Tag: Service

Opera Singer Moonlights as Home Improvement Contractor

What It’s About

An opera singer hits all the right notes as a home improvement contractor.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Try to get one to two clients as quickly as possible so you can get reviews, and then make your offerings as attractive as possible so you stand out more. And whenever possible, find a way to combine your job or skills with your side hustle to add a unique twist to your profile.

Fun Fact

The Practical Diva also offers classes in basic lighting and electrical, plumbing, drywall repair, and mounting applications. She can also teach you to sing, really—which is a win-win for all!

Notes from Chris

Episode 847

Taerra Pence came to New York City to live the stage artist and performer life. Starstruck by the bright lights of the Big Apple, she had high hopes of being an opera singer and performing on all over the city. But like many artists before her, she set out to get a waitressing job to support her while she pursued singing gigs and voice teaching work.

Should be simple, right? But her confidence began to waver after receiving a steady stream of rejections. The final blow was when she applied for a job at the three-Michelin starred TGI Fridays in Times Square. She was turned down and left feeling like nobody would hire her.

As the old saying goes, “If you build it, they will come,” so Taerra shifted her attention to what she could build with the skills she already had in her toolbox—literally. Because Taerra wasn’t just an Opera singing diva. Growing up in her home state of Virginia, Taerra knew her way around said toolbox, and she spent much of her free time helping her dad with remodeling projects.

She took this as her cue, and The Practical Diva officially took to the stage! With $150, Taerra purchased some more tools and printed up some simple cards to hand out at hardware stores.

In the beginning, she’d get hired to do odd jobs like hanging TVs and curtains—but she soon found herself rolling up her sleeves for more large-scale projects like remodeling bathrooms, replacing tile and countertops, and hanging light fixtures as well.

Today, Taerra gets the majority of clients from HomeAdvisor and through an abundance of word of mouth referrals.

But what really sets this diva apart? Taerra says that it’s the fact that she is a handy woman in a male-dominated field. She has found that women who hire her are oftentimes more comfortable having a hardworking diva in their home than a man.

And Taerra has a great track record building this side hustle to a comfortable number as well. She earned about $14,000 in her first year, $36,000 her second year, and now is averaging about $4,000 a month in profits. With the move to HomeAdvisor, she was able to secure more high-quality jobs and income with fewer commitments. She started out with about 10 jobs a week and now averages 2-4 depending on the workload.

Moving forward, Taerra has launched her own website for Practical Diva and is expanding her business to hire two more artists/performers to split her workload so she can focus more on her singing career. She’s intentionally choosing to hire within her industry because her goal is to change the conversation from “Starving Artist” to “Succeeding Artist.” As for her opera career, she still hopes to sing in concerts around the city and all over the world.

There’s nothing but high notes for this Practical Diva!

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • The Practical Diva: Learn more about Taerra’s services and business on her website
  • Thumbtack & TaskRabbit: Two of the platforms that Taerra used to list her services
  • HomeAdvisor: The platform that really helped take Taerra’s services and business to a new octave

 

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
"In the beginning, try to get 1 – 2 clients as quickly as possible so you can get reviews, and then make your offerings as attractive as possible so you stand out more. And find a way to combine your job or skills with your side hustle to add a unique twist to your profile."
—Taerra Pence #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

Plant Ahead: Healthy Food Blog Sprouts Membership Service

What It’s About

Plant-based meal prep guides to make healthy eating easy!

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Carleigh’s monthly, recurring revenue is what is so powerful about this model. She’s set it to $9 which is a phenomenally low price! BUT it’s also a price that I expect has a low cancellation rate. I might recommend creating some options where people cannot get as much communication, because (ironically) that’s what causes some members to cancel in these kinds of programs.

Fun Fact

Carleigh says, “I take all my food photos using a $10 ‘desktop’ that I bought from Ikea placed on our kitchen floor while my fiance holds a light over top. This has led to spilled food more times than I can count, and my Persian cat, Tut, trying to get a bite. Our kitchen is tiny but we make it work.”

Notes from Chris

Episode 842

We all want to be healthy, but it’s one of those things that’s often easier said than done. Healthy eating takes intentional effort. When you’re busy, cooking up a nutritional meal is not nearly as convenient as ordering fast food or grabbing something processed and pre-packaged.

