Turn Your Passion into Profit - Make Your Side Hustle Work for You

Season 2 Episode 3 Side Hustle
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Cristina: [00:00:00] Welcome to Morning Coffee and Mimosas. I'm Christina. 

Joe: And I'm Joe. 

Cristina: We are a father-daughter duo. We come here Sunday mornings, but you can come here anytime you please. We banter about life, about business, and we do it over coffee. And mimosas.

Joe: And a good morning to you. A 

Cristina: good morning Faj and good morning listeners. Yes, 

Joe: good morning listeners. Thanks for joining us. How is everyone 

Cristina: today? 

Joe: We're all fine. I'll wait. I'll wait. 

Cristina: And how are you, dad? 

Joe: Did you forget this is not live? Well, I mean, I 

Cristina: was looking for some feedback. 

Joe: Okay. 

Cristina: I'm gonna just pretend everyone said they're awesome, feeling great.

Joe: That's right. 

Cristina: It's a gloomy day here in Wayne, New Jersey, but we are bringing our sunshine, so it's okay. That's correct. 

Joe: That's correct. It's very shiny and nice right here 

Cristina: on your forehead. 

Joe: On my forehead, because I'm [00:01:00] bald. That's right. 

Cristina: We had a very appropriate morning as we were preparing to record listeners.

Um, you'll see some footage if you follow us on the socials. Um, but we. Made French press this morning, or I, I will say I was. I'm learning so much about making coffee this year between my barista and with my, with the new cappuccino machine or espresso machine. And then today we were like, let's go for, let's go for French press.

So we went for French press, but we realized that I've been doing it wrong this whole time. And we had actually some painters here not too long ago. Oh, Roscoe is our special guest today. Yes. 

Joe: There you 

Cristina: go. Hey, bud. 

Joe: anyway, 

Cristina: we had painters here, not too long ago.

And I would make them coffee, you know, and I'd make them French press and the guy Oscar was like, For some reason your French press is like rocket fuel. He is like, I feel like I'm [00:02:00] gonna have a heart attack. And I had actually felt the same way 'cause I had a little bit of it. Um, and I now have learned that I was putting in way too much coffee.

Uh, the ra my ratios were all off. The timing was off. So today this is, I'm rambling and none of this is interesting, but I learned how to make a proper French press. And 

Joe: who taught you? 

Cristina: You did. Thank you. And where is it that you learned about the ratios from? 

Joe: Because I am happy to be a coffee guru and, uh, 

Cristina: is it a guru or a guru or where, but where is your information coming from?

Joe: From the Specialty Coffee Association? 

Cristina: Are you a member? 

Joe: No, I'm not a member. But 

Cristina: is that gonna be your next, is that gonna be the next organization you volunteer for? For, maybe we'll have an 

Joe: episode where if you wanna learn how to make really good coffee, so 

Cristina: we should do that. But anyway, we should a little tutorial how to.

Joe: That's right. 

Cristina: But anyway, my dad, if you know him, would. Subscribe to whatever the Coffee Specialty Association, uh, would say. But it was delicious. And I don't [00:03:00] feel like my heart is about to explode outta my chest. So A plus. 

Joe: That's good. That's right. 

Cristina: We are constantly learning as we, as we make our beverages for the episode.

Joe: And actually that, that's a, a good linkage into, uh, what we're gonna talk about today. 'cause what we're gonna talk about today are side hustles. 

Cristina: Yes. 

Joe: Now I don't make any money making coffee. I. 

Cristina: Yet 

Joe: cost me money. But, what we're gonna do is, potentially turning your passion into a profit or, you know, having a side hustle learning how to make, have the time for it.

And that's what we're gonna talk about. And so let's, let's do that. So, um, 

Cristina: and I will say I have always been very inspired by. Your ability to, and it's not, maybe not always do that, but your ability to like find the path to it. Mm-hmm. And I always remember like when we got you the drone. 

Joe: Yes. 

Cristina: Brad, my husband, for those of you that don't know.

many, many years ago. Right. Um, I think, did I get him a drone [00:04:00] for, I dunno, for a holiday? Anyway, he got this drone and he started just enjoying it and playing with it. And you know, my dad being a total like tech geek, was like, oh my God, I love that. How cool. So for like the next holiday, we bought him one, and we're like.

