Tag: Side Hustle School

College Student Generates 50M Views on YouTube, Hires 13 Employees

What It’s About

A young student builds a loyal following and starts up a multi-million dollar skincare side hustle.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Don’t just “build a following”—focus on delivering quality content and build trust within your audience. Perhaps because this is a very personal topic, Daisy’s followers tend to be superfans. They trust her. They tell their friends about her, and when she recommends something to them, oftentimes, they buy it.

In the first year that she started selling her own products at Banish, she made $400,000. The second year it was $1.2 million. The third year was $3 million… and we’re in year 4 right now, so we’ll see what happens! Daisy has clearly found something that resonates strongly with other people who have the same issues that she did before trying different products and routines.

Fun Fact

Daisy now has more than a dozen employees at her company, and most side hustles definitely don’t do $3M a year. However, you can see how some of the principles you’ve heard about in earlier episodes make perfect sense in the development of the story.

After starting her own YouTube channel and building a loyal following, she became a trusted authority. She experimented with different products and sponsorships and found a good fit for herself and her avid customer base.

Resources

EARN 80,000 AIRLINE & HOTEL POINTS

If you're going to have a side hustle, you need a small business credit card—and this is the very best. You’ll earn a signup bonus of 80,000 Ultimate Rewards points, which can be transferred to your choice of 11 travel partners. See the world while you’re hustling! Learn More

RELIABLE WEBHOST FOR $5/MONTH

-Special discount for Side Hustle School listeners-

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. You can get support 24 hours a day. Don't overpay: get your own hosting plan for just $5 a month!
Learn More

Quote of the Day
"I remember my first order! I couldn’t believe someone trusted me enough to give me money for something I created. "
—Daisy Jing #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

Cook with Blue Apron!

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

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

“Airbnb for Dogs”: Woman Hosts Pets at Her Home for $200/Day

What It’s About

Woman creates an Airbnb for dog owners and hosts up to six dogs a day.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

When there are already other businesses in the same field you’re entering, you may want to undertake a little detective work to learn more about how they operate.

In Andrea’s case, she paid close attention to the most popular listings. In addition to learning that average response time was critical, she noticed that successful dog sitters didn’t just board dogs in their homes, they were also available for other services like drop-in visits and walking while their owners were at work. She added those services to her listing on Rover.com and saw a 20% increase in weekly income.

Fun Fact

When Andrea and her husband, Nicky, moved to Austin, they wanted to get a dog but since they had some long travels planned, it would be a while before that was actually possible.

Andrea saw an ad for Rover.com and thought that if it was real, it could be a perfect chance for them to get exactly what they wanted. They would get an opportunity to have dogs around their house while still being able to travel whenever they wanted. And the best part is that they would actually get paid for doing it!

Resources

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

RELIABLE WEBHOST FOR $5/MONTH

-Special discount for Side Hustle School listeners-

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. You can get support 24 hours a day. Don't overpay: get your own hosting plan for just $5 a month!
Learn More

Quote of the Day
"Discovering that it’s possible to find work that’s perfect for me is definitely the best part of the experience. "
—Andrea Hajal #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

Cook with Blue Apron!

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

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

Homemade Gin Kit Sells 75,000 Units

What It’s About

Homemade gin minus the bathtub!

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

This is a perfect example of a transition story. Two guys have one idea, which is fun and interesting, but as they did more research they learn that it’s not really feasible. After they switched goals, they found something else that was fun and interesting… and it was also profitable.

You may experience this as you investigate different ideas. Your first idea might not work out right away or you might discover something better.

Fun Fact

They started by assembling 250 “Homemade Gin Kits” in Joe’s 700 square foot condo, not having any real idea of who would buy them. But then as word got out from their friends and family, as well as a few websites that featured the kits, sales took off. They improved their operation, redesigned the website, and worked on the project during spare nights and weekends.

Resources

FIND THE WORK YOU WERE BORN TO DO!

Finding the work you were “born to do” isn’t just about discovering your passion. Those who jump out of bed excited to go to work every morning don’t just have jobs that turn their passions into paychecks. They have jobs where they also can lose themselves for hours in the flow of meaningful work.

