Tag: Niche Ideas

Agricultural Teacher Earns $200,000 Selling Lesson Plans

What It’s About

An agriculture teacher grows and nurtures a six-figure side income using a niche market.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

This project serves a very specific group of people. While some find marketing to a small group of people limiting, Alicia credits it for her success. One Less Thing had very little competition and came up at the top of searches when people were looking for agricultural education materials. Plus, she could rely on people learning about her products by word of mouth, since the community was so tight-knit.

Fun Fact

At one point, Alicia and Brian decided that both of them would work for the business. Only 6 months after that, however, the worst economic downfall since the recession hit. They didn’t have a steady paycheck or benefits. The two learned that if they were both going to work for the business, they should act like they already were only living off the business before the other spouse quit their job. If they couldn’t survive without dipping into the other spouse’s paycheck, they weren’t ready yet.

Notes from Chris

Episode 592
In 2006, Alicia Tomlinson had just become a parent. She and her husband Brian were thrilled at the arrival of their firstborn, but Alicia quickly realized that her long work days as an agricultural education teacher just wouldn’t work, at least not for a while. She decided that she wasn’t going to come back for the next school year and instead would focus completely on being a full-time mom. This, at the time, seemed like a much-needed break.

That “break” was over before it began. As soon as her fellow teachers found out she was leaving the school system for good, they began asking her about making course materials for them. Alicia wasn’t sure about taking on the extra work but agreed to at least show her friends the materials she had on hand. They were amazed. They couldn’t stop talking about how much time they’d save if they had these materials.

Naturally, Alicia was stunned! She knew that there were very few resources for agricultural education teachers, but had no idea that her personal materials would be so attractive to her peers.

That’s when she got to thinking—what could she do if she really devoted time and effort into creating a product and sold it? After all, she was already well versed in all kinds of agricultural subjects, from forestry to veterinary science to meat science to parliamentary procedure. Plus, she knew what teachers wanted, since, well, she was one. After some deliberation, Alicia decided she would try it out—much to the delight of her friends in the industry.

As Alicia continued to learn about what this side hustle would take to produce, she realized how few materials were necessary to start making products. She already owned a computer and had recently been gifted a printer. All she needed was a pouch laminator. It cost $500—not a small amount of money per se—but it was the only thing she had to buy. Not bad for overall start-up costs!

With her business tools assembled, Alicia began to create her first products. She started with two products almost every kind of agricultural education teacher could use. The first was a review game all about the Future Farmers of America, or FFA. She decided to price the game at $50. The second product was a series of “icebreakers” for teachers to use at the beginning of the school year to help the students get to know one another.

Alicia knew that teachers could create products like this themselves, but that wasn’t the point. The point was that they no longer would have to, which Alicia knew would be attractive.

She began making other class materials and eventually expanded into study cards for something called Career Development Events. At these events, students have to identify all kinds of things from slices of meat to species of plants and animals, to types of industry equipment. It was unrealistic for teachers to have examples of all of those things on hand, and they were often forced to create their own study cards. Alicia decided that she was going to do it for them.

That was the product that really put her business, now called One Less Thing, on the market. Teachers were telling one another all about Alicia’s products, and word traveled quickly in the tight-knit group. Plus, Alicia was speaking at agriculture education conferences and getting a ton of exposure there. After the cows were put out to pasture, Alicia made $35,000 in revenue that year!

One Less Thing has now grown to become more than just a side hustle, and she now produces lesson plans in addition to the other products. Altogether, it pulls in about $200,000 a year, giving both Alicia and her husband the opportunity to work on it full-time. They can support their now family of five with the side hustle Alicia happened to give a chance a few years ago.

Alicia still can’t believe that she gets to do what she does as a job. She loves being able to attend every event her kids have and to be able to eat lunch with her husband every day. She’ll keep putting out her ag-ed resources until the cows come home.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • One Less Thing: If you’re interested in learning more about Ag education, hoof it on over to Alicia’s blog to learn more!
  • Shopify: Alicia used Shopify to set up her site for One Less Thing, and they’re offering a 21-day trial and exclusive discount for all Side Hustle School listeners!

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
"Advice from customers is great, but take it with a grain of salt and not as an absolute truth. What they want and what they will buy are two very different things."
—Alicia Tomlinson #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

Cook with Blue Apron!

Supporting the sponsors keeps the show free. Today’s episode of Side Hustle School is brought to you by Blue Apron. 👩‍🍳

Check out this week’s menu and get your first three meals FREE, with free shipping. Get ready to say mmmmmm.
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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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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

Louisiana Oil Worker Creates Premium Duffel Bag

What It’s About

Badass work bags for badasses who work hard.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

The most effective marketing strategies have been word of mouth and SEO. Every order comes with stickers and fun promotional items customers can use, which help with brand visibility. And SEO helps to connect with people who are looking for the Bad Ass Work Gear brand, or similar items, and bring them into his sales funnel. The strategy seems to be working, as Paul has received photographs of his bags being used as far north as Alaska!