You know, Brad would fly the drone and we would get like amazing footage on vacations or it's incredible, you know, just like see things from a whole nother perspective. My dad all of a sudden he is like, um, yeah, I joined the FAA and I now have a, 

Joe: I now 

Cristina: have a, you tell us. I 

Joe: actually have an FAA drone license.

I am actually a licensed drone pilot. That's correct. So actually took the test. I could get 

Cristina: paid to like take aerial footage and stuff and I'm like, you would find a way to like take this fun toy and turn it into a potential profit stream? 

Joe: That's correct. I have never made any money with it, but that's not why I do it.

But you could, but I did it because, and you know, my dad was a, a real [00:05:00] pilot. He actually was a real pilot, uh, 

Cristina: and he was in the Air Force and 

Joe: he was in the Air Force. He was a fighter pilot in World War ii. And I have always, so badass, always, you know, been enamored with flying and my, and growing up my dad used to, uh, he would teach flying and I would go to the airport with him and he would.

Let me fly with him when they were given lessons and stuff. So I, I went, had an opportunity. I never really got my pilot's license, but have never really, 

Cristina: you didn't get your pilot's license? I never 

Joe: got my real pilot's license, but to get a drone pilot license, it was kind of an honor of my father. So, yeah.

I love that. Yeah, it's great. And we, I 

Cristina: mean, I have so many memories from childhood of going to air shows that was like, 

Joe: oh, love air shows. One of, of the main things that 

Cristina: we did in the summer. 

Joe: Yep. Yep. So we're gonna talk about like what its side hustle is, and I mean, you're probably going, well, duh, we know what a side hustle is, but the idea is, you know, you probably have a full-time job and so on, and yet [00:06:00] there's possibly something that you like, whether it's a hobby or, something you can.

Make some money with and stuff. And so something you're good at and something you're good at and you know, so there's a lot of benefits to, in, in our opinion, there's a lot of benefits to trying it, to just doing it and not, not saying, well, I'll do it. Maybe, you know, after, um, done working or anything. You don't have to wait.

and I believe very strongly that we all have plenty of time. In our days to do anything that we want, but you know, you just have to allocate time to it. You know, it's a somewhat of a discipline, but you have to allocate time to it. And, based on that, if you would just. You know, like for example, a lot of people go to the gym every day.

A lot of people. Are you suggesting 

Cristina: people reallocate that time to a side hustle? 

Joe: Correct. Stop going to the [00:07:00] stupid gym. 

Cristina: I figured that was where you were going. 

Joe: Just stop. No, it's no 

Cristina: respect for exercise, 

Joe: but no, you don't have to stop anything. The whole point is simply allocating the time. And if you think about it, let's say you work nine to, you know, nine to five, and let's say you go to the gym in the morning, whatever.

It's fine. When you come home, just say, you know, come home, you take care of the kids. Take care of whatever your responsibilities are. Allocate an hour a day, or an hour and a half, whatever it is, or three hours a week, or maybe you gotta do it on the weekend, or whatever the point is. Set aside some time and start thinking about how you can do.

And set up your side hustle, whatever that might be. 

Cristina: Well, and I think the first, the first step is just figuring out like either what are you good at? Mm-hmm. what are the hobbies that you have? And like, you know, we use that drone example. Mm-hmm. There might be things that you do that you have fun with, right?

That you're kind of like, let me just [00:08:00] explore. And it could be as simple as a search to say, I love flying my drone. How can I make money doing it? And things might come up. So the first step might not be allocating time to like developing the side hustle, but just allocating some time to think or write and, and research.

Mm-hmm. What that side hustle might be. 

Joe: Exactly. And I'm gonna give you an example with the drone. Now I, again, I have not charged anybody anything for it, but I you, in order to make money with a drone, you need, and I'm not telling all of you to go buy a drone and make money. I'm just giving you an example.

No, it just an example. Um. You know, I purchased a drone. I have the FAA license. It's called a part 1 0 7 license. And what that does is if you are going to charge somebody, you have to have that FAA license. But here's what used to go on, like I, I just fly the drone as a hobby because I love the views I get from.

