Side Hustle School

Welcome to Throwback Thursday, where we take an in-depth look at someone who’s story has evolved considerably since we first featured them.

Last week, we heard how a creative project for a friend in recovery became a business, eventually leading to a partnership with a Washington, DC nonprofit.

Today, in our latest feature, we’ll find out how one small campaign tool turned into a niche software product now licensed by multiple counties.

Listen to today’s episode to hear more…

SEE ALSO:

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

Yours in the revolution,

<img class="alignnone wp-image-1825" src="https://sidehustleschool.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/CG-Sig-Newsletter-300x140.png" alt="cg-sig-newsletter" width="176" height="82" srcset="https://sidehustleschool.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/CG-Sig-Newsletter-300x140.png 300w, https://sidehustleschool.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/CG-Sig-Newsletter.png 450w" sizes="(max-width: 176px) 100vw, 176px">

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!

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.

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! 💳

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.

Facebook,Instagram,Twitter

[email protected]

From your favorite airport

To infinity and beyond,

In today’s story…

..A dissatisfied accountant longs to do something different, so at first she begins selling handmade items on Etsy.

Nothing wrong with that, but then she finds a way to do something even better… discovering a way to use her financial skills but in a different manner than she does for work, and in a way that serves a unique market.

Listen to today’s episode to learn more…

SEE ALSO:

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

Yours in the revolution,

<img class="alignnone wp-image-1825" src="https://sidehustleschool.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/CG-Sig-Newsletter-300x140.png" alt="cg-sig-newsletter" width="176" height="82" srcset="https://sidehustleschool.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/CG-Sig-Newsletter-300x140.png 300w, https://sidehustleschool.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/CG-Sig-Newsletter.png 450w" sizes="(max-width: 176px) 100vw, 176px">

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! ✈️

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!

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!

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.

Facebook,Instagram,Twitter

[email protected]

From your favorite airport

To infinity and beyond,

Returns and open-box items are a hidden supply chain. Retailers and Amazon sellers unload mixed-condition goods to liquidators who sell them by the pallet. Some resellers make healthy margins; others buy mystery boxes of broken junk.

The difference is process: knowing your sell-through rate, product categories, and refurb limits before you spend a dollar. Let’s give this caller a checklist to go from curiosity to a controlled experiment.

“I noticed liquidation pallets and ‘open box’ sections at big retailers full of lightly used or returned items—kitchen appliances, small electronics. I’m considering buying returns in bulk, cleaning/test ing them, then reselling individually on Facebook Marketplace or eBay. Is there real profit after factoring in defective units, time spent testing, and platform fees? What due diligence should I do before purchasing a pallet so I don’t end up with a garage of junk?”

Listen to today’s episode to learn more…

SEE ALSO:

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

Yours in the revolution,

<img class="alignnone wp-image-1825" src="https://sidehustleschool.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/CG-Sig-Newsletter-300x140.png" alt="cg-sig-newsletter" width="176" height="82" srcset="https://sidehustleschool.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/CG-Sig-Newsletter-300x140.png 300w, https://sidehustleschool.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/CG-Sig-Newsletter.png 450w" sizes="(max-width: 176px) 100vw, 176px">

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! ✈️

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!

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!

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.

Facebook,Instagram,Twitter

[email protected]

From your favorite airport

To infinity and beyond,

Today’s episode is part of a feature we call ‘Your First $1,000.’ As you might surmise from the title, this is all about how someone made their first $1,000.

How did they get to that point? Not their first $100,000—that’s cool, but it would probably be a long story.

But what about their first $1,000—how did they make that happen, what did it feel like, and what did they learn?

Let’s hear today’s story. I’ll be back at the end to wrap us up. 

SEE ALSO:

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

Yours in the revolution,

<img class="alignnone wp-image-1825" src="https://sidehustleschool.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/CG-Sig-Newsletter-300x140.png" alt="cg-sig-newsletter" width="176" height="82" srcset="https://sidehustleschool.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/CG-Sig-Newsletter-300x140.png 300w, https://sidehustleschool.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/CG-Sig-Newsletter.png 450w" sizes="(max-width: 176px) 100vw, 176px">

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!

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! ✈️

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! 💳

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.

Facebook,Instagram,Twitter

[email protected]

From your favorite airport

To infinity and beyond,

It’s Weekend Workshop, and it’s new!

Listen to today’s episode to learn more…

SEE ALSO:

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

Yours in the revolution,

<img class="alignnone wp-image-1825" src="https://sidehustleschool.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/CG-Sig-Newsletter-300x140.png" alt="cg-sig-newsletter" width="176" height="82" srcset="https://sidehustleschool.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/CG-Sig-Newsletter-300x140.png 300w, https://sidehustleschool.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/CG-Sig-Newsletter.png 450w" sizes="(max-width: 176px) 100vw, 176px">

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! ✈️

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!

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!

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.

Facebook,Instagram,Twitter

[email protected]

From your favorite airport

To infinity and beyond,

Side-hustle math can be deceptive: average revenue says “go!” while monthly swings says “wait!” Bills arrive on a fixed schedule, but craft sales follow seasons. The goal isn’t just replacing salary—it’s replacing predictability. Let’s set three concrete exit signals and then cover tactics that even out cash flow once the safety net of a paycheck disappears..

“My weekend gig—hand-turned hardwood pens—now averages $4,500 a month, which actually tops my corporate salary. Sounds like I should quit, right? The catch: one month I clear $6 K, the next I barely hit $1 K when wedding-gift season slows. Health insurance and mortgage deadlines don’t flex with my revenue roller-coaster. At what point—savings cushion, consistent average, signed wholesale contract—does it make sense to hand in my notice, and how do people smooth out that income dip so the leap doesn’t become a free-fall?”

