Tag: Side Hustle

A Graduate Student's Side Hustle Now Earns $110,000 Per Year | Entrepreneur

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This Side Hustle Spotlight Q&A features Carter Osborne, who started tutoring students in need of help with college application essays in 2017. Today, Osborne’s business brings in about $110,000 per year — more than his full-time job as a director at a global PR firm.

^{Image Credit: Courtesy of Carter Osborne}

When did you start your side hustle, and where did you find the inspiration for it?

Tuition was my original motivation. I started graduate school in 2017, and my tutoring business was originally meant to be a temporary, small-scale operation to take the edge off tuition.

I was inspired by two people who ran their own tutoring practices at the time, both of whom advised me during the weeks after I launched. One was a test prep tutor in New York who helped me understand the logistics behind starting my own business. The other was a Seattle-based college consultant who had previously supported me during my application process to Stanford. I only met with her once, but she had such a profound impact on my college search that I was inspired to reconnect, emulate her work and start tutoring college essays.

Related: The Sweet Side Hustle She Started ‘On a Whim’ Turned Into a $20,000-a-Month Income Stream: ‘It’s Simple, It’s Affordable and It’s Fun’

What were some of the first steps you took to get your side hustle off the ground?

Mentorship was key. I reached out to local college consultants and asked for informational meetings, both to understand their business models and to pitch myself as a potential resource. It worked — one of them recommended several clients from her waitlist to help me get started, and another hired me as a part-time writing coach. These were small steps by my standards today, but at the time, they were just what I needed to get off the ground.

From there, client referrals became the core of my growth. I had three clients in my first year, 14 clients in my second year, 23 clients in my third year and so on. This year, I worked with over 50 clients and referred several families to other tutors after reaching capacity. It was a nice full-circle experience — I owe my start to referrals from established tutors, and this year, I got to provide those referrals to others.

Related: This Former Teacher Started a Side Hustle That Made More Than $22,000 in One Month: ‘I Have Never Been More Fulfilled’

What were some of the biggest challenges you faced while building your side hustle, and how did you navigate them?

I quickly discovered that there are hundreds of qualified tutors in urban hubs like Seattle, including many who work in my core business of college applications. This created a major challenge: How could I build a unique service that stands out from everyone else’s?

There turned out to be two answers. First, I pivoted away from academic tutoring and test prep and focused entirely on the niche market of college essays. It was a calculated risk — the market for college essays is relatively small, but that’s exactly what made it easier to differentiate myself as a specialist.

Second, I turned my competitors into partners. College admissions consultants typically advise on the full application process, but many don’t enjoy working on essays. As an essay specialist, I pitched this as an opportunity to consultants in the Seattle area — they could onboard new clients, outsource the essay portion to me, and then continue working with their clients on all other aspects of the application. The result was a win for everyone: College consults got to offload work they didn’t like, students got specialized essay support, and I got a bump in business from people who otherwise would have been my competition.

Related: This Arizona Teacher Started a Side Hustle That Immediately Earned More Than Her Full-Time Job: ‘Much Better Than $40,000’

How long did it take you to begin seeing consistent monthly revenue? Did revenue ever surpass that of your full-time income, and if so, when?

I began seeing monthly revenue right away. It started small: a few thousand dollars in my first year and about $10,000 in my second year. However, by my fourth year, I earned over $113,000, which exceeded my full-time income as a director at a public relations firm.

You’ve turned your side hustle into a successful business. How much average monthly or annual revenue does it bring in now?

In 2023, my business generated roughly $115,000 in revenue. Almost all of this comes during the six-month stretch from June to December when college applications are at their peak. I take time off from tutoring from January to May, which allows me to reset and think critically about ways to improve my service for the next application cycle.

What’s your advice for other side-hustlers who hope to turn their ventures into successful businesses?

First, develop something unique about your product or service. How can you make your work stand out from the competition? This might mean pursuing a niche market within your field (like college essays within the field of tutoring) or building a variation on your product. It doesn’t need to be revolutionary — I’m always surprised by customer enthusiasm for products that are marginally different from the mainstream.

Second, stay patient as you grow. There are plenty of stories about side hustles that struck it rich in year one, but for most of us, success takes time. If you have a multi-year time horizon and the persistence to keep at it, your investment will be much more likely to pay off.

Related: 3 Secrets to Starting a High-Income Side Hustle in 2024, According to People Whose Gigs Make More Than $20,000 a Month

Finally, remember that there are no prerequisites to starting a successful side hustle. I am hardly the stereotype of a business owner: I studied public policy in college and never dreamed of starting a business. There’s no such thing as a “type” of person who becomes a successful business owner, so go pursue your ideas and see what happens.

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Amanda Breen

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January 10, 2024
How to Start an ATM Side Hustle That Brings in Millions | Entrepreneur

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^{This article originally appeared on Business Insider.}

Paul Alex entered the police force as a trainee with the plan to build a career in law enforcement in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Alex, 35, hit the ground running, eventually becoming a detective in the narcotics task force before being assigned to the special victims unit. By 2020, he had scaled his way up to a salary of $133,000, with benefits bringing him up to an annual salary of over $272,000, according to California state archives viewed by Insider.

While his career set him up for financial stability, his weekly working hours could range from 60 to 100 hours.

“I didn’t have any personal freedom,” Alex said. “I was neglecting my personal life. I wasn’t hanging around my family who I love. I’m a big family guy. And at the end of the day, I realized, this can’t be life.”

The deeper realization that a salaried career wasn’t going to be his future was during periods when overtime was paused, which would cut his pay drastically, he said. Some months, his biweekly paycheck would be $2,000 after deductions. This meant he always had to save for those low months to cover his bills, which could range from $5,000 to $6,000 a month, he said.

“What really was a morale killer was the fact that you want to move ahead in life. And I feel it kept you static when that happened,” Alex said.

He decided that investing in cash-flowing assets would be a way out of the paycheck volatility. He could then use his salary for discretionary purchases such as vacations, cars, and additional investments.

He initially considered real estate but felt that it would require a lot of cash and a mortgage that would create more debt. Plus, he believed that the overhead expenses of maintaining a property would add to his stress. He’d have to hold any rental income in cash in case he had to cover the mortgage due to missed rent or repairs.

In 2017, Alex came across the idea of investing in ATMs through a colleague who had been researching the business. He began joining social media groups about it, watching YouTube videos from others who had done it, and reading any material he could.

It was a business model that was out of his comfort zone because he knew nothing about it. But the draw of it was that it had a low-cost barrier to start; relative to buying real estate, an ATM could cost less than $3,000. It also had lower risk because if the ATM wasn’t generating a return, he could relocate the machine, which he refers to as a floating asset. And finally, it was a quick way of starting a side hustle because once a machine was placed on location, it could start generating a profit almost immediately.

Alex decided to pursue it as a side hustle in 2018. By March 2021, he had left the police force and made it his full-time job where he provides the ATMs for those who also want to embark on this business.

From January 2021 to April 2023, Alex’s profit and loss statements viewed by Insider show a total sales of $12 million and a net profit of about $3.5 million for his company ATMTogether, a provider of ATM machines and services. His company Merchant Task Force, which provides credit-card terminals, shows an income of $844,000 and a net profit of $742,000 for the same period.

Scouting locations

In 2018, Alex took two weeks off from work and used that time to scout the city for ideal locations.

He looked for high-traffic areas that had an incentive to have an ATM on site. This included tourist areas and city spots that were populated with nightclubs, restaurants, and valets to target zones where staff was tipped. He also looked for small businesses that offered cash back at checkouts, which was a nuisance to the business because they had to be sure there would always be enough dollar bills in the register.

Alex would pitch the businesses as though he was offering a service. He would be responsible for providing and maintaining the machine at no charge to them. He recalled cold calling over a hundred businesses and physically walking into over 20 locations.

“When I started this and I had gone out there and I was getting nos and yeses, wins and losses, It was very difficult for me to go back to work and not think about my business. And I think that’s what caught me, was just the fact that I was growing something for myself and I wanted to continue to grow it.”

He initially had the idea of starting with three ATMs but by the time he was done, he was able to secure six locations: three liquor stores, two barber shops, and one nail salon in the San Francisco Bay Area. The first three were incentivized by cashback and the last three by cash tips.

Once the machines arrived on location, he loaded each ATM up with about $2,000 to $3,000 in cash.

Not every location was a grand slam. Alex noted that a decent minimum return on an ATM should be at least $200 a month per machine. Within the first month, Alex could already tell that the only three machines producing a return were the ones he placed at the liquor stores. They had a net profit of about $250 to $500 a month per location from fees charged for withdrawals. In contrast, the lower traffic locations were only producing $25 to $100 a month. He let the machines sit for two months before deciding it was time to move them.

Alex also found a mentor from Facebook who was successful in the business. Based on his mentor’s advice, he moved the three machines to two convenience stores and another liquor store. From there, they began to bring a net profit almost immediately, with the highest return being $600 a month, he said. He suddenly had six operational machines that brought in roughly $3,000 a month in net profit, he said. It took him approximately six months to get a return on his investment.

Funding the businesses

While Alex had enough cash saved to purchase the machines, he realized he would need the bills to stock the ATMs. So instead, he signed up for two personal credit cards and used them to buy the hardware, he said. They were cards that specifically offered zero interest for the first 12 months, he noted. This would give him enough time to create cash flow without incurring interest every month.

When he purchased his first set of six machines, Alex assumed he got a good discount, which was $2,100 an ATM. He would later realize it was a bad deal because it required him to pay a 30% commission from the fees his ATMs charged. While the sales agent he worked with told him it was standard practice, he later realized it wasn’t the only way.

The next set of machines would be purchased from his mentor. They were both new and refurbished and cost between $1,800 to $2,200 depending on the model.

Additional costs for the ATMs included an internet wireless modem for $150, a monthly internet charge of $6.99, and installation by a technician of $300.

Alex would gradually use the profits from his ATMs to buy more machines. And by 2020, he had accumulated 30 ATMs across the San Francisco Bay area that were operative. Each brought in anywhere from $250 to as much as $1,500 a month in net profit.

Altogether, these little assets cash flowed anywhere between $9,000 to $12,000 a month in net profit, he said. While his side hustle didn’t make up for his salary, he was fully able to cover his bills with the profits. This was enough to make him want to leave his job in 2021 to build a business in this sector.

During this time, he met an ATM provider who he partnered with and they scaled to become a provider of ATMs. This allowed him to sell off his machines so that he could become remote.

Even while in the act of building his side hustle, Alex still had doubts running through his mind. The chatter from those around him kept him questioning his ability to carry this through. Some of his colleagues thought it was a bad idea to invest in an unknown business and told him he should just pick up extra hours instead. In hindsight, he’s glad he kept going.

“Invest in yourself. Self-education is everything,” Alex said reflecting on his journey. “All this started from a friend of mine, giving me an idea, and then me taking that idea and doing my due diligence and just researching it, buying books, watching videos, reading, reading, reading to the point where I was comfortable enough to execute it on my own.”

This story was originally published in June 2023.

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Laila Maidan

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January 2, 2024
How an ex-police officer made $12 million in 3 years after buying ATMs for $2,100 and operating them as a side hustle
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Paul Alex started a side hustle operating ATM machines.Paul Alex
- As a police officer, Paul Alex decided he would be better off by investing in cash-flowing assets.
- He initially bought six ATMs and scaled to 30 with the profits he earned.
- A decent minimum return on an ATM should be at least $200 a month per machine, he said.
Paul Alex entered the police force as a trainee with the plan to build a career in law enforcement in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Alex, 35, hit the ground running, eventually becoming a detective in the narcotics task force before being assigned to the special victims unit. By 2020, he had scaled his way up to a salary of $133,000, with benefits bringing him up to an annual salary of over $272,000, according to California state archives viewed by Insider.

