203: 9 Fan-Favourite Side Hustle Hero Episodes: An Encore Edition

[00:00:00] Welcome to an encore edition of an episode that aired June 2025. Wow, has AI ever evolved since then. But when I look back at the side hustles featured in this episode, they're all still strong choices. Now, some have been tweaked or enhanced by AI in varying degrees, but with the right approach, every one of them is still viable today.

So as you listen, you might just find a real gem in here that resonates with you Well, hi there, and [00:00:30] welcome to Side Hustle Hero, the show that inspires action and helps you to grow your side hustle into a thriving income stream. I'm your host, Joan Posivy. Whether you're listening to this on your favorite podcast audio platform or watching this on YouTube, today's episode's a little bit different.

It's part celebration, this month marks three years of Side Hustle Hero, and it's part highlight reel. So my initial plan was to share with you a nice, [00:01:00] clean, top five most loved episodes from the past year based on your likes, comments, shares, and a heap of analytics. But once I dug into all that, my plan completely fell apart.

There was one clear winner, an episode on AI vending machines. That one crushed it on both YouTube and across the audio platforms. But after that, the lists totally diverged. The audio people and the YouTube viewers each had their own favorites, different [00:01:30] vibes, different episodes. So instead of forcing some kind of blended list, I present to you the nine most loved episodes from the past 12 months, the top four from audio and the top four from video, and the one that topped them both.

Why share both? Because no matter where you usually tune in, chances are you've missed something great on the other side. So today, I also wanted to help you discover something new. And so from my heart to yours, [00:02:00] a huge thank you for being here, whether you've just found the show or you've been with me since the beginning.

The number one most loved episode this year across all podcast apps and YouTube goes to episode 102, How to Start an AI-Driven Vending Machine Business for $700. Why? Because it's content rich, and because Mike Hoffman shared this We did a fascinating case study about a month ago. [00:02:30] We swapped out a traditional vending machine with the motors and the codes, and that machine was doing $35 a day, so it was doing right around 1,100 to 1,200 bucks a month.

We pulled that machine and put a smart machine in, same exact location. Our daily sales went from $35 a day to last month, $120 a day. Sales more than tripled. Same location, same product. It's a clear example of smart tech meeting [00:03:00] smart hustle. If you've ever thought about vending machines as a passive income stream, this episode lit the path and became a fan favorite.

For all the episodes that I'm mentioning today, I'll share links to their respective episode web pages, 'cause from there you can click to whatever way you'd like to dive in, audio or video. The next four on our list have been the most loved by our audio listeners. So the number two spot goes to episode 110, Three Ways to [00:03:30] Monetize as an Amazon Influencer.

Hey, it's an efficient episode, three revenue streams in one. Here's how it works for Billy Thorpe. If you're buying something on Amazon, you've probably noticed that there are explainer videos about the product. Well, Billy's one of the people that makes those videos. How he gets compensated three ways is he gets paid by the brand to create the video, then if someone clicks on that video and buys the product, Amazon pays him a commission.

Then the third source of [00:04:00] income he receives is when he turns around and sells that product that he's been given to make the video. I do over 100 deals a month. Okay. And so I had this huge problem of storage. Sure. And that's when I got in the resell space, and I started reselling this product on various different platforms, uh, eBay, whatnot, Facebook Marketplace, and that started to generate some revenue.

So I made 40,000 off of Amazon. I made another, like, [00:04:30] 20,000 off of just reselling, and then I made the rest, I think I did 113,000 top line revenue last year, my first calendar year, and so the other 53-ish thousand was from the brand deals. His strategy is low ticket, high frequency. Over 3,100 short videos for over 500 brands.

It stood out because people could see themselves doing this, and Billy made it clear where the money actually comes from and how to tap into it[00:05:00]

Coming in at number three is How to Make $200 to $500 a Day as a Mystery Shopper, episode 140. This one got a lot of love, 'cause let's face it, getting paid to shop, to eat out, visit theme parks, and even gamble at a casino resort sounds amazing, right? Well, that's the reality for Mercedes Eckart, a seasoned mystery shopper who's turned this flexible gig into a consistent income stream for over 12 years.

