The Side Hustle Show
Nick Loper of Side Hustle Nation
- 46 minutes 52 secondsHow to Start a Junk Hauling Business: From $0 to $300 Million and Beyond (Greatest Hits)
Are you willing to fail?
Let that be your new mantra. It's the only way to get up the courage to get started.
That's the rule Brian Scudamore -- the founder and CEO of 1-800-GOT-JUNK -- lives by.
What started with a $1000 investment (Brian's life's savings at the time) has turned into a home services empire that does $1 million in sales on any given day.
Brian's come a long way since that beat-up pickup truck going door-to-door that first summer.
His portfolio now includes house painting, moving services, and home detailing--all under the umbrella of Ordinary 2 Exceptional Brands. He’s formulated some unique and effective ways to build teams of passionate employees that share his goals and has leveraged the franchise model to grow his businesses and revenue from $0 to $444 million and beyond.
Tune in to hear how Brian started the junk hauling business as a soon-to-be college student, his thoughts on marketing and hiring, and how you can apply nearly 30 years of his own successes and failures to your business.
Full Show Notes: How to Start a Junk Hauling Business: From $0 to $300 Million and Beyond
New to the Show? Get your personalized money-making playlist here!
Sponsors:
- Indeed – Start hiring NOW with a $75 sponsored job credit to upgrade your job post!
- Quo (formerly OpenPhone) — Get 20% off of your first 6 months!
- Shopify — Sign up for a $1 per month trial!
About The Side Hustle Show
This is the entrepreneurship podcast you can actually apply!
The award-winning small business show covers the best side hustles and side hustle ideas. We share how to start a business and make money online and offline, including online business, side gigs, freelancing, marketing, sales funnels, investing, and much more.
Join 100,000+ listeners and get legit business ideas and passive income strategies straight to your earbuds. No BS, just actionable tips on how to start and grow your side hustle.
Hosted by Nick Loper of Side Hustle Nation.
29 January 2026, 10:00 am - 47 minutes 54 seconds720 - From $50k in Debt to Mortgage-Free Millionaire and a 3-Day Workweek
Owning your time is a goal we all share, and today's conversation is about giving you concrete steps you can take to reclaim some of that time.
Andy Hill went from $50,000 in debt to mortgage-free multi-millionaire and now works a three-day work week.
His new book is Own Your Time: 10 Financial Steps to Put Your Family First and Escape the Corporate Grind.
From MarriageKidsandMoney.com, Andy Hill shares how he built financial independence through Coast FIRE, side hustle income, and intentional life design.
Tune in to Episode 720 of the Side Hustle Show to learn:
- How Coast FIRE works in real life
- The exact financial sequence Andy used to go mortgage-free and reduce pressure before leaving corporate work
- How evergreen side-hustle income helped support a flexible 3-day workweek lifestyle
Full Show Notes: From $50k in Debt to Mortgage-Free Millionaire and a 3-Day Workweek
New to the Show? Get your personalized money-making playlist here!
Sponsors:
- Indeed – Start hiring NOW with a $75 sponsored job credit to upgrade your job post!
- Quo (formerly OpenPhone) — Get 20% off of your first 6 months!
- Shopify — Sign up for a $1 per month trial!
About The Side Hustle Show
This is the entrepreneurship podcast you can actually apply!
The award-winning small business show covers the best side hustles and side hustle ideas. We share how to start a business and make money online and offline, including online business, side gigs, freelancing, marketing, sales funnels, investing, and much more.
Join 100,000+ listeners and get legit business ideas and passive income strategies straight to your earbuds. No BS, just actionable tips on how to start and grow your side hustle.
Hosted by Nick Loper of Side Hustle Nation.
26 January 2026, 10:00 am - 43 minutes 49 seconds719: $1,000 per Postcard: The Every Door Direct Mail Side Hustle
What if you could turn every mailbox in your neighborhood into a $1,000 payday?
That’s exactly what Rachel and Dalton from Big Sky Automation have been doing with Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) postcards.
Here’s the idea: the Postal Service lets you deliver a postcard to every home on a mail route for about $0.25 apiece.
You can use that to advertise your own business — or you can do what Rachel and Dalton do and sell that exposure to other local businesses.
By stacking multiple advertisers onto a single oversized postcard, they spread out the cost, create an affordable local advertising product, and keep the difference as profit.
They’ve mailed 20 postcards in about seven months, so this isn’t a one-off experiment. In this episode, they break down exactly how the model works — and why it keeps businesses coming back.
