Tag: Partnership

Best Friends Ink Profits By Covering Up Scars

What It’s About

Temporary tattoos help women feel confident in swimwear after surgeries.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

When we talked to Denise, she had some fantastic advice for new side hustlers:

“Many experts talk about the necessity of having a good business plan, but sometimes the planning prevents you from doing. Just go out there and start. Start small, but start. Once you’ve gotten your toes wet, you can do a bit more planning. Also, really research and decide if your side-hustle is viable. Too many people have bad ideas and don’t know it.”

Fun Fact

Denise and Amanda state that their biggest clients at the moment for TuckTats are tummy tuck patients, but they’re also discovering a large market for their products with those who have had breast reconstruction. Apparently, certain procedures take tissue from the abdomen to reconstruct the breast, and their temporary tattoos help hide this as well.

Notes from Chris

Episode 965

People often make New Year’s resolutions at the start of the year, only to have them fade away shortly thereafter. But not these two friends. In 2014, Denise O’Connell and Amanda Hudson were making plans for the rest of the year and realized that they weren’t interested in working for “The Man” any longer. Although they each had a side hustle of their own, it wasn’t enough for them to leave their day jobs.

This was when they stumbled on a problem that they both faced. Having recently undergone stomach surgery, Denise had a large scar across her belly and was wondering how she could go about disguising it when wearing a bathing suit. Amanda had previously had surgeries that left her with the same issue.

Denise realized that there were two options in front of her:

Option #1: She could wear a “grandma suit” and cover everything up—but that was far from the most fashionable option.

Option #2: As crazy as it sounded, she could get a tattoo to cover it up. But a tattoo was also out of the question since the surgery area was still tender. It made Denise cringe just imagining them scraping across her scar with a tattoo needle. Plus, what if she hated the results? She’d be stuck with it forever…

Amanda felt the same way about her body. Together, they decided that they would come up with their own line of temporary tattoos. TuckTats became the colorful, inky solution to their problems!

As their tattoos were targeted at women who had gone through surgery, Denise started by joining Facebook groups for people who had plastic surgery or were contemplating it. She contacted the administrators of these groups and asked nicely if she could post stories of how she covered up her scars—no links or sales pitch included.

With her request was okay-ed by the administrators, her posts started to garner personal messages from members who wanted to learn more. These members turned into TuckTats’ first customers. Since then, she has remained active on Facebook groups and has even identified brand champions who talk about the product without any prompting. Word of mouth has since became a secondary channel in which TuckTats would get customers—no paid advertising needed!

Amanda and Denise have since started to become profitable with over $15,000 in net income so far. As they continue to expand and serve different market segments, they’re leaving their mark (and ink) on a lot of people. Even though they still work for “the man”—Denise as a multimedia producer for a bank and Amanda as a communications professional)—they no longer complain about it. They say that the side hustle makes it a lot more tolerable.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • TuckTats: Interested in learning more about this decorative, side hustle solution? Tuck on over to Denise and Amanda’s website!
  • Shopify: Denise and Amanda used Shopify to set up their site for TuckTats, 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

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
"If you have a partner, do a partnership agreement. No one thinks that the business will fall apart, but it’s like a prenup. Spell it out so the breakup is easier if necessary."
—Denise O’Connell & Amanda Hudson #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

Don't Do Business Without It

Side Hustle School is brought to you by American Express.

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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

WEEKLY RECAP: What Happens When a Partnership Ends?

Notes from Chris

Episode 813

THEMES & TAKEAWAYS:

We’ve just finished week 12 of Season III!

This week, we featured a rosary bead hustle, 50 shades of editing romance novels, a series of pizza parlor tours in Chicago, and more.

This episode also comes to you live from Thailand, where I’m working on location for the rest of the week.

In today’s recap: I’ll bring you TWO audio updates from previously featured case studies. Both of them are people who experienced major changes in their side hustle, one of them in the form of a partnership and the other whose hustle needs to close.

What can we take away from these two stories?

WHERE ARE THEY NOW:

Today, we have TWO updates! One from Miraya Berke, who was featured on the show in Ep. 284 and another from Shahan Fancy, who was featured on the show in Ep. 277.

Listen to the Weekly Recap to hear from Miraya and Shahan!