While his career set him up for financial stability, his weekly working hours could range from 60 to 100 hours.

“I didn’t have any personal freedom,” Alex said. “I was neglecting my personal life. I wasn’t hanging around my family who I love. I’m a big family guy. And at the end of the day, I realized, this can’t be life.”

The deeper realization that a salaried career wasn’t going to be his future was during periods when overtime was paused, which would cut his pay drastically, he said. Some months, his biweekly paycheck would be $2,000 after deductions. This meant he always had to save for those low months to cover his bills, which could range from $5,000 to $6,000 a month, he said.

“What really was a morale killer was the fact that you want to move ahead in life. And I feel it kept you static when that happened,” Alex said.

He decided that investing in cash-flowing assets would be a way out of the paycheck volatility. He could then use his salary for discretionary purchases such as vacations, cars, and additional investments.

He initially considered real estate but felt that it would require a lot of cash and a mortgage that would create more debt. Plus, he believed that the overhead expenses of maintaining a property would add to his stress. He’d have to hold any rental income in cash in case he had to cover the mortgage due to missed rent or repairs.

In 2017, Alex came across the idea of investing in ATMs through a colleague who had been researching the business. He began joining social media groups about it, watching YouTube videos from others who had done it, and reading any material he could.

It was a business model that was out of his comfort zone because he knew nothing about it. But the draw of it was that it had a low-cost barrier to start; relative to buying real estate, an ATM could cost less than $3,000. It also had lower risk because if the ATM wasn’t generating a return, he could relocate the machine, which he refers to as a floating asset. And finally, it was a quick way of starting a side hustle because once a machine was placed on location, it could start generating a profit almost immediately.

Alex decided to pursue it as a side hustle in 2018. By March 2021, he had left the police force and made it his full-time job where he provides the ATMs for those who also want to embark on this business.

From January 2021 to April 2023, Alex’s profit and loss statements viewed by Insider show a total sales of $12 million and a net profit of about $3.5 million for his company ATMTogether, a provider of ATM machines and services. His company Merchant Task Force, which provides credit-card terminals, shows an income of $844,000 and a net profit of $742,000 for the same period.

Scouting locations

In 2018, Alex took two weeks off from work and used that time to scout the city for ideal locations.

He looked for high-traffic areas that had an incentive to have an ATM on site. This included tourist areas and city spots that were populated with nightclubs, restaurants, and valets to target zones where staff was tipped. He also looked for small businesses that offered cash back at checkouts, which was a nuisance to the business because they had to be sure there would always be enough dollar bills in the register.

Alex would pitch the businesses as though he was offering a service. He would be responsible for providing and maintaining the machine at no charge to them. He recalled cold calling over a hundred businesses and physically walking into over 20 locations.

“When I started this and I had gone out there and I was getting nos and yeses, wins and losses, It was very difficult for me to go back to work and not think about my business. And I think that’s what caught me, was just the fact that I was growing something for myself and I wanted to continue to grow it.”

He initially had the idea of starting with three ATMs but by the time he was done, he was able to secure six locations: three liquor stores, two barber shops, and one nail salon in the San Francisco Bay Area. The first three were incentivized by cashback and the last three by cash tips.

Once the machines arrived on location, he loaded each ATM up with about $2,000 to $3,000 in cash.

Not every location was a grand slam. Alex noted that a decent minimum return on an ATM should be at least $200 a month per machine. Within the first month, Alex could already tell that the only three machines producing a return were the ones he placed at the liquor stores. They had a net profit of about $250 to $500 a month per location from fees charged for withdrawals. In contrast, the lower traffic locations were only producing $25 to $100 a month. He let the machines sit for two months before deciding it was time to move them.

Alex also found a mentor from Facebook who was successful in the business. Based on his mentor’s advice, he moved the three machines to two convenience stores and another liquor store. From there, they began to bring a net profit almost immediately, with the highest return being $600 a month, he said. He suddenly had six operational machines that brought in roughly $3,000 a month in net profit, he said. It took him approximately six months to get a return on his investment.

Funding the businesses

While Alex had enough cash saved to purchase the machines, he realized he would need the bills to stock the ATMs. So instead, he signed up for two personal credit cards and used them to buy the hardware, he said. They were cards that specifically offered zero-interest for the first 12 months, he noted. This would give him enough time to create cash flow without incurring interest every month.

When he purchased his first set of six machines, Alex assumed he got a good discount, which was $2,100 an ATM. He would later realize it was a bad deal because it required him to pay a 30% commission from the fees his ATMs charged. While the sales agent he worked with told him it was standard practice, he later realized it wasn’t the only way.

The next set of machines would be purchased from his mentor. They were both new and refurbished and cost between $1,800 to $2,200 depending on the model.

Additional costs for the ATMs included an internet wireless modem for $150, a monthly internet charge of $6.99, and installation by a technician of $300.

Alex would gradually use the profits from his ATMs to buy more machines. And by 2020, he had accumulated 30 ATMs across the San Francisco Bay area that were operative. Each brought in anywhere from $250 to as much as $1,500 a month in net profit.

Altogether, these little assets cash flowed anywhere between $9,000 to $12,000 a month in net profit, he said. While his side hustle didn’t make up for his salary, he was fully able to cover his bills with the profits. This was enough to make him want to leave his job in 2021 to build a business in this sector.

During this time, he met an ATM provider who he partnered with and they scaled to become a provider of ATMs. This allowed him to sell off his machines so that he could become remote.

Even while in the act of building his side hustle, Alex still had doubts running through his mind. The chatter from those around him kept him questioning his ability to carry this through. Some of his colleagues thought it was a bad idea to invest in an unknown business and told him he should just pick up extra hours instead. In hindsight, he’s glad he kept going.

“Invest in yourself. Self-education is everything,” Alex said reflecting on his journey. “All this started from a friend of mine, giving me an idea, and then me taking that idea and doing my due diligence and just researching it, buying books, watching videos, reading, reading, reading to the point where I was comfortable enough to execute it on my own.”

This story was originally published in June 2023.

Read the original article on Business Insider
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January 1, 2024
5 ways young Canadians can prepare financially for what awaits in 2024 – MoneySense

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3. Food prices will rise, but at a slower pace

Compared to previous years, food prices should stabilize in 2024. However, keeping your kitchen stocked will still keep your grocery bill high. According to Canada’s Food Price Report 2024, overall food prices are expected to increase by 2.5% to 4.5% over the course of next year (whereas food inflation jumped by 4.7% in November 2023). So, if you’re a single adult who spent roughly $375 on food per month this year, you can expect to shell out from $385 to $392 monthly by the end of 2024.

The Food Price Report suggests that you can expect baked goods, vegetables and meats to take a big bite out of your budget. However, you’ll get some relief with canned goods and dried pasta. The good news is that food prices will increase at a more gradual pace than in 2023.

What you can do: Consider meal planning

During the pandemic, I started meal planning as a strategy to deal with grocery costs. It’s been helpful in ensuring that our family stays within our food budget and doesn’t fall into the temptation to order takeout. Meal planning consists of deciding what you will eat for the upcoming week and then adding only the ingredients you need to your grocery list.

Personally, I like to make extra lunch portions when preparing dinner, which helps cut back on costs. Another option is to buy items in bulk when they go on sale and then divvy them up into smaller quantities and store them in the freezer. This works well for sliced fruits, vegetables, meats and seafood.

4. Consumer debt will continue to grow

Gen Z will continue to face financial pressure in 2024, so managing debt will become even more important. Between Q3 2022 and Q3 2023, the average credit card balance in Canada increased by 9%, according to TransUnion Canada. The increase was fueled by an increase in the cost of living and the cost of credit, thanks to higher interest rates. Unless the Bank of Canada starts reducing interest rates and daily living expenses start to come down, it’s likely that debt will continue to grow in 2024.

What you can do: Start a side hustle to pay off debt

To become financially secure, 40% of Gen Z are interested in generating more sources of income, such as starting a side hustle, according to a BMO survey. Considering there’s only so much you can do to cut expenses, you might want to consider growing your income so you can more easily pay down your debt.

Once you have some disposable income, prioritize paying off high-interest debt, such as credit card debt, which can help to squash your debt load. If you’re carrying a monthly balance, call your credit card provider and ask if they can lower the interest rate. If you’re fresh out of school and borrowed money to pay for your studies, it’s a good idea to focus on repaying your student loans.

5. Travel will rebound in spite of high travel costs

Despite rising travel costs, young travellers are eager to escape the daily grind. Many young people would rather spend their hard-earned money on experiences instead of goods. Regardless of being in a tight financial situation, 2024 may be the year many Gen Z make their dream vacations happen.

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Sandy Yong

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December 29, 2023
Why You Should Learn New Skill Sets This Winter | Entrepreneur

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Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Here’s a harsh truth: unemployed people are having a hard time finding a new job because many companies halt their recruiting efforts during the last quarter of the year. This is not new – it is a well-known fact that big companies often do a headcount at the end of the year, and they often significantly slow down their hiring process.

Instead of unsuccessfully searching for opportunities when there is little to no hiring, many look to expand their arsenal of skill sets, which can propel their pursuit of better, bigger opportunities in the few months to come.

For those looking to embark on the journey of acquiring new skill sets during the slower pace that winter months often offer, I’d like to delve into five unique avenues to discover inspiration for skill sets that can benefit your life and career in the near future.

Related: Master New Skills From the Comfort of Your Home With This Bundle, Now Less Than $175

Exploring LinkedIn job applications

One valuable resource for finding inspiration for new skill sets is right at your fingertips: LinkedIn job applications. Start by identifying professionals with positions similar to your current role, your desired career path, or roles with the title of the person you used to report to in your last job. Take a closer look at the job description for those roles, paying close attention to the skills and qualifications they require.

For example, if you’re in marketing and aspire to move into a leadership role, analyze profiles of Marketing Managers or Directors. Note the skills they require or those with that job title have honed over the years, such as data analysis, digital marketing or project management. These insights can guide your skill acquisition journey, helping you align your skill set with your career aspirations.

Mentorship and networking

Seek out mentors who can offer guidance on skill acquisition. If you are still close or have a great relationship with the last person you reported to, you may seek them for advice, asking which skill sets would be valuable for you to acquire if you intend to continue to pursue growth in your current career path.

Conversations with mentors and industry peers can provide valuable insights into skill sets that have contributed to their success. These personal anecdotes and recommendations can steer you toward acquiring skills that align with your goals and aspirations.

If you’re not in touch with them anymore or would rather avoid contact with them, engage in mentorship and networking activities to discover skill sets that have proved valuable for others. Attend industry events, webinars, or virtual conferences where you can connect with experienced professionals who may have a similar career path to the one you’re pursuing.

In my experience, I found people I highly admire and invited them to step into a virtual group call once every other month. In our one-hour meetings, we discuss what’s been working for each of us and provide valuable guidance for everyone in the group. I like to call this exercise “Business Therapy,” in which we often discuss our past experiences and challenges and how we overcame them.

Learning from the experiences of others may end up saving you years of continuous hustle. Never rely solely on your experiences when you can learn from the experiences of others.

Related: Looking for a Mentor? The 7 Best Places to Start.

Personal interests and hobbies

Sometimes, inspiration for new skill sets can emerge from your personal interests and hobbies. Consider activities you’re passionate about outside of your professional life. These interests can be a foundation for acquiring skills that bring joy and fulfillment.

For instance, if you’re an avid photographer, you may explore photo editing or digital marketing courses to promote your work effectively. Blending your passions with skill acquisition can lead to a well-rounded skill set that enhances your personal and professional life.

Fun fact: that’s how my journey in the technology industry began. I am an Architect by profession, but I am such a tech nerd that I always sought to acquire technical skills, which is how I came up with the business idea that ended up becoming Replay Listings, the company I’ve led for over seven years now.

