Tag: Service

Stripping Down Yoga To The Bare Essentials

What It’s About

Yoga that removes all the barriers.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

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

Fun Fact

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

Notes from Chris

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

SEE ALSO:

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

Yours in the revolution,

cg-sig-newsletter

Resources

WEB HOSTING @ $2.49/MONTH

Want to build any kind of website for your hustle? If so, you'll need somewhere to host it! This is the reliable company I've used for many websites. It's cheap, flexible, and offers support 24-7.

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

GET $625 IN FREE TRAVEL

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

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

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

Sponsors & Gratitude

Try ShipStation for 60 Days FREE!

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

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

Like the Show? Leave a Rating!

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

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

Keep in Touch

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


To infinity and beyond,

Chris Guillebeau

Geologist Rides Away From Full-Time Work

What It’s About

A Geologist rocks on with his mobile bicycle repair business.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Make sure to define your target market/client specifically. The overwhelming majority of bike shops target the high-end client. I have chosen to do the opposite. I focus on servicing “normal bikes” or department store bikes.

Fun Fact

There are an estimated 45 million cyclists in the USA who purchase approximately 17.5 million bikes per year. With that many riders purchasing so many bikes this is a huge market with plenty of opportunities to make money.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1059

Andy Tong was looking for a way to make some extra money outside of his day job. He was working full time as an oil and gas geologist in a role with rock-solid demands. But that was fine, Andy loved Geology, but he loved cycling even more.

You see, Andy was a bicycle fanatic. Zipping around on two wheels was something he’d loved ever since he was a kid. In the decades since, he’d learned almost everything there is to know about bikes. Beyond just riding them, he also knew how to fix and service them.

So, when the idea of earning some extra pocket money entered his mind, doing something with bikes didn’t seem like a terrible idea.

He placed a single ad on a Calgary-based buy and sell website, and received a call almost immediately. Then he hopped in his SUV, drove to their house, picked up the bike, and brought it home. After patching up the necessary repair, he returned the bike to the customer and collected a check.

Over the course of the next month he acquired three customers from that single ad and made over five hundred dollars, while charging significantly less than the local bike shops.

But, soon he encountered logistical challenges. First, his tools and parts were good but not exhaustive, meaning he wouldn’t be able to service every kind of bike. Also, picking up the bikes, bringing them to his house and returning them cost money in gas and took a lot of time.

Juggling all that, along with his day job, proved too difficult. So, with five hundred bucks in hand, he parked the idea in his bike rack for two years.

At that point, two years later, Andy unexpectedly lost his job. His company was restructuring and there was no longer a place for him. Instead of feeling panicked, the gears in his mind began turning.

He revisited his old bike service side hustle and thought it was an idea worth pursuing again now that he had plenty of free time. After all, he wondered, if he was able to make five hundred dollars without too much effort, what might be possible if he truly committed?

This time, he decided to do things a little differently. In cycling, you go where you aim your bike. In other words, pick your plan, focus on that direction and just keep pedaling.

Andy applied that logic to his new venture, which he called the Bicycle Repair Hub.

This time he offered mobile servicing. Instead of bringing the bikes home, he’d work on them at customers’ homes. This would cut his time and gas bill substantially. He also committed to purchasing more tools so that he could service all different kinds of bikes effectively.

After a year, he decided to invest in a new van, something large enough that he could stand inside so it could act as his mobile workshop. Inside, he fit the whole thing out with his tools, parts, racks and work bench. It allowed him to work faster than ever before and therefore service more customers. It was so successful, that Andy’s only regret was that he hadn’t purchased the van sooner.

Andy has doubled revenues every year and makes around ten thousand dollars profit during the bike season months. At his current growth he expects to make one hundred thousand per year within the next two to three years. All while effectively taking half the year off.

No doubt he’ll keep the wheels rolling…

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

 

SEE ALSO:

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

Yours in the revolution,

cg-sig-newsletter

Resources

WEB HOSTING @ $2.49/MONTH

Want to build any kind of website for your hustle? If so, you'll need somewhere to host it! This is the reliable company I've used for many websites. It's cheap, flexible, and offers support 24-7.

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

GET $625 IN FREE TRAVEL

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

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

Quote of the Day
"It’s important to define your target market/client specifically. The overwhelming majority of bike shops target the high-end client. I have chosen to do the opposite."
—Andy Tong #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

Don't Do Business Without It

Side Hustle School is brought to you by American Express.

