Tag: Unique Ideas

The Man Who Paints Parking Lot Stripes

What It’s About

Where people only see parking lots and lines, one estimator sees major profits.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Dan share’s some advice on how to start striping lots; “I say start small. Look for the pizza shop that opens at 4PM, has 14 stripes and a handicap stencil. Look for the truck dock that has 20 lines or the beauty salon that has 6. One nice thing about striping is that it’s all the same. Once you’ve striped a few jobs, you’ve striped them all.”

Fun Fact

Dan was offered a $3000 loan from his mom to start the business. Around the same time he received a $700 bonus from his day job. The cost to purchase a striping machine was exactly $3700. If that’s not a sign to get started, we don’t know what is.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1576
It was the early nineties when Dan Zurcher first thought about starting a side business. He was an estimator in the asphalt industry, making pretty average money in Columbus, Ohio. On top of that, the industry ground to a halt every winter leaving him jobless for several months.

He felt like the job was going nowhere—but it was his mom who put him on the path of the straight and narrow. (And yes, I do mean that literally.)

One day, Dan was describing his work to her on the phone. He explained how they were finishing a few large parking lots he’d estimated for and all that was left was striping and stenciling the white lines and shapes on the asphalt.

“Why aren’t you doing the striping?” his mother asked.

“We don’t do that, asphalting companies contract that work out to someone else,” he replied.

“No, no, why aren’t YOU doing the striping?” She asked again, and by YOU she meant Dan himself.

That question, phrased in that way, changed the way Dan thought about work. He was looking for a side business, and here was one staring him right in the face.

He made a few calls and received quotes for striping machines that cost around three thousand seven hundred dollars all inclusive. He’d just received a seven hundred dollar bonus at work, and his mom agreed to loan him the remaining three thousand dollars. Soon, he had everything he needed to become a professional striper… it was time to earn his stripes!

Working after hours and in between other commitments became the norm for Dan. He still worked his full time job and was married with a young family. He had to take the side hustle time wherever he could get it. And, by the end of his first year operating he’d found time to generate four thousand dollars from his venture. Enough to pay back his mom and put a little money aside.

It was then that he decided to quit his job and take his striping business full time, where he was able to grow his income to one hundred and sixty five thousand dollars per year in the next few years. A figure which remained the same as he maintained his business over the next decade. And he didn’t stop there.

Dan branched out into creating a website, American Striping, where he manufactures and sells stencils for others doing exactly what he does. On top of that, he’s distilled his knowledge into a book teaching others to do the same. He shows anyone that if they put the work in, they can earn their side hustle stripes.

 

 

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

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
"One nice thing about striping is that it’s all the same. Once you’ve striped a few jobs, you’ve striped them all."
—Dan Zurcher #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

Learn More With Skillshare!

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

Skillshare is giving Side Hustle School listeners 2 months of unlimited access—for $0.99! Join the 2 million students learning everything from street photography to SEO on Skillshare today!
Get Started Here!

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

RV Renter Revs Up Recurring Revenue

What It’s About

A new RV owner pays off her RV (and makes a little extra) by renting it out.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Darlene share’s some important advice about standing out from your competition; “If you want to stand out from other people offering a similar product or service, you have to find something that sets you apart beyond the functional basics of having everything work.

Fun Fact

According to a study by the RV Industry Association, the RV industry had an overall economic impact to the US economy of $114 billion, supporting nearly 600 000 jobs, contributing more than $32 billion in wages, and paying over $12 billion in federal, state, and local taxes. RV shipments in 2020 totalled 430 412 units, up 6% from 2019 and on par with the third best annual shipment total on record.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1562
Growing up, Darlene Miller loved camping—especially since she didn’t have to do much for it. After her family arrived at a campsite, she’d hop on her bike and go exploring. When she got back, everything was already set up. Once Darlene grew up and had her own children, she took them camping so they could enjoy the same experience. That’s when she found out camping is a lot of work!

The idea of buying an RV of her own was attractive, but she was worried about the expense. It just seemed like the kind of luxury she couldn’t afford. But, as she learned more about side hustles, she realized that she could rent out the RV to earn extra money when she wasn’t using it—which was most of the time.

