162: How to Spot (and Monetize) Everyday Opportunities
Learn how to monetize everyday opportunities as Bart Merrill shares real side hustles, from exporting trucks to dog training, plus his Acres of Pig Poop story on spotting value in unexpected places.
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What if you trained yourself to see side hustle opportunities everywhere?
Bart Merrill, author of Monetize Your Mindset, is wired to always ask: “Can I monetize this?” That single question has led him to side hustles as varied as exporting trucks to Japan, building a successful dog training business, and even creating income from life’s toughest setbacks.
You’ll discover:
- The question that can help you spot hidden opportunities
- Why diversifying income streams builds security and flexibility
- How to reframe setbacks into launching pads instead of roadblocks
- Bart’s Acres of Pig Poop story, a modern twist on Acres of Diamonds, that shows how opportunities can be hiding in plain sight
So to sharpen your “opportunity radar” and find ways to monetize what you already know or do, this episode will point you in the right direction.
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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.
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Finding and Profiting from Everyday Opportunities
Most people walk past money-making opportunities every day without ever noticing them. But what if you trained yourself to see side hustles everywhere? That’s exactly what Bart Merrill, international entrepreneur and author of Monetize Your Mindset, has done his entire life.
From exporting trucks to Japan to building a dog training business to even turning a personal amputation into a new income stream, Bart has a unique ability to ask himself one simple question: “Can I monetize this?” That mindset has helped him discover income where most people see only obstacles.
Why You Should Monetize Everyday Opportunities
Bart believes everyone should have at least one side hustle, not just for the extra income, but also for the potential tax benefits and the security of diversified income streams. As he puts it, if you’re working a job and not taking advantage of the benefits of being a business owner, you’re leaving money on the table.
Real-Life Side Hustle Examples
- Exporting to Japan – What started with a chance friendship at a gym turned into a decades-long business shipping everything from camping trailers to Hummers overseas.
- Dog Training – Adopting a stubborn Rottweiler pushed Bart to learn dog training, which later became a $100,000-a-year business built on word of mouth and Google ads.
- Monetizing Adversity – After losing part of his leg, Bart partnered with a prosthetist to mentor new amputees, turning a difficult life event into both a service and a steady income stream.
The Acres of Pig Poop Lesson
One of Bart’s most memorable stories is a twist on the classic Acres of Diamonds tale. After his father’s farm was sold, the new owners discovered the real fortune wasn’t in the land, but in the manure ponds, which turned out to be worth over a million dollars. The lesson? Opportunities are often hiding in plain sight, even if they look like a pile of pig poop.
How You Can Start Spotting Opportunities
Bart’s process for uncovering hidden side hustles begins with three simple but powerful questions:
- What do you like to do?
These are your natural passions and interests. When you’re already excited about an activity, it’s easier to stay motivated and consistent. - What do you need to do?
These are the things you must do anyway - like Bart needing to train his own dog. Instead of just solving the problem for yourself, ask whether others would pay you to solve the same problem for them. - What are you already doing?
Everyday routines and skills often hold untapped value. For Bart, his regular trips to Japan and ability to speak Japanese eventually led to a long-term export business.
But he doesn’t stop there. Bart adds three more questions to widen the lens:
- What would you like to learn?
Curiosity can become a business path. If you’ve always wanted to pick up a skill, learning it while documenting your journey could attract clients or an audience. - What do you need to learn?
Sometimes your job, health, or life circumstances force you to acquire new knowledge. Bart’s amputation meant he had to learn how to deal with his new reality - mental, emotionally, and physically. He turned that necessity into a monetized role helping others. - What have you already learned?
Experience is one of the most overlooked assets. If you’ve solved a problem or mastered a skill, even casually, you’re often ahead of thousands of people who would gladly pay to learn from you.
After brainstorming answers to all six questions, Bart creates six lists. Then he refines them, looking for overlap. If an idea shows up in multiple categories - something you like, are already doing, and have learned, for example, that’s a strong signal it could become a solid side hustle.
The beauty of this system is that it uncovers opportunities you might otherwise dismiss or take for granted. As Bart says, the hardest part isn’t finding ideas, it’s realizing they were right in front of you all along.
Key Takeaway
The biggest roadblock isn’t a lack of opportunity. It’s taking the first step. Start paying attention to the everyday problems you solve, the skills you already use, and the things you’re already doing. When you add Bart’s question, “Can I monetize this?” you may discover that your next side hustle has been right in front of you all along.
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