Related: How to Turn Every Adversity You Face into an Advantage

Tapping into industry trends

As industries evolve, new demands arise, creating opportunities for individuals to acquire relevant skills. For instance, if you’re in the technology sector, consider the rise of artificial intelligence and machine learning. These cutting-edge technologies are shaping various industries, from healthcare to finance.

By understanding industry trends, you can pinpoint relevant skill sets and future-proof your career. Stay updated with the latest industry trends and advancements. Explore industry-specific publications, blogs, or podcasts to gain insights into emerging skills in your field.

Online learning platforms and courses

Online learning platforms offer various courses on various subjects, making skill acquisition more accessible than ever. Platforms like Coursera, Udemy, and LinkedIn Learning provide various courses, from technical skills to soft skills like leadership and communication.

Browse these platforms to discover courses that align with your career goals or personal development objectives. The flexibility of online learning allows you to acquire new skills at your own pace, making it a convenient option for the winter months.

The bottom line is the slow winter months often present a unique opportunity to embark on a skill-acquisition journey. Whether you draw inspiration from LinkedIn profiles, industry trends, mentors, personal interests, or online courses, acquiring new skill sets can enrich your life and open doors to exciting possibilities. Embrace the season as a time of growth and discovery, and you’ll emerge with valuable skills that can shape your future success.

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Rodolfo Delgado

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December 26, 2023
Side Hustle Gone Wrong: Illinois Woman's Dump Truck Theft | Entrepreneur

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She says she did it for her side hustle — but no one is entirely sure what that side hustle is.

Destiny C. Bretz, a 27-year-old Evansville, Illinois woman, was arrested for attempting to steal a yellow dump truck in broad daylight.

Related: 3 Secrets to Starting a High-Income Side Hustle in 2024, According to People Whose Gigs Make More Than $20,000 a Month

^{Vanderburgh Sheriff Office}

According to witnesses, Bretz hijacked a truck with a flatbed trailer carrying a John Deere backhoe. When a man in a nearby truck saw the theft, he pulled his vehicle in front of her and yelled for help. At that point, another witness pulled their vehicle behind the dump truck, completely boxing in Bretz, according to local outlet WFIE.

When the cops arrived at the scene, they found Bretz standing near the yellow dump truck with the person who had called 911. She informed them that she had stolen the truck to jumpstart a “side business,” but the police did not specify exactly what that was.

Bretz was on parole for a previous theft charge in Evansville and had also pled guilty to tampering with a motor vehicle in Missouri. She was arrested and booked into the Vanderburgh County jail without bond.

Related: An iPhone Thief Stole Up to $2 Million By Watching People Type Their Passcodes. Here’s How to Protect Yourself.

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Jonathan Small

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December 22, 2023
I make £10k a month doing a job no one wants to do – it requires no experience

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A SAVVY woman has revealed how she makes £10,000 a month doing a job not many people fancy having a go at.

The hard worker, who goes by @fionafifo on TikTok, shares a glimpse of her unusual career and tips on how to succeed in her male-dominated industry.

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This woman has revealed how she makes thousands each month with her unpopular jobCredit: Tiktok /@fionafifo

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The girl, who goes by @fionafifo on TikTok, works as a fly-in fly-out miner in AustraliaCredit: Tiktok /@fionafifo

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She says her job allows her to fly at no cost, as well as get free food and accommodationCredit: Tiktok /@fionafifo

The Australian worker claims she has “the best paid job” in the country as a FIFO miner.

In “Fly in fly out” (FIFO) jobs, an employer will temporarily transport the employee to a location or site of work and then transport them back for a period of rest.

According to Professionals Australia, this method is most commonly applied to avoid permanently relocating the employee and their family to the site of work.

On one of her videos, the girl miner said a job in FIFO mining could get you between AUS$ 12,000 to 20,000 a month and up to AUS$ 100 an hour.

Roles include fitter, boilermaker, engineering, and electrician, the influencer said.

She claims that her employer also provides free accommodation, food, gym usage and the flight itself.

As well as encouraging people to join the mining industry, she is also proud to be a female miner in a male-dominated job.

“Who said that a feminine girl can’t work in mining?” she wrote on one of her post.

The TikTok clip included a sequence of Instagram-worthy pictures and selfies in glamorous locations, followed by snaps of herself in her work gear covered in dirt.

Although many followers rushed to the comment section asking for her help on how to become a miner, some seemed sceptical of the girl’s lifestyle.

One user commented: “You don’t earn 20k a month mate. Not a chance.”

Another added: “Let me see concrete proof and I’ll believe it.”

A third replied: “I think your numbers are a little bit over the top.”

Fellow FIFO miner Cal Mcllwaine is a new starter in the mines in Western Australia and makes over two grand a week.

He also shared how he manages to save up on taxes.

He posted a video on TikTok, telling his followers the FIFO gig was “very lucrative”.

Cal said his expenses equal to nothing when he is on the job as he is provided accommodation and food.

“You can literally come up here and spend zero dollars,” he added.

All of the saved cash is going to “travel fund” for Cal as he pays no rent or insurance.

“I’m just banking it which is unreal,” Cal said in the clip.

The mine worker then goes on to tell how to make a “s***load of money” in a short period of time.

“You’re given an opportunity to work f***loads of hours,” he shared.

Cal works 84 hours a week which is a double of a normal schedule.

He said: “I am essentially working two weeks’ worth of work in one week.”

His rotation means he spends two weeks on, two weeks off the job.

Each shift lasts about 12 hours, but the mine worker gets an extra overtime pay after working ten hours.

In his first week alone, Cal has made £1,805, and in the second week he was earning £2,052.

“Two grand a week is f***ing mental,” he shared excitedly.

He added that in his home country this amount of money would have to be earned over five weeks period.

“Back home you would need to be a doctor, a nurse, or a vet or something like that to be earning that amount of money in a week,” he said.

He shared how easy it is to get into the FIFO gig, saying: “Anyone can get their foot in the door in some way, shape or form”.

But Cal didn’t sway from sharing the ugly side of the job too.

“It’s obviously very hard, you’re working long hours, it’s dirty work, it’s in the heat.

“But you’re also getting paid a lot.”

The Irish citizen is also saving up on tax as he is exempt from paying the full income fee thanks to Australian laws.

Any holiday worker earning below £23,000 only pays 15 per cent of their earnings to the government.

But Cal has already surpassed that amount after four months and started paying a normal tax like the rest of Australians.

“I’ve seen a dramatic drop in my recent pay which is a bit sad but I’ve been loving it up until now,” he confessed.

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The miner and influencer encourages other girls to join the mining industryCredit: Tiktok /@fionafifo

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The Australian worker claims she has “the best paid job” in the countryCredit: Tiktok /@fionafifo

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Juliana Cruz Lima

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December 16, 2023
7 Internet Based Home Businesses to Start in 2024 | Entrepreneur

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Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

It is no secret that many people are struggling to get through these current economic times, but with just a laptop, webcam, strong internet connection and some effort, you can earn some extra money working from home. Creating and owning an Internet home business is not new, but most people overlook that these types of businesses have no real overhead. You don’t have to have a fancy office or employees. Your desk or kitchen table and a strong internet connection are all that is needed.

Related: 4 Super Simple Side Hustles That Could Replace Your Regular Wage — Fast

1. Build a sales funnel website and landing page

There are so many small to medium-sized businesses out there that don’t have sales funnel websites or landing pages. These websites capture customer information when they click on a company website or ad. They’re also used on social media ads to incentivize customers to enter their information, such as a coupon, discount code or free eBook.

The customer and their information then get added to a company email list for future email blasts or email drip campaigns. The upside is that once you build a great sales funnel, it’s easy to duplicate for other clients. The key will be pitching it to business owners to purchase.

Related: She Started a Furniture-Flipping Side Hustle to Pay Off a $10,000 Dental Bill. It Surpassed Her Full-Time Job’s Income Within a Year — Earning Up to $37,000 a Month.

2. Monetize your social media accounts with video

Social media platforms YouTube, Instagram and TikTok pay creators to create video content through Reels, Shorts and TikTok. Each platform is different, and the same goes for how to get accepted as a creator, but if you’re great with video and have a niche, you could be raking in the money.

The narrower the topic, the better the audience will be. Example: Watching you describe and play video games versus watching you describe and play Dungeons and Dragons. The upside is you’ll have consistent income if you post every couple of days. The key will be creating enough content for viewers to consume and posting consistently.

Related: He Started a Side Hustle in His Dorm Room With ‘a Bunch of Ingredients From Amazon and a Crockpot’ — Now It’s a $56 Million Brand in Walmarts Nationwide

3. Monetize a podcast

Having a podcast is nothing new. According to Exploding Topics, over three million podcasts are out there as of September 2023. After recording and publishing the podcast, the trick is to turn around and chop up the video to make Reels, Shorts and TikToks. The downside is you’ll need to record multiple podcast episodes to keep people returning for more. The key is interviewing popular people with a large following as guests.

Related: His Side Hustle Solved a Common Problem for Homeowners. Now the Business Brings in $3 Million a Month During Peak Season.

4. Retail and online arbitrage

This one will take some overhead for the correct software, and you’ll need money to purchase the inventory of products to sell, but it’s easily a great way to earn some cash. Sites like Amazon FBA and eBay are where you sell the products. The downside is you’ll need to source the products to sell on the sites, which takes time. The key is investing in the correct software to ensure a big enough margin to make sense purchasing the item to sell.

5. Create and monetize a popular local news Instagram page

Most people’s attention is on Instagram, so why not create a business with it? It’s pretty simple: create a new Instagram channel and post local news from your town or city — news on car accidents, crime, sports, recent restaurant locations, events, etc. People will share and subscribe to your posts because it has local news and is not biased television news.

Once you get enough subscribers, you can start charging local businesses to post on the page. You can monetize stories, reels and posts. The larger the subscriber base, the more you can charge. Don’t overdo it; no one likes ads or being sold to. Building your audience will take time. The key is to find and post unbiased local news worthy of someone stopping scrolling to view it.

Related: He Launched His Creative Side Hustle Out of a Garage. Now It’s Worth $225 Million.

6. Video editing

Video is one of the most popular ways to communicate and market today, and it is used on multiple social media platforms to earn money. Many creators don’t have the time or just aren’t skilled at video editing. This is where you come in. Start direct messaging (DM-ing) influencers with published videos and offer video editing services.

A great way to get their attention is by editing one of their current videos for free and sending it to them. If your video edits are great, you’ll get their business. The downside is video editing is time-consuming. The key is having multiple influencers that want your editing services so you no longer need to spend time directly messaging more influencers and can focus just on editing video.

7. Create online courses

Do you have knowledge or a skill that can be taught to others through video? It can be anything from selling luxury homes, onboarding new staff as a Human Resources (HR) Director, or baking an award-winning apple pie. People will purchase online courses if you can capture the audience’s attention and produce multiple videos in a series on the subject.

These video courses can also be chopped up as teaser clips, reels, shorts and TikToks. The key is storyboarding and scripting the content beforehand for a seamless video series. The downside is that it will be a time-consuming project if you wish to publish a quality product.

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Chris D. Bentley

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December 13, 2023
Working at Home With a Newborn? 6 Tips to Stay Sane | Entrepreneur

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Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Leaving the hospital with a newborn is always a nerve-wracking experience, no matter if it is your first child or fifth. There are so many things to think about: diapers, feeding times, baths … and for moms who choose to work at home with their kids, they have to think about how they will juggle their career and a newborn. The constant demands of caring for a tiny human can make it difficult to find time for work, let alone stay focused on the tasks at hand.

After working with my own kids at home and helping countless other moms do the same, I’ve come up with a few tips to help.

