Tag: Service

Hit the Streets With These Chicago Walking Tours

What It’s About

The tours are “free,” but this creative Chicago guide still earns $2,500/month from them.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Jeff has found his ‘free’ business model to be more beneficial than tours that charge per person. However, he stressed the need to maintain a five-star rating and grow his reviews. This is critical. Just like he was skeptical on his first walking tour, some people question his service’s legitimacy because it advertises as free. The rating assures guests that he’s a legit business.

Fun Fact

There’s a lot of interesting (albeit sordid) history in Chicago, and Jeff’s Free Chicago Walking Tours takes advantage of that with his Chicago Crime & Gangster Tour. On this tour, you’ll learn how the Chicago mafia came to power as well as take you to some lesser known, infamous Chicago mob hangouts!

Notes from Chris

Episode 643

Jeff Mikos has been the manager of a pet care business for a large grocery cooperative. He’s also dabbled in real estate, with two rental properties, including one he manages himself.

A few years back, Jeff and his wife had an experience while traveling that ended up turning into an accidental side hustle. On an extended trip through South America, they stumbled upon a free city walking tour in Santiago, Chile. They were skeptical at first—how good could a free tour be?—but they decided to try it out. They ended up enjoying it so much that they sought the tours out in every city they visited.

While on a tour in Quito, Ecuador, Jeff’s idea sprouted legs and took a walk of its own. He thought that implementing this model in his hometown of Chicago might have a walking chance. Jeff did some research and discovered this model had a low barrier to entry. “Who wouldn’t want a free walking tour?”

Jeff got to work!

He and his wife spent an entire weekend passing out brochures to every hotel and hostel in the area. Jeff racked up more steps than his pedometer knew what to do with but said it was hard to determine the ROI because there was no way to track it. (There weren’t any coupon codes or anything else that separated signups from one source versus any other.)

Once his site was published, people began signing up. He remembers looking at his wife and thinking, “Huh, we’ve got guests!”

Since its creation, Free Chicago Walking Tours went from nothing to a 5 star TripAdvisor tour company with hundreds of reviews. Jeff has maintained that five-star rating, earning a Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor. They walk a fine line!

So far, they’ve led more than 15,000 guests on the tours, and it’s regularly bringing in more than $2,500/month in extra income. It’s not a ton of money, but at this point, the business is low-maintenance—not completely passive income, but close.

He’d like to expand his operations to include additional cities in the midwest. He supplements his income with the private tours and hopes to be running even more tours next year.

 

 

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
"Time’s up. Stop reading the blogs. Quit talking about it to your friends and family. Put down the books… You’re going to learn and have better questions the books and blogs can help answer once you start doing something."
—Jeff Mikos #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

CRAZY ENOUGH TO WORK

This week, Side Hustle School is brought to you by Crazy Enough to Work, a popular podcast and film series. 📈

When the rest of the world is still zigging, some companies know when it’s time to zag. Elizabeth Banks has teamed up with State Street Global Advisors to make a series of podcasts and films that uncover the bold moves mid-cap companies make to thrive and survive. Listen 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

Canadian Mom Rolls Out Supportive Side Hustle

What It’s About

How an accident can lead to opportunity!

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Adrianna had something really great to say to anyone looking to follow in her footsteps:

“Find a niche product to rent out that has the following characteristics: expensive for the end user to own but cheap to rent, relatively simple functionality (maintenance and service is straightforward and can be done at home by someone with limited mechanical abilities), users only need it temporarily, can be handled by one person and fits into even a small vehicle.”

Fun Fact

Mobility devices have been used in some capacity for centuries. For example, Phillip II, a 6th century Spanish King, was reported to have used a type of wheelchair.

The first mobility scooter was invented in 1968 by a plumber in Michigan who wanted to help a family member with Multiple Sclerosis.

Notes from Chris

Episode 636

Surgery can be a transformative experience. We come out differently—either physically or emotionally—once we, or someone we love, has been under the knife and sewn back up again. Adrianna Coleman, a full-time mom from Canada, found herself driving home with a life-changing side hustle in the trunk of her car.