Carleigh Bodrug, a Communications Officer for a Hospital Foundation in Ontario, Canada, knew this challenge well. She believed a plant-based, whole foods lifestyle would improve her health. Yet she struggled to stick to it.

It wasn’t until Carleigh tried meal prepping that she was able to accomplish her goals. If you’re not familiar with meal prepping, it’s all about preparing aspects of your meals in advance. Rather than deciding what’s for dinner at the last-minute and throwing something together, you create a plan for the week.

On weekends, or whenever you have more free time, you do your grocery shopping and initial prep all at once. This may include chopping vegetables, or cooking and freezing sauces. With these steps done, most of your meals for the week are ready to go and take very little time to assemble.

Carleigh had been writing about healthy eating on her blog, Plant You, for two years, so she was well-versed in making meals without oil, refined sugars, or animal products. She knew from experience that meal prep could really help her audience, so she decided to offer a weekly meal prep plan.

While Carleigh had already built up a network of 130,000 followers on Facebook and Instagram, she had created all her blog and social media content for free. Her blog income had previously been limited to product sponsorships and was pretty sporadic. The meal prep service, which is essentially a membership program, gave her the chance to generate consistent, ongoing revenue.

So, just three months ago, the Plant Ahead Meal Prep Program took root. With this plan, Carleigh sends out a new vegan meal plan every single week, as well as a grocery shopping list and nutritional breakdown for each recipe.

She wanted to make sure the program was accessible, so she offers it for just $7.99 USD/month. Her startup costs included a website domain, hosting, a light for photography, and a couple of subscriptions. All of this came to approximately $600, which she quickly earned back in sales. She also spent several hundred dollars in advertising costs the first two months. She covered those costs easily as well, earning over $1,000 in profit in the first month and over $2,000 in months two and three.

The Plant Ahead Meal Prep Program has required a lot of hard work. Carleigh admits that she’s had to sacrifice a lot—from her social life to time planning her wedding—but the sacrifice has paid off in more ways than one.

She says: “I would not be giving up almost every single weekend and hours during my week nights for this if it wasn’t something I love and am deeply passionate about. I think it would be impossible otherwise—and I certainly wouldn’t have gotten to this point if it was just for the money.”

Fortunately, even though it’s not just for the money, the sacrifice is now paying out in money as well. With predictable monthly revenue now coming in, this program should continue to blossom into a business that supports her veggie-filled future.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Plant You: Vegetarians and vegans rejoice! Here’s a meal prep plan that will allow you to maintain your busy lifestyle—head over to Carleigh’s website to get your own meal plan!
  • WordPress: Carleigh used WordPress to set up Plant You, 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

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
"I was at my parent’s house when I launched the program and got my first sale. My mom made vegan cranberry french toast for breakfast and served mimosas when I got my first customer. I was really worried it was going to be a complete failure but the comfort of my family and celebration made it a little easier!"
—Carleigh Bodrug #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

NYC Student Starts Barking Business Walking Dogs

What It’s About

No bones about it, this is one side hustle that sets tails wagging!

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

If you’re looking to start a simple service business like this, you should:

– Choose the right service. – Offer one service only. – Focus on finding clients. – Create a process. – Keep startup costs low!

Fun Fact

Now that Richard has graduated from college, his main job is to work as a professional dancer for many different studios in New York. His schedule is still incredibly busy, so his side hustle has continued to be ideal for his day to day life.

Notes from Chris

Episode 840

A few years ago, Richard Sayama’s dream of going to college in New York City came true, and he began to work towards his dual degree in Business and Dance. Like many students, his schedule was packed. He struggled to find a job that could fit within his day to day life. Richard longed to be able to work an hour here and there between classes, but he wasn’t sure how to do it.

The longer he lived in the Upper East Side, the more he noticed how widespread the need for dog walkers was. There were dogs everywhere! He thought about it and realized that this could be the perfect side hustle for him. As a longtime animal lover, he wouldn’t have to learn any new skills, and he could create his own schedule.

Richard knew that there were dog walking services available online, so he started there. He signed up for one called “Wag!”, but was quickly disillusioned. There were way more dog walkers than there were clients. Every time someone posted a request for a walk, it was taken within seconds. Soon, he had developed an unhealthy habit of constantly checking his phone for notifications.

