lot of attention—their business has managed to grow along with them.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Mozart for Munchkins: Learn more about this family friendly concert series at Sara and Hilary’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
"It’s so important to get input and use it when applicable, listen when you don’t agree, and adjust as needed."
—Sara Sherman #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

Japanese Designer Folds Profitable Paper Wallets

What It’s About

An origami-style paper wallet to keep cash safe in style.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Kan has some great advice for people worried about sharing their ideas; “People seem to be reluctant to share their idea because someone might steal it, but most of the time, that’s not the case. I think I made the right decision to release the DIY version as soon as possible to get feedback and brush it up”

Fun Fact

Origami comes from the Japanese words for “folding” and “paper.” and started in Japan in the 17th century. It has since expanded to be a common art form worldwide. There’s barely anyone who isn’t familiar with the folded paper crane, one of the most common origami symbols.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1076

Kan Yamamoto is a freelance graphic designer and woodworker based in Tosayama, a rural village in southern Japan. There he works with clients around the world from his small studio. Tosayama is a tiny place, with a population of just over one thousand. Kan is from there originally, but it hasn’t always been his home base.

He spent most of his twenties in Switzerland and Germany studying fine art and graphic design. While he enjoyed refining his skills in Europe, the call of home eventually drew him back to Japan. So, in his thirties he returned to the land of the rising sun to rediscover his roots and contribute to the local community.

Living in a rural village has its advantages, including a close proximity to nature and a high quality of life. But there is one great disadvantage: the lack of jobs. It’s why so many people his age move away to the larger cities.

Kan wasn’t willing to compromise. When he returned he was committed to making it work financially. While he looked for design clients he picked up some local jobs, including working as a lumberjack and producing charcoal the traditional way. Even though he got by, he had a more defined long term goal.

You see, most young people from Tosayama move away for work and never return. Kan thought the best thing to do was learn how to start a small business so he could be an example for the younger generation of villagers. He could show them that it didn’t matter where you lived, you could build a global business using your skills and the internet.

Being creative, he began brainstorming ideas for products that he could make by hand. He landed on the idea of a wallet because he couldn’t find the type that he actually wanted. Something slim, lightweight, cruelty free and eco-friendly.

Inspired by the ancient Japanese art of origami, he began folding paper into different shapes in hopes of finding a design that suited his needs. He spent weeks shaping and folding different papers until he eventually found something he liked.

In his career as a designer, he’d worked with many different types of paper and remembered that some were actually machine washable. They were durable and didn’t use any animal products. Turns out paper, which he’d always considered a material for prototyping, was the perfect solution for actually making the wallets.

Kan was serious about this: he didn’t want to launch this side business and have it fold or remain stationary. So he decided to test the market before investing any more time or money. And he did it in a unique way.

Rather than create actual wallets and try to sell them, he designed a template that others could print directly onto paper. With it, they could fold a wallet themselves.

After selling his first few wallets, he received feedback which he used to improve and upgrade the design. He did the same with his ads, the ones that worked he put a little more money behind or improved them, and the ones that didn’t got thrown out like scrap paper. It was a good method that totally worked.

After a year of running the Kamino Wallet as a side hustle, Kan is now selling up to $1,500 worth of wallets per month of which eighty percent is profit. He’s expanded into five different types of wallets and plans to continue obtaining customer feedback to create even more.

Kans story is proof that living in a rural community isn’t an excuse not to get started building your own side hustle. We look forward to watching the rest of the Kamino Wallet story unfold.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Kamino Wallet: Check out Kan’s beautiful wallet designs and order your own at his website.

 

SEE ALSO:

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 hard lesson I learned is that subscribing to a newsletter and paying for a product are different things."
—Kan Yamamoto #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

Door-to-Door Salesmen Take Out the Trash

What It’s About

While others see trash, two friends see a golden opportunity.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Are their problems or pain points in the world that you have the knowledge and skills to solve? If so, you might have found a great side hustle idea.

