This week in the guest chair we have fellow podcaster Les Alfred, content creator and host of the Balanced Black Girl podcast. Les shares her journey from blogging to launching her podcast, driven by the realization that there were few Black women discussing wellness on her social feeds.

Les highlights the importance of relatability and audience connection in content creation, emphasizing that consumers today want to feel a personal connection to the creator behind a brand. By 2021, consistent monetizing and growth led her to partner with an agency, and later a podcast network, allowing her to scale ads and go full time as a podcaster.

In this episode she shares:

• How following her curiosity and having the bravery to allow herself to be widely seen set her up for success
• Her methods to creating inspiring, approachable wellness content covering everything from wellness, to productivity, to personal finance, to self-care
• The need for financial stability before quitting her corporate job by budgeting, saving, paying off student loans, and organizing her business finances

Highlights include:

00:00 Intro

04:30 Breaking into wellness

10:00 Starting a podcast

15:00 Emphasizing relatability to your audience

19:30 First year of full-time podcasting

23:30 The power of financial planning

38:00 Benefits of having a lean team

45:30 The power of an email list

50:15 Tips for entrepreneurs

Check out episode 437 of Side Hustle Pro podcast out now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube

Links mentioned in this episode

• Les’ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/balancedles/
• Balanced Black Girl Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/balancedblackgirlpodcast/
• Balanced Black Girl Website: https://www.balancedblackgirl.com/
• Balanced Black Girl YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BalancedBlackGirl
• Profit First Book: https://mikemichalowicz.com/profit-first/

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Jamila Souffrant is the author of the book Your Journey To Financial Freedom, and the host of the Journey To Launch podcast. As a go-to thought leader in the personal finance field, her podcast has amassed over 4+ million total downloads. Starting her journey by saving over $100K in two years, she is now financially free.

In this episode she shares:

• How she went from aggressive saving to over $400K years and becoming debt-free
• The best and easiest way to traditionally publish your book
• What methods of income-earning have failed her and how she helps others find what works best for them, and more

Highlights include:

00:00 Intro

07:00 Mindset is the key to success

14:00 Revenue milestones

25:00 Financial freedom

30:15 Understanding life priorities

38:10 Creating wealth for side hustlers

42:30 Silent wealth

45:30 Tips for entrepreneurs

Check out episode 436 of Side Hustle Pro podcast out now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube

Links mentioned in this episode

• Jamila’s 1st Side Hustle Pro episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTM2FyWDOaY
• Journey To Launch Website: https://journeytolaunch.com/
• Journey To Launch Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/journeytolaunch
• Jamila’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Journey2launch/
• Jamila’s Book: https://yourjourneytofinancialfreedom.com/
• Mindset- Carol S. Dweck: https://www.amazon.com/Mindset-Psychology-Carol-S-Dweck/dp/0345472322
• The Beautiful Writers Podcast: https://www.beautifulwriterspodcast.com/
• Self-Publishing School: https://self-publishingschool.com/podcast/

Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): http://sidehustlepro.libsyn.com/rss

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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

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This week we are getting a masterclass in content-based business with Bola Sokunbi. Bola is a finance expert, 4-time bestselling author, and founder of Clever Girl Finance, one of the largest personal finance media/education platforms for women in the U.S.

In this episode she shares:

• Her start as a financial advisor while side hustling Clever Girl Finance
• How she expanded past 1 to 1 business by creating courses and repeatable content
• How she was able to financially thrive while making her platforms free and accessible

Highlights include:

00:00 Intro

07:15 Becoming a financial expert

12:35 Initial business investments

20:30 Determining target audience

25:18 Building a team

32:40 Making the platform free and accessible

36:53 Benefits and challenges of brand partnerships

44:20 Being a content-first business

57:00 Tips for entrepreneurs

Check out this episode of Side Hustle Pro podcast and others out now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube

This episode is brought to you by:

Shopify. Go to shopify.com/hustlepro for a free fourteen-day trial and get full access to Shopify’s entire suite of features.

Links mentioned in this episode

• Clever Girl Finance Website: https://www.clevergirlfinance.com/
• Clever Girl Finance Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clevergirlfinance/
• Bola’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clevergirlfinance/
• Bola’s Website: https://www.bolasokunbi.com/

Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): http://sidehustlepro.libsyn.com/rss

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

• Bola’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clevergirlfinance/
• Bola’s Website: https://www.bolasokunbi.com/

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This week we’re back for a very exciting update episode with Denise Woodard is the Founder and CEO of Partake Foods, the allergy-friendly packaged food company inspired by her daughter’s experience with food allergies. Created in 2016, Denise started the business by self-distributing cookies around NYC, eventually becoming a Certified B Corporation and raising millions of dollars in investment capital.

In this episode she shares:

• Her strategies to getting investors interested, including big names like HER and Rihanna
• How she became the first Black woman to raise more than $1 Million publicly for a CPG food startup, accumulating more than $20M
• How she is continuing to inspire other entrepreneurs while growing her own business

Highlights include:

00:00 Intro

03:30 Partake’s rise to success

07:15 Raising capital with huge companies

14:50 Partnerships and rapid expansion

23:40 Managing personal finances in the start-up phase

29:06 Aligning with your true passions

38:21 Work-life balance

44:45 Tips for entrepreneurs

Check out episode 434 of Side Hustle Pro podcast out now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube

Links mentioned in this episode

• Partake’s Website: www.partakefoods.com
• Partake’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/partakefoods/
• Denise’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/denisegwoodard/
• Desnise’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/denisegwoodard/
• Marcy Venture Partners: https://www.marcyvp.com/

Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): http://sidehustlepro.libsyn.com/rss

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

• Denise’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/denisegwoodard/
• Desnise’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/denisegwoodard/

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This week I sat down for a very inspiring chat with Mignon François, the #1 national best-selling author of Made from Scratch: Finding Success Without a Recipe, and founder of a multi-million dollar cupcake empire, The Cupcake Collection.