After a while, he was sick of being glued to his phone and exhausted by the constant competition. Then, after walking a dog one day, the owner asked if Richard had any business cards. Unfortunately, he didn’t, but this got him thinking—what if he could start his own dog walking business? He was already tired of using “Wag!” and after thinking about it, he realized that his startup costs could be very low. All he needed to spend money on was printing the business cards, and of course, dog treats.

Richard decided to try it out. He started by designing his own business cards, which he gave to dog owners he passed by on the street. Most of the people he gave cards to never contacted him, but the 5-10% that did became his first clients. (Side note: 5-10% is an amazing conversion rate. If you talk to 100 people walking dogs, you have 5-10 clients.)

Although it required a little extra work, choosing to handle all bookings on his own was the perfect option for Richard. And he did it through his website, Gotta Go!

Now, two years later and working full-time as a professional dancer, Richard still makes $2,000 a month from this hustle. That’s right, $2,000 a month just from walking dogs. He says that this is an ideal side hustle for someone with a busy schedule, especially if they work in a big city.

In this dog-eat-dog world, it can be daunting to consider competing with large corporations or an existing, popular app. However, by understanding that there were aspects of dog walking that were even better as a smaller company—like being able to lower the price and have long-term relationships with clients—he was able to make his own work with zero startup costs, all while earning thousands of dollars a month. It’s a barking business model!

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Gotta Go!: Learn more about what Richard is doing over on his website, and if you’re into the arts, check out his dance page as well!
  • Weebly: The platform that Richard used to create his website for Gotta Go!
  • Wag! and Rover are marketplaces where people can list their pet services or hire someone.

 

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
"Though it is obvious that I benefit financially, there are also emotional benefits to walking dogs as well. I can always rely on interacting with dogs to reduce anxiety and stress."
—Richard Sayama #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

Amsterdam Bike Tours Become Passive Profit Center

What It’s About

Frustrated by mediocrity in the tourism industry, an Amsterdam local sets something in motion.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

For anyone looking to start a similar business, Vince says it’s paramount to get some time under your belt working for an established company first. Learn your trade and look for the areas that you would improve and do differently; this will give you the starting point for your own venture.

Fun Fact

Vince was in San Francisco a couple of months after he started the business and met with fellow featured Side Hustler, Alexandra (from Ep 158), to get her tips and tricks for a tour-based business!

Notes from Chris

Episode 837
Vincent Linssen’s world travels had left him broke and looking for a fun way to earn some extra cash. Despite returning home to The Netherlands to a full-time job at one of Amsterdam’s major financial firms, he found himself in need of some extra cash to cover his expenses.

Vince had always wanted to be a tour guide and felt he’d taken enough walking tours in other cities in the world to have a go himself. It was a time in his life where he had nothing to lose, so he figured he may as well give it a shot.

He joined a company where he could give tours of the city on big yellow bikes. For two months, Vince gave ten tours a week, scheduled around his day job, and received a crash-course in the art of big city tours. However, he didn’t appreciate the way certain parts of the company were organized—and he felt he could do a much better job.

A few weeks later on his morning commute, Vince tuned into episode 158 of the Side Hustle School podcast and heard about the Urban Hiking tour company someone had set up in San Francisco. It gave him an idea!

By the end of the episode, his side hustle Amsterdam Experiences was already coming to life.

The income for Amsterdam Experiences depends a lot on seasonal demand. Between March and November, they can earn profits of up to 20,000 EUR per month. But, in the winter months, this can drop down to just a couple of hundred.

Despite achieving such success, Vince and Stephan still work their day jobs and have instead hired tour guides to help them scale the business. Because of their high TripAdvisor rating, many tour guides find them and offer their services. But they also look for guides through their personal networks.

Vince says a good tour guide should be local, friendly, and good at improvisation. If you can think on your feet, tell a good story, and hold a group’s attention, you’ve probably got what it takes!

For anyone looking to start a similar business, Vince says it’s paramount to get some time under your belt working for an established company first. Learn your trade and look for the areas that you would improve and do differently—this will give you the starting point for your own venture.

Looking ahead, Vince and Stephan want to delegate and automate their operation. They both have lofty goals—like starting a tech company to fight global warming on a large, systematic scale—so they want to create a “set it and occasionally check on it” strategy.