You can also check out Miraya’s website at Dessert Goals and Shahan’s website at Shave Valet.

EPISODES FROM THIS WEEK:

Here’s what we heard this week on Side Hustle School! Listen to this week’s recap for a more comprehensive highlight reel.

  • Ep. 807 – A stay-at-home mom’s prayers are answered when she begins to earn a full-time income making and selling rosary beads
  • Ep. 808 – A corporate recruiter pursues a steamy side business editing romance novels
  • Ep. 809 – A Chicago food reporter launches weekly pizza tours, showing Windy City visitors that there’s more to life than just deep-dish
  • Ep. 810 – Many of this freelancer’s clients all suffered from the same frustrations. They needed more time and fewer headaches—so she started a project to help them build productive systems
  • Ep. 811 – A Colorado artist utilizes Instagram and wholesale relationships to grow his following and bank account with unique designs. When his first attempt to go full-time ends in frustration, he regroups for a second attempt
  • Ep. 812 – A New Zealander’s artistic side hustle encourages nostalgia while providing extra income and a creative outlet

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

Yours in the revolution,

cg-sig-newsletter

We want to hear from you!

The best part of Side Hustle School is our community, and around 20% of our episodes come from listeners. Are you working on something and want to share it with us and our audience? If so, we want to hear from you!

Head on over to our online submission page, and we’ll be in touch if your story is chosen.

And if you’re still working on something but have some questions, we want to hear from you too! Most Weekly Recap episodes include Listener Q&A.

Call the Side Hustle Hotline at 844-9-HUSTLE (844-948-7853), record your question and send it to podcast@sidehustleschool.com, or just send us an email!

Here’s what’s coming up next…

Each week I’ll feature more stories from people who are starting side hustles without quitting their job. Here’s a sneak peek of what’s coming next week:

  • An expat couple captures the spirit of their favorite drinks with punny cocktail pins
  • Thousands of women struggle to pee while wearing shapewear after a surgery. This side hustler and her product designer husband invent a no-mess solution!
  • And much more!

Do you have a side hustle story you’d like to share? Fill out the Side Hustle School submission form and your story may be featured on the show!

Also, if you’re interested in joining the Side Hustle Society, visit our Society page to get notified when it goes live!

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
"A side hustle partnership is like a marriage. If you’re going to separate, it CAN be done well but it will take work and cooperation."
—#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!

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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

Outsource Date Night With This Sexy Side Hustle

What It’s About

Two women take the guesswork out of love.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

In a partnership, it’s important to have clearly defined responsibilities and tasks to ensure that your commitment to the business and to one another is met. I liked the idea of the “weekly accountability task sheets so that they each know what tasks they need to accomplish for their side hustle.”

Fun Fact

It takes less than four minutes to decide whether you have romantic feelings for someone, and that decision is based mostly on body language. Your next first date impression boils down to a 55% emphasis on body language, 38% on tone of voice, and only 7% on what the person is actually saying. Goes to show that actions speak louder than words!

Notes from Chris

Episode 623

There are friends, and then there are friends who will go the extra mile for you. Trineca McCleod, a social worker from Florida, wanted to go the extra mile for her best friend, Ta’Veca Collins. The two friends have known each other for decades. But it wasn’t until Ta’Veca’s wedding night that they accidentally stumbled upon the idea to turn their love of love into a side hustle success.

To do something special for the matrimonial couple, Trineca and other bridesmaids snuck off and decorated their honeymoon suite with candles and rose petals artfully scattered throughout the room. A ‘Honeymoon Survival Kit’ and other “love items” were placed throughout the suite. It was romantic, tasteful, and, surprisingly, the beginning of a business.

After Ta’Veca’s magical honeymoon night, the two best friends began to plan and execute numerous romantic rendezvous for their significant others, family, and friends. They called it Romance On The Go, and they spent a few weeks testing their date nights with people they knew would give them honest feedback … before launching just in time for Valentine’s Day. That way, they knew they’d have at least a few paying customers.

But they had more than a few. Within the first month, they had dozens of people wanting romantic date nights for their loved one. According to Trineca, they “were shocked that so many people were interested in purchasing our romance packages. We couldn’t believe that an idea we had on a honeymoon night could’ve sparked this.”