Fun Fact

Jesse and his partner won a gift card for a local restaurant in a raffle. They decided to use it when they got their first client. Then, they pushed it off until they hired their first employee, because they didn’t feel like they deserved to use it yet.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1074
Jesse Lear didn’t get the idea for his hustle after a long brainstorming session. There wasn’t a funny “aha!” moment either. It just came out of being frustrated with a common, daily problem. Even though Jesse and his roommate lived in a nice apartment, the trash compactor was far from their door, and the closest recycling drop-off was miles away.

When they realized that other people were probably feeling the same frustration, VIP Waste Services was born. Or at least it was born in spirit, because Jesse’s first lead was their property manager, and he didn’t go for it.

That property manager explained that Jesse and his roommate couldn’t just start picking trash for cash. They had to set up a legal business, get insurance, and so on.

So it was back to the drawing board. The two friends both worked in door-to-door sales, selling cable and internet services. This gave them a flexible schedule, which turned out to be very helpful.

They were still set on making VIP Waste Services into a business, so they worked around their jobs. In the morning, Jesse and his roommate would meet up at Panera Bread. If either of them wasn’t up and ready to go in time, they had to buy breakfast for the other. That got them motivated to get out of bed.

For the first several months, that was it. They didn’t have any clients, so Jesse’s workday ended there. After six months of prep work, however, the schedule changed. He and his partner still met up at Panera Bread in the morning, and after that came the day job. But at 8pm, they put on their shiny new hazard vests and went out collecting garbage and recycling.

It turned out there was cash in the trash—six figures of revenue in their first year—and it was a win-win for everyone. Property management companies could offer the doorstep trash service as an amenity (allowing them to increase rent prices to offset the cost). And for residents? Well instead of having to schlep a dirty trash bag, they could just leave it right outside their door at night. When they woke up in the morning, it was gone.

It wasn’t until he buckled down and focused exclusively on VIP Waste Services that the business saw its greatest periods of growth. That grind and dedication helped VIP Waste Services go from a late-night side hustle to a company with seven-figure revenue. The business even grew to span five cities across three states, and Jesse and his partner sold the company in 2018.

He’s now working on a new project that manages high-end AirBnB rentals. Whether it proves as promising as waste services or not, he’ll be able to spend his time on whatever attracts his attention next. All because he was frustrated by having to take out the trash.

  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
"Your idea doesn’t have to be original to be good. Simply find an unmet need that people actually care about, and then figure out a way to fill it to their satisfaction."
—Jesse Lear #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

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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.
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To infinity and beyond,

Chris Guillebeau

Product Manager Profits From Carnivorous Plants

What It’s About

The world’s greatest resource for lovers of carnivorous plants.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

David has some great words about niche ideas: “By definition, niche hobbies have small communities supporting them. Word travels fast in small communities. Building positive relationships with members of your community is crucial in building and maintaining a good reputation. Overdeliver for your customers. Treat your vendors with respect, and try to find ways to delight them.”

Fun Fact

There are roughly 600 different species of carnivorous plants, some of which have come up with incredible ways to catch their prey. From a pitcher plant’s cup-shaped trap to the closing ‘mouth’ of a Venus flytrap these fascinating plants have become master hunters, without stepping so much as an inch from their roots.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1073

David Fefferman takes his hobbies seriously; he’s the type of person that doesn’t do anything halfway. When he becomes interested in something, it becomes an obsession. He’s also always been business-minded, even from a young age. In fact, his very first side hustle was selling Pokemon cards to fellow students in elementary school.

Around the same time that he was obsessing over Pikachu, he discovered carnivorous plants. They’re plants that obtain their nutrients by trapping insects and sometimes small animals, instead of from soil. The most famous is the Venus flytrap, but there are hundreds of other species.

His interest started when a friend brought one to school as a science fair project. That same day David begged his mom to take him to the nursery so he could get his own, and he was instantly hooked.

Over the years these fascinating plants became one of David’s true passions. He dedicated himself to learning everything there is to know so that he could grow many different types. Sure, that venus flytrap was the most popular, but he also ventured into Sundews, Pitchers, Cobra Lilies and dozens of others that most people have never heard of.

The community of growers helped David foster this hobby and turn it into a passion. As he got a little older he’d attend local meetups to learn more from experienced members. Within that group, he’d sell or trade drawings of plants to obtain species he desired but didn’t yet have.