They’re not just spinning their wheels … they’re building a real business.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Amsterdam Experiences: Get an insider’s perspective of everything that makes Amsterdam such an amazing place over on Vince’s website!
  • Squarespace: The website building platform that Vince used to create his website
  • Urban Hiker Climbs to Steep Success in San Francisco: A project manager turns a passion for her city into a substantial side income of $50,000 a year. This is the episode that inspired Vince to get started!

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 noticed that those who are successful have a few things in common: they show grit, dedicate serious time to it, and have a partner to support them. It’s a very competitive market, so you have to be different and/or better than the competition in some way."
—Vincent Linssen #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

Music Graduate Makes Spare Change Filling Spare Rooms

What It’s About

A music graduate makes more than spare change filling spare rooms.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

As Rupert says, “An important thing to remember is to listen to the market. When I first launched what is now called SpareRoom it was just for whole rental properties and there wasn’t much interest. However, over the weeks that followed the launch, I saw it was the last minute apartment share bolt on I added that was getting all the attention. So I listened to the market, took a gamble, and pivoted the business to become an apartment share only site. And I’ve never looked back.”

Fun Fact

After separating from his wife, Rupert found himself alone in a townhouse in Spitalfields, East London. He decided to use his own website to find flatmates. Having people around didn’t just make life more fun. It helped Rupert fall in love with SpareRoom all over again. He realized that living with the right people beats living alone any day.

Notes from Chris

Episode 836
It was the year 1999, the year that Prince predicted would be a great party, and right before Y2K. Rupert Hunt had graduated from university with a music degree and moved to London. His dream of starting a successful band hadn’t quite worked out, so for a while, he stocked shelves at a local supermarket.

With the new millennium about to roll around, Rupert’s aspirations moved from music to web development. He wanted to make more money, build a better life for himself, and stop stocking shelves.

He had no programming experience but wasn’t afraid of hard work. He just knew he didn’t want to join the rat race and climb a corporate ladder.

Instead of taking a low-level corporate job, therefore, he decided to intern for a local internet entrepreneur in his spare time. This entrepreneur ran a website, and Rupert viewed it as a great opportunity to gain some skills as a web developer. He also thought it would be a good way to be exposed to new ideas.

The plan worked. After a short time, Rupert landed a gig for a local web development agency. He continued in the role for a few years, when the spare space in his mind began filling with a business idea.

He thought about his own experience moving to London and the difficulty he had in finding a place to rent. With his new web development skills, he started building a website that listed properties for rent in London. After a few weeks of work, he launched IntoLondon.com for just that purpose.

At the last minute, Rupert decided to bolt on a message board for people seeking housemates. Just in case anyone browsing the site was looking to share an apartment instead of renting their own.

IntoLondon.com launched with little fanfare and didn’t experience much growth or success. In fact, the rental classifieds area of the site didn’t take off at all.

But… something unexpected happened.

The housemate noticeboard that Rupert had tacked on at the last minute had proved quite popular. It was the only area of the site that got any use at all. This gave him an idea.

Rather than slog away at building a rental property website, he should listen to what his users and the market were telling him. There was clearly a need for a website that made finding a housemate simple.

Fast forward several years and by 2010, SpareRoom was the largest flat-sharing site in the country. Being a first mover was a huge advantage, but there were several other sites now in the space—so maintaining the lead wasn’t easy.

Rupert puts the success down to having a true understanding and empathy with customers. He views SpareRoom as a modern-day family business. That keeps the culture strong and also maintains a solid focus on providing real value to the members of the site.

And, it seems a lot of others agree because SpareRoom is a serious business, with over two million dollars in operating profit in 2018. With that success, Rupert has decided to make the push from the UK into the USA. Since launching in New York, the site has helped match three-quarters of a million flatmates already. He never went back to building the property rental site.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • SpareRoom: Don’t let the struggles of finding a roommate get you down—learn more about how to simplify this process over on Rupert’s website!

