Side Hustle to Small Business

How D.R. Fay found entrepreneurial success later in life

D.R. Fay is the Founder of Mouthy Broad Media, a podcast production company that specializes in editing, graphic design and strategy. Beginning her career as a musician, D.R. travelled Asia for close to a decade before coming home to the States and transitioning into corporate roles. When she was 62, while those around her were retiring, D.R. ventured into entrepreneurship and hasn’t looked back.

 

- Chapters -

00:00 - Introduction

06:59 - First entrepreneurial venture later in life

09:37 - Overcoming nerves

11:29 - Managing stress & health problems

21:00 - Advice for other entrepreneurs

23:21 - Closing and contact

 

Turning a pandemic passion project into a full-time business

Paige Stuart had been renting a storage locker for eleven years when she decided it was time to sort through and organize her belongings. This experience left her feeling so inspired that she founded Neat Organizing. Neat Organizing specializes in decluttering spaces, providing unpacking assistance for those who have recently moved, transforming rooms into more functional and pleasing areas, and more. 

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[00:01:42] How Unpacking a Storage Unit Catalyzed a Business

[00:03:20] Learning Curve of Entrepreneurship

[00:05:32] Finding Clients: Social Media, Networking, Referrals

[00:07:06] Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

[00:09:32] Handling Client Emotions

[00:10:38] Six Weeks On, Six Days Off

[00:12:40] Building Her Team

[00:13:46] Finding Time for Sun and Socializing

[00:15:16] Managing Accounting, Bills, and Expenses

[00:17:10] Hindsight Advice? Delegate More.

[00:18:50] Paige’s Repeat Clients

[00:20:58] Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

[00:21:30] Connect with Paige

Nick Courtright's shift from academia to entrepreneurship

Nick Courtright envisioned a life for himself in academia. However, after losing out on a teaching position in 2018, he was forced to dive deeper into his side hustle, book publishing. From this, Nick founded Atmosphere Press, an author-forward publishing company that has published over 1200 books. Now, Nick says losing out on that position in 2018 was the best thing that could have happened to him.

Launching a new business in the midst of a maternity leave

When Dominique Elkind became a mother, she noticed a lack of third spaces available to parents of very young children. While on her second maternity leave, Dominique decided to take on a entrepreneurial venture vastly different from her career as a UX Designer, by founding Nixi City, a play centre for children aged 0-5. Not only is Nixi City a space for children, but includes a cafe for parents to meet and connect.

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[00:01:35] Dominique’s Design Background

[00:02:25] Side Hustling During Maternity Leave

[00:03:30] Entrepreneurial Experience at Google

[00:06:25] Founding Nixi City, a Children’s Play Space

[00:08:35] Identifying a Market Gap

[00:11:15] Scaling and Franchising

[00:12:37] Balancing Work and Family

[00:14:05] Setting Boundaries 

[00:17:25] Sleep and Wellness

[00:19:48] Challenges of a Physical Space 

[00:22:55] Finding Product/Market Fit

[00:24:35] Selecting Real Estate for Nixi City

[00:26:33] Dominique’s Advice: Find a Community of Potential Customers

[00:27:36] Utilizing Design Skills

[00:29:31] Connect with Dominque

How David Gaz is the "Nice Guy" in business

David Gaz has always wanted to be a nice guy. As a partner at his previous branding firm, where his client base included many Fortune 500 companies, he quickly realized that he still wanted to provide branding services, but for organizations that he saw as doing good in the world. It was at that point that he started The Bureau of Small Projects, a branding company that provides services to entrepreneurs, non-profits, and small companies.

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[00:01:34] Meet David Gaz

[00:03:06] Kindness is Contagious

[00:04:46] The Bureau of Small Projects

[00:06:31] David’s Ice Cream Truck Venture

[00:10:23] Navigating a Non-Compete Contract

[00:15:51] Partnerships Vs. Solo Decision Makers

[00:17:36] Embrace the Stress

[00:20:20] Losing One Million Dollars

[00:24:33] Following a Path vs Chasing a Goal

[00:30:26] What would David re-do?