After intensive surgery, Adrianna’s husband was unable to bear any weight on his foot. Even the slightest strain resulted in soaring pain which made crutches impractical and even a little dangerous. So, he opted to try something new.

He ordered what’s known as a knee walker. If you’ve never seen one, it’s basically a scooter where you put your weight on the knee of the injured leg and push with the other. It has handlebars, brakes, and padding to make it much more comfortable and practical than crutches.

While attending lots of different appointments, check-ups, or even just the grocery store, Adrianna and her husband would find themselves talking about the knee walker to other patients. Entire waiting rooms of people would want to know where they’d found the knee walker, how much they cost and how they could get their knees on one too.

This got them thinking about the potential for a business. There was a large market of people who had no idea about these knee walkers or how to access them, why not create a service for them?

Adrianna set herself a budget of around $3,000, and she named her idea Recovery Rentals. She wanted to create a strong internet presence and look professional from the outset, but she also didn’t want to lose a lot of money if it didn’t work out.

Adrianna admits going into doctor’s offices was scary at first. But she overcame the fear through belief in her product. She knew it would help patients—after all, she’d seen it first hand—and it would be worse for everyone if she didn’t share her idea. Many of the receptionists agreed and let her leave her materials.

Two weeks after her knee walkers arrived, Adrianna had her first order online. Then, two days later, the next two came in. She was already fully booked with her first three units of inventory rented! So, using her side hustle savvy, Adrianna invested the money into more stock so she could take more orders.

As Recovery Rentals has grown, so has Adrianna’s relationship with local doctors. Doctors love having an alternative to crutches to recommend, and these referrals have become the number one source of income for the business. Because, who doesn’t do what their doctor tells them, right?

Recovery Rental’s profits have grown every year since its inception. In 2015, they earned $24,000 which has grown to $56,000 in 2017—not bad at all for a side hustle that only takes her 10 hours/week to maintain!

Looking to the future, Adrianna wants to double down on the franchise side of the business and help take Recovery Rentals all over North America. She wants to help immobile patients cruise to recovery without using those complicated crutches.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Recovery Rentals: Head on over to Adrianna’s website to learn about the side hustle that helps others ditch the crutches!

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 a niche product to rent out that has the following characteristics: expensive for the end user to own but cheap to rent, relatively simple functionality (maintenance and service is straightforward), users only need it temporarily, and it can be handled by one person and fits into even a small vehicle."
—Adrianna Coleman #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

CRAZY ENOUGH TO WORK

This week, Side Hustle School is brought to you by Crazy Enough to Work, a popular podcast and film series. 📈

When the rest of the world is still zigging, some companies know when it’s time to zag. Elizabeth Banks has teamed up with State Street Global Advisors to make a series of podcasts and films that uncover the bold moves mid-cap companies make to thrive and survive. Listen 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

Sound Engineer Makes $80,000/Year Handing Out Free Maps

What It’s About

Maps bring about a healthy profit for an ex-sound engineer.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

The role of personality in the world of salesmanship is pretty important, but you shouldn’t try to force yourself into doing something that feels unnatural. Whenever possible, find a way to play to your strengths. Find your own North Star, compass point, side hustle without borders, etc.

Fun Fact

The Greeks are credited with making the first map of the world, in 6th century BC. The map was drawn of the then known world, with the assumption that the earth was cylindrical.

Notes from Chris

Episode 632

When you stay at a hotel in an unfamiliar city, how do you know where to eat, or go shopping, or maybe even to go relax at a nearby spa? Sure, you could look up possible restaurants or shops surrounding the hotel on your phone. But this takes time, and it can be confusing trying to figure out where the place is located.

Wouldn’t it be easier to have the restaurants and businesses located close to the hotel all mapped out in one place?

That’s where Front Desk USA maps come to the rescue! These color maps are easy to carry and use when exploring area businesses surrounding your hotel. The maps are custom drawn specifically for a particular geographic area, so they are super local to the immediate area surrounding hotels. They’re provided to all hotels in an area, at no cost, so they can be made available free of charge to their guests.