In this episode she shares:

• Why having a great product and determination got her community to support her vision
• The different financial methods she used, like cash stuffing, to reinvest into her business and employees
• How she leveraged $5 and turned it into a legacy with over five million cupcakes sold
• And much more, you don’t want to miss the gems she’s dropping!

Highlights include:

00:00 Intro

04:30 Learning to bake from grandma

10:53 The struggle to make ends meet

15:09 Turning $5 into $600

20:27 Humble beginnings

32:50 Low margins, high profit from day one

37:30 Benefits of profit sharing with employees

42:00 Scaling to $10,000 days

48:20 Tips for entrepreneurs

Check out this episode of Side Hustle Pro podcast out now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube

Links mentioned in this episode

• The Cupcake Collection: https://www.thecupcakecollection.com/
• Made From Scratch Book: https://www.amazon.com/Made-Scratch-Finding-Success-Without/dp/B0BV7G8F7C
• Mignon’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cte6fHBIlzO/
• The Cupcake Collection’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecupcakecollection/

Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): http://sidehustlepro.libsyn.com/rss

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

Mignon’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cte6fHBIlzO/

The Cupcake Collection’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecupcakecollection/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week in the guest chair we’re taking it back to Donyale Walton, founder of Hoop Mobb, Home of the Hoop Earring. Coming from Flint, Michigan, Donyale made her way to New York to learn the business ropes and was inspired to pursue her own ventures.

In this episode she shares:

• How she went outside of the box of where she’s from and gained unique skills by working in fashion
• Her process of finding and working with the best manufacturers
• How she’s able to build the best team and balance hiring family and friends

Highlights include:

00:00 Intro

05:30 Getting her start in fashion

15:30 Determining a niche

24:50 Acquiring vendors and manufacturers

30:53 Focusing on serving a community

38:20 Profitability and hiring strategically

49:09 Marketing and growth strategies

56:22 Tips for entrepreneurs

Check out episode 432 of Side Hustle Pro podcast out now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube

Links mentioned in this episode

• The Hoop Mob Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehoopmobb/
• Hoop Mobb’s Website: https://hoopmobb.com/
• Hoop Mobb’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/685105618951748
• Donyale’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/donyalewalton/

Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): http://sidehustlepro.libsyn.com/rss

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

The Hoop Mob Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehoopmobb/

Donyale’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/donyalewalton/

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You’ve done your research, gathered your materials and you’re ready to launch your side hustle. Now what? Keep GOING. This is the time to reevaluate, regroup, and dig deeper. A lot of side hustlers who get to this point will start to lose the spark they had when they first started. In episode 431, I’m giving you the tips to keep that same energy and build your side hustle into a sustainable business.

Tips shared include:

• How to affirm yourself to build confidence
• The next steps to stay on track with your goals
• How to continue to find inspiration

Highlights include:

00:00 Intro

04:00 Get down to business

05:30 Determine what your impactful tasks are

08:30 Get your schedule down

10:00 Affirm your journey

13:00 Time to get vulnerable

15:30 Find your calling

20:00 Limit outside opinions

I’m also hosting a live Side Hustle Bootcamp next week. Whether you’ve started your side hustle or are still trying to get it off the ground, this challenge is designed to help you get out of your head and into action. Go to sidehustlepro.co/bootcamp to sign up!

Check out episode 431 of Side Hustle Pro podcast out now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube

Links mentioned in this episode

• My Old Blog
• Wordpress Theme Detector
• Side Hustle Pro Bootcamp
• Podcast Moguls

Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): http://sidehustlepro.libsyn.com/rss

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

Side Hustle Pro – @sidehustlepro #SideHustlePro

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This week in the guest chair we have Vanessa James, the dynamic founder of Vanessa James Media. Known as "the voice you hear everywhere," Vanessa is a seasoned Caribbean voice-over actress whose captivating voice has graced numerous iconic brands, including Netflix, Amazon, and the new promo voice for the nationally syndicated "Tamron Hall" daytime talk show.

In this episode she shares about:

• How she uses her media company Vanessa James Media to advocate for diversity, inclusion, entrepreneurship, and creative collaboration
• The groundbreaking events she leads each year like Food, Wine, and Fete—an all-inclusive Soca experience celebrating Caribbean culture
• How she scaled Vanessa James Media from side hustle to a profitable business

Highlights include:

00:00 Intro

04:30 Corporate roles and burnout

13:30 Side hustling in V.O.

18:00 Understanding the voiceover industry

22:50 Overcoming a stutter

27:30 Stabilizing income as a side hustler

33:30 Scaling a media business

39:11 Food, Wine and Fete

43:21 How to break into voice acting

49:55 Tips for entrepreneurs

Check out episode 430 of Side Hustle Pro podcast out now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube

Links mentioned in this episode

• Vanessa James Media Website: https://www.vanessajamesmedia.com/
• Vanessa’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vanessajamesmedia
• Vanessa’s X: https://x.com/MsVanessaJames
• Vanessa’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessa-james-media/
• Reach TV: https://reachtv.com/
• Food, Wine, and Fete: https://foodwineandfete.com/

Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): http://sidehustlepro.libsyn.com/rss

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

Website: Vanessa James Media: https://www.vanessajamesmedia.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vanessajamesmedia

X: https://x.com/MsVanessaJames

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