The Financial Independence Show

Today's episode features Nikko from Nikko Industries. What a cool and unique guest who is on his way to making $250k this year off his 3-D print business. This business was no easy task as Nikko didn't become a U.S. citizen until he was 25. What started as Nikko just trying to be an awesome dad, quickly turned into a life-changing money endeavor. Listen, learn, and let us know what you think about this awesome episode. Episode Summary Nikko's Background Nikko's parents were not good with money Nikko and his family immigrated to the United States At a young age, he made a vow that he would not be the same way He would provide and be smart with his money for him and his children Due to being an immigrant, he wasn't able to think about college or many things until he was 25 Nikko joins the military after getting married and becoming a citizen Then he realizes how much more money he could make on the outside From there he takes a traditional commercial role but keeps an eye on entrepreneurship Nikko's Entrepreneurial Journey Nikko talks about all the failures he had along the way He had so many setbacks that at one point he just quit But then things turned around for him He says, When I stopped chasing money, money started chasing me Nikko says you really have to love what you do to be successful The business venture that really turned things around for him was 3D printing Birth of Nikko Industries Nikko's drive was to find something that helped him enjoy his time with his kids His son loved things like Thor and Iron Man etc Nikko came across someone on Instagram who had printed pieces to a costume He put the 3D printer on the back-burner for a month to make sure he was serious After a month he couldn't stop thinking about it and bought one He started by building a community and youtube channel Then he started looking to actually sell products Scaling a Business Nikko admits that he doesn't know how to design these products from scratch He leverages others to make the designs and market it His biggest skill is delegation and making sure he's tapping into the right products His 1st year he made 50k in revenue 2019 his revenue grew to $130k In 2020 he's on pace to make over $250k in revenue Most of this revenue is just off of the digital files He says that he spends about 4 hours per week And now he's coaching others to build 3D printing businesses Then a person can take these files and use their own printer to make them Nikko also has a big focus on giving back During the Covid outbreak, he was printing free face shields for frontline workers   Key Takeaways Stop Chasing the Money: Nikko talks about how things started turning around when stop solely focusing on the money. Maximize Your Skills: Nikko never designs a file yet makes so much money on them, he uses his skills of delegation to the max Call to Action Just go educate yourself in 3D printing. Whether it's Nikko's side hustles, medical advances, or even housing solutions, it's such a cool topic that everyone should check out. Join the Community We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community! Sign up for our exclusive newsletter Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please leave a rating/review! The FI show on iTunes The FI show on Android Check out our Partners We are completely obsessed with tracking our net worth to understand our current financial positions (you should be too). Instead of spending dozens of hours adding up all our assets and subtracting our debts, we use a free service called Personal Capital. This free, easy-to-use portfolio management tool aggregates all of your financial data ...

Today's episode features Dustin Heiner from Master Passive Income Dustin vividly remembers a march to the boss with kids waiting at home, knowing he was about to lose his job. He knew from that day, he needed to build his own income streams away from traditional employment. 30 real estate properties later and he had the freedom he always wanted. Listen, learn, and let us know what you think about this awesome episode. Episode Summary Dustin's Background Dustin is a serial entrepreneur Websites, pizzeria, graphic design, and even a skateboard manufacturing gig He refers to a traditional job as "Just Over Broke" During this journey, he stumbled upon real estate investing His first one was profiting $350 per month and he was hooked Dustin learned the hard way There weren't any good courses or coaches out there at the time He talks about how much he learned from his mistakes Breaking Away from Tradition Dustin also went to college just because it was what he felt like he should do This led to a ten-year career in IT at a government agency He walks us through the fearful moment when he realized he didn't want to rely on someone for employment ever again. That fearful moment was when Dustin got laid off with 4 children He did continue to work in IT but he swapped his perspective From then on, he would introduce himself as a real estate investor 9 years and 30 houses later, he was able to step away from that traditional career Dustin could have stepped away earlier but admits it is tough to walk away from stability Dustin's Real Estate Investing Dustin started out living in California Prices didn't make sense there so he looked out of state He was investing in Ohio, Texas, etc Out of all the houses he's purchased,  he's only traveled to see one in person This requires a network of people you can trust The key here is the property manager, they are the quarterback His requirement for a house is a minimum of $250 per month profit We also talk about renting vs owning 401ks & Real Estate Investing Dustin talks about cashing out or borrowing from 401k to buy real estate He actually doesn't like investing 401ks at all This comes off his assumption that he can make so much more from real estate So his argument isn't that 401ks are intrinsically bad Common Real Estate Mistakes Not accounting for paying for a property manager Not putting back money for repairs Buying a house with really small margins Buying a home in an area where everyone is leaving In general, overestimate expenses and underestimate rental income   Key Takeaways Your Paycheck is not your value: Companies pay you just what they need to so that you stay but they're as profitable as possible. Overestimate the bad, underestimate the good: Dustin recommends this mindset when looking at real estate. Call to Action Look into real estate as an investment. If your stuck on the fence, especially due to prices in your local area,  then do like Dustin did and grab a property manager to invest out of state. Join the Community We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community! Sign up for our exclusive newsletter Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please leave a rating/review! The FI show on iTunes The FI show on Android Check out our Partners Express VPN is one of the leading virtual private network service providers in the industry. Before I learned about Express VPN, I used to use incognito mode when I wanted to protect my information and browsing history. But I was wrong. Your internet service provider can actually still legally sell your information even if you're using an incognito browser.

