We’ve had a whole bunch of inspiring aspect hustle tales on the present this previous 12 months, however a couple of actually stood out from the pack.
On this week’s roundup episode, I’ll be counting down the ten finest / most fascinating / most inspiring aspect hustles of 2023.
To make it tremendous simple to revisit any episode, I put collectively a Side Hustle Show “Best Side Hustles of 2023” playlist on Spotify with fast entry to all of the audio.
Get able to have your aspect hustle goals ignited as we reveal the 12 months’s prime concepts and techniques for incomes outdoors of the standard 9 to five. The one query is – which one will you place into motion this 12 months?
Let’s dive in!
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1. The $100k/mo Area of interest Internet Design Service
In Episode 550 of The Side Hustle Show, Ryan Golgosky defined how he turned conventional one-off customized web site tasks right into a profitable recurring income mannequin concentrating on a distinct segment viewers. His enterprise 180sites.com focuses on constructing and internet hosting websites for residence service companies like stress washing companies.
Relatively than comply with the standard internet design pricing construction of charging hundreds of {dollars} upfront per web site construct, Ryan developed a extra accessible month-to-month subscription plan.
For $180-300 per 30 days on an auto-renewing 2-year dedication, his shoppers get full web site design, internet hosting, ongoing upkeep, and the pliability to make content material modifications at any time when wanted.
As Ryan revealed on the present, “We simply broke the brink doing six figures in a single month this 12 months alone, simply in our accounts receivable…I’ve over 1,000,000 {dollars} in accounts receivable already spoken for.”
So with out even buying new clients, Ryan had over $1 million in present consumer billings dedicated for the subsequent two years.
To seek out his early clients when beginning out, Ryan says he “joined as many Fb teams as I may that have been associated to residence service suppliers.”
He searched via group posts for any mentions of internet design, advertising, or enterprise points he may present worth on. This allowed Ryan to organically get his choices in entrance of his area of interest goal buyer base by being useful.
So in the event you’re an internet designer or digital marketer, think about a distinct segment recurring revenue model. Discovering an underserved viewers like residence companies and offering large ongoing worth may end up in lasting consumer relationships and a gradual stream of month-to-month earnings.
2. $3k/mo Renting Out Mobility Scooters
In Episode 564, we met aspect hustler Lenny Tim who earns round $3,000 per 30 days renting mobility scooters and wheelchairs within the LA space for vacationers and people with restricted mobility.
Relatively than make investments upfront in costly tools or constructing an ecommerce web site, Lenny first examined demand by creating the straightforward web site LA Mobility Scooter Rentals. Even with out backlinks or detailed website positioning, he started getting buyer inquiries from native Google searches about renting mobility scooters.
Initially, Lenny must reply saying “sorry we’re booked up for these dates,” but it surely proved folks have been looking for leases in LA. Solely after hitting 5+ inquiries per day on his web site did Lenny strategically purchase his first used mobility scooter for round $500 on Fb Market.
As Lenny reveals, “I get my a reimbursement inside 1-3 leases.”
This meant he may recoup his tools funding after just some 1-3 leases to vacationers and locals needing help.
Lenny’s success even impressed one other Facet Hustle Present listener named Brian Rautenberg to launch his personal Minnesota Mobility Rentals after listening to the episode. Brian partnered initially with rental platform Cloud of Goods to check his native market.
Seeing regular demand and renter requests, Brian quickly created his personal web site to market on to vacationers coming via Minneapolis.
Simply 4 months since launching minnesotamobilityrentals.com, Brian now has 10 mobility scooters, 10 wheelchairs, each electrical and guide in stock, pulling in $3,500 – $4,500 per 30 days in rental earnings by servicing vacationer and resident renters.
3. The $50k Per Month Journey Blogger
In Episode 573, Shelley Marmor has constructed a mini online marketing empire within the Mexico journey area of interest, together with her portfolio of websites producing round $50,000 per 30 days in commissions.
Shelley’s predominant web site is Travel Mexico Solo, which she constructed utilizing an intentional online marketing and search engine optimization (SEO) technique.
She honed in on useful, long-tail key phrases vacationers would search when planning journeys, like “issues to do in Cozumel with children” and “secure areas to remain in Mexico Metropolis.” This key phrase analysis technique allowed her to rank excessive in Google and drive visitors.
She then monetized that visitors utilizing affiliate hyperlinks, incomes commissions when her readers booked inns or excursions she really helpful. Affiliate marketing is a key element of her enterprise mannequin that permits her to earn passive earnings.
As Shelley explains, “It’s extra of a science than an artwork. There’s a method. We’re primarily simply making an attempt to please the Google gods.”
Shelley’s success proves that area of interest blogs nonetheless work in 2023 if executed appropriately. It simply took consistency over two years earlier than she noticed vital income. As Shelley says about what motivated her in the course of the lengthy ramp-up, “Simply by no means desirous to ask a boss for the day without work ever once more.”