SEE ALSO:

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

Yours in the revolution,

cg-sig-newsletter

Resources

WEB HOSTING @ $2.49/MONTH

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

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

GET $625 IN FREE TRAVEL

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

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

Quote of the Day
"Treat investment as a last resort not a foregone conclusion. There are always free or low-cost ways to grow your business, and it’s amazing how the boundaries of having no money forces you to think creatively!"
—Rupert Hunt #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

Interior Designer Starts Boutique Airbnb Alternative

What It’s About

An interior designer creates an upgraded, Airbnb experience for the trendy and fabulous.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Whenever something like this takes off, it often creates additional opportunities in the margins for people like Allison to flourish. Even though she’s trying to do her own thing, she’s using the platforms of Airbnb and others. Arguably, they have enabled her to pursue this alternative vision. Pay attention!

Fun Fact

Allison learned a lot about entrepreneurial grit and salesmanship when she lived in New York. Not only did she sell copiers on Wall Street, but she was taking classes towards a degree in interior design at NYU in the evenings.

Notes from Chris

Episode 833

Though formally trained in advertising and marketing at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Allison Crawford’s real passion was somewhere else: interior design. Even as she sold radio advertising in Austin, moved to sell copiers on Wall Street for a while, and then moved back to Texas to direct the marketing efforts of a car company, she was always learning about interior design. While in New York, she took night classes at NYU.

But rather than working for an interior design company, Allison created her own gigs on the side by flipping houses once she moved back to Dallas. It was grueling work: finding a house, bidding for it, renovating the property, designing the interior, and then—finally—selling it, hoping to profit.

It was a bit less thrilling than she’d hoped, and when one deal went sour and Allison ended up losing a lot of money, she decided the house flipping game wasn’t where she belonged.

She did, however, really like the part where she handled the interior design of the properties.

When a handful of friends offered to pay Allison for her skill, a lightbulb went off: she should try starting her own home design service.

Just a few months later, in 2015, Allison Crawford Design debuted. She built a portfolio of happy clients in a matter of months, and took her hard-earned cash to Los Angeles for the annual “Design Week” festival.

Still, this wasn’t the final answer either…

In Los Angeles, she learned a lot and made valuable connections, but the festival itself wasn’t where the most dramatic change happened. That happened in her Airbnb.

Let’s just say Allison’s first short-term rental experience on the platform was less than ideal. And it made her wonder: “Why isn’t there a chain of properties that fill the void between common home rentals and boutique hotels?”

She went home at the end of the week curious and eager. And what she found was intriguing: no other company owned, designed, and marketed boutique short-term rentals all under one umbrella. Lots of companies do one, or maybe two of those things—but never all three.

Allison knew she could do it. She’d bought and sold homes, she was an interior designer, and she was an experienced marketer. Allison had a trio of skills that nobody else seemed to be using all together—so she jumped in.

By Summer of 2017, HOTELette had its first property in Nashville. Not long after, she added two more properties in Austin and Dallas. She’s now looking at a fourth location in 2020, a furniture line, and maybe even a reality TV show.

Allison’s not one to take all the credit. She says she has an incredible team behind her that she’s put together over the last three years: three city property managers, a digital shop manager, an assistant, a bookkeeper, and marketing manager. Drawing others into the dream of Hotelette—from customers to contractors—has been a lot more rewarding than selling copiers or flipping houses.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • HOTELette: If you’d like to learn more about the boutique experiences Allison is creating, head on over to her website!
  • Airbnb, HomeAway, & VRBO: Three of the property rental platforms that Allison used to get HOTELette out to the masses

 

SEE ALSO:

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

Yours in the revolution,

cg-sig-newsletter

Resources

GET $625 IN FREE TRAVEL

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

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

RELIABLE WEBHOST FOR $2.49/MONTH

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

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

Quote of the Day
"I think that it’s important to celebrate the small victories with your team. Getting a business up and running isn’t always glamorous, and consistent reminders of our progress and growth keeps driving us forward."
—Allison Crawford #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

TV Writer Casts Himself in Lead Hustle Role

What It’s About

A writer who spins the stories of others using a new medium.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

A suggestion: don’t try to accommodate every request. Decide how your service works and offer it that way! Especially when it’s a different kind of thing, the burden is on you to explain why it’s important to do it your way. This creates more confidence and trust for buyers.