To get started, Darlene did her research. She called other RV renters to see what models were most popular. Then she read through countless ads from all over the country to figure out a fair price. To further ease her concerns, she watched the price for around six months to make sure she understood the market. Eventually, in June 2020, she found a great deal on a second-hand RV at half the price it was going for as a brand new one a year earlier. The wheels were in motion.

Darlene used her RV over the July 4th holiday. Then she placed an ad to rent it out on RV Share, where she targeted people like her who wanted camping to be easy. Before she went to bed that night, it was already rented! That was amazing, except the renters wanted to pick it up in two days. Darlene panicked because she wasn’t ready. She still needed to buy new bedding, stock it with dishes, and much more.

Speaking of money, the wheels are turning on this side hustle! She paid a 10% deposit on the RV and took out a loan for the rest. She now pays $550 a month towards the loan and insurance, and grossed almost $20,000 from rentals in the first six months. That’s not pure profit, because RV Share takes a 25% fee on each booking and she had a few repairs along the way.

Still, she’s making good money, and she’s doing it herself. Darlene has never before had money added to her checking account without it being from an employer—and it feels great. Unlike many other RV owners who see their initial investment rapidly decline, hers has produced a highly positive return.

Darlene says if she had more time, she’d create her own website to handle rentals herself, and have the renters provide proof in writing showing that their auto insurance covers them. This could save them a lot of money and would allow Darlene to keep the full rental fee. But she still considers RV Share a nice service to have in case something does go wrong.

All told, the process has been more successful and more fun than she expected. Next up, she hopes to buy a piece of land in a desirable vacation spot, and place a trailer on it to rent as an Airbnb—and maybe even another RV as well. She’s happy to go where the road takes her.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Learn more about the possibility of listing your own RV or book your own RV rental through Darlene’s listing.

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
"If you want to stand out from other people offering a similar product or service, you have to find something that sets you apart beyond the functional basics of having everything work."
—Darlene Miller #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

Learn More With Skillshare!

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

Skillshare is giving Side Hustle School listeners 2 months of unlimited access—for $0.99! Join the 2 million students learning everything from street photography to SEO on Skillshare today!
Get Started Here!

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

TBT: Texas Marimba Rentals Hit Noteworthy Demand!

What It’s About

An update from a marimba rental biz that hits all the right notes.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1468

I have a great throwback for you today: Texas Marimba Rentals Hit Noteworthy Demand! This is one of those classic Side Hustle School stories along with blogging about fish tanks or the woman who gets paid to make decisions for people. I continue to mention it because it’s so smart and so simple.

In his update, you’ll hear a synopsis of how the guy got started. If you’d like to hear more, just go to SideHustleSchool.com/752.

Since we first featured him, demand for his marimba rentals has struck a chord, hitting a high, harmonious note.

Listen to today’s episode to hear Cassidy’s updates…

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • DFW Marimba Rentals: If today’s episode struck a chord, head on over to Cassidy’s website to learn more!

 

SEE ALSO:

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

Yours in the revolution,

cg-sig-newsletter

Resources

CREATE YOUR ONLINE STORE

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

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

GET YOUR FIRST 1,000 EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS

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

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

Bodybuilder Bakes Heavyweight Protein Cakes

What It’s About

This bodybuilder proves you can have your cake and eat it too.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Problem-solving is a great way to stumble upon a side hustle idea. We love that Christine saw an important gap that was relevant to her own life and discovered this side hustle.

Fun Fact

By inserting a packet of sprinkles with each cake mix, Lil Buff customers are able to get creative and personalize their cakes—which leads to tons of social sharing.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1095
Christine Moore had just given birth to her third child in just over three years. She was tired and, in her words, felt “frumpy and lumpy.” She wanted to take back control of her body and get ready for a bikini shoot, so she took up an aggressive routine: bodybuilding with a strict, low-sugar diet.

It wasn’t a small move, but Christine was disciplined and determined. Month after month, her body gained strength and endurance—but her mind started to wear down. Depriving her sweet tooth was good for her toning figure, but not for her mental health.