Trineca and Ta’Veca are bringing in anywhere from $1,000-$5,000/month depending on the time of year. Their busiest seasons are around Valentine’s Day (naturally—this year, they brought in $2,000 that week), the wedding season, and other holidays like Christmas and New Year’s.

Romance On The Go is dependent on one of the main tenets of any successful relationship… good communication. The two friends credit their business, and friendship, to staying organized and always being in communication about meetings, vendors, and planning. Ta’Veca said that they conduct the majority of their business after their children have gone to bed and maintain constant communication through phone calls and texts during the week.

They also use weekly accountability task sheets so that they each know what tasks they need to accomplish. Beyond that, they admit that they couldn’t keep their side hustle going without a healthy dose of patience. They knew that they were ready to deal with other people’s visions and personalities and guide the clients who say “do whatever.”

Romance planning is now available … at least if you live in South Florida. It’s a little love, a little hustle, and a unique idea to bring busy couples closer.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Romance On The Go: Learn more about this sexy side hustle over on Ta’Veca and Trineca’s website!

 

SEE ALSO:

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

Yours in the revolution,

cg-sig-newsletter

Resources

GET $625 IN FREE TRAVEL

Earn 50,000 travel rewards points (enough for 2 round-trip plane tickets or $625 in travel credit). You'll also earn 2x points on all travel and dining spend, with zero foreign transaction fees.

I use this card every day all over the world! ✈️ Learn More

RELIABLE WEBHOST FOR $2.49/MONTH

Want to build any kind of website for your hustle? If so, you'll need somewhere to host it! This is the reliable company I've used for my past 5 websites. It's cheap, flexible, and you can get support 24 hours a day.

Get your own hosting plan for just $2.49 a month!
Learn More

Quote of the Day
"Make sure you’re starting a side hustle for the right reasons because success doesn’t happen overnight. And if you’re going into a service-based side hustle, be ready to deal with people’s visions and personalities and guide those who say ‘do whatever.’"
—Ta’Veca Collins #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.
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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

On-the-Go Mouthwash Gets Mini-Makeover

What It’s About

Portable mouthwash that’s as fresh as you!

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Mike knows some people who keep their ideas really close to their chest, but as Mike said, “you may have an innovative idea, but you’re never going to be able to validate it unless you ask for the honest opinions of those around you. Sure, you may run the risk of someone trying to beat you to the punch, but these kinds of ideas take a lot of time to develop. Don’t discredit all of the hard work and effort that you’ve put into building something like this—others are much less likely to do it themselves.”

Fun Fact

You may know that peppermint, eucalyptus, and vanilla beans were chewed on before mouthwash was invented. But did you know that no one wanted to buy mouthwash for its germ-killing properties at first? The increase in sales happened because they started to market mouthwash as a way to battle against bad breath.

Notes from Chris

Episode 572

We’ve all been there—bad breath can rear its ugly, bacteria coated head in the most inconvenient of times. Mike Bracciale found himself in one of those moments while cramming for a big Organic Chemistry test. As most college students do, he was pulling an all-nighter, which meant copious amounts of coffee and food that should only be consumed with caution after age 25.

He could have braved the storm. But as fate would have it, in walked his crush and fellow O. Chem. classmate, and since tables are often in short supply around midterms and finals, she opted to share his. At any other time, Mike would have welcomed such an opportunity, but with a weapon of mass relationship destruction brewing, things were just a little too close for comfort.

Feigning a desperate need to head back to his place just off of campus, Mike dashed home to freshen up a bit and then headed back to the library.

We may never know how he fared on that O. Chem. test, but what we do know is that while Mike didn’t end up getting the girl, he might have walked away with something even better: an idea.

Around this time, students all over campus were walking around with these small bottles of MiO, a concentrated flavored liquid that you could use to spruce up water—or perhaps vodka, this is a no judgment zone. While the bottle contained roughly 1.62 fl oz, it contained enough concentrated flavor to add to 24 8 oz. servings of water.

And with the struggles of bad breath fresh in his mind, Mike couldn’t help but wonder why no one had thought to do the same with mouthwash.

Being on a pre-med track with several terms of chemistry under his belt, he knew that the bulk of your everyday bottle of mouthwash was mostly water. If he could find a way to take the water out of mouthwash, he could create a product that didn’t yet exist on the market.

