The Side Hustle Show 707: $70k on the Side in 6 Months with Aura Photography
Nov 13, 2025
Summer Rae, the founder of Soma Lumen and aura photography entrepreneur, shares her journey of generating $70,000 in just six months while juggling a full-time job. She discusses how strategic partnerships and event participation, like festivals, drove customer flow, enabling her to sell sessions at $44 each. Summer also reveals her innovative aura-capture technology and emphasizes creating emotional connections through her work. She highlights the importance of starting imperfectly and iterating for success in any side hustle.
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Leverage Pop-Ups For Immediate Customers
- Pop up inside existing shops and events to access ready-made foot traffic and reduce marketing costs.
- Charge per quick session and keep overhead low to make events highly profitable.
People Buy Feeling Seen, Not Just Photos
- Customers pay for the emotional experience of being seen more than for the physical print.
- Creating a welcoming energy and quick warm interaction turns curiosity into sales.
Design For Speed: 10-Minute Sessions
- Use simple biometric readers and short videos to create a fast, engaging deliverable.
- Keep sessions around ten minutes so you can scale volume at markets and festivals.