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

Like the Show? Leave a Rating!

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

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

Keep in Touch

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


To infinity and beyond,

Chris Guillebeau

IT Developer Creates Tech Blogging Dynasty

What It’s About

An IT developer recodes his own work launching a tech-focused content agency.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Erik shares some important guidance as your hustle starts generating income; “When you start making extra money doing a side hustle, it’s an incredible feeling. But don’t rest on that or assume it’ll always be there. Run experiments and do research to improve what you’re doing, and always think about how you can deliver more bang for the buyers’ buck.”

Fun Fact

Erik once negotiated a “virality bonus” with one of his early agency clients, which meant that any post that hit over 10K page views, earned him another $300. One Saturday, while sitting at a beachside bar and grill, with a beer in his hand, he got to watch the analytics tip past the milestone.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1057

Erik Dietrich’s professional evolution began like many other software developers. He started working as an entry-level engineer while taking graduate level computer science classes. Then he transitioned to a senior role in a new company, and significantly increased his knowledge and experience. However, without the extra pressure of grad school, he suddenly found himself with some extra time on his hands.

That’s when he started doing some consulting on the side. As he built his client base, he began blogging to market his services to a broader audience. Since his work was focused on training and management, and his audience was fellow programmers, he was able to create content that was specific and technical.

A few years in, and he was making more with his consulting than he ever did with his full-time job … so he quit.

Alongside the consulting he kept up with his blog, while also guest posting on big software and programming sites. He built a substantial following of subscribers, with an additional stream of people arriving organically through search engines.

This mixed bag of income sources continued for another couple of years, but Erik kept coming up against a ceiling of trading his time for money. He and his wife Amanda, an editor and graphic designer, wanted to start traveling more. For her to quit her job, they needed to find a way to replace her income.

Together, they had a set of unique talents. With her background in editing and design, and his background in content and marketing, plus the connections they had to the tech community, they didn’t need to limit themselves to only publishing the articles that Erik was writing.

Erik knew that companies were eager for engaging, technical blog posts, but didn’t always have time or expertise to write them. This was his lightbulb moment! He could fill that gap. While there are lots of content editors out there, having a blog written by someone who really understands the market was a game-changer. He decided to call the new business Hit Subscribe.

He offered bare-bones pricing to get clients on board and test their systems. Writing just a couple blog posts per week brought in just $400-$700 a month. But soon things started to grow, and both he and Amanda began investing more time and energy into the company.

Within a few months they were making close to $2,000/month, nearly all of it profit. More importantly, Hit Subscribe was building a reputation as a tech-focused content agency that consistently delivered high-quality, well-researched pieces. They weren’t even doing any major marketing.

Erik no longer does any consulting, nor is he creating content for clients or online platforms that aren’t his own. When he blogs or records a video, it’s more for himself and something he does for fun.

Bringing together Erik’s expertise in software development, combined with his passion for writing and marketing, and finally Amanda’s ability to see the bigger picture, Hit Subscribe has been a real “hit.”

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Hit Subscribe: Learn more about Erik and Amanda’s business and service at 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
"Run experiments and do research to improve what you’re doing, and always think about how you can deliver more value."
—Erik Dietrich #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

Don't Do Business Without It

Side Hustle School is brought to you by American Express.

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

Like the Show? Leave a Rating!

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

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

Keep in Touch

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


To infinity and beyond,

Chris Guillebeau

Trio of Friends Generate Wealth With Financial Advice

What It’s About

Looking to diversify their income, three friends invest in themselves as online financial advisors.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Make a plan, however rough it may be, and then just get started. Know what your service/ product will be, how you’ll get in front of customers, and what costs might be involved. Be resourceful and creative; taking outside funding or debt is not always necessary and should not be the first step.

Fun Fact

Robo advisers are a relatively new product, taking advantage of technology to offer customers low fees in what is traditionally an expensive market. Businesses like Polaris, Betterment and Wealthfront are operating in this space, trying to take a slice out of the multi-trillion dollar investment funds industry.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1055

Michael McDermott and two of his friends, Evan and Grant, had a desire to leave their jobs and work on something they were more passionate about. Each of them also had corporate jobs that came with suits, ties, conference calls, and cubicles. Michael worked in operations, Evan in finance, and Grant in marketing. They had salaries and benefits, but something was missing: inspiration and drive.