Related: 5 Ways to Shift Your Morning Mindset as a Mompreneur and Be More Productive

1. Work around your baby

It is important to establish a routine with your baby. Always keep nap times, feeding times, etc. on a schedule. This will keep your child on track, and it will also allow you to create a work schedule for yourself. When you put your newborn down to nap, plan on squeezing in some work. To stay productive, plan on working in short bursts.

2. Communicate with your team

If you were up all night and do not feel as though you will be able to work the next day, let your team know! Working remotely often allows for flexible scheduling, so you may just need to let your team know you will be working later in the day after your own nap.

3. Use the tools available to you

There are quite a few great products on the market that can keep your baby secure and entertained while you are able to work; many products come equipped with enrichment toys and sounds that are sure to keep your baby occupied while you send off a few work emails.

4. Ask for help

Never be afraid to ask for help. Running on very little sleep with a newborn can easily lead to increased stress and meltdowns. Ask friends and family to step in. Look for support groups in your area where you can vent some frustrations. Search online for resources that can help. You are not alone on this journey of motherhood, and so many others have experienced the exact same things you are currently experiencing. I cannot emphasize this point enough! You are not alone.

Related: How Employers Can Help Working Parents Navigate Back-to-School Season

5. Be flexible

Nothing will ever go as planned, especially with a newborn. Be prepared to be flexible in both your job and your care of your child. Some days, bath time might have to be later or earlier than planned. On other days, your meetings might need to be moved around because your child needs a little extra playtime. Just be sure to be clear and communicate with your coworkers and/or clients.

6. Prioritize yourself, too

Most importantly, do not forget to take care of yourself. Parenthood is a demanding role, and it’s important to prioritize self-care while juggling work and caring for a newborn. The first rule of self-care is to make sure to prioritize sleep. Lack of sleep can greatly impact your productivity and overall well-being, so try to establish a bedtime routine and create a sleep-friendly environment. Easier said than done with a newborn, but with the right support system behind you, it can be accomplished; ask friends or family to watch your baby while you squeeze in a nap or arrange your schedule so that you also nap when your baby naps.

Additionally, take breaks throughout the day to recharge and relax. Whether it’s a quick walk outside or a few minutes of deep breathing, these breaks can help reduce stress and improve focus. This can even include just spending a few extra minutes playing with your child.

Don’t forget to nourish your body with healthy meals and stay hydrated. Fueling yourself properly will give you the energy you need to tackle your responsibilities. Keep healthy snacks around or foods that are easy to grab and go as you will often be on the move with a baby — something first-time parents often overlook is that you will have your baby in one hand while trying to feed yourself with the other. Find foods that are nutritious but easy to handle while you care for your little one.

Related: 4 Ways Your Company Can Radically Help Working Mothers

Finally, don’t neglect your mental health. Find time for activities you enjoy and make time for self-reflection and self-care practices such as journaling or meditation. This is another area where support groups can help as well. Sometimes all you need are some fellow parents that you can vent to who understand exactly what you are going through! While doing this in person can provide a great bonding experience, it can be difficult to get out of the house when you have a baby. In the age of the internet, you can also find these groups online where you can visit virtually on your schedule. No matter what your preference is, it cannot be stated enough that reaching out to others at this time will be of great help to you.

In the end, raising a newborn will look different for everyone. Find what works for you and your child, and never be afraid to ask for help.

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Lesley Pyle

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December 12, 2023
Anyone Can Start a Passive Income Side Hustle For Easy Money — But Only If You Know These 5 Essential Tips First. | Entrepreneur

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Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

A new year is a great time to turn over a new leaf and gain more control over your financial future. Those looking to supplement income and gain more control over their financial future may want to consider starting a passive income side hustle.

A side hustle is any activity or business venture that allows individuals to pursue their passions and earn extra money outside of their primary job or career. A side hustle that generates passive income requires minimal effort or doesn’t require active participation at all. The rise of digital automation technology has made starting a passive income side hustle easier and more accessible than ever before.

Passive income side hustles provide a variety of financial, personal and professional benefits. They can help people supplement income, pay off debts, put kids through college, save for vacations, establish a safety net and build generational wealth. Additionally, side hustles allow individuals to explore their passions while gaining valuable entrepreneurial experience and developing skills that can be beneficial to other areas of life and work. Here are five steps to help you start a passive income side hustle.

Related: 3 Traits That Turn a Side Hustle Into Wealth

1. Let your skills, talents and passions guide you

Determining which passive income side hustle to pursue is the obvious first step, but it’s not necessarily as easy as you might imagine. Before pouring time, energy and money into a side hustle, think hard about what you like to do, what you’re good at and what people value. To maximize your chances of success, you must check all three boxes off before embarking on your journey.

If you’re a great writer but hate writing, becoming a freelance writer may lead to procrastination, frustration and burnout. Alternatively, tweaking it into a more passive venture, such as maintaining a blog with ads and sponsorships, may be more sustainable. Similarly, suppose you are great at something and like doing it, but people do not value it. In that case, it may be a great hobby, but it won’t provide you with the supplemental income you’re looking for unless you can adapt the idea into something that people are willing to pay for. Conversely, you may love photography but lack the proper skills to produce quality and marketable results. However, if you’re ready to put effort into learning to become really good at taking photos, you can sell them to stock photography websites that can provide a source of passive income.

Combining solid skills or natural talent with activities that bring you joy and fulfillment and add value to others is ideal for creating a successful side hustle. Possible ideas for side hustles that generate passive income include renting property, affiliate marketing, stock photography, YouTube automation, investing in dividend stocks or exchange-traded funds (EFTs), and creating an online course or ebook. The opportunities are endless.

2. Conduct market research

Once you’ve identified a suitable passive income side hustle, it’s important to research its market segment to understand its unique characteristics and gauge the demand for your products or services. Consider what similar businesses are offering and charging in that space and how you might be able to differentiate yourself. This will help confirm there is a viable market for your side hustle idea and ensure you realize what it will take to succeed.

Conducting due diligence research will also ensure you know any laws, regulations, and taxes that may apply to your new venture. For instance, if you’re earning a more significant amount of income, be sure to read up on the IRS tax filing requirements or consult a tax professional for help and advice.

Likewise, study up on local, state and federal laws that pertain to your industry to ensure your side hustle complies with any laws or regulations. Any side hustle may require forming a legally recognized business entity, and there are seven business structures to choose from. It’s essential to understand how they function, especially pertaining to tax implications and personal liability, in order to make an informed decision about which one is right for your side hustle. You may even want to consult an attorney and consider purchasing insurance for added protection.

3. Consider time commitment and earning goals

Balancing a full-time job and family obligations with any side hustle can be challenging, even one that is considered passive. Therefore, practice effective time management by creating schedules and allocating blocks of time to work on your side hustle. Keeping track of your schedule for a couple of months can help you identify patterns and determine when you can devote time to your side hustle and how much time you will be able to commit to it. Setting realistic goals and prioritizing important tasks is essential to make the most efficient use of your time.

It’s also essential to think about your earning goals. If you don’t have a clear idea about how much money you’d like to make, consider why you’re starting a side hustle in the first place. If you’re looking for extra income to pay off student loans, for example, make a budget to determine how much extra money you’ll need to achieve that goal. Once you have a general idea of your financial goals, research the average amount of money you might make from your side hustle. Remember to compare earning potential to the amount of time you’re willing to commit to your new venture. That way, you can set realistic earning goals to start. Once you get into the swing of things, you can always adjust your earning goals.

Related: The 8 Best Online Side Hustles of 2023

4. Build a thorough (business) plan

A side hustle is a business — and just like any other business, it requires a viable plan to be successful. Depending on the type of passive side hustle you choose, building a solid foundation for your venture will require developing a thorough plan, at the very least, or a formal business plan if you’re setting up a legal entity. To varying degrees, both plans should identify goals, set a pricing strategy, define target audiences, outline marketing strategies and capture financial projections. Putting your plan in writing will help you envision it holistically, develop it more fully, and discover any areas that may be weak or nonexistent.

First, write an executive summary that articulates a clear vision and mission for the business and includes short and long-term goals, purpose and value propositions for the intended market(s). Next, provide detailed descriptions of the products or services to be offered, detailing specific features and benefits. It is essential to highlight any unique qualities that differentiate your business from its competitors and explain how your offering solves specific problems and fulfills specific needs. Finally, provide pricing, projected revenue, expenses and cash flows, as well as a breakdown of any required funding or investments.

Once those basics of the business plan are well defined, you can begin building marketing personas. These are descriptions of the types of customers who may benefit from and be interested in your offerings and how you can find and appeal to these customers to build your business. Word of mouth may be effective at first, but you may eventually need to build a marketing plan to attract more customers. Leverage social media to create free business accounts and begin building a following. Ask your friends and family to support your business and help you spread the word.

5. Start small, but plan big

It’s admirable to have big dreams and shoot for the stars. Remember that accomplishing such goals can only be done with scalable operations. Constantly question how you are spending your time when working on your side hustle and look for ways to automate manual tasks. The first goal in starting a business is going from zero to one — getting the first customer that values and pays for your work. However, scaling from one to many more requires a non-linear relationship between your time and sales made.

Whether your side hustle is real estate, YouTube automation, stock photography, or blogging, the right software and business operation can help you ensure that you are prepared to scale your side hustle without scaling your time commitment along with it. With thoughtful planning and effective time management, you can increase your chances of success as a side hustle entrepreneur.

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Ryan Barone

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December 8, 2023
College Senior In Cleaning Up with Lucrative Car Detailing Side Hustle | Entrepreneur

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Blame it on the Dawgs.

University of Georgia senior Jack TerHaar is a massive Bulldogs fan. But when working at bars in Athens, Georgia, started cutting into his game-watching time, he knew he was ready for something else. The late nights didn’t help either.

“I didn’t want to be working until four in the morning,” he said. “I’ve always had an entrepreneurial mindset where I felt I could do more with my time.”

TerHaar, a Louisiana native, started researching other options. Car detailing (i.e., thoroughly washing and cleaning cars) struck him as a potentially lucrative and flexible side hustle with little overhead. His instincts were spot-on—or spot-free.

After a few initial missteps and some help from the entrepreneurial mentorship program at his school, TerHaar built Detail Dawgs into a $ 7,000-a-month business, donating some of this revenue to charity. He hopes to expand into other college towns after he graduates.

Here’s how he did it.

Related: She Started Her Side Hustle to Solve a Serious Problem With Outdoor Furniture. It Blew Past Her Full-Time Job’s Income — to $66,000 a Month.

Getting help from mentors

After TerHaar set his sights on car detailing, he gathered information by talking to a guy in his hometown who had a successful detailing business and watching a ton of YouTube videos to figure out what materials he needed.

He detailed some of his friends’ cars and posted his work on Instagram. Business was good, but it wasn’t enough to pay off his tuition. Coming from a strong family tradition in entrepreneurship (both his mom and dad started their businesses), TerHaar enrolled in a 4-week entrepreneurial accelerator program at UGA.

“My professors really pushed me,” he recalls. “They were like, ‘We wanna see you reach out to X number of people, and we wanna see you get X number of jobs this week.’ I went from doing five or six jobs a month to doing 12 jobs in that last week. “

Breaking out of his comfort zone

His professors encouraged him to shoot for a 2% conversion rate, ideally contacting 1000 potential clients weekly. That meant he needed to reach beyond his friend zone and the greater UGA campus.

“How many college kids can pay $180 to wash their car? So, I went to grocery stores and parking lots and handed out business cards. I also went to real estate and law offices,” TerHaar says.

At first, he was hesitant to approach “random strangers.” But he realized that “to find out who your customer is, you have to become uncomfortable talking to people about your business,” he says.