Fun Fact

Paul’s mom got in an argument with her boss because he wanted to order Bad Ass Work Bags. She let him know that it was her son’s company and that she had a vendor that could do them cheaper (Yeah, thanks mom!). Her boss countered, “Everyone in the oilfield is talking about these Bad Ass Work Bags! We want these.”

Notes from Chris

Episode 586

Have you ever heard of an offshore bag? It’s a large, robust, vinyl bag carried by oil workers in Louisiana. They aren’t pretty, but they’re highly functional—designed to survive harsh environments and long-term daily use.

Paul Chittenden has been carrying one since he was nine years old when he was given one to carry his hunting gear—that’s right, they start ‘em young in the Bayou. As his life progressed to work on oil rigs and platforms, presumably when he was at least 12 years old, these bags became an essential part of his daily life, as they were for all of his colleagues.

The thing is, Paul never realized offshore bags weren’t commonplace for the rest of the oil industry. As he began to work in sales with people around the country, he was met with a look of puzzled bewilderment whenever he mentioned them.

There were over one million people in the American oil industry who could benefit from having an offshore bag. If he could break into that market and share the benefits with the masses, he could have a real business on his hands.

Paul started by researching how much it would cost to manufacture one of these bags. He headed over to ThomasNet—a supplier and product sourcing website—and looked for anyone who worked with vinyl and bags. Surprisingly enough, people offering this service were hard to come by, and even when Paul found a supplier with potential, there were lots of roadblocks to contend with. They either weren’t willing to work with him at all or weren’t willing to produce a small amount of stock. It felt like the business was about to fall at the first hurdle. But, Paul had an idea.

Instead of buying a large amount of stock and hoping to sell it, he could create the bags as made-to-order. When an order came in, he could have the bag made up and sent to the customer. So, he began to look for seamstresses who could create the bags for him.

With his inventory problem solved, Paul set about naming the company. He wanted something rugged and strong, like his bags, which would resonate with the hardened men he was targeting. He settled on Bad Ass Work Bags which the guys in his circle loved. (The name has since changed to Bad Ass Work Gear after expanding his inventory.)

Bad Ass Work Gear has generated great revenue over the three years it’s been around, generating $60,000 revenue in its first year, $110,000 in the second and is on track of for $150,000 this year.

Looking to the future, Paul wants to expand into other areas and is looking at creating bags for Firefighters. He’s also thinking ahead about how he can create t-shirts and other branded clothing for badass workers all over the country.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Bad Ass Work Gear: If you’d like to learn more about the ebikes John is flipping, head on over to his website!
  • WordPress & WooCommerce: The platforms that Paul used to create his website and payment process for Bad Ass Work Gear
  • ThomasNet: The supplier and product sourcing website that Paul used to look for a supplier before he moved forward with local sewing partners instead

 

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 think most people spend too much time thinking and refining their idea until they are blue in the face. I know, because I’ve done it! But there are much better uses of your time."
—Paul Chittenden #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

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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.


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

Oil & Gas Worker Becomes Sports Videographer for Polo Games

What It’s About

A photography side hustle that specializes in getting players noticed.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

One lesson learned: During a game in which he’s being paid by both teams, he always collects full payment upfront from both of those teams before the game. If not, the loser might not pay at the end of the game. He learned this the hard way.

Fun Fact

Alvaro is not just a long-time listener of the Side Hustle School podcast, he also watches Your Business by MSNBC where it features business submitted by the public in a section called #YOURBIZSELFIE. Alvaro sent MSNBC a photo and explained what he does without any expectation. One day, he saw his business appeared on national TV and was surprised by it.

Notes from Chris

Episode 581

Alvaro Plaza is a project planner at an oil and gas service company in Houston, Texas. While he’s doing well in his job now, he always wanted to start a side hustle. He used to work as an Uber driver part-time, but he wanted something that was more within his own control.

Like many of our listeners, Alvaro had many business ideas. He thought about starting an espresso van, building a digital marketing agency, working in real estate, and more. While having a lot of ideas is great, it’s crucial to take action. Alvaro didn’t move on with any idea he had until January 2016. At the time he had been laid off by his company, and everything changed.

At that time, his son was playing soccer in 9th grade. Alvaro always loved photography and filming as a form to preserve memories. He thought if he could film the game, create some highlights, and send those to coaches, his son would have more opportunities to get a soccer scholarship. Besides, these highlights can one day become great sports memories for his son too. That was when a brilliant idea flashed across his mind.