In fact, they viewed those suits and cubicles as symbols of imprisonment … an 8-5 jail cell for their next forty years. Unless, of course, they made an escape.

In an effort to shorten that time frame, the three friends would talk about investing during sessions at the gym. They figured that a solid investment plan could emancipate them from long commutes and office politics.

However, something interesting surfaced during their research. Very quickly, they realized that the average person has no idea about investing. They either don’t want to know, find it too complicated, or simply get bad advice.

They believed that effective investing offers a realistic path to getting rich slowly and were adamant that everyone should be armed with solid advice.

Thinking quickly, they put a deposit down on an idea. It was an opportunity they saw could become a side business, and possibly something much more. While their original goal was to learn as much as they could about investing, they now felt like they knew enough to offer some sort of product or service to those wanting to do the same.

They noticed that most errors people made with investing were human. They’d invest emotionally, usually in the wrong stocks or bonds, and then get out at the wrong time. Or worse, they wouldn’t invest at all and end up without any savings.

Michael, Evan, and Grant envisioned creating an online platform, commonly called a robo advisor. A robo advisor is similar to a traditional financial adviser, but the service is offered online only. There are no offices, no extraneous staff, and minimal overhead. By forgoing those expenses, they could allow low investment commitments while keeping their own costs low.

The best part was that all three could combine their skills and work on the project together, which they called Polaris Portfolios. They also agreed that the business should be self-funded, which meant no outside investment. They’d have to remain resourceful and solve problems in a cost-effective way, but the lack of funds meant they could keep control.

They built the first version of their website on Weebly—a free website builder—and used LegalZoom to incorporate. They also needed to obtain certification to become qualified advisers. After that, they invested three thousand dollars of their own money into the venture for any ongoing expenses. It made for a total of around four thousand in startup costs.

Michael, Evan and Grant are now all in on Polaris Portfolios, and have left their jobs to dedicate themselves to it. Their hope is to continue to keep compounding their efforts all while improving services for their customers.

After investing their time into escaping traditional employment, the three friends are starting to see real dividends.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Polaris Portfolios: Learn more about the financial advising services of Polaris Portfolios on their website.
  • When the guys first started they created their website using Weebly and got legal help with Legal Zoom

 

SEE ALSO:

Yours in the revolution,

cg-sig-newsletter

Resources

CREATE YOUR ONLINE STORE

Create your online store with Shopify using an exclusive discount for Side Hustle School listeners. For a limited time, get a free 21-day trial and a 10% discount for a whole year.

Many Side Hustle School listeners are building sites using Shopify's easy-to-learn platform. Try it free today! Learn More

GET YOUR FIRST 1,000 EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS

Social media is nice, but building an email list is still the single best way to get customers and clients for your hustle. It's not hard to get started—sign up for a 30-day trial and join the list-building challenge! You’ll be up and running in no time. Learn More

Quote of the Day
"The biggest struggle is patience; it takes time to grow a business and gain clients."
—Michael McDermott #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

Don't Do Business Without It

Side Hustle School is brought to you by American Express.

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

Like the Show? Leave a Rating!

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

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

Keep in Touch

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


To infinity and beyond,

Chris Guillebeau

Sports Videographer Finds Slam Dunk with Production Agency

What It’s About

What starts as a web series becomes a “Maine” hustle for this video producer.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Kurt has some important advice for working on larger projects: “surround yourselves with good people and knowledge. Know you are not good at everything and get help when you need it.”

Fun Fact

Kurt is also a trained concert cellist, and has side-hustled wedding gigs and chamber performances in the past.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1049

Fresh out of university with a dual major in film and government, Kurt Graser [“Grah-zer”] landed a job that many would dream of: he started working as a video production assistant for ESPN and NBC Sports. He then spent five years filming, interviewing, and editing footage for some of the top sports personalities and events in the industry.

Eventually, though, the dream job turned into a grind, and Kurt started looking for other opportunities. So he started moonlighting, doing freelance work. This allowed him to make some extra money, and keep doing the creative video production he loved.

One day, he was on a train ride back from New York City with another freelancer and friend, Alex Steed. They started talking about how much fun it would be to make a web series featuring the food and drinks of various towns and regions around the State of Maine.