You know, up, like especially go to, [00:09:00] um, you know, a park or a mountain hill area, he'll notice 

Cristina: that he doesn't have that many incredible views because he is not willing to like hike a mountain to get a view. 

Joe: I don't have to hike the mountains. The drone will fly. There he is like, 

Cristina: I can go. He can't find the words because he is like, uh, yeah, this is right.

I haven't really gone anywhere in nature to get a view. I have flown my drone from my backyard. I have flown my drone from a park. 

Joe: All I have to do is go to the parking lot of the drone, let the drone do all the work. Prefer. So why should I hike? 

Cristina: We prefer to like hike to somewhere and then fly beyond.

You are like, no, no. I'm going to use the drone as a way to see things that my legs are not gonna take me to, to, that is 

Joe: exactly right. I'm not twisting my ankle on a rock. Going stuff, I'm gonna let the drone fly over it. But because I've done that and I've shown people some beautiful videos and photographs of, of, of stuff, um, uh, I've had people like say, you know, oh my God, you know what, uh, the roofer wanted to charge me [00:10:00] $300 and this is, this is real.

$300 to come to the house to see if there was any gutter work that they had to do. I went over their house and I flew the drone and we watched it and went up and you could actually see all the gutter, you could see what was damaged. You could see what you, you, you know what I'm saying? And then I've had realtors that that said, you know, can, can you video?

Around and I've just done favors for people we fighting. Well, and like photographers for 

Cristina: weddings are starting to use drones. Yeah. To do drone shots of the event. 

Joe: Well, yeah. Well, I'm not that good. I would never, uh, see, I would never do a wedding because that's like you mess up and that's a once in a lifetime thing.

Well, 

Cristina: no, but there's some fun things like when, um, my best friend got married in Ireland and Brad brought the drone and did all the, this drone footage and made like they didn't get a videographer and he created. A wedding video for them. It's not like super, you know, it's, it's not every detail of the day, but it's a super special memory.

Joe: Right. And, you know, so I'm, uh, talking about that. I also, you know, that was unpaid also. Right? So, I mean, 

Cristina: not [00:11:00] driving the point of money home, but again, 

Joe: correct. But it, but what, and I'm just using the drone thing as an example, that it was something. For fun and a hobby. And then it became, oh wow. Like somebody needs their roof looked at, you know, and the drone can do it instead of sending a human up on a ladder, um, you know, he's 

Cristina: afraid of heights.

So the drone has another, another major clutch. 

Joe: That's correct. Over there. That's correct. and you know, I, I used to be, you know, a tax accountant and stuff, and I still do. Tax returns on the side. So I have a side hustle with that at tax season, 

I'm surprised I have the time to even record this video.

This, uh, podcast. Podcast. Well, I'm always 

Cristina: amazed. I mean, we talk about finding time. I'm always amazed at all that you accomplish in a week, um, and all the groups that you're, you know. 

Joe: The volunteer stuff, not even like a 

Cristina: part of, but leading in. Yeah. so I, it, it is a, [00:12:00] a testament to, you know, you find the time you discipline yourself and like when you go to sleep, when you wake up, and the things that you, that you do.

But I will say that somehow you always have time when like, Randomly, something happens and you're needed at the drop of a dime. So I say that to people to say like, you can accomplish all these things and still be there for the people, you know? Mm-hmm. For your favorite daughter, um, your favorite child when they need something.

Right. Or your children, or your family or your parent, whatever. Um, you, you manage to, to do all of that. And I mean, I think we've said it before and I think that, uh, when we're thinking about side hustles. The saying, the more you do, the more you can do. Mm-hmm. Sometimes comes into play. 

Joe: It's very true. The 

Cristina: more that you have that, uh, requires your time, the more you have to be strategic about how you use it.

Right. That's very true. And you know, you, you just find that you [00:13:00] don't have time to waste, so you end up really like using your time efficiently. 

Joe: Mm-hmm. Yeah. And, and, and it doesn't mean, you know, some of you might be listening and saying, you know, come on, I don't want to be doing stuff 24 hours a day and stuff like that.

Um, it, it's, it's not like that because you, you. It's amazing if you just simply structure either your day or your week or weekend a little bit more than just having no structure. You can get so much done and still, I. Sit on the couch, watch tv, relax, fall asleep, take a nap. I mean, you, you're not killing your body, you're not doing anything.