Today's episode features Genecia who is the creator of Soul Rich Woman. Genecia's main goal is to empower women business owners to go from offline to online. She's proven this over her career with millions in revenue and is sharing that with the 200k+ members of Soul Rich Woman. You won't want to miss all her advice, especially around the love of F words. Listen, learn, and let us know what you think about this awesome episode. Episode Summary Genecia's Background At 18 she started with a simple thought of making more in a single hour She was going to school, working, and teaching as a yoga/dance instructor So she decided to build a group of instructors were she made a commission off them Genecia attributes her success to  resourcefulness and the people she surrounded herself with After college, she entered a traditional job in a hospital helping children with learning issues She realized that she was making way less in a 9-5 than working for herself in college Then she transitioned to consulting Offline to Online In 2013 she transitioned from working offline to online She made $100k in 3 months And $1 Million within a year Then she invested in a cafe retail chain Helping other Women go Online The group started just as "Webinar Wednesdays" And in the beginning, there was no traffic But she stuck with it and started advertising on Facebook In the group, she helps instill a growth mindset The group she started is called "Soul Rich Woman" The group is over 200k strong! She talks about women who love "F words" Fabulous, freedom, financial independence, family This education and community is available as an annual or monthly service Genecia also really focuses on marketing and helping businesses get repeat business Where to focus first She says to work on your business, not in your business This means outsourcing tedious work so you can focus on growth Stay on top of trends Love the customers first and then create what is good for them Genecia walks us through a case study of a fitness instructor going online   Key Takeaways Get Sticky: Genecia talks about retaining customers by always providing value, this makes them come back for more, aka sticky Leverage the internet: The internet is a force multiplier for not only finding customers but also to augment with employees Call to Action Grab $50 and outsource something that is draining you of your time so you can be more productive in areas that really matter Join the Community We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community! Sign up for our exclusive newsletter Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please leave a rating/review! The FI show on iTunes The FI show on Android Check out our Partners Sign up to Proptech Conference for a Cause hosted by igloohome. Your ticket fee will be donated to Team Rubicon for Covid-19 relief efforts. Genecia Alluora's Information Website: Soul Rich Woman Twitter: Genecia Alluora Instagram: Genecia Alluora Recommended Book: Rich Woman by Kim Kiyosaki Learn More About Your Hosts Fly to FI (Cody’s Blog) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog)

Today's episode features Doug from Niche Site Project. Doug brings in hundreds of thousands from his affiliate websites. These sites are those websites we all use to help us decide exactly which brand/version of a product we're looking to buy. He started off on a traditional route in engineering but with this incredibly successful venture, he just manages these sites and teaches others how to follow in his footsteps. Listen, learn, and let us know what you think about Doug's awesome episode. Episode Summary Doug's Background Doug's first money experience was around mowing lawns He wanted to buy a CD player and realized there was a sustainment tail Doug would also need money to buy the actual CDs He ended up mowing lawns for another 7 years But entrepreneurship didn't really take hold Instead, he went the traditional route Doug went to college and started his career as an engineer Doug's Engineering Journey Out of college, Doug was making $52k per year He didn't have any financial or savings goals His wife though was a real saver She rubbed off on him and he came around In 2013 the real changing moment happened He stumbled on a podcast in 2013 This podcast was called The Smart Passive Income Podcast Entrepreneurship A month after listening to these shows he started his first gig Doug decided to start with Amazon affiliate pages He admits his first few sites weren't great But after 6 months he was making a few grand per month That's when he realized that he could quit his normal job What is an Amazon affiliate site We've all been searching for a product and looked for help to choose We ultimately end up on a "Top 5 hard drive" list Through this list, you click on a link and eventually buy one That link is specific to that site so the owner gets a commission You are helped out and they get paid, it's a win-win SEO is huge to get them there but don't forget to be helpful Doug also spends some time talking about how he manages his team and sources virtual assistants He also offers a full course to teach others on how to do this   Key Takeaways