Within a few weeks, they hashed out the concept for Food Coma TV. They would build a small team from contractors they had both worked with before, and enlist a friend and personality from the local foodie scene to be the on-camera talent.

While getting footage at a facility in Northern Maine, the manager asked them if they ever did commercial work. Kurt thought about it. He had originally imagined Food Coma TV as a fun project that would allow him to flex his creativity, and didn’t plan to make any money off it. But he admits that while they all knew the footage would be a nice addition to their portfolios, they didn’t realize what they were really creating.

Once the series was wrapped up, Kurt, Alex, and a third partner brought all their clients together under the newly incorporated Knack Factory production agency umbrella. With contracts from international brands, athletes, and regional personalities, they had plenty to do.

The team did everything on their own that they could. To offset their costs, they negotiated barters with creative and business friends. When they needed a logo, they offered to do a brand video for a design agency. For their website, they did behind-the-scenes content for a developer.

They divided tasks by the needs of the project, as each owner had their own specialty—but they now had two other people to help with the crew work they’d each been doing on their own, or outsourcing to contractors. They each made about $10,000 a year at the beginning.

By the end of year two, Knack Factory was bringing in over six-figures, and Kurt was able to make the move to full-time himself.

In addition to production space for their now six-person team, they also opened offered coworking desks and small offices for rent. This has helped with their own increase in rent, and allowed them to build a creative and collaborative space filled with writers, brand marketers, designers, and more.

They now host events in the space, often featuring workshops on all the business things they wish someone had told them from the beginning.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Knack Factory: Check out the Knack Factory’s work and learn more about them from 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

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 think I had anti-mentors. Watching how they operated, and the mistakes and issues they had, helped me figure out the type of business I wanted to run."
—Kurt Graser #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

Don't Do Business Without It

Side Hustle School is brought to you by American Express.

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

Like the Show? Leave a Rating!

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

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

Keep in Touch

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


To infinity and beyond,

Chris Guillebeau

Mega TV Installer Mounts Extra $1,000/Month

What It’s About

A security installer answers the call for requests to install mega TVs.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

One of the simplest ways to start a side hustle is to think about a skill or area of expertise you have that can help serve someone else. In Abou’s story, it’s AV setup. What’s a common pain point or something missing that requires your skills, abilities, and knowledge? There’s a good chance, someone will be willing to pay for your help!

Fun Fact

Thanks to the additional money earned from his side hustle, Abou has been able to take his whole family on a trip to their native country of Senegal.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1048

Several years ago, Abou Toure was working as a cable installer. He would go into people’s homes and get their TV services set up. On numerous occasions, he would be asked by his customers if he could mount TVs or hide all of the wires so they weren’t visible. Abou hated the look of loose unkempt wires, but it wasn’t his job to fix them … so time after time, he would respond and tell the customer that he unfortunately couldn’t do it.

After seven years of working for a cable company, Abou transferred his skills and began working for a security company installing security systems. Being in security allowed him to learn new skills such as fishing wires through walls and ceilings so they’re not visible. Once he gained this knowledge, he thought back to all of the missed opportunities of not being able to mount TVs and hide wires. And suddenly it clicked. He had the knowledge and the skill … what if he could offer it as a service?

The only thing left to do was mount his skills into action. Luckily, he didn’t have to buy a lot of equipment in the beginning. He was able to use a lot of tools he already had for his job. He spent about $100 getting a few extra supplies like screws, electrical wire, and junction boxes. He also spent $200 getting a business license and tax ID. Just like a quick install, Mega TV Installations was in business.

And slowly from there, Abou began to get customers, and now averages about 7 to 10 jobs a month. After he got a handful of clients, Abou started asking his customers to write reviews on Yelp. Business increased further, and Abou found himself gaining more confidence. He used this momentum to create a website using Wix, and upgrade his business card design with someone he found through Fiverr.

As his list of reviews and completed jobs piled up, so did the money in his bank account. Installations range in price, but start at $175 and go up from there. In 2018, he earned around $4,000 in profits and is on track to more than double that number in 2019. He’s also begun offering additional services including home automation, soundbar installation, and light fixture installation.

This came to be because customers started asking him for it … and rather than saying no upfront, Abou said he would get back to them. He then went home, got onto YouTube, and learned the new skills he’d need for that customer.