Fun Fact

When Dennis went to build the website for the game, he discovered that YouDontKnowMyLife.com was owned by someone else and they were asking $795 for it. That seemed too steep so he secured YouDontKnowMyLifeGame.com. A few weeks before the games were going to arrive from the manufacturer, he saw that the original website was going to be auctioned off. Dennis took a chance and bid $10. He ended up being the only bidder and the website is now his for $785 less than what was originally asked.

Notes from Chris

Episode 832

Los Angeles writer Dennis Hensley has spent his life asking unique, probing questions. A master interviewer, he began his writing career in the magazine world crafting celebrity profiles, and later transitioned to writing for television.

All was well until the labor strike in 2013.

His opportunities began to dry up and he soon found himself without steady gigs. The crisis had a negative effect on his financial, mental, and physical health. And it continued like this for several years.

In 2017, he began attending programs at the Actors Fund, a national human services organization that meets the needs of the entertainment community through emergency financial assistance, affordable housing, health care and more. He enrolled in a life-changing course called Managing Cash Flow for Artists. In this course, the instructor recommended that students listen to the Side Hustle School podcast.

Dennis was clear that he needed a side hustle, and could see how it could make a difference when crises occur (like the labor strike). He began to explore what he likes to do and what he’s good at and landed on interviewing. He had been interviewing his whole life and was really great with crafting questions. And most of his past subjects found his style to be fun and meaningful. He already had a podcast and wanted to think of a unique way to expand.

That’s when the idea for Lifecast was born. Lifecast is a digital audio interview that focuses on memorable stories. Dennis spends up to three hours conducting in-person interviews to gather details about the subject’s life.

He utilizes questions from his Observation Deck, a deck of cards featuring questions created specifically for interviews: “What makes you blush?” and “What was your worst job?” for example. He then compiles the interview into an edited audio collage with music for family and loved ones to cherish.

Startup costs came in around $2,000 to cover the cost of equipment, rights for music, and a Squarespace website. He was able to recoup his investment after a couple months of interviews. Packages range from $700 to $1,000 depending on the scale of the interview. He currently conducts an average of two interviews per month.

Dennis has recently cast himself as the lead in another side hustle. After launching Lifecast, he was inspired to have his Observation Deck printed professionally so that he could gift the deck to interviewees and sell to interested parties. He reached out to a graphic designer friend and asked for advice on where to print his cards. His friend sent him a link to MakePlayingCards.com and challenged him to “Think big and create a board game out of the questions as well!”

Dennis encourages everyone out there to look within their own skills and interests, and get creative. Think of what excites you and see what you can build from that. After creating one side hustle, it was easier to create another. These side hustles have given Dennis something that is his to own that the entertainment industry can’t take away from him.

 

  MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Get a Life Cast: Learn more about this unique side hustle over on Dennis’ website, and while you’re at it, check out his card game, You Don’t Know My Life! as well!
  • Actors Fund: A charitable organization that supports performers and behind-the-scenes workers in performing arts and entertainment
  • Make Playing Cards: The manufacturer that Dennis used to create You Don’t Know My Life!
  • Squarespace: The website building platform that Dennis used to create his 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
"Find support around you when brainstorming ideas for a side hustle or starting one. Whether that be joining a community of entrepreneurs, a society like the Side Hustle Society, or forming your own, find support to keep you motivated and in action."
—Dennis Hensley #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

Bilingual Insurance Agent Translates Problem-Solving into Profits

What It’s About

Bilingual Insurance Agent translates her skills into profit.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Jennifer suggests others who are interested in doing translation as a side hustle consider what they are knowledgeable or passionate about. Are you a multilingual college student who didn’t mind the college application process? You can assist others through that task. Do you enjoy typing and can do it quickly? Consider transcription.

Fun Fact

Translation is a 46 billion dollar industry! It is one of the the fastest growing industries with an anticipated 42% growth by 2020.

Notes from Chris

Episode 830
Jennifer Thomé is a longtime, serial side hustler. Just to name a few, she has moonlighted as an event planner, sold baked goods, and managed social media for nonprofits. These days, she’s earning extra money as a Chinese translator, specializing in solving real-life problems.

Jen moved to China when she was 20 and became proficient in the language. While living there and going to school, people would ask her for help with lots of simple tasks that required English. These days, back in the States and living in Los Angeles, she still does some traditional translation work, including interpretation and voiceover recording.

