The Side Hustle Show 702: I Turned My Disney-Inspired Running Skirts into a Profitable Side Hustle and a $120,000 Exit
Oct 16, 2025
Samantha Hamilton, founder of Dottie for Running, turned a homemade Disney-inspired tutu into a thriving running skirt business, ultimately selling it for $120,000. She shares how she navigated production challenges, built a loyal community through social media and ambassadorship, and effectively managed demand spikes. Samantha discusses the transition from Etsy to Shopify for scalability and her crucial decision to sell for family reasons. Her advice? Start small and believe in your vision!
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Leverage Giveaways And Ask Customers
- Use social giveaways and encourage sharing to grow followers and convert that attention into sales.
- Ask customers where they heard about you to focus marketing on the best channels.
Price To Match Market Perception First
- Early pricing focused on covering costs and staying under a psychological price point to attract buyers.
- Raising prices later matched rising material costs and hidden overhead while preserving perceived value.
Scale Fulfillment Gradually
- Start fulfillment at home but migrate to family or partners as volume grows to maintain service without full-time staff.
- Clearly define the volume you can handle and adjust operations or offering accordingly.