(Want to learn how to do this in your own area? Check out their free mini course at CommunityCardPlaybook.com)
Tune in to Episode 719 of the Side Hustle Show to learn:
- how the Every Door Direct Mail side hustle works
- how to sell it to local businesses
- how to make it repeatable and scalable
Full Show Notes: $1,000 per Postcard: The Every Door Direct Mail Side Hustle
New to the Show? Get your personalized money-making playlist here!
Sponsors:
- Indeed – Start hiring NOW with a $75 sponsored job credit to upgrade your job post!
- Quo (formerly OpenPhone) — Get 20% off of your first 6 months!
- Shopify — Sign up for a $1 per month trial!
About The Side Hustle Show
This is the entrepreneurship podcast you can actually apply!
The award-winning small business show covers the best side hustles and side hustle ideas. We share how to start a business and make money online and offline, including online business, side gigs, freelancing, marketing, sales funnels, investing, and much more.
Join 100,000+ listeners and get legit business ideas and passive income strategies straight to your earbuds. No BS, just actionable tips on how to start and grow your side hustle.
Hosted by Nick Loper of Side Hustle Nation.
22 January 2026, 10:00 am - 46 minutes 9 seconds718: Does it Make Sense to Buy a Franchise as a Side Hustle?
This side hustle model has a lower failure rate than most independent startups. You get to follow a proven playbook for success. But is it the right path for you?
Today we're exploring the strategy of franchises as a side hustle, buying into somebody else's brand and system instead of starting completely from scratch.
Done right, today's guest says it can replace your income in 2 to 3 years on a part-time basis.
Greg Mohr is the author of Real Freedom, Why Franchises Are Worth Considering and How They Can Be Used for Building Wealth. He runs FranchiseMaven.com.
Tune in to Episode 718 of the Side Hustle Show to learn:
- how franchises can work as a semi-passive side hustle
- what industries offer the best opportunities
- the real costs and financing options
Full Show Notes: Does it Make Sense to Buy a Franchise as a Side Hustle?
New to the Show? Get your personalized money-making playlist here!
Sponsors:
- Indeed – Start hiring NOW with a $75 sponsored job credit to upgrade your job post!
- Quo (formerly OpenPhone) — Get 20% off of your first 6 months!
- Shopify — Sign up for a $1 per month trial!
About The Side Hustle Show
This is the entrepreneurship podcast you can actually apply!
The award-winning small business show covers the best side hustles and side hustle ideas. We share how to start a business and make money online and offline, including online business, side gigs, freelancing, marketing, sales funnels, investing, and much more.
Join 100,000+ listeners and get legit business ideas and passive income strategies straight to your earbuds. No BS, just actionable tips on how to start and grow your side hustle.
Hosted by Nick Loper of Side Hustle Nation.
15 January 2026, 10:00 am - 49 minutes 18 secondsWillpower 101: How to Strengthen This Critical Success Muscle (Greatest Hits)
Willpower predicts academic and professional success better than IQ, charisma, or having rich parents.
It’s not the only ingredient in our success recipe, but it’s a critical one — and one I certainly struggle with at times.
So how do we get more of it?
Derek Doepker of ExcuseProof.com is an expert when it comes to increasing willpower and strengthening this critical success muscle we all have.
He is the author of 7 bestselling books in personal development, a speaker, consultant, trainer, and specializes in helping individuals create permanent change and achieve mind, body, and business success in as little as 5 minutes a day.
In this episode, we walk through several powerful willpower strategies you can start with today.
Big thanks to my brother Chris for the inspiration for this one. Check out his excellent willpower article at BecomingBetter.org.
Full Show Notes: Willpower 101: How to Strengthen This Critical Success Muscle
New to the Show? Get your personalized money-making playlist here!
Sponsors:
- Indeed – Start hiring NOW with a $75 sponsored job credit to upgrade your job post!
- Quo (formerly OpenPhone) — Get 20% off of your first 6 months!
- Shopify — Sign up for a $1 per month trial!
About The Side Hustle Show
This is the entrepreneurship podcast you can actually apply!
The award-winning small business show covers the best side hustles and side hustle ideas. We share how to start a business and make money online and offline, including online business, side gigs, freelancing, marketing, sales funnels, investing, and much more.
Join 100,000+ listeners and get legit business ideas and passive income strategies straight to your earbuds. No BS, just actionable tips on how to start and grow your side hustle.
Hosted by Nick Loper of Side Hustle Nation.
12 January 2026, 10:00 am - 55 minutes 43 seconds717: How to Get ChatGPT to Recommend Your Business
Google's market share is shrinking, customer behavior is shifting, and as business owners, we've got to adapt.
The good news is people still need your help. It's just how they find you that's changing.
By the end of this episode, you're going to have a proven roadmap for how to get found in ChatGPT and other AI tools.
Return guest Tanya Van Gastel (Episode 700) from RankingonAI.com is back to pull back the curtain on how you can get ChatGPT to recommend your business.