The maps are the creation of Tom Shott, who was working as a sound engineer. Growing up in a family-owned media company, Tom had an interest in print media and advertising. He believed that hotels have an endless need for visitor information available for their guests. He and his wife now publish maps in the Houston, Beaumont, and Lake Charles, Texas areas—currently issuing 7 maps.

So how does Tom make money providing maps to hotels and their guests for free? By selling advertising space o them. Area restaurants and other businesses purchase the benefit of having their ad displayed on the maps. According to the Front Desk USA website, their maps are the go-to information guide for city visitors. One area map is typically distributed to 20 to 30 hotels. Thousands of hotel guests view their maps each day. This buys area businesses exposure to customers. Hotels benefit by providing their guests with information to the number one question they are asked: “Where’s a good place to eat around here?”

Each letter-sized map contains space for 18 ads and is printed once or twice a year. Each advertisement generates about $700 per year. That works out to $10,000+ per year, per map. Now that Tom and his wife publish 7 maps, their income is approximately $80,000 per year.

For someone with sales experience, Tom believes this is the perfect side hustle. He’ll take care of the map design and office work, leaving side hustlers the ability to focus on building relationships with their local businesses.

For him and his family, this project has allowed them to map out their own success story!

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Front Desk USA: Learn more about this hotel map side hustle over on Tom’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
"The important part about this side hustle is that it’s flexible. We are happy that this business allows us the freedom to focus on our family."
—Tom Schott #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

Colorado Nutritionist Reworks Role to Get Paid Twice

What It’s About

A nutritionist uses her skills to create the job she wants.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Is there anything that Haley wishes she had done differently?

Well, Haley admits that she started on the low side of pricing because her closest comparison was based off other competitors, even though they didn’t have the same credentials, experience, or education that she did. Fortunately, she learned fairly quickly that she needed to raise her rate because of all the additional time she spent checking in with her clients, creating meal plans for them, among other things.

Fun Fact

The American food scene has undergone some pretty drastic changes over the past two decades. During this period, the public has seen the introduction of genetically modified crops, the mainstreaming of organic foods into America’s supermarkets, and the rise of chefs elevated to celebrity status within pop culture. With each passing year, more and more Americans are taking a harder look at the food that they eat and where it comes from, and Haley’s side hustle is the perfect way to capatlize on this burgeoning, healthy eating trend!

Notes from Chris

Episode 630

After finishing grad school, Haley Hughes thought that her master’s degree in dietetics was a one-way ticket to a job in a hospital or food service setting, and that’s about it. So she got a job in a Colorado hospital as their Registered Dietician. And she liked that job. She got to work with new people every day, and help them live a better life.

But, as much as she liked her job, after a few years working there, Haley knew there was more she could do. She wanted a chance to be supportive, hold her clients accountable, and coach them… for more than the 15 minutes at a time she got to spend with hospital patients.

So on a cold day, just a few months ago, Haley decided she was going to get her foot in the door. She went to leave her new business card at her favorite local coffee shop. The owner was in and asked Haley if she would be interested in doing a nutrition analysis for their menu items. She had a project going from day one! This analysis was both a lesson in time management and making bold moves to launch a side hustle. While it ended up taking a lot longer than she anticipated, it was the perfect first step and confidence booster she needed.

Next, she went to leave a card at a women’s boutique, and the owner asked if she would organize a shopping and 5k running race. Never one to shy away from a challenge, Haley went all in and said ‘Of course!’ Over 50 women showed up for the race.

She called her new venture RDRx Nutrition, and it took after that. She went from strength to strength, planning community events, column writing for the local newspaper, to recipe blogging and working with her own clients. She was learning, both from her clients and their experiences, that there were more ways to educate and promote health than just the traditional dietitian route. Not only that, but she was having way more fun doing it, too.

So far she’s averaging about $1,000 in additional monthly income. The money has helped her and her husband travel to Bora Bora, and dream about their next trip to Italy in a few months.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • RDRx Nutrition: Learn more about Haley and the position she’s created over on her website!