Fast forward to 2017 and David was doing some online research regarding the plants. But he noticed it was hard to find useful information. Tips on how to grow the plants, what sort of nutrients they preferred and what climate they liked were severely lacking.

At the time, David was working remotely as a Product Manager for PayPal, a technical role in a large business. Gaining technical knowledge, and an ability to work remote were huge perks of the job.

He decided to use his technical prowess to create an online resource. Something with easy-to-digest info about everything related to all different species of carnivorous plants.

He registered the domain CarnivorousPlantResource.com … and it cost him almost nothing. Since he did all the work himself, his only costs were for the domain name and hosting, around one hundred dollars total.

He spent the next several months filling the site with content. His goal was to make this the only resource anyone would need to learn about the topic, a sort of Wikipedia for carnivorous plants. Something so useful that he himself would reference it when needed. A place to devour anything necessary to become a carnivorous expert.

Since there were very few quality resources online for this topic, Google began to reward David for his efforts with traffic through their search engine. On top of that growth, the online carnivorous plant community helped spread the word that David’s resource was THE place to go.

In 2019, so far David’s marketplace has generated over thirty thousand dollars in sales. He’s on track to earn commissions of over six thousand dollars by the end of the year and is confident that number will only grow in 2020.

From a childhood hobby, to a now successful side business. David’s story is proof that with a little effort and a lot of passion… anything grows!

 

 

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
"Building positive relationships with members of your community is crucial in building and maintaining a good reputation. Overdeliver for your customers."
—David Fefferman #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

Friends Turn Gift Boxes into Prosperous Project

What It’s About

Two friends team up to make presents more presentable.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

For other side hustlers, Gabi and Catherine highly recommend developing a network of people around them who know the answers to things they don’t. Whether that’s founders who are 1-2 years ahead of you and have lived through some lessons, founders who are 10 years in and household names, or their “BFF Google”, the answer to everything is out there, and you will save money, time, blood, sweat and tears if you ask first.

Fun Fact

Gifts and presents are used interchangeably but do you know, they are not exactly the same? According to Dictionary.com, if you give something to the recipient at a ceremony, it is a present. Otherwise it’s a gift.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1073

Gabi Koshgarian and Catherine Wang have been best friends since their senior year of college. After graduating, they found themselves living just four blocks from each other in New York City as both embarked on careers in finance.

As their personal and professional lives grew, they each attended more and more events, which means they needed gifts. Both Gabi and Catherine absolutely love gifting, and always put effort into making their gifts thoughtful.

Unfortunately, they found their customized approach made gifting somewhat of a hassle. After finding the “perfect gift”, they were left with toddler-style wrap jobs, “Oh no! We forgot the card!” last-minute sprints, and uninspiring department store gift bags when they were particularly desperate. Of course, there was one other option—the pre-curated gift box.

But even when the boxes were chic and beautifully presented, the tradeoff was often generic, impersonal gifts their recipient didn’t want or need. That didn’t work for Gabi and Catherine.

So, they searched for more solutions to their gifting problems. One would think it would have been an easy search- after all, unique packaging for gifts is certainly nothing new. Fun fact: the first documented use of wrapping paper goes all the way back to Ancient China circa 2nd century BC.

But Gabi and Catherine found nothing that met their needs … and the options they did discover left them underwhelmed—they could either have beautiful presentation or the personal touch they were looking for, but not both.

So, naturally, they decided they would create a ‘ready to gift’ gift packaging that they called BlankBox. It’s just as it sounds: a set of gift boxes featuring chic designs, no visible branding, a fold-over magnetic closure, and a built-in satin ribbon for that effortless first impression.

Plus, each BlankBox—in three simple steps—becomes a custom gift box with a personalized gift tag, featuring handwritten calligraphy text or a printed corporate logo. And, of course, they are convenient. BlankBox arrives right to your door and ready to roll… just add your gift and go.

Gabi and Catherine believed in their new idea for a chic, turnkey packaging solution, and so did many of the people they market-tested, which encouraged them to move forward. They immediately began sourcing the product, which—of course—required money.

