Side Hustle Pro

This week in the guest chair we have Maekaeda Gibbons, Trinidad-born founder & CEO of Brown Sugar Babe, the cult-favorite fragrance and body-care brand whose body oils like Wild Card and Rich Auntie just keep selling out.

 In this episode she shares:

• Turning a $300 paycheck into a side hustle that now ships 10,000+ orders a month 
• Her exact growth playbook: pop-ups at Atlanta’s Ponce City Market, a 20,000-member Facebook group, and influencer collaborations that went viral on the internet
• How she approaches exploring various side hustle ideas as a multi passionate side hustler

Highlights Include:

00:00 Intro

06:00 Personal connection to scent

09:00 Turning a business to a hobby

15:00 Marketing strategies

21:00 Financial growth and investment

30:00 Importance of discipline in business

40:00 Navigating debt

46:00 Breaking the stigma around money

53:00 Managing tariffs and business costs

55:00 Tips for entrepreneurs

Watch episode 463 on YouTube and listen on all podcast apps

Links mentioned in this episode

• Brown Sugar Babe Website: ttps://www.brownsugarbabe.net/ 
• Shopify (e-commerce platform) – https://shopify.com
• Ponce City Market Makers Market – https://poncecitymarket.com
• Asia Evans, Financial Therapist – @asiatherapy on Instagram
• Brown Sugar Babe Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brwnsugarbabe/ 

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This week in the guest chair we have Raven Gibson, multidisciplinary designer and founder of the empowering apparel and lifestyle brand Legendary Roots. Getting her start in her dorm room, Raven takes us on her journey of delegation, negotiating with Fortune 500 retailers, and trusting that what’s for you will never pass you by.

In this episode she shares:

• How she uses art to speak up and invites her community to set healthy boundaries
• The moment she got serious about QuickBooks, hired a CPA, learned her metrics, and embraced FIRE principles to build a sustainable, profitable business.
• The systems that keep burnout at bay, and her gratitude‑driven approach to growth

Highlights include: 

00:00 Intro

3:50 Shifting from medicine to art

10:00 Scaling a side hustle

20:00 Importance of early support

24:00 Managing and learning business finance

33:00 Marketing strategies

39:00 Retail partnerships

43:00 Maintaining a work/life balance

52:00 Tips for entrepreneurs 

Watch episode 462 on YouTube and listen on all podcast apps

Links mentioned in this episode

• Legendary Rootz website – https://legendaryrootz.com 
• Instagram / TikTok / Threads – @legendaryrootz
• Target – https://www.target.com 
• Shopify – https://www.shopify.com 
• PayPal – https://www.paypal.com 
• Figma – https://www.figma.com 
• ClickUp – https://www.clickup.com 
• QuickBooks – https://quickbooks.intuit.com 
• Tumblr – https://www.tumblr.com 
• Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes – https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Year-of-Yes/Shonda-Rhimes/9781476777122 

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If you’re looking for a community of supportive side hustlers who are all working to take our businesses to the next level, join us here: http://sidehustlepro.co/facebook

Side Hustle Pro – @sidehustlepro

#SideHustlePro

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This week in the guest chair we have Rachel Rodgers—entrepreneur, coach, and bestselling author of We Should All Be Millionaires. She's back on the show with powerful insights to help side hustlers and full-time entrepreneurs alike build sustainable wealth and stop playing small.

In this episode, she shares:

• How to make real “money moves” instead of hiding behind busy work
• The mindset shifts needed to overcome imposter syndrome and take bold action
• Why outsourcing your life first can unlock growth in your business
• Her step-by-step approach to building a million-dollar business with a strong team and systems to build wealth with confidence

Highlights include: 

00:00 Intro

04:00 Transitioning from law to passion projects

11:40 Building life and business teams

14:00 Balancing outsourcing and income

16:45 Reframing selling as helping

24:00 Importance of announcing your business

30:00 Embracing growth and change

37:00 Structuring a mastermind program

46:00 Investing in yourself is key

50:00 Helping Gen Z build wealth

53:00 Tips for entrepreneurs

Watch episode 461 on YouTube and listen on all podcast apps

Links mentioned in this episode

• Rachel’s first SHP episode: https://youtu.be/a_8Kyku41GE 
• Rachel’s website: https://rachelrodgers.com/
• Rachel’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachrodgersesq/ 
• Future Millionaire book: https://futuremillionairebook.com/ 
• The Four Hour Work Week: https://www.amazon.com/4-Hour-Workweek-Escape-Live-Anywhere/dp/0307465357 
• The Big Leap: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-big-leap-gay-hendricks 
• We Should All Be Millionaires: https://www.harpercollinsleadership.com/9781400221684/we-should-all-be-millionaires/ 

Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): http://sidehustlepro.libsyn.com/rss

Join our Facebook Community

If you’re looking for a community of supportive side hustlers who are all working to take our businesses to the next level, join us here: http://sidehustlepro.co/facebook

• Rachel’s website: https://rachelrodgers.com/
• Rachel’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachrodgersesq/ 

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This week I’m excited to chat with someone I go way back with, Sheena McCullers. Sheena is the founder of Della’s Beauty Supply. Della’s was launched to bring a much-needed sense of belonging for BIPOC beauty lovers in Ann Arbor, MI. After moving from Brooklyn, Sheena saw a need for a place for people who look like her and took a chance on opening a storefront. 

In this episode she shares:

• How intentionally creating a community through word of mouth was the foundation to building her customer base
• The startup costs and how she’s been able to be profitable in the first year
• The importance of working a full-time job where she was supported enough to be transparent about needing space to focus on expanding Della’s 

Highlights Include: 

00:00 Intro

08:16 Exploring different side hustles

14:16 Navigating a new city

18:43 Filling the need for a beauty supply

23:18 Startup planning and costs

27:55 Creating a community 

30:01 Curating events and collaborations

35:02 Running a storefront as a side hustle

41:20 Expanding and creating a cultural hub

46:43 Setting the tone for the future of the store

56:19 Tips for entrepreneurs

Check out episode 460 of Side Hustle Pro podcast out now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube

Links Mentioned: 

• Auntie Della’s Website: https://auntiedellas.com/
• Auntie Della’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/auntiedellas/ 
• Auntie Della’s TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@auntiedellas 
• Virtual Assistant: https://theindemandva.com/ 

Listen on:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/side-hustle-pro/id1126021323

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/13qDj08lBR4ymzGhXIKy8t?si=8daf52a57e054042 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/sidehustlepro

Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): http://sidehustlepro.libsyn.com/rss

Affiliate Disclosure: I may be an affiliate for products that I recommend or share. If you purchase those items through my links, I may earn a commission. You will not pay more when you use my links.

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This week in the guest chair we have Kristen Dunning, founder and CEO of Gently Soap - a bathing brand built on her self-developed herbal infusions. 

An MBA grad, Kristen hails from a rare five generations of Black Alabama farmers, and she’s continuing the legacy by bringing joy back to bathing experiences for people with sensitive skin, using the medicinal properties of plants.

In this episode she shares:

• Her vigorous passion and research that landed her on Shark Tank
• Her secret sauce to having a rate of 78% repeat customers
• How she won over 300K in investment capital and has a trajectory of $1.2M in sales

Highlights Include:

00:00 Intro

03:24 Generations of Black farmers

06:38 Struggle with eczema

08:45 Studying horticulture and agriculture

14:10 Staring Gently Soaps

18:03 Transitioning to selling at markets

21:31 Importance of formulating for sensitive skin

28:56 Sales growth and Shark Tank impact

32:55 High margins and sales 

39:49 Marketing strategies

44:03 Tips for entrepreneurs 

Check out episode 459 of Side Hustle Pro podcast out now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube

Links mentioned in this episode

• Gently Soap Website: https://gentlysoap.com/ 
• Gently Soap Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gentlysoap/
• Kristen’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/professionalplantgirl/ 
• Kristen’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristendunning/  
• Shark Tank episode: https://gentlysoap.com/pages/shark-tank 
• Aveeno start-up pitch competition: https://www.aveeno.com/startup-collective 
• Thirteen Lune: https://thirteenlune.com/ 
• Tech Stars: https://www.techstars.com/ 

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Join our Facebook Community

If you’re looking for a community of supportive side hustlers who are all working to take our businesses to the next level, join us here: http://sidehustlepro.co/facebook

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This week I’m back with a solo episode where I’m giving you the tools to make money with your podcast. When I became a full-time podcaster in 2017, I focused on my revenue streams like brand partnerships, sponsorships, courses, and VIP programs, leading to having over 10 million episode downloads to date. I’m here to help you get your podcast to that same level. 