But her unique ability to help people solve those real-life problems is her specialty. Her first paid job as a translator was solving a legal problem. A couple’s children were wrongfully taken from them and didn’t know what to do. Within a short period of time, through research, making phone calls, and navigating the court system, Jennifer was able to get the kids back into the parents’ custody. She never asked for compensation, but the couple was so grateful, they paid her $8,000!

Dumbfounded she could make money doing something that in the past she’d just done as a favor for friends, Jennifer soon began doing translation as a paid side hustle. She discovered that the work was a fun and profitable way to maintain her language skills.

Jennifer had zero startup costs when starting her translation business, Turnkey Translator. Her first year’s profit was $27,000, and the second year was nearly $40,000. Once she began making money in this niche, she got to thinking about how she needed to teach others how to translate their skills into cash. She invested about $300 into creating an online course teaching multilinguals how to develop their own translation side hustle.

Close to 80% of Jennifer’s translation business is from referrals. She recommends if you want to start getting paid to translate, ask yourself: where would someone who needs my services be? And then go there. Mention it on social media, and join groups where you might be able to help people.

For Jennifer, the best part of having this side hustle has been her ability to help others in distress. She’s able to solve a huge legal or health problem for others, and in return, she receives a whole lot of gratitude from her customers.

Of course, she’s not doing it for charity—that money is real. It’s allowed her to transition to part-time work and spend more time with her kids. Using her language skills to solve problems has translated into real benefits.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Turnkey Translator: Get help starting a translation side hustle of your own over on Jennifer’s website!

SEE ALSO:

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

Yours in the revolution,

cg-sig-newsletter

Resources

CREATE YOUR ONLINE STORE

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

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

GET YOUR FIRST 1,000 EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS

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

Quote of the Day
"Put yourself out there, and let people in your network know what you are doing. They may not need you, but someone they know might."
—Jennifer Thomé #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

Chronic Illness Inspires Mobile-Friendly Yoga Biz

What It’s About

Yoga instructor takes her show on the road.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Kayla thinks that if you want to get into yoga that you need to be clear on why you want to be a yoga instructor and who you want to work with. Then decide how you want to reach “your people”—whether that be through blogging, Instagram, online/offline, etc.

Fun Fact

Yoga is a big business! There are over 52,746 teachers registered with Yoga Alliance in 2016 alone, and for every yoga teacher, there are two more enrolled in a yoga teacher training program.

Notes from Chris

Episode 828

At age twelve, Kayla Kurin was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. She got passed around from doctor to doctor, but no one knew how to help. As she grew up, she had dreams of traveling the world and starting her own business. But her illness was getting in the way.

At her lowest point, Kayla didn’t think she’d be able to graduate university or hold a normal job, and travel seemed impossible. But in the past seven years, she’s done all of those things, and more. She’s traveled to over forty countries, completed three triathlons, and started two businesses.

The two most important things that helped her get to that point were yoga and meditation.

Kayla found yoga sequences to be challenging without setting her back like other forms of exercise did. When she tried searching out Yoga and Mindfulness courses specifically geared to those living with illness, there wasn’t much out there. That’s when she decided to become a yoga teacher.

After completing her training, Kayla taught in-person yoga courses… at least at first. Knowing that yoga could be a key tool in managing a chronic illness, she wanted to share resources for people to practice yoga in a therapeutic way. She began catering her classes for people with chronic illness. The challenge was that her students, who struggled with fatigue and other health setbacks, often missed class due to these very health issues—so she also began sharing some initial resources online.

After her first year as an instructor, Kayla transitioned her full-time job to become location independent. Now working as a copywriter and social media manager (which started out as a side hustle, by the way!), she was able to take her work on the road.

He passion for teaching yoga came along with her. She moved her courses and workshops online, allowing her to reach more people, no matter where in the world they might be.

Her website, Aroga Yoga, became the hub for her resources.

While exploring the world as a digital nomad, Kayla continues to teach private classes on a weekly basis as well as leading workshops a few times a year. Another bonus of taking her yoga business on the road is that Kayla can film her course videos against new backdrops around the world.

Positive feedback from her students is its own reward, but the business also helps keep Kayla accountable to her own fitness and health goals. And she’s happy to have an extra cushion of roughly $10,000 annually on top of her primary income.

