Side Hustle Hero

About 4 years ago, Brittany Sampson was a partner in a side hustle that she, her sister, and her mom started. It was an online kids clothing business known as Sugar Dumplin' Kids.

After buying out her two partners, she doubled-down on growing the business and grow it she did, hitting 7-figure revenues.

Brittany talks about;

• What it took to scale the business
• How she grew her fanbase from 0 to over 100,000 followers
• A smart and cost-effective way to know exactly what your customers really want
• Smart steps to take when placing an order with an overseas manufacturer to avoid costly mistakes, and
• Creative ways to move inventory when something is not selling

Psst: If you're enjoying this podcast and finding it helpful, I wouldn't object if you'd like to "buy me a coffee."

What You'll Hear:

03:46 Why an online clothing brand?

05:03 None of them had experience with an online business or kids clothes

06:09 You're typically not paying yourself much in the first year

07:05 Really big mindset shift going from employee to self-employed

10:32 The why behind Brittany buying out her partners

12:07 First steps from idea, to action

13:09 A "small batch" manufacturer will work with smaller quantities

13:33 Brittany often used a "pre-order" model to presell the collection

16:03 Platforms like Pietra do the sourcing for you

16:40 If using a platform like Alibaba you must highly vet your manufacturer

17:55 Examples of manufacturer's "bait and switch"

19:30 What to look for when vetting a manufacturer

21:51 Using creativity and honesty to sell slow-moving or not-what-was-ordered product

26:13 Careful planning or fly by the seat of your pants?

27:20 Brittany's annual review and planning sessions, including her "sales calendar"

29:00 A gross revenue number (7-figures) can sound impressive, but what's the net profit?

31:41 $360,000 profit on sales of $1.7 m in sales

32:20 What drove the growth of Sugar Dumplin' Kids

36:17 Can delegate through VA's, Fiverr, Upwork

37:10 It is particularly tough in Year 1

38:50 The real wealth lies in people willing to start a side hustle

39:54 The decision to sell the business

42:23 Brittany's Top Tip to help you start or grow your side hustle

Takeaway:

44:00 Maybe it's time for you to launch or scale

44:30 "Go as far as you can see, and when you get there, you'll see how to go further"

44:35 Check out Episode 61: Best Productivity Hack to Skyrocket Your Results

Joan's Online Masterclass to help you achieve your side hustle goals:

Turn Your Thoughts Into Wanted Things

Connect With Brittany:

https://www.instagram.com/digitalbrittsampson/

https://www.tiktok.com/@digitalbrittsampson

https://www.brittsampson.com/

Connect with Joan:

https://www.instagram.com/joanposivy/

https://www.facebook.com/posivy/

https://www.sidehustlehero.com/about/

Be on the show!

https://www.sidehustlehero.com/guests/intake/

Websites mentioned in this episode:

https://www.pietrastudio.com/

https://www.alibaba.com/

https://www.fiverr.com/

https://www.upwork.com/

https://www.sidehustlehero.com/61-best-productivity-hack-to-skyrocket-your-results-with-joan-posivy/

Business ramped up for today's guest Jess Herring when an email from Twitch landed in her inbox. A new niche was opening up, and she not only recognized the opportunity, but pounced!

Today Jess earns between 7000- $12,000 per month, largely through her freelance work as a video editor. She'll tell you how she did it and how she continues to increase sales.

It's an inspiring story of wanting to provide for her son the opportunities that she never had growing up in extreme poverty.

Give it a listen and be inspired to "pounce" on your side hustle idea.

"There is no dream that is silly. There is no dream that is not worth chasing," says Jess.

She's living proof.

P.S. If you're enjoying this podcast and finding it helpful, I wouldn't object if you'd like to "buy me a coffee."

What You'll Hear:

02:03 The motivation for Jess to become a video editor

03:13 A suggestion from a friend prompted her to set up a Fiverr account

03:38 The email from Twitch that opened up an opportunity

06:24 Rather than beat yourself up over a perceived missed opportunity, know that there will be more in the future!

