48: Carve Out This Side Hustle

When you’re working in a family business and you want more money but there isn’t more to go around, what do you do? You start a side hustle of course!

That’s what pushed today’s guests Jennifer Cornelius and David Swojanovski to launch Rubble Road Soapstone Carving Kits.

They’ve gone from selling 30 of these soapstone pieces a month, to selling thousands per month. Where once the saw that cuts the silhouette pieces ran just 4 hours a week, now it needs to run at least 12 hours a day.

Is developing a business teaching students and adults soapstone carving using these kits something you’d be interested in doing as a side hustle? Then you’ll want to reach out to Jennifer and David.

But first, for inspiration in whatever your current or future side hustle might be, check out today's episode.

What You’ll Hear:

05:20 Want more money? You’ll need to figure out a side hustle.

06:20 Being encouraged to teach carving in the schools

07:08 What the lesson looks like

08:50 Expanded from 6 shapes to offering 26 shapes in 3 different sizes

09:15 The overwhelming response at trade shows made them realize they were on to something

11:31 Statue of David: How did Michelangelo know he was in there?

13:20 Why all their stone comes from Brazil

14:38 Listening to customers has shapes their product line

15:48 Teacher’s conventions gave Rubble Road great exposure

16:20 Piggybacking her sister’s tradeshow proved lucrative for them, but not so much for her sister!