[00:33:53] David’s Advice: Just start

[00:35:13] Connect with David

How Joe Koufman built a career as a business matchmaker

It’s no wonder Joe Koufman sees himself as a matchmaker; three couples have gotten married after being introduced by Joe. In 2014, Joe realized that matchmaking is not only for couples, but can be used in the business world as well. Within 19 days of leaving his last job, Joe landed his first client for what would become Setup, an organization that matches marketing agencies to established brands. 

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[00:01:27] Joe Koufman’s Background

[00:03:47] How a Sales Background Influenced Joe

[00:06:01] A Family of Entrepreneurs

[00:07:51] A History of Matchmaking

[00:09:20] Turning Matchmaking Into a Business

[00:11:50] Early Days of Setup and First Customers

[00:14:35] Setup’s Revenue Model

[00:15:42] Pursuing Hobbies

[00:18:19] Setting Email Boundaries

[00:19:57] 50 Pull-Ups Each Morning

[00:21:35] Sleep Struggles

[00:22:56] Setup’s Growth and Team Structure 

[00:25:29] Writing a Book 

[00:30:00] Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs 

[00:32:19] Connect with Joe

Climbing the steep entrepreneurial mountain

COVID-19 was a turning point in many peoples lives, including Kate Jacoutot’s. After working as a marketing freelancer for various companies, Kate noticed that she was making more money and had more control over her schedule than working a traditional 9 to 5. However, to learn more, she worked at a few different marketing agencies until deciding to launch ModusMark, a brand and messaging consultancy in April 2020, in the midst of the pandemic.

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[00:01:33] Kate Jacoutot’s Background

[00:02:46] Stumbling Into Freelance Work

[00:06:33] Decision to Start Modus Mark in 2020

[00:09:26] Overcoming Fears and Discovering Her Worth

[00:11:00] Kate’s Entrepreneurial Support System

[00:13:07] Managing Stress While Starting a Business

[00:14:43] Prioritizing Date Nights

[00:16:44] Kate's Daily Routine

[00:18:48] ModusMark’s Growth: Team and Technology

[00:21:00] Growing From Mistakes

[00:23:30] Advice For Prospective Entrepreneurs

[00:25:48] Finding A Niche: Cybersecurity

[00:27:30] Connect with Kate

How Justus Hillebrand accidentally became an entrepreneur

Justus Hillebrand never planned on becoming an entrepreneur. After graduating from a Ph.D. program, he had wanted to become a history professor. However, after becoming a research assistant, Justus found himself doing contract work for large-scale clients such as the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. After falling in love with the work, in 2022, he decided to incorporate his business, Digital History Consulting Inc. 

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[00:01:16] Justus Hillebrand's Background

[00:05:07] Early Entrepreneurial Experiences

[00:07:24] Transition to Entrepreneurship

[00:11:31] Balancing Work and Family Life

[00:14:01] Managing Workspaces and Time

[00:16:12] Reflections on Entrepreneurship

[00:19:33] Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

[00:22:59] Connect with Justus

Embracing grief and vulnerability in entrepreneurship

When Kera Sanchez’s mother passed away in 2022, she felt that there was much left unsaid and grieved the conversations her and her mother would never get to have. After jotting down some topics she felt she will miss out on, Kera decided to build and publish a journal specifically for those grieving, the Letters Legacy Journal. In February, Kera also published the first edition of her magazine, Get Griefy Magazine.

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[00:00:00] Introduction

[00:01:13] Kera's Background

[00:05:22] Entrepreneurial Beginnings

[00:06:25] Teaching and Entrepreneurship

[00:08:05] Publishing Journey

[00:09:27] Overcoming Nerves

[00:11:02] Balancing Teaching and Business

[00:14:24] Handling the Weight of Grief

[00:16:00] Learning and Support Systems

[00:18:04] Authenticity in Business

[00:20:28] Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

[00:21:47] Connect with Kera

[00:22:29] Closing Remarks

 

Becoming an entrepreneur to improve your work-life balance

After the birth of her first daughter, as well as the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Nivia Lopez knew that she didn’t want to go back to her in-person 9 to 5. After trying a few different gigs, such as dropshipping and virtual assisting, Nivia realized her passion lies in digital marketing. Now, Nivia has grown a company where she has the freedom to work remotely and have a healthy work-life balance.