Tune in to Episode 717 of the Side Hustle Show to learn:
- The three foundational things every business should do to improve AI visibility
- How to create content that actually gets cited
- The biggest content mistake people make
Full Show Notes: How to Get ChatGPT to Recommend Your Business
New to the Show? Get your personalized money-making playlist here!
Sponsors:
- Indeed – Start hiring NOW with a $75 sponsored job credit to upgrade your job post!
- Quo (formerly OpenPhone) — Get 20% off of your first 6 months!
- Shopify — Sign up for a $1 per month trial!
About The Side Hustle Show
This is the entrepreneurship podcast you can actually apply!
The award-winning small business show covers the best side hustles and side hustle ideas. We share how to start a business and make money online and offline, including online business, side gigs, freelancing, marketing, sales funnels, investing, and much more.
Join 100,000+ listeners and get legit business ideas and passive income strategies straight to your earbuds. No BS, just actionable tips on how to start and grow your side hustle.
Hosted by Nick Loper of Side Hustle Nation.
8 January 2026, 10:00 am - 46 minutes 45 seconds716: Your Best Year Yet: Goal Setting and Action Planning that Gets Results
The new year is upon us and with it comes a certain level of optimism and maybe even obligation to make some changes, set some meaningful goals, and aim for some big wins.
But it's no secret that most New Year's resolutions fail and a lot of goals lose steam after just a few weeks. To help make sure that doesn't happen to you, I've recruited my good friend and master goal planner Tom Sylvester to join us today.
He's a serial entrepreneur, real estate investor, author of the book Lifestyle Builders, and head business coach at 2x.co. Tom set a goal to retire by 35, later retired young, and now helps six and seven-figure business owners scale up without burning out.
Listen in to Episode 716 of the Side Hustle Show to learn:
- how to plan your year without burning out
- a GPS-style approach to goal setting
- how to turn big goals into daily actions
Full Show Notes: Your Best Year Yet: Goal Setting and Action Planning that Gets Results
New to the Show? Get your personalized money-making playlist here!
Sponsors:
- Indeed – Start hiring NOW with a $75 sponsored job credit to upgrade your job post!
- Quo (formerly OpenPhone) — Get 20% off of your first 6 months!
- Shopify — Sign up for a $1 per month trial!
About The Side Hustle Show
This is the entrepreneurship podcast you can actually apply!
The award-winning small business show covers the best side hustles and side hustle ideas. We share how to start a business and make money online and offline, including online business, side gigs, freelancing, marketing, sales funnels, investing, and much more.
Join 100,000+ listeners and get legit business ideas and passive income strategies straight to your earbuds. No BS, just actionable tips on how to start and grow your side hustle.
Hosted by Nick Loper of Side Hustle Nation.
1 January 2026, 10:00 am - 1 hour 1 minute715: The 10 Best Side Hustles of the Year
The end of the year is upon us, which means it's time to reflect back on the side hustles that stood out — the ones that got people talking, the ones I was most excited to share, the ones that made me think, "Dang, I need to drop what I'm doing and go try that."
Now the mark of a good episode, for me, is when I hang up the call thinking exactly that.
And I try to exercise some level of discipline because the shiny object syndrome is real, but when the shiny object shines for me, I know it's going to be a hit episode.
So I've selected my top 10 for the year, presented in chronological order. If you're new to the show, I've included episode numbers so you can check out the ones you're interested in.
And if you're a long-time listener, see if your favorites made the list.
(Here's the Spotify playlist to make it easy to add these to your device: Best Side Hustles of the Year 2025)
Full Show Notes: The 10 Best Side Hustles of the Year
New to the Show? Get your personalized money-making playlist here!
Sponsors:
- Indeed – Start hiring NOW with a $75 sponsored job credit to upgrade your job post!
- Quo (formerly OpenPhone) — Get 20% off of your first 6 months!
- Shopify — Sign up for a $1 per month trial!
About The Side Hustle Show
This is the entrepreneurship podcast you can actually apply!
The award-winning small business show covers the best side hustles and side hustle ideas. We share how to start a business and make money online and offline, including online business, side gigs, freelancing, marketing, sales funnels, investing, and much more.
Join 100,000+ listeners and get legit business ideas and passive income strategies straight to your earbuds. No BS, just actionable tips on how to start and grow your side hustle.
Hosted by Nick Loper of Side Hustle Nation.
29 December 2025, 10:00 am - 46 minutes 47 seconds714: My 2025 Progress Report: What Worked, What Didn’t, and What’s Next?
What's working, what's not, and where Side Hustle Nation is headed next?
