158: How a Blind Chef Launched Her Kitchen Side Hustle
Side Hustle Hero
Debra Erickson lost her vision — but definitely not her drive. What started as a side hustle has blossomed into a full-time mission: The Blind Kitchen - a thriving business that sells adaptive kitchen tools and teaches blind and vision-impaired people how to cook safely, confidently, and independently. Debra shares the inspiring journey of how she transitioned from student to teacher to entrepreneur, and how she built a business with impact, despite the obstacles. From attending a regular culinary school as a blind student, to sourcing and testing dozens of tools, to launching an...
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157: How to Start Your Own Drink Brand: From Idea to Shelf
Side Hustle Hero
Ever thought about launching your own beverage brand? It might sound like a far-fetched idea, but after hearing this conversation with Dr. Roger Wu, you might just find yourself thinking, “Hey… maybe I could do this.” Roger shares how he turned a recurring problem he saw in his patients into an innovative eye-health drink. He walks us through how he went from an idea in his head to a finished product in hand, while still working his day job. You’ll learn: What a formulation lab is and why it’s a key early step How he found a startup-friendly co-packer willing to take a chance (and...
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156: How Self-Sabotage Silently Kills Your Side Hustle, and What to Do About It
Side Hustle Hero
Ever feel like you’re the one standing in your own way? This episode dives deep into the mental blocks and hidden habits that silently sabotage your side hustle, often before it even begins. If you’ve ever hesitated to start, stalled out after launching, or pulled back right when things were getting good… this one's for you. You’ll discover: Why self-sabotage isn’t a flaw — it’s conditioning The 3 key stages where it sneaks in and how to spot it What imposter syndrome, hesitation, and “being too busy” have in common Practical strategies to break the cycle and move forward...
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155: How to Start as a Virtual Assistant
Side Hustle Hero
Want a flexible side hustle you can do from anywhere? (Even if you don’t think you have the “right” skills?) Today we break down how to start as a virtual assistant, even if you’ve never worked online before. You’ll hear from VA coach Laura Nicole Jennings, who shares: What services are most in demand right now How to identify skills you already have that clients will pay for How much you can realistically earn in your first 3–6 months Where and how to find your first paying client What AI is not replacing — and why VA work is still in demand The difference between hourly and...
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154: How He Launched a Side Hustle Overseas (And What It Takes to Make It Work)
Side Hustle Hero
Can you really start a side hustle while traveling — and run it from thousands of miles away? David Schafran did. What began as a one-month salsa sabbatical in Colombia turned into a passion-fueled income stream. David shares how he went from health tech founder in Boston to launching , a remote-friendly dance immersion business — all while keeping things lean and intentional. In this episode, you’ll learn: How to build a side hustle while living abroad (or just working remotely) Why you don’t need to “go big” to get started How David tested his idea with a simple prototype The...
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153: How To Turn One-Off Projects Into Monthly Retainers
Side Hustle Hero
Want to stop chasing one-off gigs and start building predictable, recurring income? John MacAdam reveals how. He built his side hustle over 15 years while working full-time as an engineer — and eventually used it to launch a successful solo business. You can follow John’s lead after hearing how he: Shifted from hourly rates to value-based pricing — and tripled his income Turned a $6K one-off project into a $5K/month retainer (still active 2+ years later) Positions himself as a trusted advisor, not just a task-doer Uses simple systems to build long-term client loyalty Turned early...
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152: How to Start a Profitable Roadside Stand: Turning Local Produce Into Cash
Side Hustle Hero
Can you really turn a $200 roadside stand into a six-figure seasonal business? Shannon reveals how. In this episode, she describes how she scaled a humble fruit stand into a multi-state operation generating up to $250,000 a month, all while keeping startup costs low and her values local. Whether you're looking for a low-risk weekend side hustle or a scalable seasonal business, in this episode, you’ll discover: How to start a roadside or fruit stand with as little as $200 Where to source your produce—even if you’re not a grower What makes a stand visually irresistible to drive-by...
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151: Top 9 Most Loved Side Hustle Episodes
Side Hustle Hero
Which side hustle episodes did listeners and viewers love the most this past year? In this 3-year celebration of Side Hustle Hero, host Joan Posivy reveals the top 9 most loved episodes - as chosen by audience downloads, watch time, comments, feedback, and heaps of analytics across all major podcast apps and YouTube. One episode took the #1 spot on both platforms (hint: AI vending machines), but after that, listener and viewer favorites went in very different directions. This recap features top episodes on everything from: Starting a sound bath business Becoming an Amazon Influencer...
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150: The Best Way to Help a Teen Start a Side Hustle
Side Hustle Hero
What if the teen in your life could build confidence, real-world skills, and earn income—all before turning 18? In this episode, I sit down with Renee and Jonathan Harris, parents of nine kids, many of whom have already launched their own side hustles. We talk about how they’ve guided their kids to discover what they’re naturally good at, take ownership of their learning, and turn those interests into cash flow. Whether you’re a parent, mentor, aunt, uncle, grandparent, or simply someone who cares about helping teens thrive, this conversation is full of honest, practical insight....
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149: Nonprofit Side Hustle: Give Back and Get Paid Well
Side Hustle Hero
Most people think making money and making a difference are two separate paths—but what if your side hustle could do both? In this episode, I chat with Andrew Hall, co-founder of Mealshare, a nonprofit that began as a side hustle and eventually delivered over 1 million meals per year to youth in need. We cover: How Andrew launched Mealshare for less than $100 The difference between nonprofits, charities, and for-profits—and how to choose the right model How a side hustle can scale into a full-time mission with real income His newest venture, No Story Lost, which helps families...
info_outlineEver thought about hosting a virtual event—like a webinar, masterclass, or 3- to 5-day challenge—to grow your side hustle?
In this episode, returning guest Melissa Ng, co-founder of Amprofy and Launcher’s Academy, breaks down the numbers you need to know:
- how many people to invite,
- how many will actually show up, and
- how many are likely to buy.
These insights helped Melissa scale her business from six figures to over $1 million in annual sales, turning her side hustle into a thriving full-time venture.
Melissa also shares how her team uses social media to generate leads—and how she leans on AI, particularly ChatGPT, to streamline her content strategy. She even reveals her go-to AI prompt, which I’ve tested myself and found incredibly useful. You can find the full version of her prompt in the show notes, ready for you to copy and customize.
If you’re looking for a clear, actionable roadmap to hosting virtual events, and leveraging AI to produce for you a detailed Social Media Content Strategy Plan, this episode is packed with tips and insights to help you level up.
Do you like what you're hearing? Consider giving it a caffeinated thumbs up. We'd really appreciate it!
Need a little (and sometimes big) push to start and stay focused to grow your side hustle? Dive into my online Masterclass: How To Turn Your Thoughts Into Wanted Things.
For the full show notes and Melissa's go-to social media prompt for AI, head on over to the episode page at Side Hustle Hero. https://www.sidehustlehero.com/129
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