With coaching from his professors, he also tested out Google Ads, pushing potential customers to his website. Eventually, he ranked number one in his area for car detailing.

Business began to boom to around 15 jobs a week, requiring him to hire an additional three other guys. He charges $180 for sedans and $210 for SUVs and trucks, earning around $7,000 monthly.

TerHaar admits his team could be detailing more cars, but they still must balance their school work. This is a side hustle, after all.

Photo by Detail Dawgs

Giving back

Not all of their profits are going into their pockets. In September, TerHaar donated a portion of Detail Dawgs’ revenue to the National Alopecia Areata Foundation. TerHaar’s older sister Abby has Alopecia, an autoimmune disease that causes hair loss.

“My sister’s my only sibling, and she’s somebody who I look up to a lot. I felt that a super positive way to support her was to donate some money to help raise awareness.”

Again, this was a lesson TerHaar learned from his parents. When he was a kid, they ran a golf tournament and a 5K race for five years, raising more than $250,000 for the National Alopecia Areata Foundation.

^{Photo courtesy of Jack TerHaar.}

Learning on the job

TerHaar began his business by driving cars to the nearby coin-operated carwash, but he went mobile when that didn’t scale. Now, he and his crew show up in his 4-Runner with a hose, Shop-Vacs, and whole lot of chemicals, including tire cleaners, interior cleaners, leather conditioners, and stain removers. He learned early on that a drill brush is indispensable for quick cleaning.

He also learned that car detailing can be dirty business.

“This one guy had any type of McDonald’s food you could think of in his car,” TerHaar says. “He had Big Macs and Chicken McNuggets in there. That was when we invited in gloves.”

The future of the business

TerHaar hopes Detail Dawgs gets so big that he can focus less of his time on the detailing and more on the scaling details.

“Hopefully, I won’t have to be on cars anymore, and I can run the business from my office, managing it and acquiring customers.”

He is considering expanding the business after college. “If I decide to pursue it full-time and scale it to other college towns, I think it’ll be a six-figure business.”

But for now, TerHarr’s happy just being in control of his financial destiny and not having to miss any more Bulldogs games.

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Jonathan Small

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December 4, 2023
Teacher Shares Her Six Figure Super Easy Side Hustle | Entrepreneur

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There are very few things you can create once and then sell thousands of times over. Most businesses aren’t a fish and loaves situation. But then, Lisa Fink is an evangelist of sorts. Only she’s not promising miracles.

Six years after starting a fully remote side hustle — one she was dubious would make even a few hundred dollars — she’s made a million in revenue, and retired 20 years early from teaching middle school.

Now, Fink teaches courses showing people how to follow in her footsteps. “I want others to feel the relief I felt when passive income began rolling in,” she says. “There’s absolutely enough room for everyone.” Here, she shares her key insights.

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Frances Dodds

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November 30, 2023
9 Out-of-the-Box Side Hustles to Try in 2023 | Entrepreneur
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Since 2018, I’ve celebrated the holiday with an annual roundup of some of the most creative, outside-the-box side hustle ideas and stories that have come across my desk.

These unique money-making side hustles stand out not just for their ingenuity but for the impressive income generated by ordinary people putting their skills, passions, and sheer determination to work.

On the latest episode of The Side Hustle Show podcast, I discuss this year’s list, which features an excellent mix of unconventional side hustles spanning cleaning, gardening, rentals, social media, and more.

1. BBQ Cleaning

Jacob Shaidle was just 16 years old when he launched his BBQ cleaning side hustle in Ontario, Canada, in 2021. As a high school student looking to earn money for college, Jacob decided to go door-to-door, offering to clean neighborhood grills and smokers. It certainly wasn’t smooth sailing from there. In fact, Jacob reported that after the first lucky break, the next 50 homes in a row all said no to him.

“Even now, I’ll have up to… 200 people in a row say ‘no,” he said. “It’s all about persevering and looking at the light at the end of the tunnel.”

And persevere, he did. By the end of his first year, Jacob had brought in an impressive $12,000 in revenue. In his second year, he doubled sales to over $16,000 for the season! That’s an incredible accomplishment for a part-time endeavor. Just imagine earning an extra $16,000 during your summer break in high school.

Jacob shared in the interview that he expanded beyond grill cleaning this past year. He now offers other cleaning services like “pressure washing patios, sidewalks, driveways, and car detailing, starting around $150 a session.”

2. Selling Plant Clippings

Gardening can be much more than just a hobby—it can be a way to earn extra cash on the side too. Brian Aleksivich from TheLotsProject.com gave us a peek into his homegrown side hustle selling comfrey root and crown cuttings online.

Comfrey is a perennial herb that spreads each year, with new plants sprouting from pieces of existing roots and crowns.

Brian says he first learned about comfrey’s propagation abilities from Survival Podcast with Jack Spirko discussing its many uses. He ordered some starter plants, let them establish and multiply, and soon had more than enough to share. Brian sells his comfrey cuttings on platforms like Etsy, Facebook Marketplace, and Craigslist. He notes that he harvests each Sunday and ships out orders on Mondays. This tactic allows him to limit the time spent on this side hustle.

The effort has paid off. Brian reports earning “a couple hundred bucks a week” from comfrey root alone. Considering this requires just a few hours of work on Sundays, that’s an incredible return.

Brian shared that he and his wife decided to sell their Minnesota farm and embrace the full-time RV lifestyle.

To keep his comfrey side hustle going, he partnered with several individuals to help them start their own comfrey businesses using his rootstock and guidance.

Brian offers guidance for anyone looking to start their own comfrey side hustle. On his website’s Services page, you can sign up for a 30-minute consultation to determine if comfrey is a good fit for you.

Related: She Started a Furniture-Flipping Side Hustle to Pay Off a $10,000 Dental Bill. It Surpassed Her Full-Time Job’s Income Within a Year — Earning Up to $37,000 a Month.

3. Growing Mushrooms

When the pandemic hit in 2020, many people turned to gardening, baking, and home projects to fill time at home.

For Doug Bronson of Southern New Hampshire, lockdown led to experimenting with mushroom growing. Over the past years, Doug has grown that hobby into a basement mushroom farm, generating $2,000 per week in sales.

Doug told us his startup costs were relatively high—he spent over $30,000 on equipment and supplies… but he doesn’t regret the investment.

His first client was a local mushroom farmer named Eric, who ran farm tours and sold to restaurants and markets. There is high demand for mushrooms in their area, so Doug started supplying Eric wholesale.

He is grossing about $2,000 a week selling around 240 lbs of mushrooms at $8 per lb wholesale, or up to $16 retail, and it costs Doug only around $1,000 to produce each batch.

Doug is working on increasing his revenue by getting into farmers’ markets and lowering his production costs. He also started a YouTube channel called SpeakeasyMyco to document his progress.

4. Crafting Headstones for Pets

Saying goodbye to a beloved pet is always hard. But Rodney Melton is trying to make honoring that lifetime of memories a little bit easier.

Rodney runs an Etsy shop called MeltonMemorials, creating custom engraved pet headstones.

^{Photo by Melton Memorials}

In the last year alone, Rodney brought in over $200,000 in sales from his pet memorial side hustle. With the low overhead of running this type of online business, he pockets an estimated 65% in profits.

Rodney does have some upfront equipment costs, like laser engraving machines, granite saws, and other tools for etching. But he saves on his biggest expense: granite. How? Rodney partners with a local countertop manufacturer to pick up their discarded granite scraps.

The stone pieces aren’t big, but they are big enough to craft hundreds of pet memorials sized from bricks to mini headstones.

Since opening his Etsy shop, Rodney has made over 7,500 sales. Pet loss is an unfortunate inevitability for most owners. But products like Rodney’s pet headstones help keep memories alive.

Related: 4 Super Simple Side Hustles That Could Replace Your Regular Wage — Fast

5. Installing Christmas Lights

If those Christmas tunes get you dreaming about festive lights and decor, why not turn your enthusiasm into a seasonal side business?

That’s exactly what Jeff Jurina did over 20 years ago when he launched his Christmas light installation company, Christmas Lights By Design.

Here are some of the standout stats Jeff shared about his holiday hustle:
- $70,000+ in sales each season
- All earned in just two months of work
- Startup costs: ladder
- Now also sells installation training
Jeff began simply by going door-to-door in November and offering to put up neighbor’s lights. His only supplies were a ladder and some handouts. But he provided such a valuable service that word spread, business boomed, and the orders kept flowing year after year.

These days, Jeff is busy managing his ongoing client lights in addition to selling installation training to new entrepreneurs. His online course teaches everything you need to know to start your own Christmas light business. Use promo code SIDEHUSTLE to save 10% off enrollment.

Christmas holiday lighting is a nice add-on sale once you’re onsite decorating a client’s home or business for the season. You provide the know-how, and they provide the materials.

You can even rent extra ladders and lifts during your busiest weeks then store them away for the rest of the year.

6. Signature Coach

Here’s a creative side hustle that takes a simple skill to the bank: redesigning signatures.

Priscilla Molina of Los Angeles has built a business around redesigning signatures. On her site Planet of Names, she charges $25-$120 per custom signature.

Each order includes three unique signature concepts tailored to the customer’s desired style—simple, professional, and dramatic. Priscilla says her customers are people unhappy with their current signatures, which no longer match their personality or convey their desired image.

“They’re not happy with their signatures. They don’t relate to who they are. They don’t give the message they want to convey to the world,” she shared in an Associated Press interview.

She earns an estimated $5,000+ monthly with her signature redesign service, primarily driven by her TikTok account, where she has nearly 1 million followers.

Priscilla’s most popular TikTok videos demonstrate signature styles, like drawing stylized versions of a single letter. This establishes her expertise even for those with no calligraphy skills themselves. If you think about it, this makeover side hustle model could work for other creative services, too, like redesigning Zoom backdrops, fireplace mantels, sales copy, etc.

7. Renting Champagne Walls

^{Photo by The Wandering Wall}

I love unconventional rental side hustles —something you can buy or build once, then generate income from repeatedly. Past examples on the podcast have included party inflatables, portable hot tubs, and mobility scooters.

Cheers to this next side hustler who dreamed up a way to cash in on weddings without actually planning any events. Alexis McDermott is the founder of Wandering Wall Company, a decor rental business specializing in trendy champagne walls.

Alexis builds and rents out wooden walls fitted to hold staggered rows of champagne glasses. Couples can use them as self-serve bars at their receptions. Her walls rent for $450 each and have been a huge hit. Just two years after launching her side hustle, Alexis has already decorated nearly $30,000 worth of champagne walls and other wedding props.

In addition to champagne walls, she rents seating charts, photo backdrops, welcome signs, and other wedding decor.

Speaking with Business Insider, Alexis attributed much of her success to social media, specifically strategic photography partnerships.

“Social media has played a huge role in my business success,” she said.

8. Selling Your Stock Voting Rights

If you invest in individual stocks, there’s a hidden perk you may not know about. Shareholders get voting rights in addition to any potential dividends and appreciation, and Preston Yadegar’s company Shareholder Vote Exchange will actually pay you to exercise those rights.

Here’s a quick explainer on how it works: Public companies hold votes on matters like electing board members and approving policies. As a shareholder, you get a say through your voting rights. But many individual investors don’t participate in these votes, even though they could influence outcomes.

That’s where Shareholder Vote Exchange comes in.

Preston’s company purchases your voting rights for money, allowing them to cast proxy votes on your behalf. These votes are more valuable for smaller companies, where shareholders have greater sway.

According to Preston, compensation typically ranges from 0.1% to 5% of your share price. For example, if you owned $100k worth of qualifying stock, you could earn an extra $100 to $5,000 each year! And it takes just minutes to connect your brokerage account to start monetizing your votes.

This is one of the most unique side hustle opportunities I’ve heard in a while. Even with a modest portfolio, those unused voting rights could represent thousands in found money.