Take the free quiz and read the book to find the work you were born to do! Learn More

RELIABLE WEBHOST FOR $5/MONTH

-Special discount for Side Hustle School listeners-

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. You can get support 24 hours a day. Don't overpay: get your own hosting plan for just $5 a month!
Learn More

Quote of the Day
"You can’t fake passion, and that’s what really sells the product. You have to channel your passion, whatever that enthusiasm is, into your side hustle. "
—Joe Maiellano #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

Cook with Blue Apron!

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

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

WEEKLY RECAP: What Makes a Good Hustle

Action Item:

When you finish this episode and go on with your day, ask yourself: how can I make someone’s life better? This kind of thinking is how many successful side hustles are made.

 

Remember, inspiration is good, but inspiration combined with action is much better.

Words of Wisdom

New hustlers often get frustrated when they make something that sounds good to them and then it doesn’t really take off. Then they give up, thinking they’re not suited for the side hustle world.

There are lots of reasons why something doesn’t take off, but a big one is that the project isn’t truly focused on someone else’s needs. You always have to think, “What’s in it for them?” and build your project around that answer.

This Lesson in This Weeks’ Episodes

All of the side hustle stories from this week are successful because they focused on the needs of their customers. For example, Cruzely (Ep. 8) was born out of Tanner’s experience, but the blog really has nothing to do with him. It’s all about other people who are going on cruises and their questions. And in Ep. 12, Steven’s app grew from his own frustration, but most people who use Routesy don’t know much about him. What they do know is that his app makes their lives better.

When you think you’ve landed on a good idea, ask yourself—how is this going to make someone’s life better?

Resources

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

RELIABLE WEBHOST FOR $5/MONTH

-Special discount for Side Hustle School listeners-

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. You can get support 24 hours a day. Don't overpay: get your own hosting plan for just $5 a month!
Learn More

Quote of the Day
"People get frustrated when they make something that sounds good to them and then it doesn’t really take off. Often, this is because the project isn’t truly focused on someone else’s needs. You always have to think about what’s in it for them. "
—Chris Guillebeau #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

Cook with Blue Apron!

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

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

Waldorf Teacher Designs Curriculum for Other Educators

What It’s About

Waldorf teacher creates PDF lesson plans to help others teach.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

You don’t have to go out and acquire new specialized or highly technical skills. In fact, it’s usually much better if you look at the skills you already have and see how they be applied outside of your day job. Meredith followed a similar path by helping her fellow teachers create more efficient lesson plans with A Waldorf Journey.

Keep this in mind as you think about your own projects. It’s usually easier to figure something out than to become an expert, and what you are already good at can probably be put to good use in your hustle.

Fun Fact

Deciding on the right approach required a bit of analysis. Meredith thought about offering consulting or coaching sessions, but that seemed problematic. She also thought about creating a live workshop—which also sounded good, but she could only be one place at one time.

A third option, creating curriculum guides for online purchase, was the most attractive. She used Gumroad.com to easily sell the guides to interested teachers.

Resources

FIND THE WORK YOU WERE BORN TO DO!

Finding the work you were “born to do” isn’t just about discovering your passion. Those who jump out of bed excited to go to work every morning don’t just have jobs that turn their passions into paychecks. They have jobs where they also can lose themselves for hours in the flow of meaningful work.

Take the free quiz and read the book to find the work you were born to do! Learn More

RELIABLE WEBHOST FOR $5/MONTH

-Special discount for Side Hustle School listeners-

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. You can get support 24 hours a day. Don't overpay: get your own hosting plan for just $5 a month!
Learn More

Quote of the Day
"Schedule a little bit of time every week to work on your side hustle. I have sometimes gone months without even thinking about my website, and I think I would be more successful if I had dedicated time more consistently."
—Meredith Floyd-Preston #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

Cook with Blue Apron!