I'm pulling back the curtain on my 2025 annual progress report, sharing insights from a year of podcasting, YouTube experiments, business challenges, and personal growth.
Tune in to Episode 714 of the Side Hustle Show to learn:
- what's working (and what's not) in podcast and YouTube monetization
- how AI is streamlining content production
- lessons from a year of health experiments and personal reading
Full Show Notes: My 2025 Progress Report: What Worked, What Didn’t, and What’s Next?
New to the Show? Get your personalized money-making playlist here!
Sponsors:
- Indeed – Start hiring NOW with a $75 sponsored job credit to upgrade your job post!
- Quo (formerly OpenPhone) — Get 20% off of your first 6 months!
- Shopify — Sign up for a $1 per month trial!
About The Side Hustle Show
This is the entrepreneurship podcast you can actually apply!
The award-winning small business show covers the best side hustles and side hustle ideas. We share how to start a business and make money online and offline, including online business, side gigs, freelancing, marketing, sales funnels, investing, and much more.
Join 100,000+ listeners and get legit business ideas and passive income strategies straight to your earbuds. No BS, just actionable tips on how to start and grow your side hustle.
Hosted by Nick Loper of Side Hustle Nation.
25 December 2025, 10:00 am - 56 minutes 16 seconds713: I Made $50k Flipping Lawnmowers and Graduated Debt-Free
What if you could make $900 in a single day buying and reselling lawnmowers?
Dave Wilson, also known as @MoneyCoachDave, made over $50,000 flipping lawnmowers while in college. The side hustle helped him graduate debt-free and taught him valuable skills in buying, fixing, and reselling equipment.
It's a buy low, sell high model that works whether you're flipping lawnmowers, cars, or other equipment. And it's a skill that can recession-proof your income.
Listen to Episode 713 of the Side Hustle Show to learn:
- how to source underpriced lawnmowers (including the best-kept secret)
- what to look for when buying (and what to avoid)
- how to fix common issues and flip them fast
Full Show Notes: I Made $50k Flipping Lawnmowers and Graduated Debt-Free
New to the Show? Get your personalized money-making playlist here!
Sponsors:
- Indeed – Start hiring NOW with a $75 sponsored job credit to upgrade your job post!
- Quo (formerly OpenPhone) — Get 20% off of your first 6 months!
- Shopify — Sign up for a $1 per month trial!
About The Side Hustle Show
This is the entrepreneurship podcast you can actually apply!
The award-winning small business show covers the best side hustles and side hustle ideas. We share how to start a business and make money online and offline, including online business, side gigs, freelancing, marketing, sales funnels, investing, and much more.
Join 100,000+ listeners and get legit business ideas and passive income strategies straight to your earbuds. No BS, just actionable tips on how to start and grow your side hustle.
Hosted by Nick Loper of Side Hustle Nation.
18 December 2025, 10:00 am - 39 minutes 31 seconds712: How to Unlock New Side Hustle Ideas with AI
What if you could get personalized side hustle ideas that actually fit your life instead of scrolling through another generic listicle?
That's exactly what we're tackling in this special crossover episode with Allison Baggerly from the Inspired Budget Podcast.
After 650+ interviews on the Side Hustle Show, I noticed something interesting: almost nobody finds their winning side hustle idea by Googling "ways to make extra money" and picking number 17 from some random blog post.
The ideas that stick are the ones that connect your skills, interests, and available time with real problems people will pay you to solve.
So I created a free ChatGPT prompt generator that asks you the right questions and spits out personalized side hustle ideas tailored specifically to you.
And Allison volunteered to be our test pilot.
Tune in to Episode 712 of the Side Hustle Show to learn:
- how to use AI to brainstorm side hustle ideas that actually match your skills, schedule, and income goals
- the three levels of side hustles and how to choose the right one for your income goals
- how to move beyond generic lists and find ideas people will actually pay for
Full Show Notes: How to Unlock New Side Hustle Ideas with AI
New to the Show? Get your personalized money-making playlist here!
Sponsors:
- Indeed – Start hiring NOW with a $75 sponsored job credit to upgrade your job post!
- Quo (formerly OpenPhone) — Get 20% off of your first 6 months!
- Shopify — Sign up for a $1 per month trial!
About The Side Hustle Show
This is the entrepreneurship podcast you can actually apply!
The award-winning small business show covers the best side hustles and side hustle ideas. We share how to start a business and make money online and offline, including online business, side gigs, freelancing, marketing, sales funnels, investing, and much more.
Join 100,000+ listeners and get legit business ideas and passive income strategies straight to your earbuds. No BS, just actionable tips on how to start and grow your side hustle.
Hosted by Nick Loper of Side Hustle Nation.
15 December 2025, 10:00 am - More Episodes? Get the App