She’d inevitably crave sweets to the point where she’d chow down on a couple of donuts, feel bad about it, and then work out extra-hard to make up the difference. It wasn’t a sustainable pattern. If she was going to be able to keep up her new lifestyle, she had to find a way to satisfy her desires without overindulging.

Christine ordered some whey protein powder and a few other healthy ingredients—flax seeds, cashew milk, apple sauce, and stevia—and started thinking up ways to make something sweet and nutritious. Out of one-part curiosity and one-part desperation, she blended up the ingredients, threw them in the microwave for a couple of minutes, and then took out the bowl.

Lo and behold, to her surprise, she had made a cake—with 26g of protein, 2g of sugar, and 16g of carbs. A healthy, delicious cake. In fact, since she was only using whole, healthy ingredients, her cake had nearly the same nutritional facts as her daily chicken, rice, and asparagus meal.

She couldn’t believe it. She could, literally, have her cake and eat it too—every single day.

Christine experimented with more recipes and posted pictures of her creations on social media, to much enthusiasm from friends and followers. She hadn’t really thought of her cakes as a business opportunity—she enjoyed her day job as an anesthetist—but the thought of making money on the side was captivating. (Making and baking…)

And so Christine began baking cakes for friends and hand-delivering them for $5 each. One day she had a ton of orders, stayed up till midnight, and realized that selling complete cakes wasn’t something she could scale. She needed a different approach: sell the mix, and not the full cake.

And, within a few weeks, Lil Buff Bakery came to life and did its first push-ups.

In October of 2016, Lil Buff soared past $10,000 in sales. It was also the month she launched her first product variation: a pumpkin-spice flavored mix. Naturally, the organic social shares just kept piling on.

The following January, Lil Buff generated over $30,000, and sales continued to rise from the oven. In fact, the numbers have doubled year after year for the past three.

For the most part, her marketing has mainly been about stoking the fire of her most loyal fans with recipe content, fifteen new and seasonal flavors, and supplementary products, like microwavable containers.

But for Christine, it’s not enough—because there were still thousands and thousands of healthy eaters out there who can’t enjoy Lil Buff cakes. That’s why she just released a set of vegan mixes—and there are more specialized diet options coming soon.

It hasn’t been a cake walk, but like a good gluten-free protein-dense treat, she has risen to the occasion.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Lil Buff Bakery: Check out Christine’s strong line up of bakery goods at 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
"There is no perfect timing. Strike while the iron is hot and figure the rest out later. We started selling our cakes before we even knew how much the cost to produce was. I’m not implying that this is a good business strategy, but there is something to be said for jumping in with both feet and taking risks."
—Christine Moore #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

Door-to-Door Salesmen Take Out the Trash

What It’s About

While others see trash, two friends see a golden opportunity.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Are their problems or pain points in the world that you have the knowledge and skills to solve? If so, you might have found a great side hustle idea.

Fun Fact

Jesse and his partner won a gift card for a local restaurant in a raffle. They decided to use it when they got their first client. Then, they pushed it off until they hired their first employee, because they didn’t feel like they deserved to use it yet.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1074
Jesse Lear didn’t get the idea for his hustle after a long brainstorming session. There wasn’t a funny “aha!” moment either. It just came out of being frustrated with a common, daily problem. Even though Jesse and his roommate lived in a nice apartment, the trash compactor was far from their door, and the closest recycling drop-off was miles away.

When they realized that other people were probably feeling the same frustration, VIP Waste Services was born. Or at least it was born in spirit, because Jesse’s first lead was their property manager, and he didn’t go for it.

That property manager explained that Jesse and his roommate couldn’t just start picking trash for cash. They had to set up a legal business, get insurance, and so on.

So it was back to the drawing board. The two friends both worked in door-to-door sales, selling cable and internet services. This gave them a flexible schedule, which turned out to be very helpful.

They were still set on making VIP Waste Services into a business, so they worked around their jobs. In the morning, Jesse and his roommate would meet up at Panera Bread. If either of them wasn’t up and ready to go in time, they had to buy breakfast for the other. That got them motivated to get out of bed.