Listen to today’s episode to learn more…

SEE ALSO:

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

Yours in the revolution,

<img class="alignnone wp-image-1825" src="https://sidehustleschool.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/CG-Sig-Newsletter-300x140.png" alt="cg-sig-newsletter" width="176" height="82" srcset="https://sidehustleschool.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/CG-Sig-Newsletter-300x140.png 300w, https://sidehustleschool.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/CG-Sig-Newsletter.png 450w" sizes="(max-width: 176px) 100vw, 176px">

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! ✈️

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!

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!

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.

Facebook,Instagram,Twitter

[email protected]

From your favorite airport

To infinity and beyond,

Hourly pricing feels safe when you’re new, but months later it can box you into “cheap helper” status. Elise delivers lightning-fast inbox management, automates client CRMs, and even dabbles in Zapier—yet she’s billing the same $30 an hour she copied on day one.

Under-pricing isn’t just lost income; it can signal “entry-level” to future leads. Let’s show Elise how to calculate her true market value, choose a premium-worthy fee, and raise rates without triggering client panic.

“When I launched my virtual-assistant business last year, I copied the going rate from a competitor: $30 an hour. I’ve stuck to it ever since, even as clients rave about my speed and add more tasks. Deep down, I suspect my work is worth more, but I’m terrified of raising rates without data. How do I figure out pricing based on my value instead of someone else’s sticker? What factors—like turnaround time or specialized software skills—justify a premium, and how do I communicate that increase without scaring off the clients who got me this far?”

Listen to today’s episode to learn more…

SEE ALSO:

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

Yours in the revolution,

<img class="alignnone wp-image-1825" src="https://sidehustleschool.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/CG-Sig-Newsletter-300x140.png" alt="cg-sig-newsletter" width="176" height="82" srcset="https://sidehustleschool.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/CG-Sig-Newsletter-300x140.png 300w, https://sidehustleschool.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/CG-Sig-Newsletter.png 450w" sizes="(max-width: 176px) 100vw, 176px">

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! ✈️

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!

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!

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.

Facebook,Instagram,Twitter

[email protected]

From your favorite airport

To infinity and beyond,

Welcome to Throwback Thursday, where we take an in-depth look at someone who’s story has evolved considerably since we first featured them.

Last week, we heard how how one copy-savvy side hustler turned a collection of recruiter emails into a paid “swipe file,” and then built a monthly subscription around it.

Today, in our latest feature, we’ll hear how one patient side hustler stockpiled retired LEGO sets, held them like collectibles, and eventually parlayed the profits into a full-on store.

Listen to today’s episode to hear more…

SEE ALSO:

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

Yours in the revolution,

<img class="alignnone wp-image-1825" src="https://sidehustleschool.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/CG-Sig-Newsletter-300x140.png" alt="cg-sig-newsletter" width="176" height="82" srcset="https://sidehustleschool.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/CG-Sig-Newsletter-300x140.png 300w, https://sidehustleschool.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/CG-Sig-Newsletter.png 450w" sizes="(max-width: 176px) 100vw, 176px">

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!

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.

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! 💳

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.

Facebook,Instagram,Twitter

[email protected]

From your favorite airport

To infinity and beyond,

In today’s story…

..a side hustle that’s a real business with more than $30k in monthly sales during the holiday season.

Listen to today’s episode to learn more…

SEE ALSO:

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

Yours in the revolution,

<img class="alignnone wp-image-1825" src="https://sidehustleschool.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/CG-Sig-Newsletter-300x140.png" alt="cg-sig-newsletter" width="176" height="82" srcset="https://sidehustleschool.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/CG-Sig-Newsletter-300x140.png 300w, https://sidehustleschool.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/CG-Sig-Newsletter.png 450w" sizes="(max-width: 176px) 100vw, 176px">

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! ✈️

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!

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!

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.

Facebook,Instagram,Twitter

[email protected]

From your favorite airport

To infinity and beyond,

Side hustles often start as joy projects; success can morph joy into drudgery. Adrienne’s calligraphy boards became a hit with brides, then a calendar jam of last-minute name lists and smudged ink panics. She’s exhausted—but is that fixed by a week in Sedona or a reinvention of her creative business? Today we’ll run a three-question diagnostic, share pivot experiments that keep revenue alive, and outline how to pause without ghosting existing clients.

“My side hustle—hand-lettered wedding signage—took off during the pandemic and now supplies half my income. Lately, though, I dread every order, even after taking weekends off. I’m torn: do I just need a real vacation, or is the dread telling me this niche isn’t right anymore? I’ve heard burnout can mask a deeper need to pivot your offer or target market, not just rest. How do I tell the difference between normal exhaustion and a sign that it’s time to change direction completely??”

Listen to today’s episode to learn more…

SEE ALSO:

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

Yours in the revolution,

<img class="alignnone wp-image-1825" src="https://sidehustleschool.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/CG-Sig-Newsletter-300x140.png" alt="cg-sig-newsletter" width="176" height="82" srcset="https://sidehustleschool.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/CG-Sig-Newsletter-300x140.png 300w, https://sidehustleschool.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/CG-Sig-Newsletter.png 450w" sizes="(max-width: 176px) 100vw, 176px">

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! ✈️

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!

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!

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.

Facebook,Instagram,Twitter

[email protected]

From your favorite airport

To infinity and beyond,