He called his new project Champions Sports Films.

Athletes need services like this if they want to increase recruiting opportunities. Besides, they could also use these replays for self and team improvement. Alvaro thought he could package it as a service targeting coaches and families with athletes. Furthermore, it was a weekend side hustle so that even when he found another full-time job, he would still be able to continue growing it on the side.

After Alvaro filmed his son’s game, the opposing team’s coach came over to talk with him. He wanted Alvaro to film their game so they could learn from the replays and highlights. That was when Alvaro got his first customer. With the quick success, he knew that there were more opportunities to make more money. He didn’t celebrate getting the first sale because all he was thinking about was how to get more clients.

Champions Sports Films had a humble beginning. Alvaro made only $6,000 in profit in 2016. It wasn’t a big paycheck, but it was growing. Then, he made $15,000 in profit in 2017. Halfway through July, he had made $17,000 in 2018 up to July. Alvaro’s goal is to make a total $30,000 in profit this year and expand the business to other cities in the future.

By our math, Alvaro’s $4,000 investment has turned into $38,000 and counting. It’s also brought him a wealth of experiences, the confidence to think about one day doing this full-time, and the passion to try out new projects.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Champions Sports Films: Learn more about Alvaro and his photography/videography service over on his website
  • WordPress: Alvaro used WordPress to setup Champions Sports Films, and here you can learn how to install your own WordPress site in 5 minutes
  • Adobe Premiere Pro, YouTube, & Dropbox: Three of the programs and platforms that Alvaro used for his videos

 

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
"While photography and videography may be a saturated market, there are lots of different methods you can use to stand out. Always be on the lookout for ways to adapt your service to fit the needs of others."
—Alvaro Plaza #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

Move Forward With Uber!

Side Hustle School is brought to you by Uber—the company determined to improve the ridesharing experience for both riders and drivers.

I've seen a lot of these improvements firsthand, but don't just take my word on it! Read more about all of the ways Uber is moving forward—head on over to Uber.com.🚘 Learn More

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

Aussie Stretches Out with Online Store for Tall Women

What It’s About

A clothing brand that sends highwaters packing!

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Because size matters, Natalie had to decide which sizes to work with when creating her samples. So, like almost anyone in this day and age, she took to Instagram to ask her audience what sizes they wanted to see represented most. Most people tend to fall within the small-to-large range, but if there were significant outliers in the extra-small or extra-large categories, Natalie wanted to make sure that their wrists would be covered, too.

Fun Fact

While they might have a reach that makes you envious, taller people have slower reactions. That’s because it takes a bit longer for the nerve signals to travel to the brain. In one study, researchers found the signals slowed down 0.17 meters per second for every centimeter taller a person was. That must mean that the reaction time for the 8’11 tall Robert Wadlow, the tallest man ever, was slower than glacial melt.

Notes from Chris

Episode 565

There is a little-known plight in this world. It is often seen and usually ignored. But its effects are far-reaching and wide-ranging. It is only when the stars align during a solar eclipse that a solution to this plight is brought into the world. Or… at least that’s what it feels like for women over 5’10 looking for jeans that come past their ankles or sleeves that actually meet their wrists. Standing in all her glory at 6’3”, Natalie Matthews, an eCommerce manager by day and hero to tall women everywhere by night, knew this problem all too well.

Natalie spends her days in Melbourne, Australia managing clients and drinking fantastic coffee. And, up until she started her side hustle in 2016, she spent her nights dealing with the extreme frustration that comes with the inability of finding clothes that are long enough.

After countless hours of online searching, and many shrunken items of clothing, Natalie decided to take matters to her own hands. No longer would she be stifled with a lack of choice or frumpy clothing that more closely resembled potato sacks than cute outfits. She was better than that. It was time for her to take the challenge head-on and create the change she wanted to see in the world. Positive change, with better hemlines.

Natalie knew that she wasn’t alone in her struggle because she had a community of similarly tall women on Instagram to commiserate with. But she knew that it wouldn’t be enough to merely source and re-sell items of clothing. No. She would have to reach for the top shelf and design and make the clothing herself. After all, at a statuesque 6’3, she knew where things would need to fit better and how silhouettes should be crafted. And there would be no better test than her own day-to-day life.

The possibilities were endless as she began to think about all the things she could make, and all the places she would be able to wear properly proportioned clothes. If she was this excited just daydreaming about it, Natalie knew that she had stumbled onto a keeper of a side hustle idea. She would now be able to reach the Height-Of-Fashion.

Since she started Height of Fashion back in 2016, Natalie has used about $40,000 of her savings, and a lot of elbow grease, to fund her side hustle. She knew that investing this much money would be a risk, however worthwhile, but she also knew that she’d be in her job for a long time.

