137: How to Start a Review Website That Actually Makes Money
Release Date: 03/04/2025
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...
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148: Fitness Coach Side Hustle: How It Sparked a $20K a Month Business
Side Hustle Hero
Struggling to grow your service-based side hustle? You’re not alone - and you don’t have to stay stuck. In this episode, fitness coach Dustin Pedersen shares strategies that helped him go from a $2K/month side hustle to consistently earning $20K/month. Whether you're a coach, consultant, or creative, you’ll hear tips to: Attract more clients without relying on word of mouth Structure your offer for recurring revenue Avoid the most common mistakes service providers make Use simple marketing tactics that actually work (even with a small audience) Build systems that scale—without...
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147: How to Stop Procrastinating, Start Building
Side Hustle Hero
To hit new milestones and actually build your side hustle, you're going to have to do things you've never done before. But here's the catch—we're all creatures of habit. And it's those ingrained patterns that keep us stuck, procrastinating instead of progressing. In this special rebroadcast of, My Secret Weapon To Get The Hard Stuff Done, I share the exact strategy that’s been a driving force behind every major success I’ve achieved. It’s simple, repeatable, and incredibly effective at helping you follow through - especially when motivation fades or distractions creep in. This episode...
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146: When to Quit Your 9-5
Side Hustle Hero
Wondering when to quit your 9-5 and go all in on your side hustle? You’re not alone—and it’s normal to wrestle with fear, doubt, and the question, “What will people think?” Shannon Russell gets it. After a successful 16-year run as a TV producer, she made the bold leap to entrepreneurship—not because she had to, but because she wanted to start producing her own life. In this episode, Shannon gets real honest about the emotional and practical sides of walking away from a long-held career. You’ll learn: How to know when it’s time to quit your 9-5 Financial milestones to aim...
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145: How She Grew To 70 Retailers Without Quitting Her Day Job
Side Hustle Hero
Think you need business experience to start your side hustle? Think again. Liz Birchard, creator of Tutu’s Tortilla Chips, grew her brand into 70 stores and over a quarter million in revenue - all while working full-time. In this episode: Liz’s biggest challenge starting out Her biggest challenge today (and how she’s handling it) What she would do differently if she were starting over Plus: guess what I have in common with ZZ Top’s lead singer? Get inspired to start before you feel ready. Fear is normal. Regret is worse. Do you like what you're hearing? Consider giving it a ....
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144: Why Now Is the Smartest Time to Start Your Side Hustle
Side Hustle Hero
Feeling uncertain about the economy, your job, or what comes next? You’re not alone. But in this solo episode, host Joan Posivy shares why—despite all that—now is the smartest time to start your side hustle. She offers; a powerful reframe on uncertainty, tells her personal story of diving into a side hustle during a downturn, and explains why taking action now—before you feel “ready”—can help future-proof your income. You’ll also get practical steps you can take this week to move from stuck to started. If you’ve been hesitating, this might just be your sign to begin—and...
info_outlineEver wondered how people make real money with review websites?
Derek Hales did exactly that—starting with just two mattress reviews and turning it into a thriving business.
Derek is the founder of NapLab, a site dedicated to in-depth, data-driven mattress reviews. Within six months of launching, his side hustle was making enough for him to quit his full-time job. Today, he’s reviewed over 400 products, employs friends and family, and runs a highly profitable website.
In this episode, Derek shares what it really takes to build a review website that actually makes money, including:
- How his website generates revenue
- How he pinpoints exactly which products to review next
- Why transparency builds trust, increases engagement, and drives more sales
If you’ve ever thought about launching a review site or want to turn online content into real income, this episode's for you!
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 head on over to the home of Side Hustle Hero. https://www.sidehustlehero.com/137
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