Affiliates are a win-win: These sites help you make an efficient purchase and put money in an entrepreneurs pocket Keep it simple: Doug laid out his management style and how simple and streamlined it is. As he said, you can always make it more complicated later. Call to Action Grab some free resources at nichesiteproject.com/fishow and at least study affiliate links or maybe try to build one yourself. Join the Community We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community! Sign up for our exclusive newsletter Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please leave a rating/review! The FI show on iTunes The FI show on Android Check out our Partners Sign up to Proptech Conference for a Cause hosted by igloohome. Your ticket fee will be donated to Team Rubicon for Covid-19 relief efforts. Doug's Information Website: NicheSiteProject.com/FIShow Learn More About Your Hosts Fly to FI (Cody’s Blog) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog)

Today's episode features Julien and Kiersten from Rich & Regular. The name is a play on Rich & Famous where they talk about how they never want to be disconnected from regular people. They share their personal and professional journey. Julien and Kiersten also share the unique challenges that face the black community and wealth-building. Most people can think of white people who are wealthy but not famous, yet when we think of black wealth, we conjure names like Oprah, LeBron, or Obama, and Julien and Kiersten want to show that it doesn't have to be that way. Listen, learn, and let us know what you think about this incredibly important topic. Episode Summary Julien and Kiersten's Background Julien grew up with a scarcity mindset This was during the crack era in 1980's Brooklyn He knew that money existed but never saw it in real life This led him to believe he could never be rich Kiersten's background was very different She grew up in the suburbs of Atlanta Kiersten says she was comfortable and never worried about money Julien credits mentors at all stages of his life for his ability to make it in life He says these people would always push him further In 2005 he was graduating from Georgia State University and spending time in Europe This trip changed his world view and made him realize what's possible Difference's in Spending Come to a Head Julien and Kiersten go on a vacation to Panama Julien expected they would really cut back on spending after returning His focus was on getting the credit card back to zero Kiersten was on a totally different page She wasn't looking to slow down spending This caused some friction but obviously they got through that Kiersten realized she just always had income coming in so she felt like there was always more Wealth Disparity of the Black Community Julien highlights the median net worth of black members of the Boston community The median net worth at the time was $8 He talks about the problems society we will see as this gap grows He cautions that there will be violence and crime as people get restless Julien also quotes a study that project the median net worth of black families in the U.S. will be $0 by 2053 How Do We All Help Kiersten urges people to support black-owned business She talks about how this allows you to vote with your dollar This also trickles down to other families She says that for any product you can buy at a big store, you can probably buy from a black-owned business No FIRE Number Julien doesn't find a lot of value in focusing on a FIRE number Kiersten jokes that it has bounced around by 100s of thousands Hitting that number wouldn't radically change how they operate They're very motivated to keep that number climbing With this money, they can make more of an impact on social activism Resonating with the Black Community Talking about the FI path in a non-linear way Often times people of color don't have the benefit of predictability Then we talk about the book The Real Pepsi Challenge In this, it's highlighted that black people aren't just white people with darker skin The experiences and interests there are just different You wouldn't market to a mother of three the same way you would to a man with no children So it should be familiar that different people need messages in different ways Julien and Kirsten feel like they're meeting people where they are and speaking to people who haven't been spoken to Rich and Regular Get Published They didn't expect to be writing a book this soon This process has involved agents and a writing coach There were 13 different versions as they tried to pull this together Julien describes it as part financial love story, part financial inspiration, and  part an invitation to the black community to come to join the FI movement