These startup costs weren’t cheap. All in, they spent approximately $30,000, more than $24,000 of which went to their first packaging order. They opted for a large first order to keep their profit margin high and sourced their materials from a Chinese vendor after a process of trial and error to find the perfect options.

Their investment proved fruitful, and in the first year, BlankBox earned back $30,000, allowing them to repay themselves. They not only broke even but also had product left over for their second year.

Entering year two and poised for higher profits, the BlankBox hustle is all wrapped up in a nice satin ribbon.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • BlankBox: Get your own BlankBox and start gifting today at Gabi and Catherine’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

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 get what you don’t talk for."
—Gabi Koshgarian #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

Stripping Down Yoga To The Bare Essentials

What It’s About

Yoga that removes all the barriers.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

If you’re thinking of launching your own naked yoga business Dan warns that the information out there is limited. He suggests creating a mission statement first. “You’ve got to be clear about what kind of culture you’re creating with the group and make sure people understand what to expect.”

Fun Fact

Men were expected to swim nude in public swimming pools (like the YMCA) until the 1960’s, and non-sexual nude culture still exists in many countries outside the US.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1067
Dan Carter moved to Washington D.C. after college and started working for the Discovery Channel. The job was fine, but he quickly found himself in a bad groove. He’d get little sleep, work long hours, then relax over an adult beverage or two at the bar with his friends. Over the next four years, he found himself less confident, less energetic, and less healthy—and he wanted to take control of his life and body.

For him, the answer was obvious: yoga. He’d been practicing since high school—though he’d certainly been far from consistent since starting the new job. It was meditative, refreshing, and brought him to a healthy sweat. He knew he could reconnect with his healthy and balanced self by returning to his practice.

Within a few months, Dan started to feel alive again. He woke up early, found friends who go on runs together instead of to the bar, and his beer belly stopped expanding. This was it. This was what he wanted to do, at least part-time.

He started teaching yoga classes under the name Danimal Yoga. He’d rent space from a local studio for an hourly fee, and all he had to do was find paying class-takers. Dan was quickly making a name for himself in the DC yoga community, and before long he left his job at the Discovery Channel. Dan’s hustle became his full-time gig.

But little did he know he was about to stumble upon another hustle—one that would make him more in-tune with his body than ever before.

A friend invited Dan to a “men’s-only” class, and he agreed. He didn’t find out until an hour before the class that it would be completely nude. Dan was nervous, but he knew that getting out of his comfort zone was usually a healthy thing to do.

The class was great. There was something special about the non-sexual vulnerability of doing yoga naked. He felt a newfound appreciation for his body, and didn’t feel uncomfortable since he wasn’t the only one.

The group, however, was struggling to keep a steady pace and needed a consistent leader. With years of experience, Dan was the clear choice. So within a month of that first class, he had a new hustle: DC Naked Yoga.

For those first few months, Dan could rely on only a few die-hard fans to show up each week. Everyone else in the group came and went from month to month, seemingly without a pattern. But once Dan gave the group a digital presence, he started experiencing more regular attendance. DC Naked Yoga was becoming less of an event to go to, and more of a community to be part of.

Since that first year, Dan has hired other yoga instructors as contractors to lead new classes, planned naked yoga retreats in the woods, and started offering new kinds of classes. Between Danimals and DC Naked Yoga, he’s earning just over $4,000 per month.

He still loves all types of yoga, but he knows that naked yoga, in particular, has a lot of room to grow. There are a lot of people out there who would benefit from a non-sexual nude space where they could truly embrace themselves in a vulnerable way—they just don’t know that one exists.

So he’s going to start testing paid ads to expand his reach. He’s also looking to expand into new class types and payment options to grow the business, because most of his classes are booked our weeks in advance. But while the thrill of growing a business has been an adventure, it’s a small prize compared to the reward of creating a unique experience and community.

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
"Creating a non-sexual nude space is an important reminder of our own body’s uniqueness, an appreciation for the uniqueness of our neighbors’ bodies, and an opportunity to be vulnerable with them."
—Dan Carter #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