She had to invest in a website, marketing materials, and, to quote the lady herself: “about a thousand other things” to get her side hustle off the ground. Now, Natalie gets about 25 orders, or $2,600 a month, to put right back into her business and cover things like photography, website hosting, shipping fees, import duties, barcode fees, and transaction costs.

While it helped that Natalie has a background in eCommerce, she still had a lot to learn on her feet. She told us that had she not started Height of Fashion from the ground up, she doesn’t think that she would have had the knowledge, experience, or the expertise in the eCommerce sector that she does now. In her words, “getting my hands dirty and starting something from scratch that touches so many areas across the supply chain really improves your confidence.”

It’s a top-shelf adventure—we’ll see how high she can go!

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Height-Of-Fashion: Women of height unite! No longer should you have to be reduced to ill-fitting clothing—snag some sweet threads over on Natalie’s website
  • Shopify: Natalie used Shopify to set up her site for Height-Of-Fashion, and they’re offering a 21-day trial and exclusive discount for all Side Hustle School listeners!
  • Upwork: The global freelancing platform that helps businesses connect with independent freelancers remotely

 

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 learned so much starting Height of Fashion! I do solo what many of my clients do with a team of 20. That, for me, is by far the biggest achievement. I love that I am still adapting, still creating, and still changing."
—Natalie Matthews #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

Underwear Side Hustle Turns Into $500,000/Month Business

What It’s About

An inclusive underwear company for every body.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Fran and Naomi did a lot of research prior to launching and while they were building TomboyX, and one of the most important things they learned along the way was that lifestyle brands with real staying power started by focusing on one “hero” product and building from there. Their customers had been asking them to make boxer briefs for women, so they listened. And that’s how they found their hero product that paved the path for new products!

Fun Fact

Fran and Naomi have quite a knack for spontaneity—in 2014, they surprised friends by staging a surprise wedding during a flag football game. “At halftime, the ref, who was an ordained clergy, blew a whistle and married us right there,” Fran remembers with a laugh.

Notes from Chris

Episode 556

Fran Dunaway is the CEO and Co-Founder of TomboyX. The company makes underwear, swimwear, and loungewear that isn’t for everybody but is for anybody. They’re focused on fit and quality, offering every style in sizes XS to 4X. They’ve gone from zero employees 2 years ago to 15 today.

Before they started what was supposed to be a side project, Fran and her co-founder Naomi (who is also her wife) weren’t experts in fashion. Both of them had careers they enjoyed. But they also had a burning desire to make beautiful button-up shirts for women. They wanted to create a shirt with fine quality fabric, fun details and fit for a woman’s body. They chose the name TomboyX because they thought it was cute.

To compensate for their lack of background in the fashion industry, Fran and Naomi did a lot of research. They wanted to see what made a lifestyle brand truly “stick” with a dedicated fan base, as opposed to all the ones that came and went. They discovered something important: the lifestyle brands with staying power started by focusing on one ‘hero’ product and building from there. This doesn’t mean that they don’t expand and add products, but it does mean that they build the core business around that one hero product.

A Kickstarter project for TomboyX shirts out-raised its $75,000 goal, but they also learned something important through the process. The hero product for TomboyX was boxer briefs for women. They got more requests for that than anything else.

With this brief front in mind, they set out to make the softest, longest lasting waistband out there. They were determined to create one that you don’t even notice because it’s so comfortable, doesn’t leave a mark, and doesn’t cut off your circulation.

Since then they’ve perfected the formula for spending on ads and bringing in new customers, especially through Facebook ads, but also through podcast ad buys and other mediums. They have a team that does nothing but work on this. Instagram has been especially important for engagement, and they communicate daily with more than 75,000 followers.

If that sounds intimidating, remember, this is now a company. It wasn’t their goal to turn their side project into a multi-million dollar operation.

They found their hero product, but they also made their customers their heroes. Images on that Instagram profile and their website tell the stories of the target market they started with: not everybody, but anybody. They’ve clearly struck the right tone with the right products and the right audience.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • TomboyX: Life is too short to wear underwear you’re not comfortable in. There’s something for everybody over on Fran and Naomi’s website!
  • Kickstarter | TomboyX: The Kickstarter campaign that started it all!
  • Shopify & Amazon: The two platforms that Fran and Naomi used to sell their products
  • ShipStation & Stamps.com: The two platforms that they used to ship out all of their products
  • MailChimp: The email marketing platform that the duo used to help manage their subscribers
  • Google Suite, Dropbox, Slack & Asana: The multiple platforms and programs that Fran and Naomi used for productivity

 

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
"Our research taught us that the lifestyle brands with legitimate staying power started by focusing on one ‘hero’ product and building from there."
—Fran Dunaway #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

Move Forward With Uber!