For the first several months, that was it. They didn’t have any clients, so Jesse’s workday ended there. After six months of prep work, however, the schedule changed. He and his partner still met up at Panera Bread in the morning, and after that came the day job. But at 8pm, they put on their shiny new hazard vests and went out collecting garbage and recycling.

It turned out there was cash in the trash—six figures of revenue in their first year—and it was a win-win for everyone. Property management companies could offer the doorstep trash service as an amenity (allowing them to increase rent prices to offset the cost). And for residents? Well instead of having to schlep a dirty trash bag, they could just leave it right outside their door at night. When they woke up in the morning, it was gone.

It wasn’t until he buckled down and focused exclusively on VIP Waste Services that the business saw its greatest periods of growth. That grind and dedication helped VIP Waste Services go from a late-night side hustle to a company with seven-figure revenue. The business even grew to span five cities across three states, and Jesse and his partner sold the company in 2018.

He’s now working on a new project that manages high-end AirBnB rentals. Whether it proves as promising as waste services or not, he’ll be able to spend his time on whatever attracts his attention next. All because he was frustrated by having to take out the trash.

  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
"Your idea doesn’t have to be original to be good. Simply find an unmet need that people actually care about, and then figure out a way to fill it to their satisfaction."
—Jesse Lear #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

Product Manager Profits From Carnivorous Plants

What It’s About

The world’s greatest resource for lovers of carnivorous plants.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

David has some great words about niche ideas: “By definition, niche hobbies have small communities supporting them. Word travels fast in small communities. Building positive relationships with members of your community is crucial in building and maintaining a good reputation. Overdeliver for your customers. Treat your vendors with respect, and try to find ways to delight them.”

Fun Fact

There are roughly 600 different species of carnivorous plants, some of which have come up with incredible ways to catch their prey. From a pitcher plant’s cup-shaped trap to the closing ‘mouth’ of a Venus flytrap these fascinating plants have become master hunters, without stepping so much as an inch from their roots.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1073

David Fefferman takes his hobbies seriously; he’s the type of person that doesn’t do anything halfway. When he becomes interested in something, it becomes an obsession. He’s also always been business-minded, even from a young age. In fact, his very first side hustle was selling Pokemon cards to fellow students in elementary school.

Around the same time that he was obsessing over Pikachu, he discovered carnivorous plants. They’re plants that obtain their nutrients by trapping insects and sometimes small animals, instead of from soil. The most famous is the Venus flytrap, but there are hundreds of other species.

His interest started when a friend brought one to school as a science fair project. That same day David begged his mom to take him to the nursery so he could get his own, and he was instantly hooked.

Over the years these fascinating plants became one of David’s true passions. He dedicated himself to learning everything there is to know so that he could grow many different types. Sure, that venus flytrap was the most popular, but he also ventured into Sundews, Pitchers, Cobra Lilies and dozens of others that most people have never heard of.

The community of growers helped David foster this hobby and turn it into a passion. As he got a little older he’d attend local meetups to learn more from experienced members. Within that group, he’d sell or trade drawings of plants to obtain species he desired but didn’t yet have.

Fast forward to 2017 and David was doing some online research regarding the plants. But he noticed it was hard to find useful information. Tips on how to grow the plants, what sort of nutrients they preferred and what climate they liked were severely lacking.

At the time, David was working remotely as a Product Manager for PayPal, a technical role in a large business. Gaining technical knowledge, and an ability to work remote were huge perks of the job.

He decided to use his technical prowess to create an online resource. Something with easy-to-digest info about everything related to all different species of carnivorous plants.

He registered the domain CarnivorousPlantResource.com … and it cost him almost nothing. Since he did all the work himself, his only costs were for the domain name and hosting, around one hundred dollars total.

He spent the next several months filling the site with content. His goal was to make this the only resource anyone would need to learn about the topic, a sort of Wikipedia for carnivorous plants. Something so useful that he himself would reference it when needed. A place to devour anything necessary to become a carnivorous expert.

