Side Hustle Pro

Some of you might not know that I was an MBA intern for a summer at Google when I was working towards my business degree at the University of Michigan. And usually, the summer before your second year in business school is when most people receive job offers from their temporary employer to come back after graduation and work full-time. But, plot twist, I didn’t receive an offer. That rejection, eventually, led me on the path to side hustling. I side hustled for over a year and a half until I was able to quit my full-time job, and pursue Side Hustle Pro full time. In this episode, I get honest about how I went from rejection to running my own six-figure business. Let’s rewind the tape! Listen to this episode and others on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Soundcloud, and Stitcher.   This episode is brought to you by: Skillshare Get 2 free months of Premium Membership at skillshare.com/sidehustlepro.  Gusto Gusto offers modern, easy payroll, benefits, and HR to small businesses across the country. Sign up and give it a try at gusto.com/shp. Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): http://sidehustlepro.libsyn.com/rss Announcements Join our Facebook Community If you’re looking for a community of supportive side hustlers who are all working to take our businesses to the next level, join us here: http://sidehustlepro.co/facebook Send questions to “Ask Nicaila” You can now send questions for the new “Ask Nicaila” segment that’s coming to Side Hustle Pro. Once I get a critical mass of questions, I can start rolling out this segment. Just email hi@sidehustlepro.co and put hashtag #AskNicaila in the subject.  Social Media Info Side Hustle Pro – @sidehustlepro #SideHustlePro Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my entrepreneurship journey, it’s that “no one is going to ride harder for you than you will for yourself.” That’s a fact. In this episode, I’m giving you the real on Side Hustle Pro becoming an LLC after months of side hustling and landing my first podcast sponsor. We’ll also take an inside look into my business process for goal setting and accomplishing tasks, step-by-step. Get your pen and paper ready because you’re going to want to take notes! Click here to grab your 12-Week Goal Getter Worksheet (as I mentioned in this episode). Listen to this episode and others on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Soundcloud, and Stitcher.     This episode is brought to you by: Gusto Gusto offers modern, easy payroll, benefits, and HR to small businesses across the country. Sign up and give it a try at gusto.com/shp. Acuity For a limited time only, you can get 45 days of Acuity Scheduling absolutely free - no credit card required - by going to acuityscheduling.com/hustlepro.   Links mentioned in this episode Courtney Sanders Side Hustle Pro episode Goal Getter Action Plan MASTER THE GRAM  Maya Elious  Side Hustle Pro Episode 42  Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): http://sidehustlepro.libsyn.com/rss Announcements Join our Facebook Community If you’re looking for a community of supportive side hustlers who are all working to take our businesses to the next level, join us here: http://sidehustlepro.co/facebook Send questions to “Ask Nicaila” You can now send questions for the new “Ask Nicaila” segment that’s coming to Side Hustle Pro. Once I get a critical mass of questions, I can start rolling out this segment. Just email hi@sidehustlepro.co and put hashtag #AskNicaila in the subject.  Guest Social Media Info Side Hustle Pro – @sidehustlepro #SideHustlePro Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s May! And that means it’s time for a rewind. Every week this month, I’m resharing an episode that gives you a behind-the-scenes look at how I turned my side hustle into my main hustle. In this first episode, I talk about how when I started my side hustle, I didn’t read business plan books or follow a business plan template. I just started. Shocking, I know! I share the six steps you can take, now, to start building your business as a side hustle. Let’s jump in! Click here to grab your recap (as I mentioned in this episode). Listen to this episode and others on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Soundcloud, and Stitcher.   This episode is brought to you by: Skillshare Get 2 free months of Premium Membership at skillshare.com/sidehustlepro.  