Side Hustle School is brought to you by Uber—the company determined to improve the ridesharing experience for both riders and drivers.

I've seen a lot of these improvements firsthand, but don't just take my word on it! Read more about all of the ways Uber is moving forward—head on over to Uber.com.🚘 Learn More

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

Doctor’s Diagnosis Becomes Food Diary Side Hustle

What It’s About

A personalized food diary to keep track of sensitivities.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

A key point from this story: Laura searched high and low for a journal, but every food journal was intended for weight loss—not chronic illnesses.

Finding gaps in the industry like this is how so many great side hustles start out! Is there something you use that’s okay, but could be improved? It could make for a great side hustle.

Fun Fact

The word ‘colygraphia’ means “writer’s block.” Rumour has it that when Dr. Seuss had colygraphia, he would go to a secret closet in his house that was filled with hundreds of hats and wear them until he was re-inspired to write.

Notes from Chris

Episode 552

According to science, writing things down is a highly-effective way to remember both day-to-day and big life events. While it might seem old school, it’s a method that is tried-and-true. This method applies as well to health issues like food sensitivities. That’s why Laura Mulkerne’s doctor recommended that she start keeping a food diary when she was diagnosed with IBS and Coeliac disease in 2016.

The full-time communications manager based in the UK had been feeling off for years, but could never pinpoint what, exactly, was the cause. When her doctor told her she had both IBS and Coeliac, Laura wasn’t totally surprised.

But the diagnoses didn’t answer all her problems, and Laura’s doctor still told her to keep a daily food journal that would help her track her meals and the corresponding symptoms that followed them, too. She needed to track her daily meals, the times she ate, and portion sizes to figure out exactly what triggered her symptoms.

If it sounds almost like detective work, that’s because Laura says it is!

Laura searched high and low for a journal that would help her keep track of everything she needed, but it seemed like every food journal was intended for weight loss—not chronic illnesses. Apps were no help either, for much the same reason. Not only were they also geared toward weight loss, Laura found them clunky and difficult to use.

Laura needed something better than an ill-suited journal or an annoying app, so she created her own system in a notebook as a tool to help her get better, alongside her appointments with doctors and nutritionists. As the days turned into months, Laura got tired of drawing out the pages every day and decided to create her own, proper diary. One night, as she stayed up late playing around with templates and formatting, an idea occurred to her. Laura thought that maybe, just maybe, she couldn’t be the only person who needed a food journal to keep track of their chronic illness.

If her notebook format worked for her, it might work for other people too, especially since one in five people have IBS in the United Kingdom. And there are even more in the U.S.—45 million people, approximately. But Laura knew there were more chronic illnesses that needed food monitoring than IBS. The more she thought about it, the more she knew she needed to create this for people other than just herself.

But first, Laura had to fine-tune this journal. Her system worked for her, but if the food diary was going to help other people it needed to take everything into account.

After about 18 months of side hustling, The Food Diary Co. now brings in about £1,000 ($1,300) per month, and that figure is continuing to grow. Laura credits her side hustle success to her Instagram following, organic search traffic, and online coverage traffic from sources like Buzzfeed and relevant bloggers.

Laura is ready to turn the next page on her side hustle and is working on growing it even more by building a new website and investing more time in her marketing strategy. While she doesn’t have plans to turn her side hustle into her full-time job just yet, she does look forward to the day when she has enough additional income to pay for a holiday abroad.. or two. From the sounds of it, it seems like Laura is on the write track.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • The Food Diary Co.: You can learn an awful lot about yourself and your body tracking what you eat. If you’re interested in what keeping a food diary can tell you, learn more over on Laura’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
"My first sale was so exciting! The business is mainly online, so getting that little email notification was so fun. I still feel inordinately pleased now when I open my email and see orders coming in!"
—Laura Mulkerne #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

Cook with Blue Apron!

Supporting the sponsors keeps the show free. Today’s episode of Side Hustle School is brought to you by Blue Apron. 👩‍🍳

Check out this week’s menu and get your first three meals FREE, with free shipping. Get ready to say mmmmmm.
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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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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

What’s In the Box? Low-Carb, Low-Sugar Snacks

What It’s About

A healthy snack subscription service.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

How exactly has Dawna been able to find so much success so early in? Well, it boils down to a few different things: 1) the fact that she grew her audience before actually launching, 2) that initial 15% lifetime discount to her first round of subscribers, and 3) the value that she places on customer feedback. She started sending out a survey each month to get a feel for what her subscribers like and do not like, and this has really helped her create a better box month after month.

Fun Fact

Prelaunch is an excellent strategy to validate your business idea. Many entrepreneurs are using this strategy to test if their business idea has a demand. By running a prelaunch, you get to know whether people are willing to pay for your product before spending the time and money in creating one. For Dawna, it generated traction and helped build a highly targeted audience who are interested in buying her product.