You know it. It's because, and then it becomes super rewarding. I'm gonna tell you, if you pick your hobby, pick something you love to do and just start to do it. Forget [00:14:00] money. Forget trying to earn any money. Just figure out. How you can structure your, again, either your day, your week, or your weekend, however you want to fill it in and do it.

And it's amazing because the other part, and we've talked about this in the past, but I say this all the time, this planning is very important. 

Cristina: He's about to say, take action, 

Joe: but doing correct, do it doing. Is the difference between success and or accomplishment or non accomplishment, because you can't plan everything out.

You have to start doing something. You'll see what the roadblocks are. You'll see what, oh, I can do this. You'll see what the positives are and then your planning will adjust and roll out from that. And really, I'm hoping that this episode is a. A motivator and an exciter [00:15:00] for you for to really say, I can do it.

I can do this. And you don't have to be the best at it. You just have to be you at it, what you know, and then you'll be successful. 

Cristina: Well, and, and. Think about this in terms of like, you don't have to start your side, start a side hustle tomorrow. It might be like we've talked about finding your purpose and passion in mm-hmm.

A previous episode. It might just be figuring out what that is and leaning into it in a way that you're setting yourself up for options. 

Joe: Yes. 

Cristina: And that I think is the beautiful thing about, you know, if we wanna call it side hustles. 

Joe: Mm-hmm. 

Cristina: You can, you create options for yourself. Yes. That's great. And as, as an employee, right?

Or you know, somebody that is working for somebody else, there are things that are always outside of your control. There's a lot that's within your control, but there's, there's external factors at play [00:16:00] often, right, that you might not be able to control and how. Empowering is it to know that should something change, you've got options and you're building and strategizing Yes.

And planning. Right? And you can build up this amazing thing all while you're bringing your A game to what you do every single day. That's right. For your full-time job, right? Mm-hmm. If you have one, but you could be planning for, you know, I, I don't know, right? You, you've got a little extra money that you can go on vacation with, you've got maybe.

Extra money that you could, invest in something in your home, buy a fun car that you've wanted, or buy a new car that you need. Uh, but aside from that, you could be planning and creating, freedom for yourself. 

Joe: It's true, and it, it actually reduces stress. I mean, think about it, you have a full-time job.

That job is all your income generally. just doing this little side thing. E, even if it's [00:17:00] not making you any money, it gives you confidence that, wow, if I needed to, I. I could turn this into a profit center. Yeah. At least, you know, in some way, shape, or form, that is very, very, very comforting. 

Cristina: Yeah.

Because there's nothing more stressful, I think, especially if you're a provider for yourself. Mm-hmm. If you're a provider for your family, there's nothing more stressful than the thought of. That lack of control that you have if something happens. Right. Right. And then you're at the mercy of the job market, the economy, all of those things.

So, you know, you just lean into some of the things that you're like, okay, these are the things I'm passionate about, these are the things I'm good at. 

Joe: Mm-hmm. And 

Cristina: should all else fail? I know I still have that. Right? Yes, 

Joe: exactly. Exactly. So 

Cristina: it's really good. Let's, let's talk a little bit about, um, what. That can look like, right?

Like I, I think we're in this amazing creator economy now mm-hmm. Where it's so easy [00:18:00] to access the tools, like when we started this podcast. Right. 

Joe: Right. 

Cristina: It's so easy to just say, I have an idea. And then, you know, from a simple, maybe like online search, a Google search or a chat GPT to say, how do you go about starting?

What are some different ways, like, let's talk to the listeners about some different ways that maybe a side hustle can manifest. Like, you could be, maybe you're a writer full time and you decide to freelance, right?

Mm-hmm. Maybe you're a graphic artist and you decide to do some, you know, design work on the side. 

Joe: Yep. 

Cristina: for, you know, independent brands or, you know, friends and fam, whatever it is. maybe you're super. Create, maybe you love dad jokes and you decide to, you know, put out an Etsy with, you know, t-shirts that have silly dad jokes printed on them.