 

SEE ALSO:

  • Real Estate Consultant Fills Apartment Buildings with Original Artwork: How a woman in Seattle who works as a real estate project manager during the day started a side hustle that literally appeared in front of her. After making $12,000 from that first year-long hustle, now she’s building it into a mid-sized business that she hopes will replace her day job income
  • Accountant Starts Net-Zero Personal Finance Hustle: An accountant finds a way to bridge the gap between financial advisers and tax professionals by transferring some of the skills from his day job to his own self-employed income
  • CPA Earns Six-Figures Selling Spreadsheets to Etsy Sellers: This CPA was burned out on office work, so she turned her efforts to an Etsy business—but it wasn’t long before she was hitting the books again, just in a more creative way. Her new spreadsheets help Etsy sellers and earn a six-figure income for her

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
"My first real check was from providing nutrition analysis for my favorite coffee shop in town. It gave me confidence that I could do it!"
—Haley Hughes #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

CRAZY ENOUGH TO WORK

This week, Side Hustle School is brought to you by Crazy Enough to Work, a popular podcast and film series. 📈

When the rest of the world is still zigging, some companies know when it’s time to zag. Elizabeth Banks has teamed up with State Street Global Advisors to make a series of podcasts and films that uncover the bold moves mid-cap companies make to thrive and survive. Listen 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

Rehearsal App for Actors Earns $500,000

What It’s About

Hollywood is rough—so this actor finds his own audience.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

The more people know how to market themselves and their skills, the more successful they will be. David credits part of his success in performing to his previous experience in business and the understanding that it is important to work independently from your agent—to build skills and knowledge on your own time rather than solely relying on someone else to find opportunities for you.

Fun Fact

David added the “XVII” to his name to distinguish himself from all the other David Lawrence’s that were a part of the Screen Actors Guild. The reason he chose the number 17 was because he popped up 17th on IMDB for David Lawrence.

Notes from Chris

Episode 627
David H. Lawrence XVII—yes the 17th—wanted to be an actor ever since he was a teenager acting in his high school’s theater productions. Although he scored the lead roles, David didn’t feel confident about turning acting into a career, at least not directly.

So instead, David went into radio. He started in music, then eventually progressed to talk shows. His shows grew and changed with time—from discussing politics to exploring the newest technological innovations. He worked his way all around the country and eventually ended up in Washington D.C.: the home of some of the most influential and innovative thinkers in the country.

But after 16 years, he was sick of DC, especially the winters. It was time to go somewhere warm. His mind drifted back to his childhood dream, and he knew exactly where he was going. At 45 years old, it was time to move to Los Angeles.

The best part? He wouldn’t have to be a starving artist. David could do his radio show from anywhere in the world, and in his spare time, he could work on building his acting skills as well as doing voiceover work. And here’s where our story is going to pick up.

On the acting side of things, he booked a consistent role on NBC’s Heroes as the Puppetmaster. His success there led him to be contacted by another NBC show. They were interested in him auditioning! David was thrilled, but he only had a couple of hours to prepare.

Normally, David would record an audio file of his scene partner’s lines, then upload it to iTunes and rehearse with it until it was memorized. But in this case, there was no way he had time for that, though. Instead, he sat in his car and recorded the lines on the built-in iPhone app called Voice Memo.

However, Voice Memo had a fatal flaw. There was no repeat feature on the app. Normally, this would be okay… but David needed to rehearse on the drive to Paramount Studios. So, as he weaved in and out of traffic on the 101, he tried in desperation to press the replay button over and over again without getting into a wreck.

David couldn’t believe that there wasn’t something as simple as a repeat button. He scoured other available apps to see if there were any that had the function. He found only one… and, in his opinion, it sucked. He knew he could do better, and that’s what he did: he made an app called Rehearsal® Pro. This app was going to help his fellow performers to learn their lines without fidgeting with the Voice Recorder all the time.

The only problem was that he didn’t have the skills to create the app himself. Luckily his friend recommended a developer… who happened to be a fan of NBC’s Heroes. The developer agreed to make the app on a revenue share basis, which turned out to be a good choice for the developer, and soon they were all set.

Once they got ready to launch, they released Rehearsal® Pro in the AppStore, and, as luck would have it, they were chosen to be the app of the day! They were thrilled. On their very first day, they would get tens of thousands of downloads!

As time went on, David grew Rehearsal® Pro along with another side hustle, a voice acting training course called VO2GoGo. From each of these projects, David earns $200,000 a year.