He recommends this approach to anyone doing a service-based side hustle. Rather than telling your customer or client that you can’t do something, learn what you need and finish the job.

He hopes to expand Mega TV Installations in 2020 and hire a couple of full-time installers to support the workload … that way he can focus on launching an all-new project.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Mega TV Installations: Learn more about Abou and his services on his website.
  • Abou launched his website using Wix.com (get 10% off) and used the online freelance marketplace Fiverr.com for his business cards.

 

SEE ALSO:

Stay At Home Mom Delivers Fresh Side Income:

    After relocating to Tennessee from Canada, a restless homemaker creates an online farmers market, delivering produce to more than 200 homes a week.
  • Aussie Woman Earns Up to $4,000/Month Painting Faces: When she left her job, she found herself longing to reconnect with a favorite hobby. So she grabbed some paints and brushes—and within an hour, found her first client.

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
"Don’t wait to learn everything before you start. You can learn on the job by trial and error."
—Abou Toure #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

Don't Do Business Without It

Side Hustle School is brought to you by American Express.

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

Like the Show? Leave a Rating!

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

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

Keep in Touch

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


To infinity and beyond,

Chris Guillebeau

Writer-Editor Makes Six-Figure Life Revision

What It’s About

A writer edits his life by editing other people’s writing.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Liam has some helpful advice for anyone looking to do this kind of work; “Join workshop groups (online or in-person) where you can get practice editing and providing feedback. Learn what it feels like to have people criticize your work and how best to handle it. A big part of being a successful editor is knowing how to give honest feedback without insulting or upsetting your client.”

Fun Fact

Self-published titles are having a real moment. Those who used to be dismissed as hobby writers are now, in many cases, achieving mainstream success. One such example is Andy Weir whose book, The Martian, started out as a 99 cent ebook for Kindle and ended up selling millions of copies and being turned into a feature film starring Matt Damon.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1043

Liam Carnahan thought he wanted to be a writer. After finishing high school, he studied for a degree in Writing, Literature, and Publishing.

While at college, he was surprised to discover his love for editing. In lots of ways, he found more joy in reviewing and guiding other writers than he did in writing his own stories.

So, when he graduated he decided to look for a role as an editor. Unfortunately, his hunt began at the height of the global financial crisis. There weren’t many jobs paying a decent wage for an aspiring editor at the time.

Rather than go hungry, he took a position as a writer in what he describes as a “content farm.” This was a low-level agency, all too popular at the time. Rather than craft well thought out, informative pieces; his employer simply paid him to spin out quick and dirty three-hundred word blog posts day after day…

Around the same time, Amazon released the Kindle. With the launch, almost overnight anyone who wanted to could publish their own ebook. Liam found the whole idea fascinating, and started reading several of the ninety-nine cent self-published books available on Amazon.com.

Very quickly he realized, a lot of these authors had great ideas, but wow, some of them really needed the help of an editor!

He thought this was the kind of work he could easily do remotely and in his spare time. After discovering a few businesses that offered editing services, he sent his resume off. Before long, he had landed himself his first freelance gig.

But that’s not all she wrote…

The arrangement didn’t last long as Liam’s side hustle employer—a boss by another name—decided to retire shortly after hiring him. He suggested Liam try his hand at running a business himself. He even offered to link to Liam’s new website, if he built one.

Liam decided to take a crack at writing his own story … a story of independence. He still had a day job, so there was little risk. But, if things worked out, it might be a path to the life of freedom he’d long dreamed of.

He called his service Invisible Ink Editing. His real side hustle was now in its first draft.

It didn’t take long before Liam had his first customer, who arrived via referral from his previous employer’s website. Over the coming months, Liam had a handful of additional clients show up. It gave him the foundation of his first customer base.

As more and more clients came through though, Liam refined that process. He figured out how best to charge, eventually settling on a per word rate.

Within another year, he had more customers than he could handle on his own.

Liam decided he needed help and looked for additional editors he could hire on freelance basis. He would pay them a reasonable rate per job, and keep a percentage for himself.

Add on a couple more years, and both SEO and word of mouth helped Invisible Ink continue to grow. By 2018 he had six part-time editors and he was doing quite well. So much so that in mid-2019, he reached the elusive six-figure mark in yearly profit and took the plunge, leaving his day job.