08:13 One small decision can change the entire trajectory of your life

10:33 Biggest surprise in running this business

11:30 The most memorable gig

12:47 The importance of communication with clients

14:29 Best tip for success

15:04 "There is no dream that is silly. There is no dream that is not worth chasing."

16:58 What Jess's schedule looks like

18:48 Jess's motivation to keep going when the going gets tough

20:11 Her first gig ended up being a long-term client

23:53 Jess's best tip to start or grow your side hustle

Bonus tips:

26:13 There are a lot of "dream stealers" out there. It can be fatal for your dreams

26:37 A big goal or dream you commit to is like a seed you're planting, and it needs time to grow

27:21 When you die, you want to be "all used up."

Joan's Online Masterclass to help you achieve your side hustle goals:

Turn Your Thoughts Into Wanted Things

Connect With Jess:

https://www.fiverr.com/official3seven

https://www.youtube.com/@official3seven

https://www.instagram.com/official3seven/

Connect with Joan:

https://www.instagram.com/joanposivy/

https://www.facebook.com/posivy/

https://www.sidehustlehero.com/about/

Be on the show!

https://www.sidehustlehero.com/guests/intake/

Want to skip the start-up phase and jump right into a business that cash flows?

Today's Side Hustle Hero guest Matt Raad will tell us how.

With the help of mentors, he and his wife Liz became rock stars in Australia, analyzing the value of bricks and mortar businesses for potential buyers.

But then they realized the world was changing, and they could pivot and apply their knowledge and skill to online businesses.

Fast forward some years, and today they have an extensive portfolio of "website" businesses and earnings well into 7-figures.

And here's a fun fact…having expertise or knowledge of the industry in which you're buying the website business, is not a prerequisite.

Matt explains why.

You'll also discover,

• how to test the waters in a relatively inexpensive way, to see if this side hustle is for you,
• what to look for when buying a website business,
• red flags to look out for,
• how to gain access to a website's Google Analytics
• the importance of keyword research
• best niches to go after, and
• the "Fallen Angel Strategy"

What You'll Hear:

03:07 Matt's income is from a portfolio of investments and website businesses

05:00 First business was a small manufacturing company

06:05 Coming from a science background trained them to be curious

07:30 Rich Dad Poor Dad - a thought provoking book

07:50 Has only owned one retail business…and never again

08:19 Buying and selling businesses for high net-worth individuals and private equity firms

09:45 First website business they bought on eBay - and what they did to increase its income

12:35 "Passion" niches are Matt's favourite - crafting, pets, golfing sites, etc

13:05 You don't need to be an expert in the industry

14:38 Three good ways to monetize a golfing site

19:00 With "passion" sites, sometimes the seller will stay on to contribute content

19:44 How to determine if a website is a good buy

20:16 If you want to start, buy a "starter" site under $1,000

20:42 Flippa.com is a main site for beginners

22:12 This is not a "get rich quick scheme"...there is a learning curve

23:00 Look at a website's profit and traffic. Not sales!

23:29 How to know the numbers a seller is stating is accurate

24.41 Google Analytics is the #1 tool Matt uses for due diligence and to analyze sites

25:01 The things that look "bad" to people, are often the best opportunities

26:01 How you gain access to a website's Google Analytics

27:47 The importance of SEO in website businesses, and selling out to deep-pocket buyers

29:22 Red flags to look out for when buying a website business

31:06 A main thing to look at is keyword research

31:54 If you stick to these main big industries - health, wealth, happiness - they'll always be around

32:25 People come online to look up answers - that's why keyword research is important

34:36 A primary component of what you need to do for due diligence

36:55 The "Fallen Angel Strategy"

40:31 You can do this part-time and learn

41:33 Matt's best tip to start or grow your side hustle

Pro Tip:

42:51 "The things that look bad to people, are often the best opportunities."

Platform for buying and selling online businesses:

https://flippa.com/

Google Analytics:

https://marketingplatform.google.com/about/analytics/

Connect with Matt:

https://www.ebusinessinstitute.com.au/

Connect with Joan:

https://www.instagram.com/joanposivy/

https://www.facebook.com/posivy/

https://www.sidehustlehero.com/about/

Be on the show!

https://www.sidehustlehero.com/guests/intake/

I get a lot accomplished in a day.