4. $2k/mo Reviewing Merchandise with the Amazon Influencer Program
The Amazon Influencer Program permits common folks to earn commissions by posting product evaluation movies. In Episode 562 of The Side Hustle Show, Jon Corres and Tyler Christensen shared that each make over $2,000 per 30 days in this system.
To get began, you merely apply to hitch the Amazon Influencer Program and hyperlink your social media profiles. As soon as permitted, you may add quick movies reviewing merchandise you already personal. Jon recommends first filming evaluations of things already in your family, even presents you didn’t understand have been bought on Amazon.
In accordance with Jon, you may evaluation “books, video games, meals gadgets, dietary supplements, the wide range…It doesn’t have to simply be tangible gadgets.”
Whereas Amazon’s fee charges are pretty low (round 2-4% on every sale), the secret is to concentrate on costlier merchandise. As Jon explains, “With a $2,000 laptop computer, getting even one sale is quite a bit.” It’s a fairly respectable fee on the subject of the Amazon Influencer Program.
Tyler shared that, over time, firms began sending him free merchandise to evaluation, generally even paying him over $100 per video. Final week, Tyler despatched an e mail sharing that he had simply earned over $8,000 in this system.
With the excessive vacation gross sales volumes on Amazon, this program represents one of many best methods to earn fully passive income on-line. Give it a attempt to begin incomes commissions!
5. The $300k Pet Waste Elimination Enterprise
Working a location-based service enterprise might be extraordinarily profitable, however provided that clients can discover you. Kody Smith from awwcrap.com has perfected the native website positioning playbook to earn a number of six figures together with his pet waste removing enterprise.
In Episode 555 of The Side Hustle Show, Kody broke down his systematic strategy to dominating the primary web page of Google search outcomes. The keys? Constructing on-line citations and high quality backlinks that Google’s algorithm favors.
As Kody defined, “The primary objective was to rank on Google, get in Google Maps. I knew to be able to do this, I needed to produce other websites already created that had my map.”
A enterprise’s on-line map consists of its Title, Deal with, and Telephone quantity (NAP). By manually submitting this NAP information throughout listing websites, evaluation platforms, and business area of interest websites associated to his service, Cody seeded invaluable backlinks.
He additionally arrange social media pages and started partaking with pet house owners in native Fb Teams. Kody shared, “I mainly simply began getting on the market and placing the phrases out. Did some Fb stuff. After which as soon as I used to be prepared, I created my Google enterprise profile.”
As soon as he optimized his personal Google Enterprise Profile and claimed it in Google Maps, Kody was primed for native website positioning domination. Rating excessive for close by zip codes and cities was further icing on the cake.
6. Shopping for Money Move with No Cash Down
In Episode 571 of The Side Hustle Show, Hannah Ingram shared how she acquired a $140,000 self-service automobile wash enterprise with out utilizing any of her personal cash.
Hannah recollects concerning the determination to seek for an present enterprise, “I used to be like, man, I’m not going to work till I die. Like I’m going to be retired by the point I’m 30.”
As Hannah shared within the interview, she searched web sites like LoopNet and Crexi for companies on the market, specializing in automobile washes, laundromats, and storage items. After discovering a automobile wash listed in her personal city, she approached the motivated sellers who have been trying to exit the enterprise.
After touring the property, reviewing the financials, and checking the profitability, Hannah negotiated a seller-financed deal for $140,000. The sellers have been prepared to conform to vendor financing phrases to be able to shut shortly and keep away from the longer means of conventional lending.
Hannah now runs the money circulation constructive automobile wash enterprise herself in about half-hour per day in trade for round $5,000 per 30 days in earnings. Although shopping for a longtime enterprise is difficult, Hannah supplies inspiration that it might be doable with out requiring massive quantities of capital to begin.
7. AI-Assisted Digital Merchandise
Can synthetic intelligence assist envision and create digital merchandise? Becky Seashore from Mom Beach proves it will probably in Episode 582 of The Side Hustle Show.
Becky leverages AI instruments like ChatGPT to ideate potential digital merchandise tailor-made to her weblog web site devoted to serving to moms obtain success and steadiness of their lives.
As she explains within the interview, “You possibly can really ask ChatGPT to offer you product options primarily based in your area of interest.”
The AI will generate an inventory of printable, digital product, or course concepts that Becky researches additional. By analyzing developments on platforms like Etsy, she validates and refines essentially the most viable concepts.
Her top-selling creation to this point is a digital Home Planner combining residence group, cleansing, and decluttering checklists and printables. Since launch, this one digital product has earned over $50,000 in gross sales between her Etsy and Shopify shops.
Throughout all her Shopify retailer merchandise, Becky earns over $10,000 per 30 days. Although AI can’t exchange human creativity, Becky proves it will probably speed up the method of analysis, ideation, and execution.
If inquisitive about leveraging AI to discover potential digital product concepts, remember to take a look at Becky’s full interview in The Facet Hustle Present Episode 582.
8. The Area of interest Every day Offers Affiliate Enterprise
Think about a enterprise mannequin requiring every day effort that additionally facilitates automation and passive earnings. That’s what David Paxton constructed together with his Daily Golf Steals web site, as coated in Episode 583 of The Side Hustle Show.