Since there were very few quality resources online for this topic, Google began to reward David for his efforts with traffic through their search engine. On top of that growth, the online carnivorous plant community helped spread the word that David’s resource was THE place to go.

In 2019, so far David’s marketplace has generated over thirty thousand dollars in sales. He’s on track to earn commissions of over six thousand dollars by the end of the year and is confident that number will only grow in 2020.

From a childhood hobby, to a now successful side business. David’s story is proof that with a little effort and a lot of passion… anything grows!

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

 

SEE ALSO:

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

Yours in the revolution,

cg-sig-newsletter

Resources

WEB HOSTING @ $2.49/MONTH

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

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

GET $625 IN FREE TRAVEL

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

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

Quote of the Day
"Building positive relationships with members of your community is crucial in building and maintaining a good reputation. Overdeliver for your customers."
—David Fefferman #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

Book Reviewer Finds Money In The Stacks

What It’s About

A librarian discovers income-generating ideas in making book recommendations.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Often times we are unaware of the variety of ways we can create income streams from a particular market. Michelle’s story is great because she demonstrates the multiple ways she generates revenue through publishing.

Fun Fact

While Michelle was working at Marie Claire, she wrote an article titled “Does Your Guy Need A Makeover?”, which was one of the main inspirations for the original TV show Queer Eye for the Straight Guy

Notes from Chris

Episode 1068

Michelle Zaffino had what most would consider a successful career in journalism, writing for high-profile women’s magazines. And yet, she was looking for something new. She tried freelance copywriting for e-commerce, but while creative to a point, was not challenging her in the same way her previous writing had. And so she dove into writing her first self-published young adult novel and then using a company called Smashwords to distribute it.

The novel sold a few dozen copies, at least until a prominent teen-lit librarian happened upon the book, bought it, and gave it a glowing recommendation on her book review blog. With that one recommendation, Michelle’s sales skyrocketed. She made a couple thousand dollars in short order.

Unsurprisingly, Michelle was fascinated by the power reviews had to influence a book’s success. When she shared her experience with other self-published authors, they confirmed that her one high-profile book review had shattered the returns they found on their own carefully curated marketing campaigns and paid ads.

Her book had the professional recommendation of a librarian—and that made all the difference.

Around this time, Michelle enrolled in a masters program at the University of Pittsburgh in Library and Information Science with a concentration in Information Architecture.

For her thesis, she decided to merge the world of Library Science with digital technology, and started recording video reviews of books from her librarian perspective, calling the project “In The Stacks TV.” It didn’t take a lot of equipment, beyond what she already had: her computer’s webcam, free video editing software, and a YouTube account.

She’d post the reviews from her own library of books, and put together a website that organized those videos for people to easily find recommendations. This meant breaking them out into categories, with tags for authors and genres, and back-linking everything across the website to establish an intelligent site map.

She looked into what it would cost to set up a publishing imprint, which would simply be a business entity she could publish her writing under. This would also allow her to grow by publishing other authors or projects, without giving away any of her royalties or production costs.

Michelle was surprised to find that she could simply file for a DBA or “Doing Business As” status under In the Stacks Publishing, while still operating as a sole proprietor. The registration, filing, and subsequent announcement only cost about $150.

However, this was all happening at the same time she was attending a 3 month evening coding school to learn to code. She wanted to grow In the Stacks, and to do that she would have to build a more robust internal book recommendation program.

But she couldn’t learn how to code a program, write a new novel, work on her freelance projects that were her primary source of income, and continue creating new content on the site. That’s when she began to reach out to librarians she knew or had communicated with online, asking them to start sharing some of their recommendations.

This was the beginning of the MyLibrarian portal on her site, which offers crowdsourced librarian recommendations.

After that proof of concept, she was able to build out her book recommendation program and start developing an app that will give users those recommendations from her curated network of librarians.

That’s what’s coming next: the idea that if you aren’t able to get into a library to speak with a librarian in person, at least you can get their insights while staring at the shelves in your local bookstore.

Michelle plans on continuing to build In the Stacks publishing as well, looking to add new authors and titles. With her own books making such an impact on her revenue bottom line, it seems like the next novel idea.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

    • In the Stacks TV: Get great book recommendations and learn more about Michelle and her business from her website.