Kayla intends to keep producing more books, blog posts, and mini-courses. It’s no stretch to say that she’ll continue to keep her side hustle flexible.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Aroga Yoga: Learn more about how Kayla is helping others manage their chronic illnesses over on her website!

 

SEE ALSO:

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

Yours in the revolution,

cg-sig-newsletter

Resources

WEB HOSTING @ $2.49/MONTH

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

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

GET $625 IN FREE TRAVEL

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

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

Quote of the Day
"Whenever I hear from a student that my classes have helped them and made their lives better, I get a huge grin stuck on my face. I also like it because it keeps me on track with my own health goals since I’m teaching and writing about yoga all the time!"
—Kayla Kurin #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

LA Graphic Designer Influences Influencers

What It’s About

A designer soups up branding for YouTube influencers.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

For anyone wanting to launch a similar business or freelance method, Dawn recommends setting a limit on the number of revisions you will allow from a client, and if they request more outside of that, charge extra. Make sure you protect yourself so it’s not endless work for one job. Also, understand that everything is a work in progress. Over time, you’ll know what’s working or not and can adjust your terms accordingly.

Fun Fact

When she started this as a side hustle, many of Dawn’s friends thought she was doing it for her own clout (trying to attract the right people, at the right time, change what they think or do). When in reality, Dawn was living into the dream she had from a young age watching Lizzy Mcguire and That’s So Raven and dreaming what it would be like to create for influencers like them.

Notes from Chris

Episode 826

Graphic designer Dawn Lee had an eye for style from a young age. When she was a kid she loved watching Disney shows like Lizzy Mcguire and That’s So Raven. After watching episodes, she would sketch animations and GIFs to post on MySpace for friends to share.

MySpace, in case you’ve never heard of it, was the largest social network in the early 2000’s before Facebook came along. Dawn had no idea that she was creating a future reality for herself from a young age.

She then took the traditional path that many follow—graduating high school, going to college, and earning a 4-year degree. But then, rather than taking the first available job she found, Dawn chose to travel for a while and figure out what she really wanted to do.

She had a design degree and thought she could at least do something with her skills until she figured out what was next.

During this phase she earned a living through freelance design work, making graphics and business cards to support her lifestyle until she found a “real” job. But despite applying for various positions, the “real” job would never come.

After listening to an episode of Side Hustle School, Dawn learned about the world of Merch by Amazon and began designing t-shirts to sell. Between her full-time freelance gigs and the t-shirt business, her schedule was full. But none of these projects felt sustainable.

Like many Millenials, Dawn found herself spending a lot of time on YouTube watching how-to and tutorial videos from top influencers. One day she was on her favorite YouTube influencer’s channel and noticed a disconnect between the content being presented and graphics being used. And she started noticing this as a trend with many top influencers on YouTube. They had millions of followers, but their graphics still had a homemade feel to it.

That’s when she saw a new opportunity arise. What if she could create better more brand-fitting graphics and offer them to top influencers? On a whim, Dawn whipped up a sample design for that top influencer, JENN IM (a Korean-American fashion vlogger with more than 2 million subscribers) and emailed it to her. She told her she wanted to make her brand stand out more by creating visually stunning graphics. To her surprise, she received a response within 15 minutes! And just like that, Dawn had her first client.

When she first started DLD Studio, she was bringing in an extra $1,500 per month. And when she went full time with it, it shot up to $5,000 / month. Her client base began to grow with more and more top influencers on YouTube. She’s now earning $10,000/month in profits and has recently hired a full-time business development partner and part-time creative staffer.

Dawn encourages you to be bold and reach out to who you want to work with. Don’t wait for them to find you, because they won’t. Take some time to create a design or pitch that fits your ideal client’s style or brand, and reach out to them with your mock and offering. Give them something to look at rather than just sending your website and portfolio. Show them you have value to offer in some way they may not have known.

That’s what she did, and those days watching Disney shows and posting to MySpace have paid off.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • DLD Studio: Learn more about what Dawn is doing over on her 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
"Gear your portfolio and offerings to meet your ideal client’s brand or style. Create something that speaks to their vision rather than sending a generic portfolio or website. Be bold and pitch your concept to them directly rather than waiting for them to find you."
—Dawn Lee #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