David’s area of interest is highlighting the perfect every day offers and value drops on golf tools and attire. The income comes from affiliate commissions earned when web site guests click on particular hyperlinks and make purchases.
Within the first month, by sharing offers on r/golf, the biggest group of golf fans on Reddit, David earned over $2,000 with hardly any content material.
As he recollects: “From the get-go, I used to be like, Hey, there’s one thing right here. I don’t know fairly how massive it’s, however with a pair thousand {dollars} within the pocket, I used to be like, I can really make this doable.”
David knew he couldn’t manually curate offers endlessly or scale. So he automated components of the method by evaluating product catalogs day-to-day to determine newly marked down gadgets.
As David defined: “I used to be mainly throughout—I believe it was about 10 totally different companions arising with that listing.”
With contractors sourcing and importing offers, David developed an environment friendly system round an idea not sometimes considered scalable or passive. By recognizing the chance with every day offers and area of interest focus, he’s constructed a powerful automated affiliate marketing machine.
9. Getting Paid to Be Curious: The $80k Area of interest Podcast
Can merely being interested in an business result in a worthwhile aspect hustle podcast? Harry Duran proves it will probably.
In Episode 586, Harry defined how he launched the Vertical Farming Podcast in early 2020 regardless of no background or connections in agriculture in anyway.
As he recollects, “I believe what lots of people overthink generally is this concept of reaching out to folks and saying, Oh, this individual’s by no means going to say, hello, I’m somewhat embarrassed to ask.”
Harry used the credibility of early interview bookings with business leaders to safe much more high-profile visitors. This allowed him to cost premium sponsorship packages, incomes over $700 per episode on common to this point.
One sensible sponsor technique? Promoting a whole season with 13 episodes to a single sponsor for $9,000 earlier than even airing the primary episode.
Harry proves having deep experience in an business isn’t a requirement for beginning a worthwhile area of interest podcast. As he advises:
“Do the issues that don’t scale. Spend the time, simply attain out to folks. Individuals with comparatively small followings love to listen to from you.”
By reaching out for interviews with founders and CEOs within the vertical farming area, Harry leveraged his podcast to fulfill and monetize his curiosity.
10. The Easy Invention Turned $50k/mo Facet Hustle
In Episode 589 of The Side Hustle Show, Lou tells the origin story of her firm Strapsicle. The concept was born when she dropped her Kindle on her new child’s head whereas breastfeeding late one night time.
She explains her preliminary market testing tactic, “I used to be in a few Fb teams, a feminine entrepreneurs Fb group, after which an area Fb group. Posted in there and it went completely nuts in each teams.”
After testing demand for her easy silicone Kindle strap invention, Lou explored partnerships with micro-influencers on BookTok (a group of e book lovers on TikTok). By sending free samples and affiliate codes, these small influencers actively promoted Strapsicle merchandise to their engaged followers.
Lou then leveraged this user-generated content material and her personal natural social media presence to drive visitors to her Shopify retailer. After optimizing the buying expertise, she ultimately expanded to Amazon.
Simply over a 12 months since launch, Strapsicle is now incomes $50,000 per 30 days in gross sales. Although Lou recognized an concept primarily based on her personal want, by understanding her goal buyer and leveraging artistic advertising techniques, she was capable of scale globally.
For the total story, remember to take heed to Episode 589 of The Facet Hustle Present.
Hyperlinks and Assets
- Episode 550: Setting Your Side Hustle Up for Recurring Revenue: From Zero to $100k MRR, with Ryan Golgosky
- Episode 564: $3k a Month Renting Out Mobility Scooters Part-Time, with Lenny Tim
- Episode 573: How I Grew My Hobby Travel Blogs to $50K Months in Just 3 Years, with Shelley Marmor
- Episode 562: Amazon Influencer Program: From Zero to $2k a Month Part-Time, with Jon Corres and Tyler Christensen
- Episode 555: How to Dominate Local SEO: From Side Hustle to $300k a Year, with Cody Smith
- Episode 571: How One Side Hustler Bought Herself a $5k/mo Income Stream — w/ No Money Down, with Hannah Ingram
- Episode 582: How to Use AI to Create Digital Products: $30k a Month, with Becky Beach
- Episode 583: How to Start a Daily Deals Business: $1000s/mo Sharing the Best Bargains in Your Niche, with David Paxton
- Episode 586: Monetize Your Curiosity: $80k in Revenue for a Part-Time Vertical Farming Podcast, with Harry Duran
- Episode 589: How a Simple Idea Turned Into a $50k a Month Side Hustle, with Lou Rice
- 180sites.com
- LA Mobility Scooter Rentals
- Minnesota Mobility Rentals
- Cloud of Goods
- Travel Mexico Solo
- Amazon Influencer Program
- Awwcrap.com
- Mom Beach
- Home Planner
- Daily Golf Steals
- Vertical Farming Podcast
- Strapsicle
- BookTok