Side Hustle to Small Business

Sleeping on success: How affiliate links built a business

Derek Hales was working in marketing and SEO when he and his wife set out to buy a new mattress. Frustrated by how hard it was to choose the right one, he launched a side project comparing mattresses. What began as a hobby quickly grew into NapLab, a mattress-review company that uses scientific data to break down mattress performance and help people make smarter buying decisions.

 

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and background

6:43 Overcoming nerves

7:52 Revenue from review sites

13:11 Building the testing model

14:58 Hiring practices and scaling

19:26 Work-life balance

24:17 Helpful technology and apps

27:45 Reflecting on the business

31:58 Advice for other entrepreneurs

32:56 Closing and contact

 

Learn more about Derek Hales and NapLab: https://naplab.com

Building and scaling an app: Advice from the WineLikes founder

Jeff Gillis, founder of WineLikes, turned his lifelong passion for wine into a tech startup designed to change how people discover their next bottle. After years in the hospitality industry, Jeff realized the demanding lifestyle no longer fit the parent he wanted to be. Inspired to build something different, he created WineLikes, a social app that connects wine lovers, makes recommendations easier, and helps people enjoy wine without the overwhelm. In this episode, Jeff shares how he built the app, the role of technology in modern wine culture, and how he balances entrepreneurship with family life.

 

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and background

5:12 Building the app

9:50 Balancing life and work

15:46 Running social media for the company

17:17 Technology and apps

24:00 Advice for others in the industry

25:29 Advice for other entrepreneurs

28:21 Closing and contact

Marketing made simple for contractors and landscapers

Josh Blakeley began his career in teaching before moving from Australia to the United States. After coming across an ad for a digital marketing course, his curiosity got the better of him and he decided to enrol. That decision set him on a new path. Today, Josh is the founder of Landscape & Hardscape Contractor Marketing, a firm dedicated to helping contractors and landscapers grow their businesses.

 

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and background

9:56 Choosing a niche

12:33 Pitching yourself to clients

14:47 Josh’s book

19:17 Balancing life and work

26:38 Reflecting on the business

28:10 Advice for other entrepreneurs

29:15 Closing and contact

From pitching products to building a personal brand

Merit Khan has been an entrepreneur for as long as she can remember. Her first taste of business came as a young girl selling greeting cards door-to-door, an early lesson in the power of connecting with people. Over the years, that spark grew into a full-fledged career built on her ability to engage, inspire, and persuade. Today, Merit is not only a successful entrepreneur but also a sought-after keynote speaker, accomplished sales trainer, and stand-up comedian. 

 

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

14:34 Starting the business

16:16 Overcoming nerves

27:09 Health and Wellness

30:25 Reflecting on the business

31:59 Closing and contact

How to run payroll like a pro

Payroll is one of the trickiest parts of running a business, but for Christina Hageny, it became her calling. She first discovered payroll while working as an administrative assistant, and despite encouragement to move into HR, she stuck with it. In 2020, Christina launched her own firm, Valor Payroll Solutions, and today she helps small businesses handle payroll with ease and confidence.

 

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and background

11:19 Payroll across different industries

13:31 Scaling the business 

17:58 Bootstrapping the business

20:34 Balancing work and life

25:32 Reflecting on the business

29:39 Advice for other entrepreneurs 

30:39 Closing and contact

How Farmer Nick grew a viral business

Garden guru Nick Cutsumpas, better known as Farmer Nick, is a Michigan-based plant coach, urban gardener, and landscape designer. He talks about how his mom encouraged him to start a garden, sparking a deep love for greenery that quickly blossomed into a full-time career and an impressive social media following. He hosts several Netflix shows and has been featured on the Food Network.

 

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and background

5:27 Overcoming nerves

8:15 Creating Farmer Nick

14:33 Managing a large business

19:49 Cause-based marketing

21:38 Building a National business

26:47 Reflecting on the business

29:18 Advice for other entrepreneurs

29:56 Closing and contact

How the right bookkeeper can boost your growth

Matt Remuzzi entered the accounting industry twenty-five years ago when he founded CapForge. What began as a solo venture launched from a spare bedroom in his home has since evolved into a thriving business. Today, CapForge employs a team of over 90 people who help more than a thousand clients grow their businesses and meet their obligations with professional bookkeeping support.

 

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and background

13:30 Overcoming nerves

17:34 Maintaining quality while scaling

20:03 Pricing

23:27 Work-life balance

29:39 Reflecting on the business

31:48 Advice for other entrepreneurs

34:05 Closing and contact

Saving the shore, one product at a time

Cat Lepetit has always had a deep love for the beach. After spending 20 years in the cosmetics industry, she felt it was time for a new chapter. That’s when the idea for Sun Drunk was born, a beach goods company focused on simplicity, peace of mind, and sustainability. With a mission to help protect our oceans and keep beaches clean, Sun Drunk is all about making it easier to enjoy the coast while caring for it too.

 

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and background

7:48 Overcoming nerves

11:23 Designing the products

16:23 Building a customer base

19:56 Giving back

22:25 Overcoming stress

25:32 Looking back

28:02 Advice for other entrepreneurs 

29:57 Closing and contact

How Cause of a Kind was built by opportunity

Justin Abrams is a lifelong salesman, with a career in the industry spanning over a decade. However, when Justin and his friend Michael tried to pivot into the tech startup space, they found they were facing challenges getting into market. It was at that point that the two were asked to design a web application. This opportunity turned into what would become Cause of a Kind, a successful web development company.

 

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

8:22 Overcoming nerves

11:25 Building the business

14:52 Using AI

19:23 Balancing life and work

26:26 Advice for other entrepreneurs

30:23 Closing and contact

Turning a decades-long hustle into a full-time business

Nikky Wainwright has been reselling anything since she was in college - books, clothing, shoes, you name it. However in 2020, in the midst of the pandemic, she noticed that while some businesses were suffering, reselling was going strong. It was at this point that she went all in on Diva’s Treasure Closet, a a luxury, designer, and vintage e-commerce business. Starting out online, Nikky has now opened her own boutique in Atlanta. 

 

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and background

6:46 Choosing your inventory

10:38 Social media strategy

15:50 Balancing life and work

20:24 Growing the business

22:53 Reflecting on the business

25:19 Advice for other entrepreneurs

27:42 Closing and contact