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

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

40,000 People Use This Web Developer’s Side Hustle Every Day

What It’s About

A San Francisco programmer creates an app that helps half a million people with their commute.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

The best time to start a side hustle is yesterday! Steven released his public transport app before he felt ready, and by doing so he gained access to a passionate early adopter audience. From day one of the iPhone launch, eager Bay Area commuters downloaded and used the app. As Tanner Callais stated in Ep. 8 “It doesn’t have to be perfect, but it has to exist.”

Fun Fact

Nearly a decade later, Routesy has almost 40,000 users every weekday and has been downloaded by nearly half a million people. It also produces a steady income of at least $7,500 a month, allowing Steven tremendous flexibility to design the rest of his life however he sees fit.

Resources

EARN 80,000 AIRLINE & HOTEL POINTS

If you're going to have a side hustle, you need a small business credit card—and this is the very best. You’ll earn a signup bonus of 80,000 Ultimate Rewards points, which can be transferred to your choice of 11 travel partners. See the world while you’re hustling! Learn More

RELIABLE WEBHOST FOR $5/MONTH

-Special discount for Side Hustle School listeners-

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. You can get support 24 hours a day. Don't overpay: get your own hosting plan for just $5 a month!
Learn More

Quote of the Day
"The feeling of gratification I get from having made something that people use as part of their everyday routine is one of the best things in my life."
—Steven Petersen #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

Cook with Blue Apron!

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

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

Saddles for Pet Chickens: Get Ready to Wing It!

What It’s About

After the loss of a beloved family pet, an engineer decides to improve on a saddle for chickens so that more feathered friends are not lost to preventable accidents.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Jill’s side hustle is successful due to a combination of three different things:

  1. It’s a niche market where it’s very obvious who’s part of it
  2. There’s not a ton of competition (there are a few other chicken saddle sellers, but Jill has an edge with her unique advancements)
  3. It’s also a market with a recurring need, because most people who keep chickens don’t keep just one, they tend to have a whole flock

Fun Fact

Part of Chicken Armor‘s mission statement is to help chicken keepers save time and money with an innovative design that makes the saddles low-cost to produce. These advancements also allowed Jill to price her product lower than all the other saddles on the market.

All she pays for for is the vinyl material – which is very cheap – and then the packing and shipping charges when someone places an order.

Resources

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

RELIABLE WEBHOST FOR $5/MONTH

-Special discount for Side Hustle School listeners-

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. You can get support 24 hours a day. Don't overpay: get your own hosting plan for just $5 a month!
Learn More

Quote of the Day
"Your business, product, or idea is nothing if you can’t find anyone to pay for what you have for sale."
—Jill Bong #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

Cook with Blue Apron!

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

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

The Craigslist Wedding Photographer

What It’s About

California government employee becomes a part-time wedding photographer by posting an ad on Craigslist.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Oliver’s story is a classic side hustler narrative. He didn’t know how to do something, so he figured it out. The story also illustrates an important side hustler principle: start before you’re ready, then improve as you go along. Oliver didn’t get caught up in lots of administrative details—he focused entirely on the customer experience.

Fun Fact

Prior to his friend asking him to shoot her wedding, Oliver had never worked a wedding before. Terrified that his inexperience would ruin her big day, he created a listing on Craigslist to shoot a stranger’s ceremony in order to get some experience for the big day. That first gig earned him $250, but these days he’s pulling in at least $3,500 per ceremony.

To learn more about Oliver and his wedding photography side hustle, visit his website!

Resources

EARN 80,000 AIRLINE & HOTEL POINTS

If you're going to have a side hustle, you need a small business credit card—and this is the very best. You’ll earn a signup bonus of 80,000 Ultimate Rewards points, which can be transferred to your choice of 11 travel partners. See the world while you’re hustling! Learn More

RELIABLE WEBHOST FOR $5/MONTH

-Special discount for Side Hustle School listeners-

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. You can get support 24 hours a day. Don't overpay: get your own hosting plan for just $5 a month!
Learn More

Quote of the Day
"I actually got my first wedding gig because of what I consider a bad HDR image. You never know what people are going to resonate with!"
—Oliver Asis #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

Cook with Blue Apron!

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

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