In this episode I’m sharing:

• Effective Marketing: How you’re going to optimize content planning and to get people to consistently see what you are offering 
• Thinking Outside the Box: Exploring non-traditional sponsorships and multi-channel packages like retreats to generate revenue beyond just downloads
• Creating Value: How to produce content and services that your audience genuinely wants to pay for

Highlights Include:

00:00 Intro

02:49 The Importance of Podcast Setup

05:15 Narrowing Down Your Podcast Topics

09:50 Understanding and Serving Your Audience

14:33 Creating a Content Plan

16:39 Effective Marketing Strategies

19:00 Consistent Marketing Practices

21:24 Thinking Outside the Box for Sponsorships

25:54 Create Content People Want to Pay For

28:17 Recap and Action Steps

To learn more about making money from your podcast, join my next live class. Register at sidehustlepro.co/class.

Check out episode 458 of Side Hustle Pro podcast out now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube

Links mentioned in this episode

• Riverside (Use code ‘hustlepro’): https://riverside.fm/ 
• Podcast Moguls: http://sidehustlepro.co/join  
• Lori Tharps SHP episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3EsWprSGu4 
• Launching Podcast Moguls 2.0: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3d-wkYAcsLo&t=1s 
• Free newsletter: http://sidehustlepro.co/newsletter 
• You Are a Badass by Jen Sincero: https://jensincero.com/ 

Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): http://sidehustlepro.libsyn.com/rss

Join our Facebook Community

If you’re looking for a community of supportive side hustlers who are all working to take our businesses to the next level, join us here: http://sidehustlepro.co/facebook

Side Hustle Pro – @sidehustlepro

#SideHustlePro

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This week in the guest chair we have Julia Coney, award winning wine writer, speaker, & consultant. 

Julia wears many hats, including being the Wine Consultant for American Airlines and Founder of Black Wine Professionals; a resource for Black professionals in the world of wine.

In this episode she shares about:

• Being multi-passionate: how exploring a range of interests, from starting at a law firm to writing a beauty blog, has elevated her career 
• Paving the way for diversity: how starting honest conversations about racism, equity, and inclusion in the wine industry led to being the recipient of Wine Enthusiast's 2020 Social Visionary Award Winner 
• The power of putting yourself out there on social media: How she has created opportunities for herself like being the first Black woman to run a wine program for American Airlines

Highlights include: 

00:00 Intro

04:42 Original career path and intro to wine

13:00 Navigating a switch in careers

21:39 Transition from beauty blogging to wine writing

27:06 Addressing racism in the wine industry

29:40 Sustaining financially as a freelance writer

35:00 Providing a niche wine service 

41:30 Unlocking networking opportunities 

45:07 Running a wine program for American Airlines 

54:16 Tips for entrepreneurs 

Watch episode 457 on YouTube and listen on all podcast apps

Links mentioned in this episode

• Julia’s Substack: https://juliaconey.substack.com/ 
• Julia’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juliaconey/ 
• Julia’s email: [email protected] 

Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): http://sidehustlepro.libsyn.com/rss

Join our Facebook Community

If you’re looking for a community of supportive side hustlers who are all working to take our businesses to the next level, join us here: http://sidehustlepro.co/facebook

• Julia’s Substack: https://juliaconey.substack.com/ 
• Julia’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juliaconey/ 
• Julia’s email: [email protected] 

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This week we’re taking it back to my convo with Portia Obeng, social media strategist, LinkedIn coach, and former Side Hustle Pro social media manager! 

With over 10 years of experience, Portia guides people through the ever-changing social media landscape to amplify their personal brands and make money.