Notes from Chris

Episode 546

By day, Dawna Boone is a Certified Public Accountant who works for a mortgage company in Dallas. And she isn’t just really good at her job—she genuinely enjoys what she does and has no desire to change that. But like many others listening to the show, she wanted something more… something different and fun that could potentially help her to develop new skills.

What she wanted was a side hustle.

As an avid listener of our show, Dawna was introduced to a multitude of new ideas and interesting business models that she had never really considered on her own. Of all these ideas, she found that she was particularly interested in subscription box-based side hustles. But what would her subscription be? She wasn’t sure.

All of that changed in November of 2017 with Ep. 333. It was about a subscription box called My Bariatric Box that was tailored to those who had undergone bariatric bypass surgery. The featured side hustler, Nikki Willmore, having gone through the procedure herself, found that all of the weight she had struggled to get rid of was making a Brittany Spears comeback 13 years later. When she discovered that others like her were also struggling to find solutions to their midday snacking woes, she realized that this was a need that she could fill.

While Dawna didn’t really have any direct, personal experience dealing with dietary restrictions, many of her family members did. Her mother and several of her relatives were living with Type-2 Diabetes, so she knew that the struggles were real.

With some research under her belt, Dawna knew that at the very least, conditions like Type-2 could be better managed with a proper diet. And at best, it could even be prevented or reversed!

But unfortunately, grocery stores are packed with sugar and carb loaded food items as far as the eye can see. And Dawna knew that it was a challenge for many people to find the right kind of foods to eat—even more so for those with heavily restricted diets like her family members with diabetes.

When she started putting together the foundation for the service she wanted to offer, she figured that it would be wise to focus on low-sugar and low-carb snacks since those pesky midday cravings end up being the hardest. Dawna’s goal? Providing a healthier, easy-to-grab alternative to the overly processed snacks found in vending machines and office break rooms.

And that’s really how the idea for Sugar Smart Box came to fruition. The box was created with diabetics in mind—but would still be great for anyone looking to cut back on their sugar and carb intake. I’m sure by this point you’re asking, “But what’s in the box, Chris? What’s in the box??” Dawna wanted to include a variety of at least seven different salty and sweet snacks with < 5g of sugar and < 9g net carbs per serving—everything from jerky to cakelets!

Although she’s still in her first year of Sugar Smart Box, she’s currently bringing in around $5,000 per month in revenue.

Now that she’s had a taste of what it’s like to build a side hustle of her very own, Dawna shows no sign of slowing down, and she hopes that changing snacking habits will lead to better health overall for her subscribers. Her current goal is to grow Sugar Smart Box so that it reaches more people. And there might even be some different options in the works since her subscribers have expressed an interest in gluten and nut free options. Whatever changes come down the line for this Texas-based CPA, we have a feeling that she’ll have it in the box—signed, sealed, and delivered!

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Sugar Smart Box: Check your sugar at the door—sign up for Dawna’s sugar smart snack box!
  • Cratejoy: Dawna ended up using Cratejoy to manage many of the logistics of Sugar Smart Box

 

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
"This whole project has been a lot of fun, but the best part of the experience is knowing that my product is something that is truly helping people."
—Dawna Boone #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

Move Forward With Uber!

Side Hustle School is brought to you by Uber—the company determined to improve the ridesharing experience for both riders and drivers.

I've seen a lot of these improvements firsthand, but don't just take my word on it! Read more about all of the ways Uber is moving forward—head on over to Uber.com.🚘 Learn More

Like the Show? Leave a Rating!

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

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

Keep in Touch

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


To infinity and beyond,

Chris Guillebeau

College Grad Shares “More than Mac & Cheese” Recipes for Students

What It’s About

A college student helps other co-eds break out of the freezer aisle.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Right out of the oven, Chelsea emphasizes the importance of being clear on what you want to do. After figuring that piece out, she suggests to get even more specific by focusing on a particular niche.

This eliminates a lot of the blind risk taking, and instead allows you to understand the likelihood of success in that area from the beginning.

Fun Fact

When Chelsea got her first client with her new brand, she knew she didn’t want to celebrate with anything too frivolous or expensive… so her and her husband popped a bottle of Prosecco and called it a day!

Notes from Chris

Episode 545

Back in 2010, Chelsea Cole was a student at the University of Oregon on the fast track to becoming an elementary school teacher. But a couple years in, the realities of the public school system started to sink in, and she was no longer certain that she wanted to work in traditional education.

That’s when she started to pay attention to the things she enjoyed to see if there were any viable alternatives. And the first thing that boiled to the top was her love of food and cooking.