Just as Rome wasn’t built in a day, neither is an innovative mouthwash empire!

While Mike felt confident in his abilities, he had no desire to go into this alone. Enter Nick Telford—Mike’s fraternity brother and fellow mouthwash enthusiast. Nick was one of the people Mike had approached for feedback back in his rampant fraternity days. He loved the concept and was on board with helping Mike go from idea to action. They divided responsibilities, with Nick working on financing and brand development, while Mike focused on the product itself. As Mike said, “You never have to feel like you have to do anything on your own! It’s okay to have strengths and weaknesses—find someone with skills that complement your own.”

After months of testing, tasting, and revising, the duo ended up with a concentrated formula that actively fought bacteria, plaque, and tartar for up to 8 hours, would be able to pack 60 uses into a single 1.62 oz bottle, and of course, tasted fantastic.

Since they were transforming oral care by making it accessible on the fly, they decided to call their product Fly Mouthwash. The name is also a nod to the fact that it’s a TSA approved product and perfect for those who fly often.

They started out on Amazon but soon moved over to their own website. And by the time of this episode, they’ve sold more than half of their stock of 7,000 bottles of Fly Mouthwash… all within their first six months!

These days, Mike and Nick are looking to move away from marketing Fly Mouthwash as merely a “portable” option and are instead looking to replace your traditional mouthwash entirely. They recently secured funding from an outside investor interested in their product. While mouthwash greatness seems to be inevitable, they’re also content for the time being restoring confidence and freshening up the world, one mouth at a time.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Fly Mouthwash: Fresh breath is no longer impossible on the go—snag your first bottle of Fly Mouthwash over on Mike and Nick’s website!
  • WordPress & WooCommerce: The platforms that Mike used to create his website and payment process for Fly Mouthwash

 

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
"You can have a product, and it can be great in theory, but if you can’t produce it at scale, you’ll never be able to bring it to the market."
—Mike Bracciale #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.
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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

Brooklyn App Developer Spins All-Natural Cotton Candy

What It’s About

A sweet side hustle that’s as light as air!

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

One piece of advice that Alisha had for future side hustlers is to master the cold email and follow-up. So many of their successes started with a simple email that they sent to potential collaborators! They made sure to keep their emails short and sweet so that they could convey the value of their business without taking up too much of the other person’s time.

Fun Fact

Who introduced cotton candy to the world? A dentist—Dr. William Morrison of Nashville to be specific. In 1897, he and candy maker John C. Wharton invented a device that melted sugar and blew it through a fine screen to create “Fairy Floss.” He introduced it at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair and sold 68,000 boxes for 25¢ each ($6.75 in today’s money). Personally, I think it was a ploy to bring in more cavities…

Notes from Chris

Episode 537

Alisha Vimawala isn’t new to the world of side hustling. Not only is she a full-time product manager for Fueled, an app development agency in New York City, but she also has a successful dance-related YouTube Channel and a published children’s book. But her latest hustle is more colorful and flavorful than all the rest.

In late 2015, Alisha was hanging out with her friend and fellow YouTube side hustler, Margaret Taormina, when the two started playing with a toy cotton candy maker Margaret had received for Christmas. It didn’t take long for them to come up with an idea: all-natural cotton candy catering.

The rest of the holiday went by, but neither Alisha nor Margaret could get the idea out of their head. As soon as January slowed down, they started experimenting with flavors.

They began by ordering some sample materials online: pure herbal extracts, plant-based colors, and specialty sugars. It quickly became clear that, while it would be cheaper to use artificial flavoring, using the natural stuff led to a much higher quality product. [Plus, as a bonus, you wouldn’t die when you ate it.]

The cotton candy they made not only had a crisp and clear flavor, but its light and fluffy texture made each taste like taking a bite out of the sky—not sticky or gooey. Just a couple months into this initial R&D phase, Alisha and Margaret had their first four flavors: mint, citrus, lavender, and rose.

And then a call came. A close friend had access to an incredible opportunity: the Juilliard Annual Alumni Benefit. This was it. This was their chance to test their flavors, see if demand was really there, and get their name out there for the first time.

