The Side-Hustle Dad

Why does selling feel so slimy — and why do prospects keep ghosting you after what seemed like a great conversation?

The truth is, most side hustlers walk into sales conversations completely unprepared. Not because they're bad at what they do, but because they're winging it. I've been there. You have a great coffee chat, you send the follow-up email, and then… crickets. The good news: this is fixable with a four-step fr...

Most service providers feel uncomfortable with marketing because they think it's about pushing products on people. But what if the real problem is simpler than that? Marketing is just about getting the right message to the right person at the right time — and when you nail all three, it stops feeling slimy and starts feeling like genuine service.

Today we break down a powerful three-part marketing framework you can apply immed...

Are you building your side hustle — or just staying busy?

There's a sneaky trap that catches almost every new entrepreneur, and chances are you've already fallen into it at least once. It's called perfectionism, and it's costing you more than time. That logo you've been tweaking for three hours, the website that has to be just right before you launch — none of that is actually building your business. Perfectionism is pro...

You're busy — but is your side hustle actually making you money? There's a big difference between being booked solid and being profitable. If you've been afraid to raise your rates, this episode gives you the exact framework to know when it's time, how to do it, and how to silence the inner voice that says you're not worth it.

Highlights

• Why being "busy" is not the goal — profitability is
• How to calculate your conversi...

What do you charge when you've never run a business before — and everything you know about pay comes from a day job where someone else set the number? That question paralyzes so many side hustlers before they ever land their first client. Let's cut through the anxiety and build a real pricing framework you can use starting today.

Hourly rates feel safe because that's how employees think — but they secretly punish you for...

Are you lying awake at night wondering if you forgot to follow up with that potential client from Tuesday? If you're trying to run your business from your head, you're leaving money on the table — and opportunities are slipping through the cracks every single day.

This episode is your step-by-step guide to building a simple, effective customer relationship management system from scratch — no expensive software required. ...

What if the biggest mistake in your side hustle isn't what you're selling — it's who you're trying to sell it to? Trying to reach everyone is one of the most common traps side hustlers fall into. When you're chasing every dollar, you end up connecting with no one. This episode is about getting razor sharp on your Ideal Client Profile (ICP) — and why going narrower actually makes you more powerful, not less. We walk thro...

What if the reason your side hustle isn't growing has nothing to do with your skills — and everything to do with what happens after you deliver great work?

Your Google listing is a ghost town. Two reviews, one of them your uncle. Sound familiar? The good news: getting five-star reviews isn't about being pushy or salesy. It's about timing, simplicity, and a system that takes less than 30 seconds to use. This episode breaks down...

What if you are thinking about your day job all wrong?

Most dads building a side hustle feel the pull to go all-in — quit the job, burn the boats, and bet everything on the dream. But that impulse, as exciting as it sounds, could be the very thing that kills the business before it has a chance to breathe. Your nine-to-five isn't your enemy. It's your greatest asset. It's the venture capital funding your future, the shield prot...

What's standing between you and your first paying customer?

You've put in the work. You've served your beta clients, collected your reviews, and proven you can deliver. Now it's time to stop practicing and start getting paid. This episode is graduation day, and it's time to take those receipts and turn them into real revenue. Whether you're building a service business or selling a physical product, the path to your first dollar is c...

What if the one thing standing between you and tax season chaos is something you could set up in 10 minutes for free?

Running a side hustle without a dedicated bank account is like trying to run a business out of your back pocket — everything gets tangled, confusing, and expensive come April. The single non-negotiable for every business, no matter how small, is a separate checking account just for your business. It doesn't mat...

That voice in your head that says you're not qualified enough, not experienced enough, or not successful enough to put yourself out there? It has a name: imposter syndrome. And it shows up for almost everyone — even the most seasoned CEOs. A 2024 Korn Ferry study found that 71% of CEOs report feeling like an imposter. If it's happening at the top, it's definitely happening to the rest of us.

The good news? There are practical ...

How do you go from brand new business to getting where strangers are willing to hire you? The answer is a portfolio — and building one doesn't mean working for free.

This week we're tackling one of the biggest hurdles for anyone launching a service-based side hustle: how do you prove you can deliver results when you haven't had a single client yet? We walk through a step-by-step approach to finding your first beta clients, del...

Struggling to figure out what your side hustle should actually be? You're not alone. Sometimes the hardest part isn't finding the time or motivation—it's identifying the right business opportunity that fits your unique situation. Today, I'm giving you a proven framework to discover your ideal side hustle using the Japanese concept of Ikigai. This four-circle Venn diagram helps you find where what you love, what you're good at...

What's the number one reason side hustles fail before they even start? Your partner isn't on board. You can have the clearest vision, the best business plan, and unstoppable motivation—but without your spouse's support, you're building on sand. This episode walks you through exactly how to get your partner excited about your side hustle instead of resistant to it. You'll learn how to present your vision in a way that addresse...

Why are so many dads struggling to balance ambition with family presence? If you're feeling the pull between providing an amazing life for your family and actually being there to enjoy it with them, this episode is your starting point. I'm sharing why I created this podcast specifically for dads who want to build something of their own without sacrificing what matters most. We're cutting through the noise of generic side hustle adv...

Ever wondered how you can possibly fit a side hustle into your already packed schedule without sacrificing family time? The truth is, you probably have more available time than you realize—you just haven't captured it yet. As dads, we tend to think our schedules are maxed out, but when we take an honest look at where our time actually goes, opportunities start to emerge. The margins are there, hidden between the bedtime chaos...