Weekly Side Hustle Ideas Roundup #6

Author

Knute Fosso
August 05, 2023

Editor’s Note

Hey there, Dads!

We've got three kickass side hustle ideas researched and ready for you to dive into, (but only if they’re the right opportunity for you, of course 😉)

If you’re new here, welcome to Duffle of Dough, where we keep it real, and no-nonsense, and offer up genuine opportunities for all you go-getters out there.

So, without further ado, let's jump into this week's side hustle gems - hope you dig 'em!

By the way, if you're on the hunt for a side hustle and crave some camaraderie with fellow dads, head straight to THE DEN. It's the spot to be, totally free, and can be a game-changer on your journey to crushing any venture you set your sights on.

Idea #1: Pen Making (Crafted Pens)

TL;DR: Make high-quality, crafted, and customized pens for customers and sell them through online commerce platforms.

Pros:

  1. Pens are always in demand for a variety of tasks, including writing, sketching, and artistic expression, despite our continuing digitally immersed lives.

  2. Starting a business that makes pens involves less capital outlay than more complicated operations.

  3. Offering personalized and specially produced pens is one of the industry's key benefits.

  4. Potentially a high-profit margin venture, depending on your efficiency and materials.

Cons:

  1. The art of creating pens needs commitment, repetition, knowledge of diverse materials, and skill.

  2. The pen market can be fiercely competitive due to the dominance of well-known brands and producers.

  3. It can be difficult to build a customer base and distribution system, especially for independent pen manufacturers, and target high-value customers.

Where to Start:

Those aspiring to take up this opportunity should obtain the required equipment and supplies before starting their pen-making side hustle. This covers tools for creating pens, pen kits, several kinds of pen blanks (wood, acrylic, metal), and premium pen parts (nibs, ink cartridges). Creating an online presence via a website and social media channels can assist in promoting products and potentially draw in clients from around the world.

How to Scale:

Diversification is essential to growing the pen manufacturing industry. To meet the needs of various client groups, take into consideration creating a variety of pen styles, materials, and designs. Working with calligraphers, painters, or luxury businesses might give you access to premium clients and niche markets. Additionally, looking into joint ventures with retail establishments and stationery shops might result in wider distribution and higher sales. To get yourself known, start an Etsy shop or Shopify store to showcase your different products.

The Big Opportunity:

Making pens offers a chance to maintain and honor an old art form in addition to being a financial opportunity. Pens are more than just writing implements; they are tools that, through the eternal act of putting pen to paper, connect the past, present, and future.

🧳 Quick Dough: Crafted pens can be sold anywhere from $50 to over $250 each, depending on their complexity and materials.

🧳🧳🧳 Long Term Dough: You can make $5,000+ each month as your reputation improves and you build a foundation of loyal clients.

Idea #2: Cornhole Board Builder

TL;DR: Starting a niche cornhole board company may be a satisfying venture that blends craftsmanship with leisure if you have a passion for woodworking and appreciate creating interesting and entertaining items.

Pros:

  1. Custom cornhole boards are in constant demand because of the game's easy to understand rules and welcoming environment, which appeal to a broad range of players.

  2. The possibilities for personalization are endless, ranging from creating branded boards for business events to customizing boards for special occasions such as weddings.

  3. You have the ability to express your creativity as a cornhole board creator by creating one-of-a-kind boards with different themes, colors, and designs.

Cons:

  1. There may be a fluctuation in the demand for cornhole boards, with the peak seasons occurring in the spring and summer when outdoor activities are more prevalent.

  2. It takes woodworking expertise and access to the proper tools and equipment to produce high-quality cornhole boards.

  3. As cornhole becomes more well-known, more business owners might enter the market, increasing competition.

Where to Start:

Develop your woodworking abilities first, focusing on making cornhole boards. Invest in high-quality saws, drills, and sanders for woodworking. For the building of the boards, pick wood that is both aesthetically pleasing and sturdy, and a stain finish that performs. If you want to demonstrate your skills to potential customers, think about building a portfolio of your work, and showcasing it on your Facebook Page, Instagram, Etsy, and/or Shopify Store. 

How to Scale:

Think about expanding your product line if you want to grow your cornhole board manufacturing company. Offer unique accessories like carrying bags, scoreboards, and bean bags with themes. To reach a larger audience, work with wedding planners, rental firms, and event planners. To enhance awareness and draw in new clients, take part in regional craft fairs and establish yourself on online shopping channels. Additionally, you can offer up-sells to increase your average order value such as adding custom lighting, customization, wood type, and more.