Some say I excel at time management. But that's not true.

No one can "manage" time. But all of us can manage our activities. Therein lies the secret.

Today I hit "pause" on our lineup of awesome Side Hustle Heroes to jump in and share what I've found to be the Best Productivity Hack.

It has the potential to skyrocket your business and your life. But here's something you might find a bit strange…most people have actually already heard of it and they admit it's a great idea, yet they're not doing it.

I'll explain why, so you don't make the same mistake.

What You'll Hear:

00:46 "I know that!" The difference between "knowing" and "doing"

01:54 Step 1: The last task of your work day

02:23 Step 2: What you need to do with your task list

02:43 Step 3: What you need to do first

03:00 Why this hack helps when you've been interrupted

03:36 How it helps overcome procrastination

04:22 How our habits hold us back

04:40 You've programed your body to drive your vehicle

05:57 Even if you agree this is a great idea, this is why you may not follow through

06:33 To change results, we must take control over our thinking

07:10 Our external world is merely a reflection of our internal reality

07:26 Turn Your Thoughts To Things

Joan's Online Masterclass: Turn Your Thoughts Into Wanted Things,

Turn Your Thoughts Into Wanted Things

Connect with Joan:

https://www.instagram.com/joanposivy/

https://www.facebook.com/posivy/

https://www.sidehustlehero.com/about/

Be on the show!

https://www.sidehustlehero.com/guests/intake/

Do you have a knack for problem-solving? Leadership?

Do you enjoy tech?

Then becoming an Integrator might be just the side hustle for you.

Today's guest Mike Dallas-Petersen suggests you could be earning between $3,000 to $5,000 recurring monthly income in just 90 days.

Earning well into a mid-6 figure income himself doing this kind of work, Mike now also teaches the business to others.

An Integrator is someone who identifies the biggest bottlenecks in an online company's marketing, sales and operations, then sets up automated systems, integrations and workflows to improve profits and efficiencies. Or as Mike puts it, "I glue the internet together, one software at a time."

You'll discover things like,

• what an Integrator actually does,

• what skill set makes for the best integrators,

• the premier way to find clients, and

• the common traits of his most successful students.

It's also an inspirational tale of persevering through multiple failures and reinventing oneself.

What You'll Hear:

02:00 From tires, to automation and systems specialist

05:00 Mike's first client in his role as an Integrator

07:11 Negotiates receiving profit sharing instead of a retainer (25% of net profit)

08:13 What Mike typically does for a client - case study

10:19 As an Integrator, Mike oversees all the systems

12:27 Typical level of involvement

14:29 Having a couple of big clients vs. having many smaller clients

17:46 Start with a market niche in which you have a background and knowledge

19:11 Mike's (not so secret) secret way to find clients

21:32 Meeting people in person builds trust

22:22 How Mike prices jobs

23:09 Pitching a "maintenance" retainer

24:18 Teaching others to be Integrators grew out of a need

25:23 Income trajectory for someone new to the business

26:01 Within first 3 months, not uncommon to make $3,000 to $5,000 per month

26:14 Skill set of the best Integrators

29:17 The Great Mental Model, General Thinking Concepts

30:14 Biggest challenge people face when launching as an Integrator

32:16 Mike's best tip

33:05 Getting "no's" is just math - you discover that eventually you will get a yes!

Pro Tip

35:17 Do you love what you're now doing for work and money?

Connect with Mike:

https://socialaimsolutions.com/

https://theintegratoracademy.com/

https://www.facebook.com/myke.dp

https://www.youtube.com/@MichaelDallasPetersen

Connect with Joan:

https://www.instagram.com/joanposivy/

https://www.facebook.com/posivy/

https://www.sidehustlehero.com/about/

Be on the show!

https://www.sidehustlehero.com/guests/intake/

The product dispensed out of these vending machines is something we all need – water!

Today's guest is Dan Doromal, co-founder of Everest Ice & Water.