In this episode she shares about:

• The steps she’s taken to go from job hopping to helping people optimize their LinkedIn 
• Her focus on the niche of creating “ LinkedIn superstars” who advocate for the company they work for
• How she’s been able to maintain financially on a non-traditional path 

Highlights Include:

00:00 Intro

02:00 Early career experience

08:00 Helping women level up in LinkedIn

13:30 The importance of consistency on LinkedIn

16:20 Building a LinkedIn profile

24:00 Optimizing content on LinkedIn

29:25 Using LinkedIn to build a personal brand

37:00 How to connect in the best way on LinkedIn

50:00 Tips for entrepreneurs 

Watch episode 456 on YouTube and listen on all podcast apps

Links mentioned in this episode

• Portia’s Website: https://www.portiaobeng.com/
• Portia’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/portiaobeng/ 
• Portia’s TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@portia.o 
• Muoyo’s Website: https://myvoterstatus.com/
• Verizon Small Business Program: https://digitalready.verizonwireless.com/

Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): http://sidehustlepro.libsyn.com/rss

Join our Facebook Community

If you’re looking for a community of supportive side hustlers who are all working to take our businesses to the next level, join us here: http://sidehustlepro.co/facebook

• Portia’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/portiaobeng/ 
• Portia’s TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@portia.o 

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This week in the guest chair, we have former Podcast Moguls student Zach Nunn, Founder and CEO of Living Corporate. 

Zach unpacks how he turned his podcast into a thriving consulting business, landing brand partnerships with major corporations like Pfizer and more. 

He talks about the strategies behind creating authentic, high-quality content, leveraging interviews as a networking channel, and maximizing the value of a show’s back catalog.

In this episode he shares:

• Why owning your IP is a game-changer for growing podcast revenue
• How to repurpose past podcast episodes into new offers (and sell them)
• Why being transparent about your numbers, no matter how small, can still land you big corporate clients
• How he applied what he learned in Podcast Moguls to his business model

Highlights include: 

00:00 Intro

04:50 Centering marginalized voices in the workplace

08:50 Side hustling while juggling a full-time job

11:41 Developing a “bundle” approach to brand partnerships

17:30 Expanding from a single podcast to a network

37:00 Leveraging 900 hours of archived interviews for his AI e-learning platform

51:00 Transitioning from DEI language to “experience management”

1:02:00 Advice for entrepreneurs 

Check out episode 455 of Side Hustle Pro podcast out now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube

This episode is brought to you by: 

Skillshare: Take Nicaila’s class and explore thousands more hands-on classes taught by creative experts from around the world. Get one month free at sidehustlepro.co/skillshare.

Links mentioned in this episode

• Podcast Moguls Coaching: https://sidehustlepro.co/podcastmoguls/ 
• Living Corporate: https://living-corporate.com 
• Zach’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zacharynunnphr 
• Zach’s email:[email protected] 
• Opus Clip (auto-generate multiple clips): https://opus.pro 
• RedCircle: https://redcircle.com 
• CEO Action: https://www.ceoaction.com/ 

Join our Facebook Community

If you’re looking for a community of supportive side hustlers who are all working to take our businesses to the next level, join us here: http://sidehustlepro.co/facebook

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This week we’re airing my first ever live podcast! I had the opportunity to sit down with author, journalist, and media powerhouse Demetria Lucas at the On Air Fest in Brooklyn, NY. 

From launching A Belle in BK to building an empire that spans books, film, podcasting, and more, Demetria has mastered the art of evolving and thriving as a multi-hyphenate entrepreneur. Taking risks and flawlessly pivoting has paid off.

In this episode she shares:

• How prioritizing steady income through podcasting, owning a travel company, and more gives her freedom to enjoy life outside of working
• The enormous impact traveling the world has had on her work, leading her to author three books on travel 
• How she stayed resilient through personal challenges and self-doubt

Highlights Include:

00:00 Intro

03:36 Breaking into the book industry

08:20 Streams of steady income

13:45 Building a personal brand and podcast

24:08 Traveling the world

27:00 The ups and downs of finances in freelancing

36:15 Tips for entrepreneurs 

Check out episode 454 of Side Hustle Pro podcast out now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube

Links mentioned in this episode

• Demetria’s Website: https://www.demetriallucas.com/ 
• Demetria’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/demetriallucas 
• Demetria’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/demetriallucas 
• Ratchet and Respectable Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ratchet-respectable/id1449001372 
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/ 

Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): http://sidehustlepro.libsyn.com/rss

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Side Hustle Pro – @sidehustlepro

#SideHustlePro

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