For over a decade, Liam dreamed of finding work that would allow him the flexibility to travel and set his own hours. He’ll be celebrating the achievement next year by taking off to Asia and living the nomadic lifestyle for a while.

But it’ll be far from a holiday, Liam has already soft launched his next project, a content agency of his own. If it can do half as well as Invisible Ink Editing, it will be a story worth telling.

 

 

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
"Write yourself. You can’t be a good editor if you don’t know how to write."
—Liam Carnahan #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

Don't Do Business Without It

Side Hustle School is brought to you by American Express.

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

Like the Show? Leave a Rating!

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

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

Keep in Touch

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


To infinity and beyond,

Chris Guillebeau

Teenpreneur Skips College to Build Pet Care Company

What It’s About

A teen wags off college, walks her own path, and finds howling success.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Kathryn recognizes the importance of relationships in her side hustle success, “You know the saying it takes a village? Find your village! I have so many friends and mentors who have encouraged, corrected, and taught me every step of the way. I owe all my success to my amazing village.”

Fun Fact

10% of all Happy Hound profits go directly to local missions and animal rescues.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1036

Just about any 8-year-old can walk a dog. But how many of those kids turn a few bucks into a full-blown business that’s hiring employees by age 20?

That’s exactly what Kathryn Cockrell did. Kathryn loved walking dogs for her neighbors … and when she was old enough, she got a job at a kennel. It was there that she realized there weren’t enough pet care options available in her community.

As a high school sophomore, Kathryn’s parents very kindly–and perhaps somewhat naively–let her set up a kennel in the basement and backyard of the family home. She spent $97 on her first order of pet gear, a number that sounded huge at the time. This allowed her to install a dog grooming station in the basement, while the backyard was converted into a dog park.

At just 15 years old, Kathryn’s pet care prices were set low, which brought in business. As the home-based, after-school operation grew, dogs barking all hours of the day and night became a real issue. So once business was booming, Kathryn’s parents encouraged her to move the entrepreneurial endeavors to a new location.

Kathryn continued to operate Happy Hound Pet Sitting all through high school. Then, when it was time to go to college, she chose to go a different direction. She set a goal of only working for herself, moving out, and proving she wasn’t crazy for not taking advantage of the college fund her parents had saved up.

This felt like a gamble, as nearly all of Kathryn’s peers were going on to higher education. The sense of vulnerability hasn’t really gone away, as Kathryn confesses to still worrying about what would happen if her business somehow failed.

But it didn’t. By age 19, Kathryn was making her own living and had moved out of her parents’ house-slash-dog park. By age 20, she was hiring team members and management to help meet the demand of her business, Happy Hound Pet Sitting. And by age 23, she had a second branch in the works.

Today, Happy Hound brings in $15,000 per month in high season. Revenue in the business is seasonal and can get down to $6,000 in low months. For this reason, Kathryn carefully times any major expenses, pays her sitters only on commission, and maintains a savings account year-round.

While the Alabama branch has become more or less self-sustaining, Kathryn has spent the past year replicating her business in a new location. By analyzing the website’s Google presence, she saw which nearby cities had the highest search volume for Happy Hound’s specific type of service. With some further market research, she could also determine which cities were underserved.

Replicating the business has been more challenging and slower-going than Kathryn expected, but things are slowly starting to snowball. By learning from the situation, she plans to help her team members create their own branches down the line and potentially franchise the Happy Hound company.

Still in her mid-20’s, Kathryn’s early dog obsession and high school side hustle has already resulted in a decade of experience.

 

 

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
"Find your village! I have so many friends and mentors who have encouraged, corrected, and taught me every step of the way. I owe all my success to my amazing village."
—Kathryn Cockrell #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

Don't Do Business Without It

Side Hustle School is brought to you by American Express.

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

Like the Show? Leave a Rating!

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

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

Keep in Touch

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


To infinity and beyond,

Chris Guillebeau

Divorce Leads Banker To Boudoir Photography Empire

What It’s About

A single mom and former banker reinvents herself with a photographic focus.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Taking time to think about pricing and goal setting is extremely valuable. Here’s what Tanya suggests: “Do your numbers! You don’t have to do a crazy complicated spreadsheet, but have some goals as to what you want to make and how you will get there.”