His choice to create side hustles relating to his industry helped him to make leaps and bounds in his competitive career field.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

SEE ALSO:

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

Yours in the revolution,

cg-sig-newsletter

Resources

CREATE YOUR ONLINE STORE

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

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

GET YOUR FIRST 1,000 EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS

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

Quote of the Day
"Remember that version done is always better than version none. Try to take initial steps that get you started, and know that you’ll get better and better over time. Don’t fall prey to the idea that you have to have everything perfectly lined up to simply get started."
—David H. Lawrence XVII #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

CRAZY ENOUGH TO WORK

This week, Side Hustle School is brought to you by Crazy Enough to Work, a popular podcast and film series. 📈

When the rest of the world is still zigging, some companies know when it’s time to zag. Elizabeth Banks has teamed up with State Street Global Advisors to make a series of podcasts and films that uncover the bold moves mid-cap companies make to thrive and survive. Listen 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

Outsource Date Night With This Sexy Side Hustle

What It’s About

Two women take the guesswork out of love.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

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

Fun Fact

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

Notes from Chris

Episode 623

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

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

 

SEE ALSO:

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

Yours in the revolution,

cg-sig-newsletter

Resources

GET $625 IN FREE TRAVEL

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

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

RELIABLE WEBHOST FOR $2.49/MONTH

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

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

Sponsors & Gratitude

Try ShipStation for 60 Days FREE!

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

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

London Photographer Rents Camera Gear 1,100 Times

What It’s About

A snapshot of a London man who buys his mom a flat with his camera rental profits.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Antonio’s advice to those wanting to rent out their own belongings on a similar platform is to start small. Develop a relationship with every client. Even if they don’t become a repeat customer, they will spread the word!

Fun Fact

In 2015 alone, transactions of the global sharing economy totaled 28.1 billion euros (this is equivalent to almost 33 billion dollars).

Notes from Chris

Episode 619

Antonio Salvani is no stranger to the world of side hustles. He works by day as a receptionist for a property management company in Central London, and in 2016 he also started taking freelance photography gigs. From then on, his evenings and weekends were spent shooting wedding and other various events.

It was in preparation for an upcoming wedding shoot back that Antonio discovered a completely different way to make money. Despite having spent a year collecting gear, Antonio still didn’t feel that he had all the camera equipment necessary to create the highest quality package for the bride.

But he also knew that traditional camera equipment rentals can be quite expensive and require a hefty deposit. The usual deposit at a camera rental shop in London can put you out up to $1,500. In addition to the large deposit, the verification process necessary for renting can be inconvenient. He complained about this to a friend who was also a photographer, and they suggested Antonio use Fat Llama to rent the equipment he needed.

If you’re not familiar with it, Fat Llama is not an up-and-coming rapper, nor is it a Jimmy Buffet song from 1980—it’s a “peer to peer” sharing platform that connects people who need to borrow something with those who could use a little extra cash.

But the term sharing implies a no-charge service, so that terminology is a little confusing. There is a charge to “borrow” items through this service. However, as Antonio found, the rate to rent through Fat Llama was much more reasonable than the classic rental method. He found that he was able to rent the gear he needed for less than £50 ($60). It was a steal of a deal!

The gear was available for pick up the same day, and the entire process was simple. From that first rental experience, Antonio was intrigued. And his next thought was—“why not rent out my own equipment on Fat Llama?”

When Antonio started, he was booking 2-3 rentals a week. This increased very quickly to 5-10 a day!  That’s right, up 5-10 bookings per day, and steadily increasing. So how does Antonio keep up with his personalized customer service with that many rentals?

First off, about 80% of these rental pickups and drop-offs occur on the weekend. Also, about 70% of Antonio’s renters are repeat customers. Antonio creates a profile each time he meets with a new client. This cuts down on his time spent getting to know history and needs with repeat customers. A lot of renters want to pick up equipment on Friday evening and drop off on Sunday. He said he spends a fair amount of time on Thursday evenings planning and messaging about pickups and drop-offs.