Smashwords: Looking to self-publish your own book and need help with distribution? Consider Smashwords. This is the platform that Michelle used.

 

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
"It’s amazing having creative and marketing control over your books, while also getting a large portion of the profits directly deposited into your bank account."
—Michelle Zaffino #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

Tuscan Vacation Inspires Leatherworking Hustle

What It’s About

Under the Tuscan sun, a program manager discovers a profitable hobby working with leather.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Can you learn anything on YouTube? Maybe not everything, but it’s a great place to start from especially if you aren’t able to afford classes or lessons. Use YouTube as a starting block to help you generate some income, then pay for specialized or more complex lessons to help you grow your business.

Fun Fact

Ritesh found that, by allowing potential customers to request custom colors, sizes, and designs, that they’d be far more willing to spend a premium on handmade items.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1060
Ritesh Shrestha remembers booking the plane tickets to Italy for him and his wife back in 2015. They were especially thrilled to visit the Tuscan hills of Florence. As they explored colorful walkways, wandering from shop to shop, Ritesh noticed something: there was an abundance of leatherworkers selling handmade, premium leather goods.

They walked into one shop and were greeted by a man paying careful attention to his product-in-progress. They admired the man’s attention to detail, his precise handiwork, and his patience. Ritesh was hooked.

He had been in search of a hobby, and this was it. Upon returning to the U.S., he started watching YouTube videos on how to learn about leatherworking—dozens and dozens of videos. He ordered around $500 worth of tools and supplies, then another $400 of leather.

Ritesh then began crafting after work and on weekends. He started by following YouTube tutorials to make simple handbags, which he’d use himself or pass on to his wife. It was challenging, but the pride of making something by hand was motivating.

As his skills grew, he started getting requests from friends to make bags for them. Each new piece turned out better than the last. He finally made a handbag that was completely of his own design—and that’s when people really started noticing.

Ritesh’s wife would get stopped in public by other women wondering where she had gotten her bag. They saw it as a sign, and a few months later he made a second, improved version of that same bag—and all of a sudden she began getting requests to buy the bag.

Quality leather doesn’t come cheap. Ritesh sold that handbag to one of his wife’s friends for $275, which covered the material and some time cost, but didn’t offer a real profit. At that point, he was more surprised than thrilled. He knew he was making a high-quality product, but he assumed there was little to no market for upscale, handmade item—especially with so many factory-produced items available for $20-50. It turned out there were people who wanted that high level of quality and craftsmanship—Ritesh just needed to find them.

Random strangers who found his Instagram account and followed weren’t there for inspiring lifestyle images. They were there to see Ritesh’s work—which meant they were already somewhat interested in buying handmade, high-end bags. So between a few new followers on a regular basis, referrals from previous customers, and just using his products out in public, Ritesh was able to stay busy.

In July of 2019, Ritesh broke $1,000 in orders in a single month for the first time. He’s looking at around $7,000 of revenue for 2019, and as the numbers climb, so do his sights.

He’s now looking to standardize a few of his product designs so that he can start selling them directly on his website and at craft shows without customization. Since he’s made wallets and handbags dozens of times over the years, he knows he can do them quickly, which means he can lower prices slightly without sacrificing a healthy profit margin.

But Ritesh isn’t desperate to grow rapidly. In fact, he largely still considers himself a hobbyist. It’s a hobby that brings in money while making him—and his customers—incredibly happy.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

SEE ALSO:

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

Yours in the revolution,

cg-sig-newsletter

Resources

WEB HOSTING @ $2.49/MONTH

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

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

GET $625 IN FREE TRAVEL

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

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

Quote of the Day
"I don’t believe in talent. Determination, hard work, and patience are all you need to learn whatever you want to learn."
—Ritesh Shrestha #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

Try ShipStation for 60 Days FREE!

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

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

Like the Show? Leave a Rating!