The Big Opportunity:

The popularity of social gatherings, outdoor activities, and leisure pursuits has fueled a surge in cornhole board demand. By capitalizing on this trend, you have the chance to build not only a company but also a name that is synonymous with enjoyment, amusement, and high-caliber work.

🧳 Quick Dough: You can expect to make between $150 and $300 per board, depending on your location and level of craftsmanship.

🧳🧳🧳 Long Term Dough Potential: You can raise your pricing as your reputation improves, and begin to scale and hire others to help fulfill your orders. Once you have some additional help, we believe it’s certainly realistic to have this service to sell 30-50 boards per month, which would tally up to roughly $15,000 per month in revenue.

Side Hustle Pool Cleaning

Idea #3: Residential Pool Cleaning Service

TL;DR: Starting a pool cleaning business can be a lucrative side hustle that serves a large consumer base, especially in warmer states such as Florida, Texas, and Arizona.

Pros:

  1. Pool cleaning services are always in demand, needing specialized knowledge in the industry to care for them properly.

  2. Your pool cleaning service can create consistent and recurring income all year long by providing scheduled cleaning and maintenance packages.

  3. A fairly flexible schedule can initially be maintained if clients are open to servicing on your open times.

Cons:

  1. Pool cleaning tools including skimmers, brushes, vacuums, and water testing kits may need to be purchased in bulk in order to start a pool cleaning business.

  2. As a pool cleaning service must abide by local and state laws governing the safety and quality of swimming pools in your scope of service.

  3. The demand for pool cleaning services may fluctuate based on the environment of the area.

Where to Start:

Learn about water chemistry, safety procedures, and pool cleaning strategies to start. This may be a longer-term side hustle you’ll need to pick up training on (either through a part-time job, mentorship, or education) before you begin offering services, depending on your background. You’ll also want to research any legal or regulatory requirements for your area before you begin. In the US, most cities require business licenses, and depending on your location can cost a pretty penny depending on each category.

To ensure quick and thorough cleaning procedures, invest in pool cleaning equipment. Make a good website, and social pages to highlight your offerings and draw in potential clients. To draw in new customers, think about providing your service for free for a certain amount of weeks/months for your first clients. Using the law of reciprocity, it’s likely they’ll want to somehow support you. Additionally, it’s important to check into any local laws, regulations, and other regulatory information before you get started as this side hustle may require you to also purchase business insurance as you may face some liability.

How to Scale:

Concentrate on developing a solid reputation for outstanding service and client pleasure if you want to expand your pool cleaning business. To keep current consumers, reward loyalty, and promote referrals from happy clients. Speaking from my own experience, the bar is set very low when it comes to many pool-service companies, so by providing over-the-top service to your customers, you’ll be able to have your company spread like wildfire across neighborhoods via word of mouth. Simply show up, perform a thorough job, and actually clean and treat the pool. It sounds simple, but many residential pool service companies take advantage of their customers and cut every corner they can. Lastly, to increase your revenue sources, think about extending your service portfolio to include pool upkeep, repairs, and equipment sales.

The Big Opportunity:

In order to ensure the longevity and enjoyment of pool ownership, pool cleaning services are essential. Your pool cleaning company has the chance to establish itself as a dependable business partner by offering dependable and superior service.

🧳 Quick Dough: The initial costs for cleaning a pool might be between $50 and $150/mo. Depending on the size, complexity, and location of the area, your earnings may differ.

🧳🧳🧳 Long Term Dough Potential: Your fees will rise as your reputation does. Depending on the number of clients and services provided, established pool cleaning firms can expand staff and serviceable area, contributing to $10,000 to $40,000 or more per month in revenue.

And that concludes our suggestions for this week. We hope these suggestions were helpful, and we wish you a wonderful weekend!

Want to get support and network with other like-minded side hustling Dads? Join THE DEN on Discord - it's free, it's valuable, and it's a network of hustling dads just like you.

Do you know a dad who could use some side hustle ideas? Share the Duffle of Dough by tapping the link below. It would mean the absolute world to me, and may tremendously help other dads out there to get the ideas and inspiration they need to build a life-changing side hustle.

Until next week, keep hustling!

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