For the moment, Antonio is managing this system well. However, in the future, with his business growing he says he’ll need to get an assistant. His priority is keeping the exceptional customer service in place—he wants everything to be perfect, and his customers happy.

So far Antonio’s had over 1,100 rentals and says he’s met some amazing people. He’s learned so much about the equipment just by talking with those who use the gear day in and day out. He feels like he’s started a community.

He’s also made more than £25,000 ($32,400) and is putting the money toward another side hustle, buying an apartment in his hometown of Skopje, Macedonia that he will—of course—rent out on Airbnb.

Renting his camera gear out 5 times a day is a trade Antonio can picture himself in for some time to come.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Salvani Studios: It’s time for a close-up—learn more about Antonio and his photography side hustle over on his website!
  • Fat Llama: A peer-to-peer rental marketplace which allows people to rent spare items to others nearby

 

SEE ALSO:

 

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

Yours in the revolution,

cg-sig-newsletter

Resources

GET $625 IN FREE TRAVEL

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

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

CREATE YOUR ONLINE STORE

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

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

Quote of the Day
"Fear at the start caused me to worry so much for no reason—it was more of a thing I had to deal with myself. I then realized you can do so much if you just step out of your comfort zone."
—Antonio Salvani #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

CRAZY ENOUGH TO WORK

This week, Side Hustle School is brought to you by Crazy Enough to Work, a popular podcast and film series. 📈

When the rest of the world is still zigging, some companies know when it’s time to zag. Elizabeth Banks has teamed up with State Street Global Advisors to make a series of podcasts and films that uncover the bold moves mid-cap companies make to thrive and survive. Listen 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

Insult This! Witty Event Organizer Prepares You to Respond to Rudeness

What It’s About

A side hustle that equips victims with quips!

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Why is it different from other web-based projects? Mostly because it’s so entrenched and has been around for so long with such good organic search results. It would be hard for somebody to come along and say “I’m going to have a better insult-response site.”

Fun Fact

Bryn’s “Ask Bryn” forum actually caused a young woman to contact the administration from her school and completely turned the bullying situation around for her.

Notes from Chris

Episode 608

Back in 2012, Bryn Connor of Vancouver, B.C. had a mortifying encounter, but instead of letting it get the best of her, she aimed to find a way to fight back. Bryn decided to take a trip to the local Planetarium with her two children in tow and had chosen not to wear her wedding ring. Unbeknownst to her, this would turn into a HUGE issue for a man at the event. He decided that it was his responsibility to attack Bryn for this. He went on and on in front of 20 other families about how her husband had left her… just because she didn’t have her ring on and had two children with her.

Bryn was stunned. She couldn’t believe what had happened to her, and in such a random way!

All night the scene played over and over in her mind. Not only was she embarrassed by what the man said to her, she was also upset that she didn’t put him in his place. He had no right to talk to her, or anyone else, like that, but he didn’t have any consequences for it.

The next two months flew by, but Bryn couldn’t get what happened to her at the Planetarium out of her mind. However, instead of feeling embarrassed, she channeled her frustrations into a new side hustle called “I Should Have Said”—a library resource for people being verbally bullied full of snappy comebacks for all occasions. She knew that so many others experienced the same kind of situations she did. There were even memes about “that moment when you think of the perfect insult two hours too late.” Whomp whomp… She wanted to help get people ready.

To start, Bryn created blog posts for every kind of insult she could think of on her WordPress site. There were comebacks for people of all ages, sexualities, genders, and races. Topics ranged from what to say when someone calls you ugly, to what do when someone is being racist, to how to respond when people point out your grey hair. No matter the situation, Bryn wanted her audience to be able to come back with a snappy retort. She called it I Should Have Said.

Then, Bryn had a new idea. Not only would she suggest a series of comebacks for each scenario, she would also create animations to accompany the blog post. Well… she was planning to… until her child spilled water all over her computer. Her temporary computer didn’t have the capabilities for animation, so she tried creating polls instead.

Now I know what you’re thinking… this IS a Side Hustle School story, so where does the money come into the picture? Having and building a following is one thing, but actually getting paid for it is another. Well, after the first four months of growing her online community, Bryn decided to invest in Google Adsense ads. At this time she was making about $20 a month from her hustle, solely from those ads.