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

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

Keep in Touch

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


To infinity and beyond,

Chris Guillebeau

Geologist Rides Away From Full-Time Work

What It’s About

A Geologist rocks on with his mobile bicycle repair business.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

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

Fun Fact

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

Notes from Chris

Episode 1059

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

No doubt he’ll keep the wheels rolling…

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

 

SEE ALSO:

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

Yours in the revolution,

cg-sig-newsletter

Resources

WEB HOSTING @ $2.49/MONTH

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

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

GET $625 IN FREE TRAVEL

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

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

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

Sponsors & Gratitude

Don't Do Business Without It

Side Hustle School is brought to you by American Express.

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

Like the Show? Leave a Rating!

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

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

Keep in Touch

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


To infinity and beyond,

Chris Guillebeau

Self-Affirmation Leads to Online Clothing Brand

What It’s About

An empowering apparel company built on self-affirmation.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Michelle has an interesting perspective on failure: “Fail. Fail and fail often. When you’re early on in the process, it’s better to learn the hard lessons then, rather than when you get bigger and your business is booming because it will probably be more costly.”

Fun Fact

Michelle’s first brick and mortar store is about the size of a large SUV, or enough standing room for 50 people to get real close and personal.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1056

MBack in November 2015, Michelle Cadore was a program manager at a New York City organization overseeing grants for small businesses. After working there for two years, she applied for a promotion to an open spot for a director in her division. She was pretty much already doing the job, she just didn’t have the title. But when she talked to her boss about it, she was told that they would have to see who else was interested.

Devastated, Michelle headed home that night, silently fighting tears on a street corner in the rain … when a cab passed by and splashed her with water from head to toe. She chose to see it as a wake-up call from the universe to get it together: She was giving over the power of her professional future to someone else.

In that moment she told herself “I am who I say I am.” That experience of self-affirmation was powerful for her, and might have been enough for some people. But Michelle wanted a way for others to experience and own that same powerful feeling. It didn’t take her long to decide how she would do it.

As a kid she’d enjoyed designing clothing, and now she wanted a way for others to literally wear a message of empowerment on their sleeve. It was clear to her that the best way to do this was to start her own clothing line, which she called YES I AM in honor of that street corner epiphany.

Not wanting to waste any time, she decided to keep working at her full-time job while investing $1,500 of her own money to start the brand. She came up with five positive, empowering designs and hired a graphic artist to bring them to life. One of her mentors was able to recommend a local printer, and connected her to a spot in the fashion district where she could purchase shirts wholesale.

It took Michelle eight months from that puddle-drenching moment, but in July 2016 she launched YES I AM with the tagline “Brand Your SELF.”

Although she was worried that no one would like her clothing, she brought her first samples to a pop-up fashion show, and kept expectations low. To her surprise, at least one person loved what she was doing, and snapped up a shirt right away.

Her second event was at another pop-up show. By the time she arrived there were already three people waiting to buy her sweatshirts. She made $300 before she even finished setting up for the show.

Even with the growth of the business, Michelle is still dedicated to doing all the production of YES I AM shirts in house. For her, it’s more than a clothing line. She is hoping to inspire and empower people, including herself. YES I AM is about manifesting your own dreams into existence.

Moving forward, she collaborated with two partners to open a second business to support her first: a fashion boutique in Brooklyn called DA SPOT NYC. It brings together several indie brands that are all focused on fashion, art and lifestyle goods. Their mission is to provide a platform for independent creatives to increase their network, build brand awareness, and achieve economic mobility.

Today, DA SPOT turns an annual 5-figure profit, with Michelle still earning several thousand a year from YES I AM. With the move into the new location, Michelle expects that sales will continue to grow.

Her focus is on empowering yourself to get things done. She’s teaching people that you can’t rely on others to give you promotions… the best way to get it done is to promote yourself.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • YES I AM: Check out Michelle’s fly, inspiring clothing line at her online store. And if you’re ever in Brooklyn, go visit DA SPOT NYC.
  • Michelle launched her e-commerce store on Shopify. (Use the link to start a 21-day trial and get 10% off for an entire year!)

 

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 was not about to put my success in someone else’s hands and limit my future."
—Michelle Cadore #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