He goes beyond the rosy TikTok narrative of the vending machine business to discuss the reality, including;

• when you can expect sales to really ramp up, and it's not necessarily in the first year.
• what to look for when choosing a location,
• how to gain market penetration,
• who pays for what expenses,
• the cost of the vending machines,
• your capital recovery time, and
• what you need to do to get any vending machine business off to a great start.

Be sure to check out my Pro Tip at the end which you can apply to fast track your success in any new side hustle you decide to dive into.

What You'll Hear:

05:21 The reality of running a vending machine business

05:58 Working the side hustle business with dad

07:46 The importance of location

09:30 Components of an Everest Ice & Water machine

10:50 Much improved from bags of ice sitting in a merchandiser

12:43 Ways to place a machine, the profit margins, choosing to split profits or monthly fee

14:29 Tracking sales

15:57 Sitting back and waiting for the money to roll in, isn't a recipe for success

17:10 Is vandalism an issue?

17:46 Provide education to deal with objections from property owners

18:30 Looking at a 3–5-year lease with repeat customers in year 2

19:50 To gain market penetration as fast as possible, consider giving the product away as a promotion

21:45 Initial costs of vending machine

23:07 Check out local laws, need concrete foundation, water, drain line and possibly heat depending on the location's climate

25:33 Capital recovery time 1 - 3 years, small towns can do really well

29:22 If the location doesn't work out, it's small enough you can move it to a new location

30:30 Identify your "why!"

31:20 Mistakes made by newcomers to the business

32:10 "Plug and play" doesn't tell the whole story, there's work to be done

33:44 "The Art of The Start" book - how you pre-plan and setup is key

35:20 Dan bases his success on the number of his repeat buyers

36:38 Dan's best tip for success

Pro Tip

37:56 Find out who the top earners are, and interview them

39:25 Don't just ask anyone, "What do you think?"

Connect with Dan:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dandoromal/

https://everesticeandwater.com/

Connect with Joan:

https://www.instagram.com/joanposivy/

https://www.facebook.com/posivy/

https://www.sidehustlehero.com/about/

Be on the show!

https://www.sidehustlehero.com/guests/intake/

For the past 8 years, today's guest has been on the inside of Fiverr seeing first hand what separates the top sellers from the rest of the pack.

This episode features Trisha Diamond, Global Senior Director of Customer Success for Fiverr.

She's in the perfect position to give insider advice on what we need to do to break through and really excel! You'll also discover a lot of her tips and insights apply to success in any business.

In the last 12 months, the platform has served over 4 million active buyers

Trisha talks about;

• What's trending
• Tips for both the newcomer as well as the seasoned seller
• Best practices of top earners
• What you can expect for earnings, and
• Overlooked and underutilized hacks and success tips

What You'll Hear:

03:30 There is a lot of competition, but…

04:13 What is currently trending

05:04 Mike Burton a.k.a. Keybeaux makes his living as a rapper through Fiverr

06:39 Best practices for newcomers to the platform

08:37 The snowball analogy describes how your business grows over time

09:40 The "runway" you need to give yourself for success

10:12 The "Fiverr Forum" is an invaluable peer-to-peer resource

12:11 Add value for the end user without additional costs to you

13:57 Tips for the someone who is not experiencing the growth they want

14:37 Different services will trend at different times - what to do about it

15:50 What's trending in the world? It's likely trending on Fiverr too

17:25 The range of earnings

18:10 How long it takes to get to 6-figures

19:17 Overlooked tips and hacks for success

21:22 Working with freelancers who transition to full-time agency

24:11 Resources to help grow your business

24:47 Check out Youtuber Joel Young (JoelTalks) for tips in excelling at Fiverr

25:14 Be Willing To Fail in Public

Wrapup:

26:37 Keep pushing that little snowball!

27:14 Stick it out long enough to give your idea a chance

27:27 Success does leave clues

Connect with Joan:

https://www.instagram.com/joanposivy/

https://www.facebook.com/posivy/

https://www.sidehustlehero.com/about/

Be on the show!

https://www.sidehustlehero.com/guests/intake/

How can we differentiate what we do and what we offer to set ourselves apart from the crowd? You're sure to get inspiration from today's episode.