Today's episode features the most resourceful guests ever, Eddy Garcia & Sam Schiebold from Living Earth Systems. Eddy and Sam bring a wealth of information on how to re-think how we feed ourselves. From living on the land to growing tonnage of produce and feeding 20 people from a tiny parking lot. They are on a mission to inspire and educate the world on how to properly grow and sustain food through plagiarizing nature. Listen, learn, and let us know what you think about Eddy and Sam's awesome cause. Episode Summary Eddy & Sams's Background Eddy talks about living off the land as a kid in Hawaii on fish and coconuts An experience that many would pay hundreds of dollars for That reshaped Eddy's thoughts on wealth He realized he could acquire more or desire less At a young age, he also realized giving was really important to him He never stayed at home and skipped school for surfing Sam went a more traditional route This included a Physics degree from a top-10 university She quickly realized that her degree didn't mean much to her Sam ended up finding her way to Hawaii and got into a concept of permaculture Permaculture vs Regenerative Farming Permaculture is the idea of making a sustainable food source much like a forest Eddy & Sam practice something different than Permaculture called Regenerative Farming Eddy gives a history lessons on these methods that stem back from the 70s He says he just tries his best to just copy nature This means not bringing in plastics and artificial fertilizers It also means a lot less human interaction Patagonia recently released a regenerative farming certificate Starting Your Own Crop Eddy calls out a potato as a great starter These grow in warm or cold climates with little effort Another option is radishes Seed to radish is only a 25-day process He also recommends different types of greens Eddy also says you can grow a lot of things from organic vegetables Teaching & Empowering Eddy and Sam are producing courses and videos on growing These tackle anything from composting to urban farming Also helping others overcome a fear of not having a "green thumb" These are all around a closed-loop methodology This means not bringing in or taking out materials That means growing is way cheaper We also cover how this could work for busy professionals They also teach classes and make films on-site in Hawaii This is done on a 170-acre farm in Maui They also have tours and farm to table dinners Eddy and Sam are also actively bringing a portion of Maui back from being a  trash dump. Finally, there's also an intern program!   Key Takeaways Acquire more or desire less: Eddy talks about rethinking how we look at money and how nature plays a huge part in that. Less with more: It's amazing what Eddy is able to grow in such tiny areas, some as small as an eighth of an acre Call to Action Try to grow something. Potatoes, radishes, or an aquaponic system. If you really aren't ready, then find some sustainable sources of food for your next grocery run. Join the Community We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community! Sign up for our exclusive newsletter Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please leave a rating/review! The FI show on iTunes The FI show on Android Check out our Partners We are completely obsessed with tracking our net worth to understand our current financial positions (you should be too). Instead of spending dozens of hours adding up all our assets and subtracting our debts, we use a free service called Personal Capital. This free, easy-to-use portfolio management tool aggregates all of your financial data and helps to ...

Today's episode features a real Money Nerd, Whitney Hansen. Whitney paid off $30k of debt in 10 months. She also bought a house at 19 and got her MBA for $472. She started out life with some hardships but that fueled her interest in personal finance. Now she's taking her lessons and empowering others through financial coaching. Listen, learn, and let us know what you think about Whitney's awesome insights. Episode Summary Whitney's Background Whitney's parents separated after an abusive relationship They then moved to Boise in a two-bedroom apartment Her mom was supporting them with $7.25 of income This was all to support a family with six children Whitney tells a story of how excited she was to get a mattress out of the trash This was when she was 18 Helping Others Save Some people think they can out-earn bad spending Whitney's #1 point is to find the values and "why" of the person you're trying to help Not all tactics are going to resonate with people but leading by example is a great start She also talks about being relatable If you only share the wins, it can seem unobtainable Start of Financial Coaching Whitney was $30k in debt but working two jobs She focused and paid off all her debt in 10 months After that people started hitting her up for advice That's when she discovered financial coaching Money Coach vs Financial Advisor Money Coach's can't tell someone what type of insurance they should buy They shouldn't tell a client to buy a specific stock They also shouldn't try to give specific tax advice Instead, a Money coach should focus on saving, philosophy, and just holding them accountable. Tips to Becoming a Money Coach It's important to understand how hard a client is willing to work It can change how you work with them or if you should work with them at all You also should start coaching for free or heavily discounted That way you can see if you really want to do this before getting too invested   Key Takeaways Pressure makes