Fun Fact

As a firm believer that she didn’t need to heavily invest in her studio props and furniture, Tanya has gotten creative over the years. Recently, she found a pair of Victoria’s Secret angel-esque wings that she wanted … for $3,000! Instead, she went back to her DIY roots, ordering $500 worth of ostrich feathers from Amazon and making them herself.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1035

Tanya Smith found her side hustle as a boudoir photographer in the midst of a divorce. Prior to having children, she worked in the corporate banking world. While this gave her stability, it also stripped her of the freedom she wanted when it came to being there for her kids.

When she quit her job to raise her children, she pursued art in a few different mediums. As a mixed media artist selling paintings at art shows, she began playing around with the DSLR camera she had bought after the birth of her first child. She would take photos of anything she could, and sell prints alongside her paintings.

For years, she combined these two passions as both a hobby and a way to make extra money. Finding herself newly separated after 20 years of marriage and two kids, Tanya felt lost. As a woman, she had struggled being able to view herself as anything other than a mother. With her pending divorce, she was pushed into a new life chapter that required her to find a way to support herself… and she didn’t want to go back to banking.

The first inspiration was personal. Stumbling upon an ad for boudoir photos, she was intrigued. She said yes because she thought it was something that could be good for her while she transitioned to a new time of life. She walked away from her session with a renewed sense of confidence.

Tanya quickly saw the opportunities waiting in boudoir photography as a business. She already had the characteristics that would make someone want to hire her: she was trustworthy, knew her way around a camera, and was able to put herself in the shoes of her ideal clients.

Since she already had a camera and would only shoot “on location,” meaning either in her clients’ homes or in her own bedroom, it didn’t take much to begin. She committed to keeping her initial investments to a bare minimum, only spending money on things she absolutely needed. Her marketing plan was low-maintenance, including a Facebook business page and a free website (tanyalsmith.com).

Tanya did her first three shoots for free before deciding on a price—though one chosen arbitrarily. Her first real client paid her $382, a price she was over the moon about. In fact, she went home and cried out of happiness.

She went back to her experience in corporate banking and began crunching numbers, to figure out how much she would need to make this side hustle profitable. She decided how much she wanted to work each week and how many weeks she wanted to work per year. Then, she came up with how much money she needed to net each year, giving her the average sale per client that she would need.

With those numbers, she knew how many photoshoots she would need to book, helping her create packages at various tiers. She made her target average sale her middle, and most attractive package. Having these packages in place, her three-year side hustle became her full-time job.

Today, Tanya’s business is bringing in a profit in the mid-six-figures. With her average sale being $5,000, she’s able to work less than ever while making more than ever. Her pricing reflects the luxury experience she gives women—including a styling consultation, use of her studio and wardrobe, in-house hair and makeup, and an in-person sales session.

Though none of this happened overnight, she’s proud to look back on how far she has come.

What’s next for Tanya? Helping photographers like her who are dreaming big on their side hustles. With an educational course and podcast, she’ll be teaching students the exact way she built this business for herself. Her journey taught her a lot at a slow and steady pace. With her own course, she’s hoping to help others take the quicker route to success.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • tanyalsmith.com: Learn more about Tanya and her boudoir photgraphy at her website and follow her on Instagram.
  • Free profit calculator for photographers: Tanya provided this free calculator for photographers to figure out what they need their average sale to be to be profitable. (please note an email sign-up is required to accees the calculator)

 

SEE ALSO:

Brooklyn Photographer Gets Paid to Throw Confetti at People:

    A former graphic designer turns a personal thirty-day challenge into a growing photography brand.
  • Famous iPhone Photo Leads to Series of Online Courses: A 365-day photo project transitions to a hustle teaching small business owners how to create videos using their smartphones.

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 been able to show my kids that they can run their own business if they are interested in that, and that they can learn how to do anything if they put their minds to it."
—Tanya Smith #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

Don't Do Business Without It

Side Hustle School is brought to you by American Express.

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

Like the Show? Leave a Rating!

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

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

Keep in Touch

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


To infinity and beyond,

Chris Guillebeau

Medical Emergency Inspires $90,000/Month Consulting Business

What It’s About

A systems-driven business to help aspiring graduates get jobs in management consulting.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Davis encourages other side hustlers to focus on one important thing: “You just need to quickly find people who are willing to pay for what you are offering. Nothing else matters. Not a name (we didn’t have one for 11 months), not a website (didn’t have one for 11 months), or a logo (we still don’t have one).”