I [00:05:30] actually was paid to gamble. Really? I was... Yes. I was paid to go to a casino resort and stay two nights and three days gambling, eating, shopping. Paid to do that. She breaks down exactly how mystery shopping works, which platforms she actually recommends, and how beginners can start earning $200 to $500 a day.

It's no wonder it's become a fan [00:06:00] favorite. But keep in mind, someone new is not going to be landing those highly coveted gigs like mystery shopping a resort or an airline's in-flight service. It'll take some time to build your reputation as a reliable pro mystery shopper Number four on our list of most loved episodes from our audio listeners is Tips and Tricks from the Queen of the Side Hustle, AKA Christine Shaub, from episode [00:06:30] 106.

Why the queen? Well, she has no less than six side hustles that she stacks, often working several or all in a single day. If you have time to watch TV, you have time to side hustle. If you have time to read, even though you may love to read, you have time to side hustle. Side hustling is about monetizing your downtime.

How does she stack her side hustles? Well, for example, as she's pet sitting in someone's [00:07:00] home, she at times also gets paid to do their gardening. Then in the afternoon, while still being paid to pet sit, she might be on her laptop working on her YouTube channel or planning a dinner party which will be hosted in a client's home.

Listeners loved how real and relatable she is, especially her tips on time management, promoting yourself when it feels uncomfortable, and dealing with all the chaos that comes with juggling multiple ventures. It was a yep-that's-me episode for a lot of listeners. [00:07:30] Okay, except maybe the part about juggling all six side hustles The last of our most loved audio picks is actually a solo episode by yours truly.

Aw, shucks. Coming in at number five, Why Now is the Smartest Time to Start Your Side Hustle. It's episode 144. We're living in such a crazy time, and with all the uncertainty out there, the most secure move that you can make is to bet on yourself. You can't [00:08:00] control what the company you work for does. You can't control inflation.

You can't control somebody else's actions. But you can control whether you create something of your own, something that gives you flexibility, something that brings you income, something that gives you options. And that's why I believe so strongly in side hustles, not as a trendy concept, but as a tool for freedom, your freedom.

If you've been thinking about launching a side hustle but haven't yet taken the leap, check out episode 144, [00:08:30] Why Now is the Smartest Time to Start Your Side Hustle, for three things that you can do this week to take action without overwhelm Now let's talk YouTube. In addition to considering the number of views and comments, there is a boatload of analytics to consider, including total number of hours a video was watched and the average view duration of each video.

Vending machines may have taken the top spot for both audio and video, but after [00:09:00] that, YouTube charted its own path. So here are our remaining four most loved episodes from the last 12 months, all from YouTube

Turns out sound bath healing isn't just soothing. It can be seriously profitable, too. Here's Mike Reed from How to Earn $1,000 Per Sound Healing Session. And then that- that's when the light bulb went off is if I partner with a multitude of these venues that [00:09:30] already have an established following and community, then I can leverage what they've built over the years, and I don't even have to have that big of a following myself yet, and I can still sell out my events on a regular basis.

Mike went from working in the oil fields and warehouses to facilitating sound baths and earning more in one night than he did in an entire week. The episode seemed to get a lot of love because it blends personal fulfillment with strong income potential, and Mike gives clear tips on how to [00:10:00] fill a room, which can be a real barrier for someone wanting to offer an in-person event.

He's clear about how he got started, what a first event looks like, how he chooses venues, and how to attract a crowd. If you've been thinking that this might be a side hustle for you, I've dropped a video of Mike delivering a sound bath on the episode webpage so that you can check it out and see what one actually looks like.

It's episode 117.

Running [00:10:30] right up alongside Mike for a YouTube top spot is Chloe Winstanley's How to Host Profitable Craft Workshops. This episode really connected with viewers because it's packed with real world practical advice that anyone with a craft skill can use to start making money without needing a big budget or a fancy setup.

You can start selling tickets on your website and then not actually spend any money for the workshop itself until the revenue starts coming in for the workshop. So once people are selling [00:11:00] tickets and you know the workshop is definitely gonna be going ahead, then you use that money to actually buy your tools.

Whether you're just thinking about hosting a workshop or already running one, this episode will give you the confidence and clear steps to turn your passion into profit. Plus, Chloe's down-to-earth style and her unforgettable client falls through the floorboards story made it both inspiring and entertaining.

