Getting Started

Hi Escapees - 

Maybe, hopefully, you’ve gained a bit of inspiration or at least interest in exploring some small side hustle for yourself. Maybe you haven’t leaned in due to lack of time, or idea, or maybe it’s a money thing. I can appreciate that, but want to keep reiterating the key points:

• Jobs come and go, and only some of that volatility is in your control.

• Exploring some add on money maker has a lot of benefits for your mental health and hopefully your pocketbook, too.

• Timing is everything - act now, while you are not in crisis mode. I know that’s a stretch for some readers, but spending some energy on personal development will help in the long run, and a little success can boost confidence profoundly.

Where to begin? Start small. Hopefully this newsletter reinforces that. This is an experiment that runs for the month of April, followed by an assessment. The wisdom I want to know:

• Do I enjoy it / can I see writing this in the long term?

• Does this newsletter provide value to you, my reader?

• Does it make money, or is there a path for how it could?

• Is the return on effort worth it?     

• Does it fit my lifestyle or interrupt meaningful things?

I would encourage you to consider running your own experiment, too, and see where it takes you. Maybe it works, or maybe the hustle sucks or any number of reasons. Just asking you to be open to the idea that there may be something out there for you to explore.

A Case Study

If you live in the Santa Cruz area, you know the weather has been truly great for the last week or so - warm but not hot. On my way to my favorite dog-walking spot, the harbor, I got a text from one of you readers.

No one has to ask me twice to eat her yummy treats. She’s talented. I was probably at her house within five minutes of receiving the text. Just inside her fence was a folding table filled with treats and a printed Venmo QR code. I was her third customer and bursting with pride as I plunked down my twelve bucks!  

She had a morning on her hands and decided to give it a try. Maybe something that she’d been thinking about, and just decided to see what would happen. What did happen is that she made almost $200. Maybe more by now, as some folks were out of town for her pop up. 

There seem to be at least three takeaways for her:

1. This experiment was a success. That does not necessarily mean that she will repeat this (though I bet she does), but she at least spent enough energy to explore “what if.”

2. She created a community-building opportunity. Despite living in the same house for years, neighbors came to partake, some she didn’t know. That has to feel incredibly rewarding.

3. There is room to grow. If she marketed more than five minutes in advance, she could probably get more business - pre-orders, more customers, maybe more. She’s already indicated that the menu would change based on prices, level of effort, and demand. 

I love this for a lot of reasons, but more than anything that she put herself out there. I can say that a thousand dollar / month side hustle is there for the taking, if that’s the route she chooses to take this. She is also beaming with pride. Her wheels are turning for where to go from here. Could this experiment scale into something more? 

This case study is a perfect example of what I am suggesting. Try something (small scale at first), have fun and maybe make a couple of bucks to boot.

You never know, this could be you next. I’ll be your first customer. Lean in, and see what happens. I guarantee you will be proud of yourself regardless of the outcome.

Feedback welcome at any time. Thanks!

Erik