diamonds: We loved how Whitney took her circumstances and used them as motivation Speak their language: Whitney talks about resonating with people about money. You have to meet them where they are and not just try to force them into doing things that worked for you. Call to Action Take and share financial tips with someone. Try some of the tips Whitney mentioned and really try to resonate with the person. Join the Community We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community! Sign up for our exclusive newsletter Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please leave a rating/review! The FI show on iTunes The FI show on Android Check out our Partners We are completely obsessed with tracking our net worth to understand our current financial positions (you should be too). Instead of spending dozens of hours adding up all our assets and subtracting our debts, we use a free service called Personal Capital. This free, easy-to-use portfolio management tool aggregates all of your financial data and helps to track your spending, net worth, and investment accounts. Keeping track of your money has never been easier. With 1.6 million users and growing, this platform is becoming a leader in its industry. We have both been using Personal Capital for years and highly recommend it. Sign up for your free account here!   Whitney's Information Her Website: Whitney Hansen Her Podcast: The Money Nerds   Learn More About Your Hosts Fly to FI (Cody’s Blog) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog)

Today's episode features the star of the Playing With Fire documentary, Scott Rieckens. Scott found himself saving 8% an heading towards a lifestyle that seemed unsustainable. The FIRE movement showed him that his value/happiness was not aligned with his spending. Scott and his wife made an amazing transformation and shared it with the world. Listen, learn, and let us know what you think about Scott's amazing journey. Episode Summary Scott's Background His Dad was in the Navy so he picked up and move many times. His Mom would always try to pick up a job at the new location She also handled the bills and investing outside the pension At a certain point, Scott realized his lifestyle wasn't sustainable He was trying to take on more and his spending was also increasing Then he found the FIRE community That took his focus just from income streams to also include responsible spending Entrepreneur Focus Scott found himself laid off three years after college He and a friend spent three months to put together a business plan They raised a couple hundred thousand dollars to build an indoor golf center But as they worked the projections, they ended up scrapping the idea Then he goes back to the drawing board and back to the small business center for help When Scott goes there for advice, the advisor realizes Scott has social media experience In 2009, very few people had this experience and the advisor encouraged him to pursue that route From then on, he's been an entrepreneur Scott recommends the book The War of Art for entrepreneurs Embracing FIRE Scott recalls the Chautauqua trip in Ecuador with people from the FIRE movement There he learned that if this didn't work, he'd just be going back to work like everyone else That realization made him feel much more comfortable with the attempt at hitting FIRE Scott then breaks down why everyone doesn't embrace a journey of financial independence Not being in the right place in life or being afraid of what they could uncover We also talk about the taboo around money Playing With Fire Scott's original idea was to go around interviewing people about the movement Then it swapped to him actually going through the journey and transformation He talks about how difficult and invasive the documentary Scott also the moments the camera missed Now Scott is taking the Playing With FIRE brand into a Podcast   Key Takeaways Awakening: It's so cool to listen to someone explain the process of totally shifting your outlook on life as Scott did with his spending Strong Minds: We love all the parallels Jed draws between his mindset and process in the NFL to be successful on the outside Call to Action Make a list of the 5 things that you value the most and that brings you the most happiness. Then reflect on what percentage of your budget is spent on items from this list. Join the Community We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community! Sign up for our exclusive newsletter Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please leave a rating/review! The FI show on iTunes The FI show on Android Check out our Partners We are completely obsessed with tracking our net worth to understand our current financial positions (you should be too). Instead of spending dozens of hours adding up all our assets and subtracting our debts, we use a free service called Personal Capital. This free, easy-to-use portfolio management tool aggregates all of your financial data and helps to track your spending, net worth, and investment accounts. Keeping track of your money has never been easier. With 1.6 million users and growing, this platform is becoming a leader in its industry.