Gusto Gusto offers modern, easy payroll, benefits, and HR to small businesses across the country. Sign up and give it a try at gusto.com/shp. Causebox  Go to causebox.com/hustlepro and use the code HUSTLEPRO to get your first box for 30% off. Links mentioned in this episode SideHustlePro.co PodcastMoguls.com Maya Elious's Side Hustle Pro episode  Emmelie de la Cruz’s Side Hustle Pro episode Catherine Soliz Reys Side Hustle Pro episode  Courtney Sanders’s Side Hustle Pro episode  USTPO.gov (United States Patent and Trademark Office) Canva    99 Designs  Upwork   Fiverr Wordpress   SquareSpace  Skillshare BuiltWith  WordPress Theme Detector   Amy Poterfield  ConvertKit Art Steele’s Side Hustle Pro podcast   InkSecure Podcast      Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): http://sidehustlepro.libsyn.com/rss Announcements If you’re looking for a community of supportive side hustlers who are all working to take our businesses to the next level, join us here: http://sidehustlepro.co/facebook You can now send questions for the new “Ask Nicaila” segment that’s coming to Side Hustle Pro. Once I get a critical mass of questions, I can start rolling out this segment. Just email hi@sidehustlepro.co and put hashtag #AskNicaila in the subject.  Social Media Info Side Hustle Pro – @sidehustlepro #SideHustlePro Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Imagine being neighbors with the same person in multiple cities for the majority of your life. Well, that’s the story of the women behind Neighborly Paper—Robin Beck and Carmelle Kendall. Neighborly Paper is a paper goods brand dedicated to, in the founders’ own words, serving all the realness for all the occasions. Carmelle is an art director, illustrator, and filmmaker. She now resides in Atlanta where she’s working as an art director and growing the Neighborly business. And Robin is the writer behind Neighborly Paper cards. In the daytime, she creates content for Salesforce and at night, it’s all about Neighborly. These ladies took their experience in the workplace and used it to create a business together that is successful and thriving. Take a listen to how these lifelong friends became business partners, and are taking over the greeting card business in such a #BlackGirlMagic way! Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Soundcloud, and Stitcher.  This episode is brought to you by: ACUITY For a limited time, only, you can get 45 days of Acuity Scheduling free by going to acuityscheduling.com/hustlepro. No credit card required.  Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): http://sidehustlepro.libsyn.com/rss Announcements Join our Facebook Community If you’re looking for a community of supportive side hustlers who are all working to take our businesses to the next level, join us here: http://sidehustlepro.co/facebook Send questions to “Ask Nicaila” You can now send questions for the new “Ask Nicaila” segment that’s coming to Side Hustle Pro. Once I get a critical mass of questions, I can start rolling out this segment. Just email hi@sidehustlepro.co and put hashtag #AskNicaila in the subject.  Social Media Info Neighborly Paper (Instagram) – @neighborlypaper Neighborly Paper (Facebook) – @neighborlypaper Neighborly Paper (Twitter) – @neighborlypaper Side Hustle Pro – @sidehustlepro #SideHustlePro Did you like this episode? If you did give it a 5 star rating and share it with your friends. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today in the Side Hustle Pro guest chair, we welcome Monique Greenwood, owner and CEO (Chief Enjoyment Officer) of Akwaaba Bed & Breakfast Inns, a collection of upscale B&Bs in Brooklyn, NY; Washington, DC; Cape May, NJ; Philadelphia, PA and a boutique resort in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains.  After graduating from Howard University, Greenwood became a fashion journalist, eventually becoming an intrapreneur while working for Women’s Wear Daily by launching her own magazine about children’s fashion. And after a six-year stretch at Essence, leading her to Editor-in-Chief, Monique took on her side hustle, Akwaaba Bed & Breakfast Inns, and made it her main source of income. After 25 years, she’s expanded, now, with five locations, and hasn’t looked back since. In addition to talking about her journey to being a successful entrepreneur, we also talk about her journey from experiencing early professional success in magazine publishing and overcoming difficult moments like opening a Bed & Breakfast property in New Orleans right before Hurricane Katrina hit, how she’s tackling the COVID-19 crisis of 2020, and more. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Soundcloud, and Stitcher.  This episode is brought to you by: CAUSEBOX Go to causebox.com/hustlepro and use the code HUSTLEPRO to get your first box for 30% off. Links Mentioned In This Episode Shop Akwaaba Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program “The E Myth” Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): http://sidehustlepro.libsyn.com/rss Announcements Join our Facebook Community If you’re looking for a community of supportive side hustlers who are all working to take our businesses to the next level, join us here: http://sidehustlepro.co/facebook Send questions to “Ask Nicaila” You can now send questions for the new “Ask Nicaila” segment that’s coming to Side Hustle Pro. Once I get a critical mass of questions, I can start rolling out this segment. Just email hi@sidehustlepro.co and put hashtag #AskNicaila in the subject.  Social Media Info Akwaaba Bed & Breakfast Inns (Instagram) – @akwaabainns Akwaaba Bed & Breakfast Inns (Facebook) – @akwaabainns Monique Greenwood (Twitter) – @moniqueakwaaba Side Hustle Pro – @sidehustlepro #SideHustlePro Did you like this episode? If you did give it a 5 star rating and share it with your friends. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today in the Side Hustle Pro guest chair is Dionna M. Dorsey, a gifted designer and brand development strategist and the creator of apparel line DISTRICT of CLOTHING.  After graduating from Villanova University in 2002, Dionna moved to Italy to study fashion design and pursue a job in the fashion industry.  She ended up relocating to New York City and designed outerwear for Oscar de la Renta and men's apparel for several other licenses. After rocky times hit the retail industry, she was eventually laid off from her job. She applied for job after job, but no one would hire her, so she made a decision to hire herself.  She went on to open Dionna Dorsey Design, a design boutique that specializes in being creative – from graphic design to art direction, brand strategy, and website development. Then, she launched DISTRICT of CLOTHING, a signature apparel line developed with the conventional and avant-garde dreamers and doers in mind. The rest is HERstory. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Soundcloud, and Stitcher.   This episode is brought to you by: Acuity For a limited time only, you can get 45 days of Acuity Scheduling absolutely free - no credit card required - by going to acuityscheduling.com/hustlepro.  Skillshare Get 2 free months of Premium Membership at skillshare.com/sidehustlepro  Links mentioned in this episode DionnaDorsey.com DISTRICTofCLOTHING.com Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of NIKE Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): http://sidehustlepro.libsyn.com/rss Announcements Join our Facebook Community If you’re looking for a community of supportive side hustlers who are all working to take our businesses to the next level, join us here: http://sidehustlepro.co/facebook Send questions to “Ask Nicaila” You can now send questions for the new “Ask Nicaila” segment that’s coming to Side Hustle Pro. Once I get a critical mass of questions, I can start rolling out this segment. Just email hi@sidehustlepro.co and put hashtag #AskNicaila in the subject.  Social Media Info Dionna Dorsey (Instagram) - @dionnadorsey  Dionna Dorsey (Twitter) - @dionnadorsey DISTRICT of CLOTHING (Instagram) - @districtofclothing DISTRICT of CLOTHING (Facebook) - @districtofclothingco Side Hustle Pro – @sidehustlepro #SideHustlePro Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today in the Side Hustle Pro guest chair we welcome Lorraine West, the Founder of Lorraine West Jewelry. Lorraine developed an affinity for creating and donning unique jewelry at a young age and says she’s been an artist since she was in the 1st grade. Her mother's love for ornate pieces was the inspiration for her to delve into jewelry design while studying Illustration at the Fashion Institute of Technology. After teaching herself how to manipulate various metals into beautiful original jewelry pieces, and with the increasing demand from family and friends to create custom designs, Lorraine West Jewelry was conceived. Understanding that she needed a steady income to support herself as she grew her business, she worked for 4 years as a full-time employee then another 6 years freelancing as an illustrator, as an assistant fashion and prop stylist on video shoots and through other part time gigs besides selling her own work on the side. She became a full-time entrepreneur in 2010. Lorraine met Erykah Badu, early in her career, who attended the same poetry event as her. Lorraine’s work spoke for itself and she was commissioned to make pieces for Erykah Badu, Andre 3000, Common, among many other artists.   