From Zero to Side Hustle Samurai: How Bart Merrell Built Multiple Income Streams Without a Day Job

Stuck in a 9-to-5 and wondering how to escape the grind?

You’re not alone and today's guest proves there's another way.

Meet Bart Merrell, the Side Hustle Samurai.

He never had a "real job" and built a thriving lifestyle by stacking creative side hustles from DJing high school dances to launching a dog training business and even monetizing his own amputation story (yes, really).

In this episode, Bart reveals exactly how he finds profitable ideas in everyday life and teaches you how to do the same. Whether you're itching to leave your job or just want more freedom and security, Bart's mindset and method will help you discover income streams hiding in plain sight.

Key Takeaways:

• Why picking the wrong side hustle is the #1 mistake most people make

• The 6-list process Bart uses to identify your ideal income stream

• How he turned dog training into a $100K+ business with no prior experience

• What losing his leg taught him about monetizing even the hardest moments

• How to spot your “acres of diamonds” (aka opportunities right under your nose)

• Why multiple streams of income = real freedom and peace of mind

About the Guest:

He has never had a real job – and believes you don’t need one either.

In the small dusty podunk farming community of Animas, New Mexico (two hundred plus people), his high school friends needed entertainment. So, at age fifteen, Bart created his own mobile DJ company. He started with a four-year-old Sanyo all-in-one stereo system – complete with eight track player – and began organizing weekend dances. He rented the community center, hired an off duty sheriff’s deputy, his mom and dad took money at the door and Bart spun records.

He continued to add to his system until it sported a light tree, Peavey SP1 subwoofers, SP3 mids and tweeters tri-amped with five thousand watts of power. You are probably laughing at this, but it was a rockin’ system in its day.

And it was a rockin’ dance business, which he grew (adding consistently to his professional sound and lighting system) into a viable enterprise which ultimately helped him through college. He then sold the business and moved forward to his next business adventure.

Links:

https://bartmerrell.com/

Fast Five Questions

1. If you woke up and your business was gone, you have $500, a laptop, a place to live, and food, what would you do first? “I would be aware of the opportunities around me... I speak fluent Japanese. We could start a Japanese conversation class just like that.”

2. What is the biggest mistake that you have made in business? “I discovered a Topgolf-style driving range in Japan in 1994... I didn’t take action because the number of zeros scared me. I could’ve been first to bring it to the U.S.”

3. What is a book that you would recommend? “Monetize Your Mindset — my book on how to think differently, not what to do also anything by Gary Vee. His approach to the thank-you economy and content creation has inspired me.”

4. What is a tool that you use every day that you would recommend? “Go High Level. It runs the backend of my business—it’s powerful and scalable.”

5. What is your definition of freedom? “Doing what I want, when I want to. Or in my mentor’s words—living life on your own terms.”

About Jeff:

Jeff spent the early part of his career working for others. Jeff had started 5 businesses that failed before he had his first success. Since that time he has learned the principles of a successful business and has been able to build and grow multiple seven-figure businesses. Jeff lives in the Austin area and is actively...