It's 

Joe: funny that she said about dad jokes. 'cause you know, I, I, I got sick, uh, two weeks ago. I was sick during the week. But, [00:19:00] um, I only seem to get sick during the week, so I must have a weekend immune system. 

Cristina: Took you a little while to get there and I knew it was coming and I just let you have it. 

Joe: Uh, that's not my side hustle, by the way, because otherwise I'd be broke.

Cristina: No, no. Um, But I think we live in this world where everything is super accessible. 

Joe: Yes. 

Cristina: From the, you know, idea to start a podcast, to like having a direct way to be able to just publish, right? Yes. So from here to like it being out there for all of you to listen to. It's a matter of like some time and clicks.

That's That's right. But it doesn't take a lot. It doesn't. And the same is true for like, you know, look at all these Etsy shops that are out there and we just ordered a table where like a woodworker is on the side putting together Yeah. You know, Oak and. Steal and shipping, you know what I mean? Like, so there's so many ways to take the talents that you have and get them out there to a wide audience.

Joe: And you know what's interesting about, you're a [00:20:00] hundred percent correct 'cause basically in your computer or your iPhone or an iPad or a tablet or whatever you use, pretty much the tools you need to make the money is right there, right? It, it's, it's right at your computer. You know, um, so that's pretty fascinating.

That's very, very true. and by the way, having this side hustle does not, intrude into your personal life or your social life or whatever. You know? Again, it's this whole allocation. Of time. 

Cristina: Yeah. one of the things like that I have set up, I, and I have talked about this a lot, so like a broken record, but I mentioned I got certified to teach Pilates.

Mm-hmm. Um, back in 2020 when I kind of had some new found time, 2021, maybe it was when I officially like went through the, the training program. But, um. My, one of my best girlfriends that I went through the program with, she [00:21:00] finally, she has a, a full-time job. She's like a, you know, director of, um, of client services for a large events company.

Joe: Mm-hmm. 

Cristina: Um, and she has a large team and we went through the same program together. Um, we bought our first. At home reformer together during 21 when studios were shutting down. We had a couple of stage hands that she knew that Wow. Drove into the city with us to pick up our studio reformers. Um. And she created a little studio in her basement.

And just now this year has started to like, you know, on weekends train a couple of it started with a couple of friends that were like interested in what she'd been doing. 

Joe: Hmm. 

Cristina: And now she's got like, you know, three or four, maybe you know, more clients that she's training every weekend in the morning and finding passion in that.

Um. And, you know, starting to really [00:22:00] like Dr. But it's, it doesn't have to happen all at once. Right. And for me, like that's a vision I have for the future of, you know, at some point maybe I'll train my first friend or client or something. Right. But knowing that you can do that, or later on down the road, I might wanna open a studio, but like, these are options.

Right. And now watching her bring that to reality. It's super inspiring. So I think, yeah, I 

Joe: think you got an opportunity there, 

Cristina: right? Yeah. But, but my point is you don't need to do it right away, right? No. Like, I'm not called to, like, I don't want right now to spend my whole, you know, Saturday morning or Sunday morning.

Uh, I'd rather be doing Pilates than, you know, teaching it right now. In my, on my mornings. Right. But you, but you, but when I change, when that changes, right. Right. Or if, if there's a reason that it needs to change, I've got the means and, and the steps are in place. Mm-hmm. The building blocks are in place, so I could flip a switch and, and turn that on [00:23:00] tomorrow.

Joe: That's, that's the point. You have, you have done all the preparation, you've got the certifications, you all, you also know what you're doing, and you have the equipment and the whole bit. That's exactly it. And you, you, you know, at any point in time. 

Cristina: And these things happen right through. How do you go about it?

Well, you, you get your first client right, and then that person enjoys what they did and they tell somebody else, right? Yeah. Yes. It's the same way with like the tax work that you do. 

Joe: Mm-hmm. You 

Cristina: did tax returns on the side for your whole. I mean, as long as I've watched you 

Joe: Yes. It's, it's scary how many years.

Yes. Yeah. 

Cristina: And you've had so many of the same clients for years that became friends, um, that trust you. And when somebody else they know needed somebody, they'd say, Hey, Joe is somebody. So, you know, around tax season, you know, your Saturday, Sunday mornings you were spending doing tax returns. Yeah. But like, it happens sometimes just through word of mouth, right?