9. Watching Mt. Rainier

This next side hustle is near and dear to my heart as a native Pacific Northwesterner.

Mt. Rainier is the iconic 14,411 foot tall volcano in the Cascade Range. We even have a local saying – “the mountain is out!” anytime Rainier makes an appearance.

In 2013, David Lindahl created@isMtRainierOut – an X (former Twitter) account simply posting daily mountain visibility updates. Slowly but surely, David has grown this single-focus social media presence into a merchandising empire, bringing in over $2,000 per month.

It took five years of consistent posting before David added any products. He quickly realized how passionate locals were about this legendary peak.

In 2018, he launched eCommerce merchandise like t-shirts, stickers, and mugs. Today, the @isRainierOut Twitter account has around 38,622 followers. He now generates $2,000 per month in mountain-themed product sales online and at local events.

This is a great example of building an audience around a beloved landmark. Is there a historic building, statue, sign, bridge, or other structure in your area that stirs up community pride?

Find some way to celebrate it, and fans may want a piece of memorabilia to show their support.

Since 2018, I’ve celebrated the holiday with an annual roundup of some of the most creative, outside-the-box side hustle ideas and stories that have come across my desk.

These unique money-making side hustles stand out not just for their ingenuity but for the impressive income generated by ordinary people putting their skills, passions, and sheer determination to work.

This year’s list features an awesome mix of unconventional side hustles spanning cleaning, gardening, rentals, social media, and more.

1. BBQ Cleaning

Jacob Shaidle was just 16 years old when he launched his BBQ cleaning side hustle in Ontario, Canada in 2021. As a high school student looking to earn money for college, Jacob decided to go door-to-door offering to clean neighborhood grills and smokers. It certainly wasn’t smooth sailing from there. In fact, Jacob reported that after the first lucky break, the next 50 homes in a row all said no to him.

“Even now, I’ll have up to… 200 people in a row say ‘no’”

“It’s all about persevering and looking at the light at the end of the tunnel.”

And persevere he did. By the end of his first year, Jacob had brought in an impressive $12,000 in revenue. In his second year, he more than doubled sales to over $16,000 for the season! That’s an incredible accomplishment for a part-time endeavor. Just imagine earning an extra $16,000 during your summer break in high school.

In the interview, Jacob shared that he expanded beyond just grill cleaning this past year. He now offers other cleaning services like “pressure washing patios, sidewalks, driveways, and car detailing, starting around $150 a session.”

2. Selling Plant Clippings

Gardening can be much more than just a hobby—it can be a way to earn extra cash on the side too. Brian Aleksivich from TheLotsProject.com gave us a peek into his homegrown side hustle selling comfrey root and crown cuttings online.

Comfrey is a perennial herb that spreads each year, with new plants sprouting from pieces of existing roots and crowns.

Brian says he first learned about comfrey’s propagation abilities from Survival Podcast with Jack Spirko discussing its many uses. He ordered some starter plants, let them establish and multiply, and soon had more than enough to share. Brian sells his comfrey cuttings on platforms like Etsy, Facebook Marketplace, and Craigslist. He notes that he harvests each Sunday and ships out orders on Mondays. This tactic allows him to limit the time spent on this side hustle.

And the effort has paid off. Brian reports earning “a couple hundred bucks a week” from comfrey root alone. When you consider this requires just a few hours of work on Sundays, that’s an incredible return.

Brian shared that he and his wife decided to sell their Minnesota farm and embrace the full-time RV lifestyle.

To keep his comfrey side hustle going, he partnered with several individuals to help them start their own comfrey businesses using his root stock and guidance.

Brian offers guidance for anyone looking to start their own comfrey side hustle. On his website’s Services page, you can sign up for a 30-minute consultation to determine if comfrey is a good fit for you.

3. Growing Mushrooms

When the pandemic hit in 2020, many people turned to gardening, baking, and home projects to fill time at home.

For Doug Bronson of Southern New Hampshire, lockdown led to experimenting with mushroom growing. Over the past years, Doug has grown that hobby into a basement mushroom farm generating $2,000 per week in sales.

Doug told us his startup costs were actually quite high—he spent over $30,000 on equipment and supplies… but he doesn’t regret the investment.

Doug’s first client was a local mushroom farmer named Eric who runs farm tours and sells to restaurants and markets. There is high demand for mushrooms in their area, so Doug started supplying Eric wholesale.

He is grossing about $2,000 a week selling around 240 lbs of mushrooms at $8 per lb wholesale, or up to $16 retail, and it costs Doug only around $1,000 to produce each batch.

Doug is working

Doug is working on increasing his revenue by getting into farmer’s markets, as well as lowering his production costs. He also started a YouTube channel called SpeakeasyMyco to document his progress.

4. Headstones for Pets

Saying goodbye to a beloved pet is always hard. But Rodney Melton is trying to make honoring that lifetime of memories a little bit easier.

Rodney runs an Etsy shop called MeltonMemorials, creating custom engraved pet headstones.

In the last year alone, Rodney brought in over $200,000 in sales from his pet memorial side hustle.

And with the low overhead of running this type of online business, he pockets an estimated 65% in profits.

Rodney does have some upfront equipment costs like laser engraving machines, granite saws, and other tools for etching.

But he saves on his biggest expense: granite. How? Rodney partners with a local countertop manufacturer to pick up their discarded granite scraps.

The stone pieces aren’t big, but they are big enough to craft hundreds of pet memorials sized from bricks to mini headstones.

Since opening his Etsy shop, Rodney has made over 7,500 sales.

Pet loss is an unfortunate inevitability for most owners. But products like Rodney’s pet headstones help keep memories alive.

5. Christmas Light Installation

If those Christmas tunes get you dreaming about festive lights and decor, why not turn your enthusiasm into a seasonal side business?

That’s exactly what Jeff Jurina did over 20 years ago when he launched his Christmas light installation company, Christmas Lights By Design.

Here are some of the standout stats Jeff shared about his holiday hustle:
- $70,000+ in sales each season
- All earned in just 2 months of work
- Startup costs: ladder
- Now also sells installation training
Jeff began simply by going door-to-door in November and offering to put up neighbor’s lights. His only supplies were a ladder and some handouts. But he provided such a valuable service that word spread, business boomed, and the orders kept flowing in year after year.

These days, Jeff is busy managing his ongoing client lights in addition to selling installation training to new entrepreneurs. His online course teaches everything you need to know to start your own Christmas light business. Use promo code SIDEHUSTLE to save 10% off enrollment.

Christmas holiday lighting is a nice add-on sale once you’re onsite decorating a client’s home or business for the season. You provide the know-how, and they provide the materials.

You can even rent extra ladders and lifts during your busiest weeks then store them away for the rest of the year.

6. Signature Coach

Here’s a creative side hustle that takes a simple skill to the bank: redesigning signatures.

Priscilla Molina of Los Angeles has built a business around redesigning signatures. On her site Planet of Names, she charges $25-$120 per custom signature.

Each order includes 3 unique signature concepts tailored to the customer’s desired style—simple, professional, and dramatic. Priscilla says her customers are people unhappy with their current signatures, which no longer match their personality or convey their desired image.

“They’re not happy with their signatures. They don’t relate to who they are. They don’t give the message they want to convey to the world,” she shared in an Associated Press interview.

She earns an estimated $5,000+ per month with her signature redesign service, primarily driven by her TikTok account where she has nearly 1 million followers.

Priscilla’s most popular TikTok videos demonstrate signature styles, like drawing stylized versions of a single letter. This establishes her expertise even for those with no calligraphy skills themselves. If you think about it, this makeover side hustle model could work for other creative services too, like redesigning Zoom backdrops, fireplace mantels, sales copy, etc.

7. Renting Champagne Walls

You know how much we love unconventional rental side hustles here—something you can buy or build once, then generate income from repeatedly. Past examples on the show have included party inflatables, portable hot tubs, and mobility scooters.

Cheers to this next side hustler who dreamed up a way to cash in on weddings without actually planning any events.

Alexis McDermott is the founder of Wandering Wall Company, a decor rental business specializing in trendy champagne walls.

Alexis builds and rents out wooden walls fitted to hold staggered rows of champagne glasses. Couples can use them as self-serve bars at their receptions. Her walls rent for $450 each and have been a huge hit.

Just two years after launching her side hustle, Alexis has already decorated nearly $30,000 worth of champagne walls and other wedding props.

In addition to champagne walls, she rents seating charts, photo backdrops, welcome signs, and other wedding decor.

Speaking with Business Insider, Alexis attributed much of her success to social media, specifically strategic photography partnerships.

“Social media has played a huge role in my business success,” she said.

Alexis McDermott is the founder of Wandering Wall Company, a decor rental business specializing in trendy champagne walls.

Alexis builds and rents out wooden walls fitted to hold staggered rows of champagne glasses. Couples can use them as self-serve bars at their receptions. Her walls rent for $450 each and have been a huge hit.

Just two years after launching her side hustle, Alexis has already decorated nearly $30,000 worth of champagne walls and other wedding props.

In addition to champagne walls, she rents seating charts, photo backdrops, welcome signs, and other wedding decor.

Speaking with Business Insider, Alexis attributed much of her success to social media, specifically strategic photography partnerships.

“Social media has played a huge role in my business success,” she said.

8. Selling Your Stock Voting Rights

If you invest in individual stocks, there’s a hidden perk you may not know about.

Shareholders get voting rights in addition to any potential dividends and appreciation, and Preston Yadegar’s company Shareholder Vote Exchange will actually pay you to exercise those rights.

Here’s a quick explainer on how it works:

Public companies hold votes on matters like electing board members and approving policies.

As a shareholder, you get a say through your voting rights.

But many individual investors don’t participate in these votes, even though they could influence outcomes. That’s where Shareholder Vote Exchange comes in.

Preston’s company purchases your voting rights for money, allowing them to cast proxy votes on your behalf. These votes are more valuable for smaller companies, where shareholders have greater sway.

According to Preston, compensation typically ranges from 0.1% to 5% of your share price.

For example, if you owned $100k worth of qualifying stock, you could earn an extra $100 to $5,000 each year!

And it takes just minutes to connect your brokerage account to start monetizing your votes.

This is one of the most unique side hustle opportunities I’ve heard in a while. Even with a modest portfolio, those unused voting rights could represent thousands in found money.

9. Mt. Rainier Watch

This next side hustle is near and dear to my heart as a native Pacific Northwesterner.

Mt. Rainier is the iconic 14,411 foot tall volcano in the Cascade Range. We even have a local saying – “the mountain is out!” anytime Rainier makes an appearance.

Back in 2013, David Lindahl decided to create @isMtRainierOut – an X (former Twitter) account simply posting daily mountain visibility updates. And slowly but surely, David has grown this single-focus social media presence into a merchandising empire bringing in over $2,000 per month.

It took 5 years of consistent posting before David added any products. He quickly realized how passionate locals were about this legendary peak.

In 2018, he launched eCommerce merchandise like t-shirts, stickers, and mugs. Today, the @isRainierOut Twitter account has around 38,622 followers. He now generates $2,000 per month in mountain-themed product sales online and at local events.

This is a great example of building an audience around a beloved landmark. Is there a historic building, statue, sign, bridge, or other structure in your area that stirs up community pride?

Find some way to celebrate it, and fans may want a piece of memorabilia to show their support.
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Nick Loper

Source link
November 28, 2023
Save $375 on a Lifetime Subscription to an AI-Powered eBook Creator This Black Friday | Entrepreneur

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Disclosure: Our goal is to feature products and services that we think you’ll find interesting and useful. If you purchase them, Entrepreneur may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners.