Fun Fact

While playing poker in college, Davis made it a goal to save up enough money to pay for his first WDS in 2014. It paid for his ticket, flight, hotel, food and even a small vacation in Portland before WDS started.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1033

Davis Ngyuen grew up in a poor community in the southside of Atlanta, where 1 in 5 people live in poverty. The high school he attended actually lost its national accreditation. Thankfully for Davis, Yale University didn’t care and still offered him a scholarship.

The campus had a large poker culture, with plenty of events and underground games. Eager to earn money, Davis learned to play. It turned out he had an aptitude for it. On a good month, he would play about two full days, spending around 8-10 hours per day at the table. He split the money he made with his parents.

But this story isn’t about playing poker for money.

After graduation, Davis moved to San Francisco, where he first did a stint in management consulting, and then took a job as VP of Operations for an educational startup. Busy with extracurricular projects since those college poker days, he produced a series of workshops on the side, so he would never have to rely on one income stream.

It wasn’t a bad life—until a call from his parents changed everything.

One of them needed emergency surgery, with medical costs estimated to top out at $20,000. Plus, they needed the money soon.

Davis sat down and tried to think about how he could make that much money fast. His workshops were focused on helping Silicon Valley executives to improve their public speaking, so they could better pitch meetings and funding opportunities. But this wouldn’t be a fast source for cash.

Going deeper, Davis recalled conversations he had again and again when he moved to California to take the management consultant job at a prestigious firm. Everyone wanted to know how he did it.

So with the urgent medical bills in mind, he decided his new hustle was to offer coaching for job interviews in consulting.

The idea was promising, but he didn’t even have a website or email list. Instead, he jumped on a Consulting Sub-Reddit and offered his advice in a free AMA (Ask Me Anything) thread for people who were trying to do what he had done. That first thread was titled: “Recruiting for Consulting? Post here for recruitment advice, resume reviews, questions about offers/firms or general insecurity.”

The goal was not to sell services directly. Instead, he poured his experience and knowledge into the replies. If people wanted one-on-one, off-thread conversation, then he invited them to set up a consultation with him on the Zoom web-conferencing app. Startup costs were just $20 for that Zoom membership.

He worked twelve hours straight over the first weekend hunting for clients and hosting calls, having no idea if it would pay off. Ultimately, he gained his first thirteen clients off that Reddit thread.

The next weekend, he did much the same thing, and then the next as well. It was stressful working long days during the week for his day job, and then pouring weekend hours into his side hustle. The thought of his family kept him motivated—and the money coming in was rewarding—but the greater problem was that Davis was burning out fast.

He began making some bigger changes. He switched to more of an agency model, where clients are asked to pay a bit upfront, but it’s not until they actually get the job that they have to pay the rest. The sum is less than 5% of what they earn in their first year at high-paying jobs … but of course, that’s still a substantial amount.

After just one year, My Consulting Offer had grown to $10,000 per month with Davis as the only coach. That’s when he quit his full-time job, as it was obvious he was really onto something.

These days, Davis does no coaching. Instead, he works directly with top-tier schools and events, and refers all the new business back to his agency’s sales group. From there, his team handles the entire process from initial inquiry straight through to the celebrations when they land their dream job. The average success rate of getting a job in management in consulting is less than 2%, but for those who go through Davis’s process, the rate is more than 80%!

In 2019, just over two years after that 12-hour weekend sprint of desperately trying to hustle coaching calls on Reddit, Davis’s revenue reached $90,000 per month.

In a short period of time, he’s come a long way from his poker days as a student at Yale.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • My Consulting Offer Learn more about Davis’s service at his website.
  • Reddit The online community Davis used to first offer his services. Davis knew this might be a good place to start to find his target audience. Note: we don’t recommend this platform for anyone unfamiliar with it.
  • Zoom Host online video meetings/calls, webinars, and more.

 

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 key to life is to help others. I always think, how can I be a better son for my Mom, a better brother for my little brother, and a better role model for those who I am lucky enough to cross paths with. "
—Davis Nguyen #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

Don't Do Business Without It

Side Hustle School is brought to you by American Express.

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

Like the Show? Leave a Rating!

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

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

Keep in Touch

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


To infinity and beyond,

Chris Guillebeau