You see, Chelsea had created a food blog called A Duck’s Oven (because U of O’s mascot is a duck) to document her adventures in cooking, and it was a way for her to unwind after a day spent cramming for tests. When she was in her kitchen, all of her worries and school concerns melted away like butter in a hot pan.

But up until she realized that a life of chalkboards wasn’t for her, cooking had just been a hobby. Now she was looking at it with fresh eyes.

Since she loved cooking so much, why not try her hand at cooking for others? Like many idealists before her, Chelsea’s first thought was to open a restaurant. While Eugene, Oregon was a nice college town, she had her sights set on Eugene’s foodie obsessed sister, Portland.

So in 2013, Chelsea packed her bags and set off to the land of hipsters, craft beer, and Blue Star Donuts. Not going into this half-baked, her new course of action was to get a job at a restaurant until she had learned the ropes enough to open her own. She was certain that she had found her destiny!

But just like Moses said when delivering the tablets of stone, just because there’s dough in the oven doesn’t mean it will become a biscuit…

Although she enjoyed the fast-paced environment of working in a restaurant, Chelsea quickly discovered that running one was far from being a piece of cake. So, back to the cutting board!

Since the majority of her audience had been fellow classmates, she thought about ways that she could cater directly to them and their needs. Chelsea knew from experience that many of them were living off of boxed mac n’ cheese and frozen pizza, so she decided to set her goal on helping them branch out from the frozen food aisle.

How exactly was she going to compete with the siren song of Hot Pockets? Well, to start, she’d create content and recipes that were simple and easy to put together.

Narrowing down the focus of her blog helped her grow her social media following to over 2,000 followers (on Instagram and Twitter), and these days, the blog is bringing in anywhere from $800-$1,200/month. Some of this cash comes from affiliate relationships, and Chelsea has also been able to make money helping other bloggers develop recipes and improve their social media.

These days, Chelsea is working hard to cook up passive income for herself—there might even be a cookbook in her future! She admits that idea still needs a bit more time in the oven, but she’s not loafing around—the blog remains a breadwinner!

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • A Duck’s Oven: If you’re looking for a new resource that will brighten up your weekday menu, head on over to Chelsea’s blog for some inspiration. Get crackin’!
  • Lose Weight and Keep it Off: This story on Chelsea’s blog really resonated with me, and I think it adds a nice dollop of humanity to her side hustle. Read more about it, here!

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’ve always hated the concept of working my butt off to build something for someone else—I want to build something that’s mine!"
—Chelsea Cole #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

Move Forward With Uber!

Side Hustle School is brought to you by Uber—the company determined to improve the ridesharing experience for both riders and drivers.

I've seen a lot of these improvements firsthand, but don't just take my word on it! Read more about all of the ways Uber is moving forward—head on over to Uber.com.🚘 Learn More

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

“Stoner Culture” Emojis Roll Out $10,000/Month in Passive Income

What It’s About

Counterculture emojis roll in the legalization of recreational marijuana in California!

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

It pays to pay attention to trends! If you’re really stumped trying to come up with something to test, look to what is making waves and ride it. At the very least, it will give you some experience—but on the flip side, you could end up with enough money to spend on your next project and some experience!

Fun Fact

Before emojis, there were emoticons, facial expressions made with punctuation marks. The first emoticons appeared in an issue of Puck magazine, all the way back in 1881. The magazine published four “faces”—conveying joy, melancholy, indifference, and astonishment—and called them “typographical art.”

These days, there are over 1,800 emojis in existence—who knew you could say so much through little pictures of fruit?!

Notes from Chris

Episode 530

Whether you love them, hate them, or use them exclusively to convey your thoughts and feelings online, there’s no denying that emojis have infiltrated our society. Although text messages have become a major form of communication, by themselves, they often fall a little, well, flat with words alone.

Oh yes, the days before emojis were fraught with miscommunication and a dark period in our history indeed…

Although emojis got their start as simple, punctuation-based smileys, they really hit their stride by 2016…and that’s where today’s story begins.

2016 was the year that Apple introduced new emojis for cheese, champagne, and tacos among others, and at the time, a 25-year-old Eli Graham was working as a Product Manager for a digital marketing agency in Los Angeles, California. Like most millennials his age, Eli had an eye for trends.

Always on the cutting edge of what was new in the market, he noticed that the emoji market showed no sign of slowing, and with the legalization of recreational marijuana in California coming through the haze, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to combine the two in the form of a side hustle.

Although he had some experience in design, Eli opted to hire an illustrator to bring his ideas to life. Drawing on inspiration from alternative street brands, he built his emojis with an edge from stoner culture and a healthy hit of parody. The classics were all in attendance although clearly under the influence, and since it was 2016 after all, they even threw in some emojis of Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, as well as the current occupant of the White House. Oh, and also one or two police officers who had clearly dipped into the evidence room…

In the beginning, building an app seemed like his best bet, but he eventually discovered the option to license his emojis. And that’s where he really found his all-time high—letting other companies use his designs on products.