While living and working in London England with her family, Helen McArthur accepted a job in Canada. They packed up, moved, and Helen began applying her background in pensions and communications to her new role.

But...she also brought with her, her talent, skill and passion for baking!

Helen McArthur is the founder and lead baker of a farm stand known as the Crazy Cookie House.

The words "whimsical" and "quirky" come up a lot in this interview. You have never seen a structure like Helen's Crazy Cookie House. Check out the photos for this episode 57 at sidehustlehero.com and you'll see what I mean. Think Harry Potter sorting hat, meets Tolkien's hobbit house.

And her cookies are just as quirky and whimsical.

When Helen started the Crazy Cookie House as a side hustle, she wanted to offer much more than a cookie. She wanted to offer an experience. The result? You'll hear about a dragon, the mouse, and cookies eating other cookies.

What You'll Hear:

03:22 The move to Canada

06:19 Helen knew she needed a USP - unique selling point

07:01 The inspiration for a "big cookie eating a little cookie"

07:55 What you call your offerings is so important

08:54 Describing a "farm stand"

10:29 The Honour system is working well

11:01 Nordstrom example of setting policy for the 98% of their honest customers

13:40 A difficult decision to give up the steady paycheque and benefits

14:31 It doesn't happen without hard work and taking risks

15:48 When making a "sacrifice," rather than look at it as giving up something, view it as a trade for something better

17:56 Media attention, a Tiktok influencer, and 300,000 views later

20:16 Exploring shipping the cookies

21:10 Creating "an experience" not just buying a cookie

21:49 Inspiration from an ice cream museum

23:23 "I love the way you dream"

25:33 Adapting the cookie recipe to Canadian tastes

27:20 Purchase of large floor stand mixer has doubled production capability

28:20 Closed for one week to go run a marathon in the UK

30:13 Helen's husband looks after social media and marketing and kids help too

30:57 Giving the recipe to an employee for the first time

31:26 Describing the building that is the Crazy Cookie House

33:30 The dragon known as "Doug H."

36:26 Engaging her fans: What should we call the mouse?

36:47 Biggest challenges were finding time to launch the side hustle, and choosing what direction to go

39:00 What's next for the Crazy Cookie House

39:11 Franchising?

40:08 Helen's top tip to start your side hustle

One more tip:

41:42 Look for ideas when out in your neighbourhood and especially when traveling

Connect with Helen:

https://morello.ca/crazycookie/

https://www.instagram.com/crazycookiehouse/

Connect with Joan:

https://www.instagram.com/joanposivy/

https://www.facebook.com/posivy/

https://www.sidehustlehero.com/about/

Be on the show!

https://www.sidehustlehero.com/guests/intake/

Want tips to help people easily remember your product or service?

James I Bond is going to tell us how to trigger the right side, emotional side of the brain to boost the performance of our ads, emails, social media posts, and one-on-one presentations….with the ultimate goal of achieving blockbuster sales.

James is one of America's leading behavioral management and business marketing specialists who over the past 30 years has worked with a who's who of American business, including Warren Buffet and Costco founder Sol Price.

Drawing from his book Brain Glue, James teaches us the steps to "light the fire of desire in your buyer," with lots of real world examples where these techniques have been used to jaw-dropping success.

What You'll Hear:

03:10 The idea for the book, "Brain Glue"

05:04 90% of all decision-making happens when you trigger the right side of the brain

05:44 Starting a "passion box" to deposit quotes, etc. that had an emotional impact

07:50 The backstory of John Gray changing his book title to Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus

09:55 Starting to analyze "why" the content in the passion box was so effective

10:20 Uncovering why names like "Shark Tank" and "Rocky Road" ice cream are memorable

11:29 Brain Glue tools: Metaphors, analogies, alliteration, humour

12:05 Why the name "Squatty Potty" has been effective

13:29 The "Lawnmower" example of humour in a name

14:41 The impact of changing the company name to, "Big Ass Fans"

16:20 How James came to change the name of his book to Brain Glue

18:23 Tips for left-brain, analytical type people to come up with these creative names and pitches