Bankrate reports that 39% of Americans have a side hustle. You may think you don’t have time for a side gig as you run your own company, but with some help from the power of AI, even the busiest workers can start a lucrative business that creates passive income. And just in time for the biggest sale day of the year, Black Friday, you can snag a lifetime subscription to one of these tools for a steal.

Whether you want to gift yourself the magic of passive income or a loved one, scooping up this lifetime subscription to My AI eBook Creation Pro is a good idea. Though it typically retails for $400, you can get it at a fantastic price drop during our Black Friday sale — just $24.97 — with no coupon code required. But you’ll need to act fast — this price only lasts through December 3.

Get ready to embrace the power of artificial intelligence for good! My AI eBook Creation Pro helps you write eBooks — all you need is a good idea. With My AI eBook, you supply a small amount of information — like a project name, category, topic, target audience, tone, language, and the maximum amount of words you’d like per chapter — and this tool spits out a completed eBook draft.

If you’ve previously been intimidated by AI tech, you’ll be happy to know this one is straightforward to use and doesn’t require any high-tech knowledge. And once your AI-powered draft is complete, you’re free to customize and make the book your own as much as you’d like, then list and let the money roll in.

Snag a lifetime subscription to My AI eBook Creation Pro for just $24.97 during this Black Friday sale, no coupon code required, now through December 3 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

Prices subject to change.

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Entrepreneur Store

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November 24, 2023
Black Friday Sale | The Best Business Books Are 50% Off | Entrepreneur
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Our Entrepreneur Bookstore Black Friday Sale is happening now for a limited time! Get anything in our bookstore for 50% off – you will find books for as low as $4.99. There isn’t a better deal anywhere else.

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Entrepreneur Staff

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November 24, 2023
Are You Ready to Ditch Your 9-5 for Your Side Hustle? | Entrepreneur

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Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Ask yourself, why do you need to quit your 9-5 to go full-time into your side hustle? How will quitting help you and what is your motivation to do so? In the U.S., 28% of people state that becoming their own boss is their top motivator to go all into their side hustle.

Maybe you have another reason for wanting to leave your job for entrepreneurship. You could want to make more money or spend more time working on your own business. If you think you’re ready to leave your 9-5, ask yourself these three important questions honestly.

Related: 44 Side Hustle Ideas to Make Extra Money in 2023

Do I have a proven business model that’s been tested?

Nearly 50% of businesses fail within their first five years of operation. This isn’t to discourage you and in fact, can be used as motivation instead. Knowing this and learning from other businesses can help you minimize risks and figure out what your competition will be like.

Making about two-thirds of your full-time job’s salary for about a year at your side hustle is a good place to start on deciding if you’re profitable enough to quit your job. You should also be using the money from your job to put money aside for emergencies. Running out of cash is one of the top reasons businesses fail so by having a cash cushion you’ll be able to give your side hustle the time and attention it deserves to succeed. Everyone’s expenses are different, but for me, I would want at least 6 to 12 months of savings.

If it’s one thing I’ve learned, owning a business affects you mentally, emotionally and physically. And on the days that don’t go as planned, you’re going to have to stay strong and positive. By becoming bogged down with a few bad weeks here and there, your productivity will slide and you’ll lose your motivation. That’s why I preach business is less about motivation and more about consistency. Anyone can be motivated for a short period of time. But putting in constant effort even on the hard days, will separate the side hustlers from the full-time business owners.

Do I have support?

It’s important to remember starting a business isn’t just hard on you as an entrepreneur, but it’s going to be challenging for your whole family. At least at the beginning, you may have less time and energy to spend with your spouse or kids and you’ll need your spouse’s support to do that and to get through business challenges. If you’re spending more time on your business, your spouse may need to do more work at home or even have to work more hours to offset the financial responsibilities temporarily. Have you thought about how else quitting your job would affect your family? How would you deal with things like healthcare and benefits or daycare?

Getting support from people who’ve been in your shoes can make all the difference on your entrepreneurial journey. Whether you’re in a course and leaning on your teacher and peers for advice or other business owners in your industry, it’s important to be open to feedback and to handle criticism with an open mind. When I was younger and didn’t want to ask for help, I quickly learned how leaning on others for support was so important, especially when starting.

Related: Can You Turn Your Side Hustle into a Business? Consider These 3 Things.

What’s my backup plan?

This one is controversial and can be a hard pill to swallow because many entrepreneurs see it as allowing yourself the option to fail or quit. But I think it’s important to be realistic especially when you have other people counting on you to be the provider. That’s one reason I always suggest not to burn bridges with former employers.

Tell senior management about your plans first so they don’t receive the news from one of your peers. Give your full two weeks’ notice, or whatever your contract states. If you’re in a management role, you may want to give more notice and let the company decide what they would prefer. Continue to show up and do your work to the best of your capability. Now isn’t the time to slack. It not only says a lot about your character if you continue to show up with integrity, but it also ensures you’re not putting extra pressure on your team. And avoid gossip and avoid speaking badly about the company or any employees. Doing this will also help keep your leave on a positive and friendly note.

There are no real rules to follow when you’re ready to go full-time into your side hustle because we’re all different and so are our situations. I’m just giving you guidelines so you can start asking yourself the important questions to know if you’re ready to leave your job. But if you think you’re ready and you have a proven business model that’s been consistently bringing in cash, have the right support, and have a backup plan, you’re on your way to successfully quit your job and go all into your side hustle.

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Jason Miller

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November 20, 2023
From Stage to Startup: Ballet Pro’s Lucrative Side Hustle | Entrepreneur

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This Side Hustle Spotlight Q&A features Danielle Schultz, a ballet dancer at the Metropolitan Opera and founder of The Triangle Sessions, a corporate wellness company offering company retreats, interactive wellness classes and team-building events. She is based in the Greater Philadelphia Area.

^{Image Credit: Devin Cruz.}

You’d been a dancer with the Metropolitan Opera since 2014 when Covid hit. How did your life and work change in those early days of the pandemic, and when did you know it was time to supplement your income with a side hustle?

When Covid hit, I was in the middle of Die Fliegende Hollander and was slated to perform in Turandot a few weeks later. I had nurtured positions teaching fitness and ballet at New York City studios, which I continued via Zoom to stay financially afloat. However, I was also three months pregnant, and my husband was a full-time student. I had to get creative quickly. One of the first social impacts of Covid that everyone struggled with was isolation. It gave me the idea to start offering corporate wellness and team events to help employees stay connected in the newly virtual workplace.

Related: Being an Entrepreneur Means Finding Profit in Your Passion

How did your professional background inspire you to launch The Triangle Sessions? How did that skill set translate to your entrepreneurial journey?

I graduated in 2009 from NYU Tisch with a dance degree and a minor in art history. It was a terrible time to graduate, especially with an arts degree. I turned down an apprenticeship with a small ballet company to perform as a dancer on a cruise ship and travel the world. Believe it or not, this was simply the more practical approach at the time. I was able to give up my New York City apartment, live expense-free and save money. This experience served as a crash course in travel and tourism, something that would come into play 10 years later when organizing a large-scale retreat for a national law firm.

After my cruise ship contract, I danced with a small contemporary company while waiting tables at high-end restaurants. It was the New York City restaurant scene that provided excellent training in wine, spirits and food pairings. Like the cruise ship, I learned the value of customer service and how to connect with a wide variety of people. Waiting tables still goes down as the hardest job I’ve ever had, but it was too physically demanding while dancing.

Related: Shift Your Perspective From Getting to Giving to Get Unstuck

When I got my break at the Metropolitan Opera, a dream job for years, there was a catch…it still wasn’t full-time. So, I had to supplement my income in a way that would be easier on my body. I became a certified yoga teacher, certified nutrition counselor and Ballet Beautiful trainer for celebrity clients. All of these skills allowed me to share a deeper understanding of the human body with a wide range of people. It set me up beautifully for teaching corporate wellness.

For years, I continued to perform at the Metropolitan Opera while juggling a slew of part-time work. It wasn’t until my aunt, a former ballroom champion and long-time business owner, told me something that I’ll never forget: “Dani, you already have the mentality of an entrepreneur in the way you support yourself. You have multiple income streams. Figure out how to work for yourself, not other people, so that you can share your knowledge on your own terms.” It was a lightbulb moment that got the wheels turning. It took a pandemic and a layoff from the Met Opera to pursue the endeavor full-time.

What was your vision for The Triangle Sessions, and what were some of the first steps you took to get it off the ground?

I wanted to implement the knowledge I developed in my professional dance career around healthy habits and performing at one’s best. I wanted to replicate the camaraderie I had experienced in the dance world through high-quality, purpose-driven experiences and apply it to the corporate world.

When Covid first hit, I offered virtual wellness classes….yoga, meditation, desk stretching, etc., always with some type of social component. No one was interested. People just wanted alcohol and happy hours. I started incorporating educational wine and sake tastings WITH corporate wellness, and suddenly, there was interest! I found a fantastic vendor to help put together high-quality experience kits (and accommodate some of my wacky requests, like combining foam rollers with bottles of Prosecco and gourmet snacks), and I hit the ground running.

Related: Side Hustles for These Times

How did you approach continuing to build, and what does your revenue look like?

Initially, the vast majority of business came from my own network, referrals and word-of-mouth. After some time hosting virtual team-building and wellness events, I became a small fish in a large pond. So, I partnered (and still continue to partner) with larger team-building event companies in which my services are offered. They have a dedicated sales team, and it provides steady revenue, all while nurturing my own clients and relationships. Annual revenue for 2022 was $110,000.

What were some of the biggest challenges along the way, and how did you navigate those?

The biggest challenge is trying to anticipate the needs of organizations and their employees without straying too far from our own mission. Employee well-being and community are at the backbone of The Triangle Sessions. I keep an open mind and experiment to see where there’s interest. In 2020, happy hours were in vogue. This last year it’s been all about wellness and creativity. Luckily, I enjoy this process and love having an open dialogue with clients to learn about their needs. Many of our signature events, like our Build-A-Terrarium workshop, which combines plant care with self-care, have been inspired by client requests.

Personally, I’ve struggled to find the balance between running The Triangle Sessions and wanting to continue to dance. Dance is my first love, my identity since I was three years old. I returned to the Met Opera part-time in 2021 and scaled back on the number of productions I usually perform to focus on building The Triangle Sessions. However, keeping my foot in the door at the Met sometimes leads to losing momentum. It’s a risk I’m willing to take for now since I have the best of both worlds. Martha Graham once said, “A dancer dies twice—once when they stop dancing, and this first death is the more painful.” These words ring true, but I’m grateful to be building another satisfying career around community, connectivity and high-quality performance.

Related: These High School Best Friends Achieved Their Dream of Being Their Own Bosses. Their Next Step? Starting a Wellness Revolution.

Do you have any advice for other professionals who want to start a side hustle or full-time business?

Lean into your strengths. Learn your core values. Reflect on what makes you different. From there, assess how these skills can benefit others and bring out the best in communities. It may take a bit of experimentation and creativity, but the process can be surprisingly satisfying. Sometimes, you just need to start somewhere and see what happens. Celebrate the small wins and run (or dance!) at your own pace.

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Amanda Breen

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November 19, 2023
Start an Affiliate Marketing Side Hustle with Ease | Entrepreneur

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Disclosure: Our goal is to feature products and services that we think you’ll find interesting and useful. If you purchase them, Entrepreneur may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners.

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Entrepreneur Store

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November 18, 2023
Mowing Down Barriers: Side Hustle Hits $3M Summer Surge | Entrepreneur

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This Side Hustle Spotlight Q&A features GreenPal co-founder Gene Caballero. Founded in 2012, GreenPal is a Nashville-based online freelancing platform that connects landscapers to clients across the U.S., much like an “Uber for lawn care.”

What were you doing before you started your side hustle, and why were you interested in entrepreneurship?

