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- Issue #10: Creating The Side Hustle Flywheel
Issue #10: Creating The Side Hustle Flywheel
Welcome To Our Entrepreneurial Circus
Hey there, entrepreneurial adventurers and side hustle enthusiasts!
Welcome to Issue #10 of My New Meta!
MILESTONE ALERT: We've hit double digits, baby! According to completely made-up statistics, 99% of newsletters die before their 10th issue. (Usually from chronic dad-joke fatigue)
We're officially in the 1% club! (...of newsletter survival, not wealth. Still working on that part.)
⚠️ FAIR WARNING: This issue is tweet-heavy. If you're not into X/Twitter drama, you might want to skip this one. (Looking at you, LinkedIn purists 😉)
Today's Big Idea: Forget waiting for that "perfect" business idea. It's like waiting for your soulmate while refusing to date.
Instead, let's talk about building a portfolio of connected side hustles:
Start with your network (hello, Twitter!)
Build distribution (hey there, newsletter!)
Add ventures that play nice together
Watch them help each other grow
The best part? You can start RIGHT NOW. (Yes, even during your boring Zoom meeting)
Let's dive in...
First time reading? Sign up here.
Side Note: Embracing the "Pedestrian" Path
Remember when I said franchising was too "basic" for an aspiring newsletter mogul?
Well, plot twist: I'm OFFICIALLY BASIC! 🎉
That's right - like a tech bro finally admitting that maybe Crocs are comfortable, I've embraced the franchise life.
Giphy
And you know what? Turns out being basic can be beautiful.
We've closed on a consumer tech-adjacent distribution venture that's about to teach me some humbling lessons about putting pride aside for profit. (Full details dropping next week!)
Think of it as a side hustle within a side hustle - we're getting inception-level here, folks.
Because sometimes the best moves in business aren't about reinventing the wheel.
They're about swallowing your pride and riding a wheel someone else already perfected.
Building a Life of Connected Side Hustles: The Birth Of Our HoldCo
When I was ejected from the corporate mothership six months ago, I spent a lot of time reflecting on what I really wanted my life to look like. I kept coming back to this fundamental truth I'd tweeted about:
Flipping the Digital Leverage Script
First discovering what modern leverage was in Update #2: From Naval to LandLogic, I then discovered Dickie Bush's framework for digital leverage. Here's what's fascinating - while most creators follow his pillars in order (Build → Sell → Distribute → Network), I'm actually working backward.
Here's where I flipped the script:
Step 1: Started with NETWORKING Because in today's digital age? Attention is essentially free.
LinkedIn and Twitter became my playground. No fancy strategies - just me, sharing my journey and connecting with other corporate escape artists.
Step 2: Starting building the DISTRIBUTION through My New Meta (and another new product coming next week). This newsletter isn't just content - it's a value exchange:
I share my failures (there are many 😅)
You pay with your attention
We both get smarter
Welcome to the new digital economy, where attention is the real currency.
Step 3: Only NOW, moving to BUILD and SELL. Here's the genius part (if I do say so myself):
Every product we launch already has an engaged community that has watched its development from day one.
It's like having beta testers, focus groups, and a cheerleading squad all rolled into one.
Think of it as the entrepreneurial version of the Spice Girls:
Each piece brings its own flavour
Together, we're making sweet business music
And yes, I'm obviously Ginger Spice
The Future Is Already Here
Then Akram Khan dropped a tweet that made my brain explode 🤯
His list wasn't just predicting trends. It was revealing the DNA of modern business:
One-person armies
Powered by free tools
Building global audiences
From literally anywhere
All connected through digital communities
But here's where it gets wild...
This perfectly fits into Dickie's leverage framework like a missing puzzle piece.
Think of it this way:
Dickie gives us the "how" (build, sell, distribute, network)
Akram shows us the "what" (the actual building blocks)
It's like having both the Konami Code AND the strategy guide:
One tells you the right moves
The other shows you where to use them
And yes, I'm dating myself with that reference 🎮
When you combine these frameworks with my earlier revelation about work and life being two sides of the same coin...
BOOM! 💥
You get something magical:
A blueprint for building not just a business but a lifestyle where work and passion are inseparable.
(And isn't that the whole point?)