As a full-time entrepreneur, Lorraine started bringing in consistent income by selling her jewelry at the Brooklyn Flea from 2010-2014, launched her brand e-commerce website in 2015, launched the custom fine jewelry division in 2011 which grew the business exponentially since. In episode 195 of Side Hustle Pro, Lorraine shares: What led her to start selling her jewelry How she came to design custom pieces for artists like Erykah Badu, Common, and more How she side hustled before she could work on her jewelry business full-time Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Soundcloud, and Stitcher & sidehustlepro.co/lorrainewestjewelry This episode is brought to you by: Causebox  Go to causebox.com/hustlepro and use the code HUSTLEPRO to get your first box for 30% off Blinkist  Go to blinkist.com/hustlepro to try it FREE for 7 days AND save 25% off your new subscription.  Links mentioned in this episode Lorraine West Jewelry Multiply Your Profits - Flourish & Thrive Academy Everything is Figureoutable: How One Simple Belief Can Help Us Overcome Any Obstacle and Create Unstoppable Success   Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): http://sidehustlepro.libsyn.com/rss Announcements Join our Facebook Community If you’re looking for a community of supportive side hustlers who are all working to take our businesses to the next level, join us here: http://sidehustlepro.co/facebook   Send questions to “Ask Nicaila” You can now send questions for the new “Ask Nicaila” segment that’s coming to Side Hustle Pro. Once I get a critical mass of questions, I can start rolling out this segment. Just email hi@sidehustlepro.co and put hashtag #AskNicaila in the subject.  Social Media Info Lorraine West Jewelry (Instagram) - @lorrainewestjewelry  Side Hustle Pro – @sidehustlepro #SideHustlePro Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today in the Side Hustle Pro guest chair, we welcome Petrushka Bazin Larsen, the Co-Founder of Sugar Hill Creamery in Harlem, NY. Sugar Hill Creamery is Harlem's only family-owned neighborhood ice cream shop.  Petrushka’s Co-Founder is her husband, Nicholas, and prior to opening the shop, she worked as Vice President for Programs & Education at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum and Program Director at the Laundromat Project. Even with her successful career, she had dreams of being an entrepreneur that started when she was in the 3rd grade and those dreams remained with her as she got older.  The opportunity for entrepreneurship eventually presented itself when her husband unexpectedly lost his job in the culinary industry. They began thinking about how to develop a business based on foods they love, and it was an experience at a pop-up ice cream shop while on a trip in Washington, DC, that sparked the idea to open an ice shop in Harlem. Petrushka and her husband went all in and found a location, secured a loan, got permits, and opened Sugar Hill Creamery in only 10 months!  Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Soundcloud, Stitcher,  This episode is brought to you by: Skillshare Get 2 free months of Premium Membership at skillshare.com/sidehustlepro  Links mentioned in this episode Sugar Hill Creamery  Gusto  Your Money or Your Life  Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): http://sidehustlepro.libsyn.com/rss Announcements Join our Facebook Community If you’re looking for a community of supportive side hustlers who are all working to take our businesses to the next level, join us here: http://sidehustlepro.co/facebook Send questions to “Ask Nicaila” You can now send questions for the new “Ask Nicaila” segment that’s coming to Side Hustle Pro. Once I get a critical mass of questions, I can start rolling out this segment. Just email hi@sidehustlepro.co and put hashtag #AskNicaila in the subject.  