Before diving into the world of entrepreneurship with GreenPal, I was a sales manager at a Fortune 50 tech company. However, the allure of entrepreneurship was always there. Growing up in a family where everyone ran their own business, the desire to be my own boss was a natural inclination. This deep-rooted ambition, combined with my corporate experience, became the foundation upon which I built my side hustle, eventually transforming it into the successful platform it is today.

When did you start your side hustle, and where did you find the inspiration for it?

GreenPal started in 2012, sparked by the entrepreneurial spirit of my childhood friend, who had the largest landscaping business in our hometown. Witnessing his success and the potential for technological innovation in the landscaping industry inspired us to create a platform that would redefine how homeowners connect with lawn care professionals.

Related: 44 Side Hustle Ideas to Make Extra Money in 2023 | Entrepreneur

What were some of the first steps you took to get your side hustle off the ground?

To launch GreenPal, we hit the ground running — literally. We went door-to-door, signing up homeowners for our service, and devoted countless hours to cold-calling vendors to join our platform. We even set up a kiosk in the mall, engaging directly with the community to spread awareness about our service. Each step was a lesson in persistence and grassroots marketing.

What were some of the biggest challenges you faced while building your side hustle, and how did you navigate them?

The biggest hurdle we faced while building GreenPal was getting our website developed. We contracted a local firm, and after a lengthy process, they delivered a product that was nearly unusable. To make matters worse, they suddenly went out of business. This left us with a stark choice: give up or adapt. We chose to adapt. One of our co-founders took the initiative to attend software school, learning the ins and outs of web development. With determination and new-found expertise, he rebuilt our website from scratch, overcoming nearly two years of setbacks. This challenge taught us resilience and the critical importance of having in-house technical skills.

How long did it take you to see consistent monthly revenue, and at what point did the side hustle’s income surpass your full-time job?

It was 2017 before we saw consistent monthly revenue. 2021 was when my GreenPal income surpassed that of my full-time job.

Related: I Built My Multimillion-Dollar Side-Hustle While Working a Full-Time

You’ve turned your side hustle into a full-time business. How much average monthly or annual revenue does it bring in now?

Since GreenPal is very cyclical, our highest growing months are in the summer, and our revenues surpass $3 million per month.

What’s your advice for other side hustlers who hope to turn their ventures into successful full-time businesses?

My advice to those who want to go “all-in” on their side hustle is to know this: It’s going to be tougher and more time-consuming than your day job. Be ready to invest countless hours, often more than your regular employment. My full-time job was a breeze compared to starting something from scratch. Also, passion is key; it’ll fuel those long nights and early mornings. Hold onto your primary job as long as possible; it’s the financial backbone for your side hustle during those early, uncertain days. Use every bit of your vacation and paid time off to focus on your side business. Those hours are yours, earned for your dreams. This strategy gives you a safety net while building the foundation of your future business. Your passion, coupled with strategic use of time and resources, will be the engine driving your side hustle forward.

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Amanda Breen

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November 12, 2023
Best 5 Websites for Freelancers to Earn Money Online | Entrepreneur
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Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
This story originally appeared on Readwrite.com.

The world of freelancing offers a tremendous opportunity for individuals to earn money online, allowing them to showcase their talents and expertise to a vast audience. With the rise of online platforms connecting freelancers and clients, the traditional workplace boundaries have blurred, empowering freelancers to work on diverse projects from the comfort of their homes.

Related: #4 Mistakes that can Ruin Your Freelancing Career

These opportunities not only provide financial independence but also foster a global community of skilled professionals. As technology continues to advance, the landscape of online freelancing is expected to expand, creating even more avenues for freelancers to thrive and succeed in the digital age.

Here are five freelance websites for freelancers based on my personal experience

1. Fiverr

Fiverr.com is a website where people can buy and sell services. It’s like an online marketplace where you can find freelance jobs for things like graphic design, writing, programming, and more.

People who need tasks done can hire freelancers from all over the world. It’s a convenient platform for getting work done or earning money by offering your skills and services online.

Related: 44 Side Hustle Ideas to Make Extra Money in 2023

Pros of Fiverr
1. Wide Variety of Services: Fiverr offers a vast range of services, from writing and graphic design to programming and marketing. You can find almost any freelance service you need.
2. Affordable Options: Many services start at just $5, making them budget-friendly for buyers and sellers.
3. Global Talent Pool: Fiverr connects you with freelancers from all over the world, allowing you to find experts with diverse skills and backgrounds.
4. User-Friendly Platform: The website is easy to navigate, making it simple to find services, communicate with sellers, and complete transactions.
5. Customization: Buyers can often customize their orders based on their specific needs, ensuring they get exactly what they want.
Cons of Fiverr
1. Quality Varies: Because anyone can offer services on Fiverr, the quality of work can vary. It’s essential to read reviews and check portfolios to find reliable sellers.
2. Additional Costs: While basic services can start at $5, other features or faster delivery often come with extra costs, which can add up quickly.
3. Communication Challenges: Language barriers or different time zones might lead to communication difficulties between buyers and sellers.
4. Service Fees: Fiverr takes a commission from both buyers and sellers, so the final cost of a service can be higher than the listed price.
5. Dependency on Reviews: Sellers heavily rely on positive reviews. One negative review can significantly impact their business, leading to a focus on customer satisfaction, sometimes at the expense of quality.
2. Upwork

Upwork.com is a website where people can find freelance work or hire freelancers for various tasks. Whether you need a writer, designer, programmer, or any other skilled professional, Upwork connects businesses with talented individuals worldwide.

Related: 50 Jobs, Gigs and Side Hustles You Can Do From Home

It’s a platform that makes it easy to get work done remotely, allowing employers and freelancers to collaborate on projects and get things done efficiently.

Pros of Upwork
1. Variety of Skills: Upwork has a wide range of professionals, so you can find experts in almost any field.
2. Global Talent: You can hire freelancers globally, giving you access to diverse skills and ideas.
3. Flexibility: Both clients and freelancers can work on their own schedules, making it convenient for everyone involved.
4. Secure Payments: Upwork offers secure payment methods, ensuring that freelancers are paid for their work and clients get the services they pay for.
5. Reviews and Ratings: Clients and freelancers can leave feedback, making it easier to choose reliable and skilled partners.
Cons of Upwork
1. Competition: Because of its popularity, there is a lot of competition for jobs, making it harder for new freelancers to get started.
2. Fees: Upwork charges fees on transactions, which can affect the overall cost for both clients and freelancers.
3. Communication Challenges: Sometimes, language and cultural differences can create communication problems between clients and freelancers.
4. Quality Varies: While there are many skilled professionals, the quality of work can vary, so it’s essential to do thorough research before hiring.
5. Project Management: Managing larger projects with multiple freelancers can be challenging, requiring excellent organizational skills.
3. Freelancer

Freelancer.com is a website where people can find work and hire others to do tasks. It’s a platform where freelancers, who are individuals skilled in various jobs, can connect with clients looking for their services.

People can post projects they need help with, and freelancers bid on those projects, offering their skills and expertise. It’s a hub for jobs in writing, design, programming, and more, allowing businesses and individuals to find the right talent for their projects.

Pros of Freelancer
1. Variety of Jobs: Freelancer.com offers various jobs in different categories, allowing freelancers to find work that matches their skills and interests.
2. Global Opportunities: Freelancers can connect with clients from all around the world, expanding their opportunities beyond local markets.
3. Flexibility: Freelancers can choose their own hours and work from the comfort of their homes, providing an excellent work-life balance.
4. Skill Development: Freelancers can enhance their skills by working on diverse projects and gaining experience in various fields.
5. Payment Protection: Freelancer.com offers payment protection features, ensuring that freelancers are paid for their work, and clients get the work they are paid for.
Cons of Freelancer
1. Competition: Due to its large user base, there is intense competition for projects, making it challenging for new freelancers to secure jobs.
2. Fees: Freelancer.com charges fees for using its platform, which can reduce freelancers’ earnings.
3. Quality Concerns: Some freelancers may not deliver high-quality work, leading to client dissatisfaction.
4. Communication Challenges: Miscommunication can occur between clients and freelancers due to language barriers or different time zones, leading to project misunderstandings.
5. Project Insecurity: Clients might face issues such as delayed delivery or incomplete work, although Freelancer.com does provide dispute resolution services to address these concerns.
4. Guru

Guru.com is a website where people can find freelance jobs and hire freelancers to complete various tasks. It’s like a big online marketplace where businesses and individuals can connect with skilled professionals from different fields such as writing, programming, design, and more.

People looking for work can create profiles showcasing their skills and experiences, while employers can post job listings and browse through freelancers’ profiles to find the right person for their project. It’s a platform that helps freelancers find work and clients find talented individuals to get their jobs done.

Pros of Guru
1. Wide Range of Skills: Guru.com offers a diverse pool of freelancers skilled in various fields, from writing and design to programming and marketing.
2. Safe Payment System: The platform provides a secure payment system, ensuring that freelancers get paid for their work and employers get the services they are paid for.
3. Work Flexibility: Both freelancers and employers enjoy the flexibility of working on their terms, making it suitable for part-time or full-time commitments.
4. Transparent Profiles: Freelancers’ profiles showcase their skills, work history, and client reviews, helping employers make informed hiring decisions.
5. Project Management Tools: Guru.com offers tools and features that help manage projects effectively, facilitating smooth communication between freelancers and employers.
Cons of Guru
1. Competition: Due to the large number of freelancers, it can be competitive to secure projects, especially for newcomers.
2. Service Fees: Guru.com charges service fees on transactions, which can impact freelancers’ earnings and employers’ budgets.
3. Quality Discrepancy: While there are many skilled professionals, the quality of work can vary, making it crucial for employers to carefully vet freelancers before hiring.
4. Limited Customer Support: Some users have reported limited customer support, leading to problems resolving issues promptly.
5. Project Delays: Like any freelancing platform, projects might face delays due to communication gaps, differing time zones, or unforeseen circumstances affecting deadlines.
5. PeoplePerHour

PeoplePerHour.com is a website where people can find freelance work or hire freelancers for various tasks. It’s like an online marketplace where individuals and businesses can connect to get things done.

Whether you need a graphic designer, writer, programmer, or any other freelance service, you can find skilled professionals here. PeoplePerHour.com makes it easy for people to work together online, no matter where they are.

Pros of PeoplePerHour
1. Variety of Services: PeoplePerHour offers a wide range of services, from writing and design to programming and marketing. You can find freelancers for almost any task.
2. Talented Freelancers: The platform allows you to connect with skilled freelancers worldwide, ensuring you can find someone with the needed expertise.
3. Flexibility: Freelancers and clients can work on projects remotely, providing flexibility regarding working hours and location.
4. Secure Payments: PeoplePerHour provides secure payment systems, ensuring that freelancers are compensated for their work and clients get the services they paid for.
5. Reviews and Ratings: Freelancers and clients can leave reviews and ratings, helping others make informed decisions about who to work with.
Cons of PeoplePerHour
1. Fees: PeoplePerHour charges fees for both freelancers and clients. Freelancers may have to pay a commission on their earnings, and clients might need to cover service fees, which can increase the overall cost.
2. Competition: Due to the vast number of freelancers on the platform, there can be intense competition for projects, making it challenging for new freelancers to secure work.
3. Quality Varies: The quality of work can vary since anyone can join as a freelancer. Some freelancers might not meet your expectations in terms of skills or professionalism.
4. Disputes: Occasionally, there might be disagreements between clients and freelancers. Resolving disputes can be time-consuming and might not always result in a satisfactory solution for both parties.
5. Limited Direct Communication: PeoplePerHour encourages communication through their platform, which can be a limitation if you prefer direct communication methods like email or phone calls.
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Rohit Mehta

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November 10, 2023