24:04 Because humour triggers oxytocin to be released in the bloodstream, it's a Brain Glue tool

24:43 Another tool is "chiasmus"

25:29 The downturn of Wonder Bread

27:31 The "Got Milk?" campaign and the reason it didn't increase milk sales

29:00 The origins of the hotel chain name, "Holiday Inn"

29:54 James discovers the page, "Mommy Needs Vodka" and why he became a fan

32:25 James's #1 tip

Takeaway:

33:30 To rethink your product names, taglines, or to come up with a new company name, here's a recap of his steps to apply Brain Glue

33:43 Start by filling in the blank, "It's just like…"

34:02 Write out a logical title or description

34:10 Come up with words that rhyme (and alliteration)

34:28 Apply humour

34:40 Why you want to brainstorm with others

Connect with James:

braingluebook.com

Connect with Joan:

https://www.instagram.com/joanposivy/

https://www.facebook.com/posivy/

https://www.sidehustlehero.com/about/

Be on the show!

https://www.sidehustlehero.com/guests/intake/

It started as a simple question from her inquisitive child. Is there wine in wine gums?

Why not?

That night, a side hustle was born.

Pushed by the relentless enthusiasm from her kids, Teena Gudjonson got to work in her kitchen to, well, put the wine into wine gums.

Today, her Cellar Candy website features not only "wine" gummies, but liquor-based creations like Lime Margarita and Piña Colada.

Check out this episode to discover;

• How and why she closes the business for 2 months in the summer each year
• Why you shouldn't let lack of business experience stop you
• How she scrambled to find a commercial kitchen, after receiving a sudden 100 + orders to fill
• Helpful insights about dealing with supply issues, figuring out wholesale pricing, and juggling increased costs.
• Creating a "Life By Design" that fits you
• Inspiration in her story to start or grow your side hustle

What You'll Hear:

03:12 The birth of a side hustle idea

06:07 Trying to figure out how to actually make gummies

07:19 The alcohol kept breaking down the gelatin

07:49 Debuting at a large wine festival, they were a hit!

08:37 Going into retail sales forced a move (a scramble actually) to find a commercial kitchen

11:43 Expanded into "liquor" gummies and private label products

12:08 Buying in bulk not only vital for pricing, it helps when dealing with supply disruptions

13:02 The decision to build a commercial kitchen on her home property

14:17 Coming up with new flavours

16:57 Determining the price point of product can be tricky - gelatin Teena used to buy at $500 for 25 kg, has been as high as $1,200

18:33 Teena will only discounts max 25% to retailers, otherwise it's not worth it

22:53 About 95% of product is sold wholesale to retailers

23:46 TikTok post resulted in an overnight surge of online orders

26:37 Why Teena's not focused on scaling up at this time

28:16 Pitching at Dragon's Den and getting a deal

34:13 "When I stop limiting myself, I think then that the possibilities are endless"

36:23 Only go to someone for advice who has already done what you want to achieve

37:15 Now has 1 full-time employee and several part-time

38:38 Keeps quality control products – some now 7-years old

40:49 She still tests every batch before it gets molded for quality control

41:42 To reduce labeling costs to something reasonable (from $3 to $0.15 per) required a $10,000 print run

45:10 Has now sold over ½ million dollars worth of gummies

45:40 From having the capacity to make only 40 packages a day, to 500 per day

49:31 Competitors are now copying her flavours, but they don't compare to Teena's real, quality, ingredients

50:50 Cellar Candy artisan gummies are a world apart from the big box bulk versions

52:54 What 'gelatin' actual is

54:13 You can create a "Life By Design"

54:51 Be sure it's what you want

55:05 Challenge your negative beliefs about yourself and your potential

55:38 You have a unique combination of talent and skills, interests and experiences that no one else has

Connect with Teena:

https://www.cellarcandy.com/

https://www.instagram.com/cellar_candy/

Connect with Joan:

https://www.instagram.com/joanposivy/

https://www.facebook.com/posivy/

https://www.joanposivy.com/

Be on the show!

https://www.sidehustlehero.com/guests/intake/