These days, Eli and the licensing company he has partnered with have expanded their product offerings to include some apparel and keychains, and they sell anywhere from $100-150k in product a month, which means that Eli himself brings in roughly $10-15k himself in pure profit!

Since he spent around $10,000 in getting his app and emojis out to everyone, he recouped his initial investment within the first couple of months and everything that has been coming in since has helped him completely cover his living expenses and even pay for a new car. Still, Eli says that the best part of all of this has been proving that he didn’t have to depend on his day job if he didn’t want to.

Moving forward, Eli has some dope plans for new designs and is even in talks with a licensing company who works with brands like Urban Outfitters—look out for his SMOKEmoji licensed items!

 

 

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

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
"While there were a few things that led to the success of SMOKEmojis, I wouldn’t say that it was an exact recipe for success. No two projects will be exactly the same, but the lessons still remain: be observant, be persistent, and be on the lookout for ways to take it to the next level."
—Eli Graham #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

Texas Blogger Turns Weekend Adventures Into $2,000/Month

What It’s About

A Texas blogger masters Instagram and monetizes her weekly excursions!

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

If you’re looking into social media influencing as a side hustle, Jessica says:

Start by thinking about what you can offer to your potential audience, and what makes you, and your content, unique. And not just that—be as specific as possible. If you want to talk about fashion, think of something within that market that isn’t already supersaturated—maybe make your channel all about fashion in really bright colors or all about scarves. And once you narrow it down, stick to it and try not to get off base.

Fun Fact

Named for a character in a Russian novel, Marfa, Texas, is a small desert town in the southwest part of Texas with about 2,100 residents. What it lacks in population density, it makes up for in hipster cred. The tiny town has been featured in The New York Times approximately 12 times, and the art scene has made a splash on NPR, too. Marfa-llous.

Notes from Chris

Episode 496

You may have seen social media influencers on your Instagram or Snapchat feeds, or at least heard about people getting paid to post about brands on their social accounts. But if you’ve ever wondered what it takes, or how to begin your own influencer side hustle, you’re not alone! Jessica Serna in Dallas, Texas wondered the same thing… so she figured it out.

Jessica loved her 9-to-5 job working as a recruiter for a local non-profit organization, but whenever she wasn’t at work, you could find her on a road trip, traveling to a new city or town for the weekend. If it was driving distance from her home in Dallas, she would be there. Soon, she developed a knack for finding interesting places to visit in Texas and figured out all the tricks to staying fashionable in the blistering heat and humidity that the state is famous for.

As she made the most of her time outside the office, and her Instagram feed became filled with pictures from her travels, people started asking her for recommendations and places to try. She slowly started to build a following, but it wasn’t until a brand offered her some money to promote their product that it really clicked. Maybe she could make money from her social media following while doing something she loved—sharing new places and things with people. Social media influencing was completely new territory for Jessica, but she felt that she was up for the challenge.

She spent a weekend at her desk for a change of pace and created a basic WordPress website to house her new travel posts and images, and kept the name simple and to the point—My Curly Adventures. The name was partially inspired by her wanderlust, and partially because, as a woman with curly hair, she was never immune to the challenges that Texan humidity posed to her hair.

After her website went live, Jessica’s following began to grow even more. It turns out that her idea to focus on a specific niche, traveling in Texas, was a hit! And with this increase in her following came incoming brand promotion offers.

Since her first paid promotion, Jessica has had the chance to attend special events in different cities, try interesting and unique products, eat at amazing restaurants, and visit new destinations—all either for free or paid for her efforts. In Jessica’s words, “It’s a life I never imagined, and every day I can’t believe I actually get paid for this.”

It took Jessica a year, and a lot of travel, to build her following into a social media influencer side hustle, but now she has over twenty-two thousand followers. In her opinion, it was well worth all those long weekend trips, fantastic meals, and hours spent editing photos—especially now that she’s been able to move from side to full-time hustle.

The added bonus? Now her favorite things—traveling and new experiences—come to her either paid or absolutely free. With the upgrade to her main focus, My Curly Adventures is set to create even more content (and Jessica can take even more trips) as she finds interesting new ways to share ideas and locations with her followers. Jessica is her own mane advocate, and the combing attractions over are sure to look interesting!

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
"The most amazing thing I’ve been able to do is live a lifestyle I’ve never imagine. I’ve attended events and traveled to places that I always thought might happen ‘one day.’ I also have the freedom to create my own hours, which has been exciting for me!"
—Jessica Serna #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