Mm-hmm. Like, you don't need some grand marketing plan [00:24:00] necessarily. No, I don't market at all. Or a major scheme and I 

Joe: make money. 

Cristina: You don't need to necessarily have like, you know, uh, reels and videos of yourself out there. If you're somebody that's kind of like, Hey, I don't wanna put myself out there in that way.

Joe: Yeah. 'cause I'm, I, I don't look for new clients or anything. Yeah. But I have them. But like, these 

Cristina: things can happen quietly. Yes. And these things can snowball quickly and they can, they can be as small or as significant. Mm-hmm. As you have the capacity for Exactly. In that moment. 

Joe: Exactly. Very good. Well, this was great.

Cristina: Is there anything else? Um, 

Joe: well we can. You know, this is great. We could go, go. This is great. We could go, uh, we could go a long time on this, but I think we, you know, this is good for, for this episode and we could always, you know, tap onto another. Yeah. You know, 

Cristina: so listeners, I think like the, main message is just you have the power to start Correct.

And, and all the tools are right there. Yep. And. Just deciding. I [00:25:00] think really, like, for me, knowing how I use my time mm-hmm. Like actually, like putting correct time blocks and, and knowing, okay, like yesterday I spent time reading. Mm-hmm. And I, I wanna do that every weekend. And I don't always find the time.

I actually like scheduled it. Like I, I scheduled time to read So schedule your time more. That's the whole point. Just point. Just know how you're spending your time's, because sometimes you mindlessly, like I have found myself, like I've mindlessly doom scrolled, and then it's like there went 45 minutes.

Joe: And that's my point. That's our point is basically if, if this inspired you at all in any way, shape, or form, you already know what you love to do or what you might have wanted to do, pick an hour. Just pick an hour that you are gonna devote to. Investigating how you could make this a side hustle. And that hour could be the, the shot in the arm.

Cristina: Yeah. 

Joe: That, that gets it going. 

Cristina: Yeah. Or even like, you know, you know, I think it start 15 minutes. Right. Set yourself a timer and then you might find that all of a sudden you're [00:26:00] working on this for 45 'cause you're so inspired. Yeah. Yeah. But, I, I've heard people a lot of times, like when, when in conversations just talking about like, you know, what we do, how we find time, and the topic of burnout, I would say like.

You are not adding something that's just gonna be another thing on your to-do list or another thing that weighs heavily. If you find the right thing and you're really following what you enjoy doing. Mm-hmm. I think you're gonna find that this thing that could be set up as your side hustle or the thing that becomes your side hustle, becomes something that actually combats burnout.

Yes. Because it's gonna be something that lights that spark in you. Correct. That gets you excited about things. Exactly. Because there's so much all week that just bums you out at times. Right? You can, yeah. And this could be the thing that, like I said, creates that freedom for you or opens your mind to like, I've got options, and that combats [00:27:00] burnout.

Joe: And you know what? And then, then we'll leave you with this. Think about when you're going on vacation. Think about all that you accomplish. To get the stuff packed. Pick the clothes you're gonna wear, put everything you know, set, allocate everything. Don't you do that even though you have a full-time job and everything, you're working all week, but somehow you can organize everything.

Yes. '

Cristina: cause you're excited, 

Joe: right? And get it all set. Take that same initiative for your side hustle and the sky's the limit. 

Cristina: I am so happy you ended there because I thought that was about to be a dad joke. It was not a dad joke, and that was so much better. That's 

Joe: correct. 

Cristina: Anyway, listeners, if you liked what you heard, give us a follow share with a friend that you think could benefit from this little kick in the butt to go do something that inspires them tomorrow.

And thanks for listening. 

Joe: And why is it so cheap to throw a party at a haunted house because the ghosts bring all the booze. 

Cristina: You should have saved [00:28:00] that for like an October episode, 

Joe: wherever you are. Whatever your story. Thanks for spending time with us this morning. Now go and make a difference in your world.

Still love this song. 

Cristina: It is great. This just gives me so much childhood nostalgia because this was always the thing that you just RIFed when you'd be like playing your guitar and we'd be like all 

Joe: you all very much. 

Cristina: Bye everybody. Until next time.