Service Businesses

Many freelancers in Side Hustle Nation eventually grow their business into an agency that no longer ties their time to their income. What that looks like in practice is often bringing in other team members to deliver the work.

The business ideas and case studies featured in these archives are generally a little “bigger” than a traditional freelance business, even if the actual work offered is the same.

What separates a service business from a freelance business is a matter of scale. No longer are your hours directly tied to your income, and you may not even be directly responsible for doing the work; that’s what your team is for.

Online Drop Servicing: Building a $10k/mo Niche Productized Service Agency

December 15, 2023October 14, 2021

Where there’s pain, there might also be profit…

That was the case for today’s guest, Pete Mockaitis. Pete was seeing some traction with his podcast, the HowToBeAwesomeAtYourJob Podcast, but was struggling to keep up all the off-air tasks — the show notes, the editing, the social media.

For Pete Mockaitis, that pain turned into AwesomePros.co, a niche drop-servicing company that he co-founded with Brian Kearny and is now doing $10k a month in recurring revenue.

How to Start a Charcuterie Board Business: $100k in Sales in 9 Months

April 25, 2024March 4, 2021

Last May, Monisha Misra reluctantly accepted her first customer. Nine months later, she’d eclipsed $100k in total sales — all on the side from her day job.

BoardsByMo.com is a charcuterie board prep company, and the early success and attention in that arena has spun off other revenue streams including virtual live charcuterie board building classes.

How to Start a Trucking Company: $1000 a Week Passive Cash Flow?

March 31, 2025December 10, 2020

Ever thought about buying a semi truck and renting it out?

Yeah, me neither, until I came across Ericka.

Apparently there’s big money to be made in trucking, but like any other side hustle, there’s some strategy, risk, and nuance to the business.

How to Start Virtual Call Center: From Idea to 7-Figure Exit

February 21, 2023March 5, 2020

From personal pain point to a 7-figure payday!

That’s what Donald Spann did when he started — and eventually sold — his virtual receptionist company, Vicky Virtual.

Donald took a personal pain point of his — handling incoming phone calls in his cleaning business — and built out a fully remote virtual call center.

Marketing a Local Business on YouTube: $40k on the Side Hosting Walking Tours

May 12, 2023January 16, 2020

Rob brought in $40k last year hosting tours in of Washington, D.C. — all on the side from his day job, and with no marketing budget.

However, if you Google “Washington, D.C tour guide”, Rob Pitingolo’s TripHacksDC.com is nowhere to be seen.

So what’s secret sauce?

He’s been creating helpful tourist-friendly content on YouTube, and outlet largely ignored by his better-funded competitors.

360: How to Start an Aquarium Maintenance Business – $70k a Year Part-Time

August 25, 2023November 7, 2019

He knew his $12 an hour gig at Walmart was a dead-end job.

His escape route was a business idea you probably walk past at least a couple times a year without even thinking about it.

What’s he do?

Today, Larry McGee’s the guy who takes care of the aquarium at the dentist office and other commercial waiting rooms.

And it earns him around $70,000 a year, doing something he enjoys and working just 15-hours a week.

347: Airbnb Experiences: Make Money w/ Your Unique Local Experience

July 3, 2025August 8, 2019

Can you get paid to breathe? Well, that’s certainly part of Michele Mattix’s guided meditation Airbnb Experience. Airbnb Experiences are activities led by locals, and Michele jumped at the chance to reach a new audience for her meditation instruction. When travelers book a stay in Arizona using Airbnb, they are also offered one of Michele’s meditation … Read more

How to Start a Junk Hauling Business: From $0 to $300 Million and Beyond

January 28, 2026April 25, 2019

WTF man!?

Are you willing to fail!Let that be your new mantra.

It’s the only way to get up the courage to get started.

That’s the rule Brian Scudamore — the founder and CEO of 1-800-GOT-JUNK — lives by.

321: Hosting Trivia Nights for Fun and Profit: Turn Useless Knowledge into Cash

April 20, 2020February 7, 2019

Question: When Seattleites comment, “the mountain is out,” to which mountain are they referring?

Answer: Mount Rainier.

How many of you that aren’t Seattle natives knew the answer to that one?

317: Licensing or Franchising a Business? How a School Nurse Started a 6-Figure Side Hustle

May 3, 2022January 10, 2019

“It’s a business with training wheels,” Timika told me.

Timika Downes is a school nurse by day but was looking for ways to add income after hours, and ended up licensing someone else’s business idea.

Usually Hustling, Occasionally Social