No wonder it quickly became one of the most viewed [00:11:30] episodes. Next up is Tony Lysandridis with How to Make and Monetize Faceless Viral Videos. This episode stood out because it opens the doors to a side hustle that's totally different from the usual put yourself out there advice. Tony remains out of sight in his videos, but of course, he's front and center in mine.

He shows how to make money on YouTube without ever being on camera, and with no fancy equipment or acting skills required, especially in [00:12:00] this AI era. And he doesn't hire actors. His videos consist of topical clips with voiceovers. I think viewers really honed in on his step-by-step breakdown of finding trending topics and creating viral videos around that topic.

A key to being successful at it is understanding why a video is going viral. I want to gauge why the video went viral. Right. Why did people decide to click and watch on the video? I'll, I'll look at the thumbnail and the title, [00:12:30] hijack the psychology. I'll assess whether the audience is a dopamine audience, a serotonin audience, a cortisol audience, a, a dark side audience.

Like, what kind of audience are we dealing with here? Do they, do they like to feel like a buzz, or do they want to feel calm and peaceful? Like, what, what do they like to feel? And I'll kind of target that. It's an interesting concept, especially for someone who likes working with video but is hesitant about showing their face or even using their voice, for that matter.

But like any side hustle, there is a [00:13:00] learning curve, and it'll take a lot of trial and error, but this episode provides a solid starting point for your research by leaning on Tony's experience As someone who has used this next service, I can attest to its appeal from a customer standpoint. The final of our nine most loved episodes for year three is Flushing Out Profits: Making Money with Restroom Trailer Rentals.

This episode dives into a side hustle that's truly one of a kind, renting out luxury restroom [00:13:30] trailers. It's the kind of business that sounds unusual, but it makes solid, scalable money with repeat customers. I've seen them at more formal outdoor events, but the more I talked with David Sowers, the more potential I saw coming from corporate clients.

This business could truly change a lot of productivity all across the board. For instance, like when we do business remodels, like Lowe's, Home Depot, your Target, your Walmarts, it used to take [00:14:00] them five to six weeks to remodel the entire store's restrooms because they would shut down part of them to leave them open for other people.

By installing the restroom trailers, they've taken that time down to two to three weeks because they can completely shut all the restrooms down in the store- Right ... while usually our facility's outside- Mm-hmm ... and they can remain operational. So you can see the savings from an untapped market. One of the reasons I feel it's a popular episode is that David shares a lot of detail, like [00:14:30] how you can develop relationships with event planners who can feed you a lot of business, how much it costs to get started, rental rates, and add-ons that boost profits, like these greenery panels that he rents for a separate charge.

They look like ivy panels that are basically privacy screens to more or less hide the trailer. People could see what it is and where it is, but it made it look really nice, rather than just a white trailer parked on a lot. If you heard my episode about party tent [00:15:00] rentals, you'll know I'm a fan of the buy once, rent repeatedly model.

David clearly is, too. Alongside his rental restroom trailer, he also rents out large LED screens and portable bars. It's easy to see how scalable the business is and how naturally it can expand into other related services. Well, think about it. If someone's renting a restroom trailer for a large wedding, they might also want a big screen to showcase video clips of the couple or a portable bar [00:15:30] to complete the setup.

David's success is a great reminder that additional offerings can often be driven by what your customers are already asking for. When you're on site delivering one product or service, pay attention. Chances are there's something else that your customer's already spending money on, and they may just ask, "Hey, do you offer this, too?"

So there you have it, our top nine most loved episodes from year three of Side Hustle Hero. If one [00:16:00] of these episodes brought you value, made you think, or sparked an idea, let me know, and I'd deeply appreciate it if you'd share it with someone who needs to hear it. And if there's an episode that you love that didn't make this list, please drop me a line or a comment about that too.

I'm always curious about what resonated with you the most. And if our chats are sparking your entrepreneurial spirit and providing valuable insights, consider showing your support by visiting sidehustlehero.com/support. [00:16:30] That's where you can shoot me a, a virtual coffee. It's a real thing, and a fun way to give the show a caffeinated thumbs up.

Thank you so much. In the episode description, you'll find links to all the episodes mentioned, which live at our website, sidehustlehero.com. The biggest reason this show has grown is because of you, sharing it, talking about it, and taking action. Thank you so very much for listening, for watching, and until next [00:17:00] time, hustle on.