The Real Estate Wake-Up Call
Let me tell you what 30 years in real estate taught me:
ONE BIG LESSON: Diversification isn't just about spreading risk. It's about creating opportunities.
But here's the thing...
I was doing the exact opposite:
One job
One industry
One asset class
You know, like putting all your eggs in one basket. Then, building a shrine to that basket. Then, betting your life savings on that basket.
(Yeah, not my smartest move.) 🤦♂️
Did this traditional approach work in the old economy? Sure.
But the digital age? It's a whole different game.
It's like showing up to a Fortnite battle with Canadian Tire money (Yes, U.S. folks, this retailer had its own currency). You might look rich, but you're playing the wrong game.
The Holding Company Revelation
And then... I discovered Andrew Wilkinson's Tiny.com 🔍
Here was a guy who turned diversification into an art form:
Buy cool businesses
Help them grow
Repeat
But wait... what if we flipped the script?
Instead of just acquiring businesses, what if we BUILT them?
Picture this: A holding company that CREATES tiny, interconnected ventures.
Think "The Breakfast Club" but make it business:
The Rebel (our media ventures defying traditional rules)
The Brain (our real estate advisory, the proven expert)
The Princess (Undisclosed franchise, the shiny new revenue generator)
The Athlete (our newsletter production, doing the heavy lifting)
The Basket Case (that's me, trying to manage it all)
Somehow, like those misfit teens in detention, these different ventures:
Share resources
Cross-pollinate ideas
Make each other stronger
Create something bigger than themselves
And the best part? They all grow up together.
(Someone queue "Don't You Forget About Me" 🎵)
Putting It All Together
This led to the reimagining of LandLogic Development Corporation (LDC) as our own version of a modern holding company. Think of it as a startup studio meets a holding company but with a twist. Every venture we launch:
Starts with an audience-first approach (thank you, Dickie)
Utilizes digital leverage and minimal resources (thanks, Akram)
Solves problems I genuinely enjoy tackling (as per my tweet below)
Connects with and strengthens our other ventures
The beauty of this structure isn't just in its diversity - it's in its synergy. Each venture feeds into and strengthens the others, creating what Naval Ravikant calls "specific knowledge" across multiple domains. We're not just building separate businesses; we're building an ecosystem where success in one area creates opportunities in others.
Where It All Lands
Building something that looks like a business Picasso:
Nothing quite where you'd expect it
Traditional folks tilting their heads in confusion
But somehow, it all works
It's not a holding company. It's a laboratory for the future of work. (With me as the slightly caffeinated mad scientist 🧪)
**And yes, I don’t get very many Likes 😔
The future of work isn't about following the old playbook. It's about writing your own story. (Even if that story makes your MBA professor cry)
And we're just getting started...
Because the future?
It belongs to the people who can:
See connections others miss
Build bridges between opportunities
Create their own rules
And aren't afraid to be different
⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️ The Real Side Hustle Sauce ⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️
All you side hustlers, listen up. See this ad below ⬇️. This is your money-printing machine.
Gif by disneypixar on Giphy
Start writing and start earning $$$$$$.
You click this link, and the newsletter makes $1.50.
You might think, ‘I ain’t writing a thing for a buck fifty’
Well, my friends, when you have an email that goes out to thousands of people and 15% of those fine folks click the link…bingo, side hustle!! Join me at BeeHiiv; there is a free version, no excuse.
The Ad:
Looking for unbiased, fact-based news? Join 1440 today.
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CURATE & COMMENT
My Favourite Finds
🥰 Influencer Of The Week
Only 54 days left in 2024…
A little note for the evening - hope it kicks you into gear ⚙️ for the end of 2024 … save this - refer to it when you’re “scared” .. also send this to 4 people for good luck 🍀
PS : text me for any follow up questions at 📱:1-212-931-5731
— Gary Vaynerchuk (@garyvee)
11:39 PM • Nov 5, 2024
💌 Newsletter Of The Week
Check out Whop's weekly newsletter on creator monetization. If you want to build digital products or communities, they share invaluable tips on turning your expertise into revenue streams. The platform itself is like Shopify for creators - making it dead simple to sell digital products, memberships, and communities. Their newsletter gives you the inside scoop on what's actually working right now. Been testing it myself and loving the actionable insights.
🧑💻 From The Wasteland of Reddit
Check out this post for some simple side hustle inspiration: I made $117 this week selling plants.