Today's episode features the former #1 NFL Fullback and author of Your Money Vehicle, Jed Collins. Jed had realized his dream of reaching the NFL but with that first big check, came a lot of fear. Since that point, Jed now embraces fear and shares the lessons he learned with young players and people all over the country on how to take control of their finances. Listen, learn, and let us know what you think about Jed's amazing ride. Episode Summary Jed Collin's Entry to the NFL Jed talks about his first big check He knew he'd already spent it all before he even opened it The money had gone towards an engagement ring for his now-wife Jed entered the league as an Undrafted Free Agent so the NFL wasn't a given But Jed had an accounting major so he had a fallback He talks about how having a fall back plan is actually looked down upon He also admits that he understood corporate finances but didn't resonate on a personal level Helping With Rookies Jed goes to sessions around the combine to educate rookies on personal finance Some of these rookies struggle with peer pressure around luxuries like cars and jewelry But a lot of pressure is actually from families that they're now supporting There are also things like rookie dinners were these young kids are dropping $27k on dinner And that's for veterans who don't need anyone to buy them a thing The Rookie minimum is almost $600k now NFL Members Don't Comprehend What They Make Players don't comprehend the difference between contract value and take-home pay The money coming to you is heavily taxed You also are not guaranteed a spot on the team for the full contract either There is a pension system for those that make it three years in the league But this doesn't kick in until 55 It equates to about $500 per month for every year in the league Mindset Comparisons: Money and Football Jed was actually cut 13 times And later in his career, he was named the #1 Fullback in the league That just shows how unstable it can be for a player in the league He feels that there are a lot of parallels between someone being successful and life and sports He also shares stories about Drew Brees that just shows how dedication and process can lead to success 5 associations of money Jed talks about automating what you do with your money He breaks it down to 5 money areas or associations These (not in order) are: Society aka Taxes Past Decisions - Rent / Bills / etc Present Day Actions - Day to day choices Future Choices - Investing / Saving Compassion - Donations / Giving   Key Takeaways Peer Pressure: Jed talks about how powerful peer pressure is and it's obviously not just a concern for kids in school Strong Minds: We love all the parallels Jed draws between his mindset and process in the NFL to be successful on the outside Call to Action Divide your spending up into the 5 associations that Jed discussed and automate where your money goes Join the Community We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community! Sign up for our exclusive newsletter Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please leave a rating/review! The FI show on iTunes The FI show on Android Check out our Partners We are completely obsessed with tracking our net worth to understand our current financial positions (you should be too). Instead of spending dozens of hours adding up all our assets and subtracting our debts, we use a free service called Personal Capital. This free, easy-to-use portfolio management tool aggregates all of your financial data and helps to track your spending, net worth, and investment accounts. Keeping track of your money has never been easier....

Today's episode features Harry from The Rideshare Guy Harry started down a very traditional path -- an engineer in a cubicle. Then in 2014, he started moonlighting as an Uber & Lyft driver. He started a blog and began sharing real data that helped drivers know the Do's / Don'ts and ultimately how to make more money. Today, his blog has an insanely large following and it continues to expand into more and more areas. He's also launched a course, Maximum Ridesharing Profits, to teach new side hustlers how to take advantage of the rideshare economy. Listen, learn, and let us know what you think about Harry's amazing ride. Episode Summary Harry's Journey to Side Hustling Harry remembers when he realized he could sell chips from his lunch as a kid His lesson was that when people want to pay for something you need to find a way to accept it Harry took a fairly traditional route career-wise He got an engineering job and worked the cubicle environment But Harry was used to entrepreneurial ventures From selling chips to doing laundry, and then driving Uber / Lyft on the side in 2014 Harry then goes over the moment he realized traditional employment just wasn't enough It was realizing a fellow employee had been working in the same building for 40 years He was also having a lot of fun driving for Uber / Lyft and making $35-$30 per hour The pay was higher back then as fewer drivers were available Finding a Career Via Uber / Lyft Harry never really wanted to drive for a living but enjoyed the process So he started The Rideshare Guy Here he would lay out very clearly and thoroughly all the things you should consider as a driver The blog started growing and surpassing the money he made in his regular job It also didn't seem scary because his boss left the door open to return Frugality and Lifestyle inflation Harry talks about how he is reasonably frugal but not extremely He also talks about how some lifestyle inflation is positive Nothing over the top but things that make his life more comfortable and less stressful Deeper info on Uber / Lyft and Rideshare Guy It's important to keep in mind the pros/cons One big benefit over a similar paying job is the flexibility It also gives you good practice to balancing accounts for running a business At the end of the day, all the things on the sites are just logistics Getting something from point A to point B He also talks about some of the locally specific gigs These may pay more and even come with more traditional benefits Getting the most out of being an Uber/Lyft driver Harry recommends a used fuel-efficient car, imagine a ~2014 Prius Then he talks about options that allow you to only do pickup/drop-offs along your route So you could add this into your normal day Then Harry talks about liabilities Different insurances and protections to keep customers from coming after your assets It's not worth ruining your life over a side hustle if you have a lot of assets If you don't have much to your name, it's a little less stressful Another good tip is driving weekend nights and workday commutes It's also important to keep up with miles to deduct those expenses from your taxes Check out his course, Maximum Ridesharing Profits, if you're looking for an all-in-one resource to crush the rideshare side hustle game Beyond Uber / Lyft Harry notes that most people only drive temporarily He wanted to start focusing on the jobs these drivers are transitioning to He's done a lot of coverage on transportation jobs like truck driving/taxi drivers Then other demand-based  jobs that have similar setups But these are in completely different fields than transportation like a notary of the public These are all covered under the "Thinking Beyond Rideshare" category     Key Takeaways Provide Value: Harry was successful because he gave a t...