Over time her following began to increase. Of course, she continued writing and sharing her posts, but Bryn credits most of her success to her devotion to learning about SEO, or Search Engine Optimization. This is the study of how to make your website appear at the top of the search page, rather than be lost in the far corners of the internet. The better Bryn got at this, the more people would visit the site, and the more money she’d make off of ads!

Combined with her advanced knowledge of SEO, her research in optimizing ads, and her new products, her profits skyrocketed. She is now making anywhere between $3,000 and $8,000 a month.

Bryn can’t quit her day job just yet, but making thousands of dollars a month from her snappy comeback website is nothing to laugh at.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • I Should Have Said: Looking to stock your verbal arsenal? Head on over to Bryn’s website to stock up!

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 feel a lot more confident now that I’ve started my own side hustle, and I am not afraid to try new things because I realize that I probably won’t be great when I try something new."
—Bryn Connor #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

Hungover Accountant Starts “Morning After” Party Cleanup Service

What It’s About

A cleaning service that takes the headache out of the hangover.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Find a niche market and develop a business strategy that is new and will be remembered. Make sure you have developed an easy to use website and can capture your audience’s attention straight away with a clear message of what you do, who you are and why. Finding the right staff is also key as they are the face of your business. This is one of the reasons we haven’t grown as fast as we could have. Finally, make sure you commit 100%.

Fun Fact

The cleaning industry is worth around $4 billion annually to the Australian economy. That huge amount of money means there are over 62,000 people employed as contract cleaners. With so much money and job opportunities out there it’s no wonder that there are literally thousands of cleaning companies across the nation. By picking a niche market James was able to stand out from the crowd and carve out a nice little side business for himself.

Notes from Chris

Episode 605

Drinking too much on a night out certainly has its consequences. You’ll likely wake up the next morning with a ton of regret and a wicked hangover to match. All most people want to do in that situation is lie in bed and wait for the storm to pass.

However, today’s side hustler thinks a little differently. Meet James Hookway, a full-time chartered accountant from Perth in Western Australia. For James, it was while hungover after a Christmas party in 2014 that he came up with a unique business idea.

He and his wife had thrown the party and the next morning, they lay in bed, dreading the inevitable after party cleanup. While procrastinating about when to start the job, they began talking about how great it would be if there was a service that would clean up after you big party and maybe even bring you breakfast in bed.

After having a good laugh about it, they dragged themselves out of bed, had a big breakfast, and got to removing all traces of the night before. But the idea stuck with James and, like a fine wine, it actually got better with age.

Fast forward to July, six months later, and the concept still excited him. He decided to do some research and realized that, although there were a lot of cleaning companies out there, none of them were marketed specifically at the after party/hangover crowd—which can be a large market in Australia. They were all fairly generic, boring companies with terrible branding.

Figuring there might be something there, James decided to test the concept. To keep things simple he created a Facebook page describing the proposed service and shared it with his friends and family. The name for the page almost wrote itself. He called it Hangover Helpers!

Perhaps it was the perfect name, the concept itself, or maybe the right person just so happened to share the page. Whatever the cause, what followed was one of the craziest weeks of James’ life!

He was contacted for interviews on TV shows, radio stations and by journalists from major publications all over the country. They loved the novel concept and wanted to talk to the creator of such a unique idea. He had achieved national exposure in less than two weeks. That’s something most larger companies are never able to do despite expensive and time-consuming campaigns.

With all that free marketing, it was inevitable their first customers would come on faster than a headache after too many gin and tonics. And that’s exactly what happened.

Their first booking came that very week. James had no cleaning equipment, so he had to buy some to get started. He picked up basic cleaning products and a Ghostbuster-style vacuum cleaner as well as some food supplies for the breakfast.

It was a hell of a party to start the business on! The house was a total mess, but that didn’t phase James too much. It meant he was able to get some great before and after photos to showcase the type of work he was capable of. After the cleaning was done and the party hosts had enjoyed their breakfast burritos, James knew this could be a viable side business.

Just under a year after their successful launch of the Facebook group. Over the next 12 months, the revenue from the side hustle doubled and hit $30,000. Not bad at all for a weekend cleaning gig outside of a full-time job!