🎥 Podcast Of The Week
It’s almost the holiday season; it's time to make some extra dough. Try Etsy.
Side Hustles: You don't need 12 hours a week, startup costs, and an MBA to start one.
You need an audience, a product/service to launch and basic marketing.
In this new weekly series, we will go from Chucky being a ”side hustle curious” to monetizing his overly specific niche.
Week 4: The Wrap Up
SCENE: A month later. Greg's home office wall now features a framed vintage bowling ball. As the video call connects, we see Chucky in what appears to be a small but professional-looking workspace, surrounded by vintage bowling balls, photography equipment, and a whiteboard filled with content ideas.
(New here? Catch up on Chucky's entrepreneurial saga! Check out Issue #7: RIP My New Meta, Issue #8: The GOAT JOAT,and Issue #9: The N00b's Guide to Not Getting Pwned to follow his journey from confused side hustler to niche market maven. Each issue builds on the last, so you'll want the full story!)
Greg: Well, well, well... look who's gone full pro! That's quite the setup you've got there, Chuck.
Chucky: (grinning) Remember when I thought I was just going to flip bowling balls? Man, was I wrong! The last month has been insane. Want to hear the numbers?
Greg: Hit me with it! Our readers are dying to know if this actually worked.
Chucky: (pulling up a spreadsheet) In 30 days:
Launched "The 5-Pin Chronicle" newsletter: 147 subscribers
Created "The Vintage Keeper's Guide": 23 sales at $37 each
Authentication services: 12 balls verified at $50 each
Restoration consulting: 5 clients at $75/hour
Total revenue: $1,751
Greg: (whistling) Not bad for a month's work! What was the biggest surprise?
Chucky: That the real money isn't in the bowling balls - it's in the knowledge! These collectors don't just want products; they want expertise, stories, and community. Remember how anxious I was about "selling" to the community?
Greg: (laughing) Our undercover bowling ball anthropologist!
Chucky: Exactly! By following your community validation framework (below), I discovered what they actually needed. Now, I'm not selling TO them; I'm selling FOR them. I'm helping preserve their passion!
Greg: Break it down for our readers, Chuck. What were the key steps?
Chucky:
I found my niche using Andrew's framework Issue #7: RIP My New Meta
Validated the community using the 6 steps Issue #8: The GOAT JOAT
Discovered hidden opportunities through observation Issue #9: The N00b's Guide to Not Getting Pwned
Built trust by sharing knowledge first
Created solutions to actual problems
Let the community guide my product development
Greg: And the biggest lesson learned?
Chucky: (picking up a bowling ball) Success isn't about what YOU want to sell. It's about what your community needs. Oh, and get this - three industry veterans just asked me to co-author a book about the golden age of 5-pin bowling!
Greg: (beaming) Chuck, you've graduated from Entrepreneur-in-Training to Community Champion! Any final advice for our readers?
Chucky: Yeah... don't skip the research phase! I almost jumped in trying to sell bowling balls on Facebook Marketplace. Instead, I followed the frameworks, did the work, and found a real business opportunity. Now, I get to make money doing something I love, helping people I respect.
Greg: And that, folks, is how it's done! But hey, this isn't goodbye - Chuck has agreed to pop in occasionally to share updates and insights from his journey.
Chucky: (holding up a particularly rare bowling ball) Absolutely! This community helped me find my path. The least I can do is help others find theirs.
Lessons from Chucky's Journey:
Follow frameworks - they exist for a reason
Trust the validation process
Listen more than you sell
Build value before monetizing
Let your community guide you
Focus on solving real problems
Your Turn:
What community are you part of that might need your expertise?
What problems could you solve for them?
Hit reply with your ideas - maybe you'll be our next success story!
THAT’S A WRAP
If any of these stories resonated with you (or if you've also discovered a forgotten side hustle buried in your past), hit reply and let me know. I'm genuinely curious how many other corporate warriors have hidden chapters in their entrepreneurial journey that they've temporarily misplaced.
How did we do this week? |
Stay weird, stay curious, and keep building.
Greg "All Charged UP" Mills
Note: Some of the links in the newsletter are affiliate links. I believe in transparency and honesty, so if you want to know more, visit Full Partner Disclosure for details.
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