Alisha and Margaret are looking at opening up their own storefront for Not Your Average Cotton in New York City. They’re using a service called “PopShop” to find short-term pop-up opportunities while they look for investors. Despite the several equipment upgrades, event and regulatory fees, and all those all-natural ingredients, Not Your Average Cotton is profitable and debt-free. Let’s not sugarcoat it: starting a modern-day food product that plays on nostalgia is hardly taking candy from a baby, but the sweet reward is worth it.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Not Your Average Cotton: Take a bite out of Alisha and Margaret’s all-natural cotton candy—learn more over on their website!

 

SEE ALSO:

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

Yours in the revolution,

cg-sig-newsletter

Resources

GET $625 IN FREE TRAVEL

Earn 50,000 travel rewards points (enough for 2 round-trip plane tickets or $625 in travel credit). You'll also earn 2x points on all travel and dining spend, with zero foreign transaction fees.

I use this card every day all over the world! ✈️ Learn More

RELIABLE WEBHOST FOR $2.49/MONTH

Want to build any kind of website for your hustle? If so, you'll need somewhere to host it! This is the reliable company I've used for my past 5 websites. It's cheap, flexible, and you can get support 24 hours a day.

Get your own hosting plan for just $2.49 a month!
Learn More

Quote of the Day
"Start something, even if you don’t feel ready. We learned so much from each of our different pop-ups that we wouldn’t have figured out without actually experiencing it."
—Alisha Vimawala #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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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

Strap-Saving Invention Helps Women Get Their Bounce Back

What It’s About

A nifty piece of metal that saves bra straps and lives.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Shari says that the most important thing that she’s learned over the years has been the importance of customer feedback. This was something she built into the process from the beginning, and it’s never failed to help them deliver a better product and improve the business.

Fun Fact

Beth and Shari have been friends for 23 years and once spent Spring Break together in Cancun. Little did they know that those early days on the beach would lead to them create a bikini-saving product!

Notes from Chris

Episode 504

Shari Deutsch works as a marketing strategist for a telecoms company putting together content for the likes of BET, Comedy Central, and The Discovery Channel. But under the deep shadows of the night, she dons the guise of the most unlikely of alter egos… She’s the co-founder of The Strap Saver, a nifty little gadget that saves women’s tops, bras, bikinis—and lives.

So where does our pseudo-hero’s story begin? Well, to answer that, we need to take a trip back to 2013. The beginning of Obama’s second term in office and of course the year of Miley Cyrus’ twerking display at the VMAs… who can forget.

It was the middle of summer, and our champion was lounging by the pool alongside her best friend and future sidekick, Beth Lieberman. This was a time-honored tradition that they’d been doing since college. While their cherished poolside chats often covered a multitude of topics, this conversation, in particular, came strapped with a specific theme: non-adjustable swimsuit straps.

Their bathing suit straps just weren’t holding their own (or holding anything up, for that matter), and they were quickly becoming the bane of their existence. The straps on Beth’s new suit—cute though it was—were too long, and Shari’s had stretched out completely following a few summers’ wear.

So what’s a girl to do with a seemingly fantastic swimsuit when the straps take a dive south? Sure, they could hop on a sewing machine to remedy their elastic strap woes, but that was just a temporary fix. What they needed was a more long-term solution.

They figured that it was a problem that could be solved by something relatively simple, but after an evening spent with a bottle of wine and their other friend Google, they were surprised to find that there was literally nothing on the market. A quick ring around a few girlfriends confirmed to Shari that she and Beth weren’t the only ones struggling with saggy straps, so they set out to create a solution themselves.

The answer: a small gadget that attaches to any bra or clothing strap so it can be adjusted to the right length. They called it The Strap Saver: your multi-purpose comfort-providing hero—or heroine, I guess. Wherever there was a swimsuit, bra, or tank top in need of a little lift, The Strap Saver would be there. There was no job or size (!) too small or too great. The Strap Saver was saving damsels in distress, one strap at a time. (That was Whitney’s line—good touch there.)

Sales weren’t an overnight success as well. They’re now taking in around $800 in sales each month—more when the sun’s out, and less during “sweater weather.” The business is completely self-sufficient, and now that they’ve recouped their initial investment, they’re currently working towards some major profitability.