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Hangover Helpers: Take the headache out of party throwing—head on over to James’ website to learn more about this niche cleaning service!

 

SEE ALSO:

 

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

Yours in the revolution,

cg-sig-newsletter

Resources

GET $625 IN FREE TRAVEL

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

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

CREATE YOUR ONLINE STORE

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

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

Quote of the Day
"Find a niche market and develop a business strategy that is new and will be remembered. Make sure you have developed an easy to use website and can capture your audience’s attention straight away with a clear message of what you do, who you are, and why."
—James Hookway #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

Crafty Mompreneur Brings in $12,000 in Eight Weeks

What It’s About

When the need for a side hustle arises, this mother gets real crafty!

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

How can you get started in this type of Side Hustle? The first step would be to approach your local elementary schools, or school district. If they allow private vendors to hold after-school classes, your next step is to find out about background checks and insurance. Once you take care of these prerequisites, all that remains is deciding what class you’d like to teach.

And when it comes to class content, May says that Pinterest has been the source of her best ideas!

Fun Fact

May started to notice at the end of crafts class that some students would sneak craft supplies into their backpacks to take home. She questioned them why they were doing this. They explained they had siblings at home who would love to make the crafts too, and this gave her an idea for yet another side hustle. She decided to create a book of the kids’ most favorite craft projects and included step-by-step instructions complete with large, colorful pictures. Get it on Amazon!

Notes from Chris

Episode 598

Back in 2016, May Najafabadi was a hard working mom looking to start a side hustle. She wasn’t new to the entrepreneurial lifestyle—in the early days of e-commerce, May ran a business reselling phone accessories on eBay and Amazon. But after eight years and a lot of other sellers entering the market, her business was no longer profitable. She and her husband were also flipping security cameras, but this market quickly dried up too.

Because of her experiences with the ups and downs of business, May wanted to diversify. She was reluctant to be totally dependent on one source of income. By this time, her son was in the third grade, and she wanted to start a new business that had a low startup cost and wouldn’t take up too much of her time.

While considering her options, May remembered that her son enjoyed taking after-school enrichment classes. These classes are offered for one hour, immediately after school dismissal. They range from sports like basketball and tennis, to less physical activities like chess or “mad science.” The courses are offered by private vendors who came to the school, and the kids stayed after school to participate because they were fun.

This was also ideal for parents that couldn’t pick their children up right away. They would pay a fee directly to the vendor and could rest assured knowing their kids were safely entertained while having an extra hour in their day before the kids needed to be retrieved.

When May’s son was in preschool and kindergarten, he really enjoyed making crafts. However, the elementary school stopped making crafts with the kids after first grade. This was May’s inspiration—she says starting a crafts after-school enrichment class at her son’s school seemed like the perfect new project! She called it Creative Kidz Crafts.

May kept her expectations low for enrollment in that first class. She thought to herself that she would be happy if 6 students enrolled. Much to her surprise and pleasure, she had 18 kids sign up! She charged $120 per child for a one hour class held one day a week for a total of eight weeks. She made over $2,000 from that first class—working a total of approximately 8 hours (if you do the math, this equals $250 per hour).

After that, she decided to expand and offer her class to other neighborhood elementary schools. May now offers two classes: in addition to her “Crafts” class, she has a “Jewelry Making” class. Each class is one hour, one day a week, for an eight-week session.

At the moment, May holds class at 5-10 schools per week, and she’s started experimenting with pricing. She now charges $140 per student – $120 sign-up and $20 for supplies. The price increase didn’t seem to affect enrollment. In eight weeks time, she made $12,000! Pretty impressive profit for working only one hour a day! You could say making money using this model is child’s play.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Creative Kidz Crafts: It’s not just macaroni necklaces and popscicle stick turkeys—learn more about the side hustle May is crafting 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

CREATE YOUR ONLINE STORE

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

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

Quote of the Day
"Because of my past experiences with ups and downs of business, I did not want to put all my eggs in one basket. I really wanted to diversify and find a second business that will not occupy too much of my time."
—May Najafabadi #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