“Well, Uncle David…I’m glad you asked. Yes, each one of these candies is five cents a piece, but I’m running a special deal; I’ll give you four for a quarter.”

My first side hustle. I was probably five years old, and I’d set up a little, tan-colored table in the corner at a family get together. I was reselling candy my parents had gotten at the store, one piece at a time. And although my value proposition needed some fine-tuning, that little entrepreneur grew up to be a big entrepreneur.

Since then, I’ve done my share of side hustling. Probably several people’s shares.

  • Voiceover talent with 100s of clients around the world.
  • Freelance musician
  • Forex trader
  • Real estate investor and rehabber
  • Graphic and web designer
  • Copywriter
  • Marketer
  • Online course creator
  • Event producer
  • Freelance stock photographer
  • Dropshipper
  • Self-published author
  • Luxury travel agent
  • Wedding DJ
  • Affiliate marketer
  • Presentation coach
  • Social media marketer

Some of these hustles have grossed me nearly six figures. Some have resulted in nothing but credit card bills and months of frustration and self-doubt.

But every single one was a chance to try something and learn from it.

Side hustles are one of my favorite things, simply because it’s a chance to add another checkmark to your list of life experiences, and hopefully make a few (or several) bucks in the process. For me, someone who bores easily and is easily seduced by the potential around the corner, it’s a chance to create a different kind of life for myself and my family.

Through my side hustles, I’ve paid off nearly $20K of crippling debt. I’ve helped pay our mortgage and trips around the world, as well as met some of my closest friends.

And it’s through Side Hustle Elevator that I plan to bring that breadth of experience, as well as leverage the experience of dozens of others, to your doorstep to help shape your life.

Side hustles give you the tools to reshape your own life and path. They can be as small as a couple extra dollars’ spending cash, or a six-or-seven figure income (or more).  It can be your outlet for creativity, and the chance to build something out of nothing.

 

Be bold,
Benjamin Portnoy
Hustler-in-Chief