But they’re doing more than just saving straps and the sanity (and pocketbooks) of the women who own them. True to superhero form, they’re also saving lives. An important part of Shari and Beth’s business model is their decision to donate five percent of their sales revenue directly to life-saving charities. Strap Savers are making a genuine difference in the world—one strap at a time.

Looking ahead, these modest heroes are looking to expand their superhuman reach to more customers using the power of Amazon. They’ll be optimizing their website, and looking at how inbound marketing could help them grow awareness and expand their customer base. The rest of their energy will go towards developing a clear plastic version of The Strap Saver that’s just as effective as their stainless steel version.

There’s definitely more to come from this pair of inventive entrepreneurs—they’d better strap themselves in!

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • The Strap Saver: Learn more about this gravity defying invention over on Shari and Beth’s website!
  • Google Forms: The form builder that Shari and Beth used to get customer feedback on their Strap Saver
  • WordPress: Shari and Beth used WordPress to setup The Strap Saver, and here you can learn how to install your own WordPress site in 5 minutes

 

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
"When it comes to finding a manufacturer, be persistent. Don’t worry about those that won’t deal with you, just keep working to find those that will. Ask a lot of questions, as many as possible. The right vendor will take the time to explain the process. Don’t get discouraged! With the internet, there are always ways to find more information and suppliers."
—Shari Deutsch #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

Business Besties Turn Skype Calls Into Six-Figure Podcast

What It’s About

Two friends start a podcast to share their wisdom-filled conversations—and make multiple six-figures!

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

I asked Kathleen how to build a brand and get more podcast listeners. She said to focus on making “real” content, having real conversations. And show up with consistency. They haven’t missed a week of recording in over three years.

Although they got sponsorship early, Kathleen’s advice is to not worry about it. It’s rare to make a good income entirely from sponsorships. If you do get sponsored, make sure your values and expectations are aligned. And think outside of the box on what that partnership looks like.

Fun Fact

Kathleen and Emily’s lucky break was when Freshbooks Cloud Accounting wanted to partner with them right out of the gate. These days, they have become more than a sponsor and have collaborated with them by buying their bosses beers at a local (to their HQ) brewery in Toronto, a party on a yacht in Miami, and a parade through the streets of New Orleans at their annual Being Boss Vacations. These vacations are how they celebrate their successes—not only with each other but their community of listeners.

Notes from Chris

Episode 404

Kathleen Shannon and Emily Thompson were creative colleagues. Kathleen co-founded a branding agency in 2011, and Emily’s studio has been developing websites for almost a decade. They collaborated on some projects and struck up a friendship. Then they started meeting monthly for Skype calls. They would share what was and wasn’t working in their businesses and exchange ideas to take their businesses to the next level.

In November of 2014, Emily pitched the idea of turning those conversations into a podcast called Being Boss Podcast. They knew their conversations were similar to what a lot of other creatives were having. Less than three months later, in January of 2015, they released their first episode.

They had no plans to monetize this podcast. If anything, they hoped it would be an awareness tactic for Kathleen’s branding agency and Emily’s website development studio. However, soon after that first episode, they were featured in the “new and noteworthy” section of iTunes.” They also made it up to number two in the Business category!

They kept their expenses low by not using expensive equipment and doing most of the production themselves using GarageBand. As their revenue increased, they began to hire or outsource parts of the process. They invested in a sound engineer, a content director, and a virtual assistant, among others.

Speaking of revenue, after making a bit over one-hundred-thousand dollars in their first year, they made $250,000 dollars in 2016. And last year, they made over $400,000 dollars.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Being Boss Podcast: Check out these awesome ladies and their super informative podcast over on their website!
  • Freshbooks: The accounting software company that ended up being Being Boss’ first official partner and helped them really get started
  • GarageBand: The digital audio workstation that allowed Kathleen and Emily to create their podcast and keep their expenses low

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
"You don’t need fancy equipment, you don’t need to be the most popular person in the room, and you don’t have to have it all figured out. You just have to show up, do the work, and do your best every single day."
—Kathleen Shannon & Emily Thompson #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

Get Connected Today!

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

Whether you're looking for a new job or looking to hire, you can find the right match at LinkedIn. Visit LinkedIn.com/HUSTLE today to get a $50 credit to post your first job.
Get Connected!

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