Social Media Info Sugar Hill Creamery (Instagram) - @sugarhillicecream  Sugar Hill Creamery (Facebook) - @sugarhillicecream Sugar Hill Creamery (Twitter) - @sugarhillcream Side Hustle Pro – @sidehustlepro #SideHustlePro Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today in the guest chair we welcome Kesha Watkins, a true side hustler! Although she has a successful 13-year career in the Human Resource profession, she is also passionate about entrepreneurship and being her own boss. Her latest venture, BPolished Beauty Supply offers an array of hair care needs and provides an unparalleled level of beauty experience to customers in Arlington, TX and online. Kesha’s hope in opening BPolished Beauty Supply is to provide representation as an African American Owner in the beauty supply industry and promote entrepreneurship to other women.  Prior to opening, Kesha didn’t have any experience in beauty retail, so she decided to work at Sally’s Beauty Supply to learn the ins and out of running a store. She knew she was heading in the right direction because she loved the in-store experience, especially interacting with customers. Only a few months later, she was able to leverage her learnings and open a store that her community loves.  Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Soundcloud, Stitcher,  This episode is brought to you by: FreshBooks Try FreshBooks FREE for 30 days. Go to freshbooks.com/sidehustlepro and enter SIDE HUSTLE PRO in the how did you hear about us section to get started.  Links mentioned in this episode BPolished Beauty Supply Black Business Owners Network Profit First: A Simple System To Transform Any Business From A Cash-Eating Monster To A Money-Making Machine Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): http://sidehustlepro.libsyn.com/rss Announcements Join our Facebook Community If you’re looking for a community of supportive side hustlers who are all working to take our businesses to the next level, join us here: http://sidehustlepro.co/facebook Send questions to “Ask Nicaila” You can now send questions for the new “Ask Nicaila” segment that’s coming to Side Hustle Pro. Once I get a critical mass of questions, I can start rolling out this segment. Just email hi@sidehustlepro.co and put hashtag #AskNicaila in the subject.  Social Media Info BPolished Beauty Supply (Instagram) - @bpolishedbeautysupply  BPolished Beauty Supply (Facebook) - @BPolishedBeautySupply Kesha Watkins (Instagram) - @bpolished_ceo Side Hustle Pro – @sidehustlepro #SideHustlePro Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today in the guest chair we welcome Kyara Uqdah, the Co-Founder of Charm City Buyers. Her Co-Founder is also her husband, Khalil Uqdah and they started investing in real estate only one year after graduating college.   They had an idea that they wanted to build their own empire, so they developed a plan to do it! They’ve gone from that first investment in a property in a depressed neighborhood in  Connecticut to investing in over 20 properties in Baltimore. They are literally buying the block. Almost eight years later they have been able to officially retire from their jobs and focus all of their efforts on maintaining their empire and helping others to build their own, in addition to being loving parents to their beautiful daughter.  They aren’t just keeping the knowledge to themselves, they lead a coaching program that teaches fellow Millennials and Gen Xers how to build a tremendous amount of wealth in a very short period of time as well. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Soundcloud, Stitcher,  This episode is brought to you by: FreshBooks Try FreshBooks FREE for 30 days. Go to freshbooks.com/sidehustlepro and enter SIDE HUSTLE PRO in the how did you hear about us section to get started. Skillshare Get 2 free months of Premium Membership at skillshare.com/sidehustlepro  Links mentioned in this episode Charm City Buyers Slack  Think and Grow Rich  Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): http://sidehustlepro.libsyn.com/rss Announcements Join our Facebook Community If you’re looking for a community of supportive side hustlers who are all working to take our businesses to the next level, join us here: http://sidehustlepro.co/facebook Send questions to “Ask Nicaila” You can now send questions for the new “Ask Nicaila” segment that’s coming to Side Hustle Pro. Once I get a critical mass of questions, I can start rolling out this segment. Just email hi@sidehustlepro.co and put hashtag #AskNicaila in the subject.  Social Media Info Charm City Buyers (Instagram) - @charmcitybuyers  Charm City Buyers (Facebook) - @charmcitybuyers Charm City Buyers (Twitter) - @CharmCityBuyers Side Hustle Pro – @sidehustlepro #SideHustlePro Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.