Side Hustle Pro

This week in the guest chair we have Melyssa Ford, media personality, actress, and advocate known for her dynamic presence in entertainment. With a career spanning television, film, and radio, she has captivated audiences as a host on the Joe Budden podcast and various TV appearances.As a seasoned veteran in media and entertainment, Melyssa mastered the art of pivoting and identifying viable opportunities to launch into new and exciting spaces.In this episode she shares:Her new podcast Hot and Bothered that fosters meaningful conversations about women’s wellness, intimacy, and health Overcoming depression, negative self-talk, and finding grace through personal healingThe many benefits to pivoting several times in her careerHighlights include:00:00 Intro02:00 Building a film/TV personality 06:00 Being an undocumented immigrant14:00 Creating her own path19:00 Battling mental health issues27:00 Navigating perimenopause40:00 The podcasting landscape47:00 Living with a brain injury1:00:00 Tips for entrepreneurs Check out episode 442 of Side Hustle Pro podcast out now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTubeLinks mentioned in this episodeMelyssa’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melyssaford/ Melyssa’s Twitter: https://x.com/MissMelyssaFord/ Hot and Bothered Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hotnbotheredpodcast/ Melyssa’s Website: https://www.melyssaford.com/ ChatGPT: https://chatgpt.com/ Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): http://sidehustlepro.libsyn.com/rssAnnouncementsJoin our Facebook CommunityIf 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/facebookGuest Social Media InfoMelyssa’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melyssaford/ Melyssa’s Twitter: https://x.com/MissMelyssaFord/ 

This week in the guest chair we have Alexis Barber, a lifestyle influencer and founder of Too Collective, a modern wellness and loungewear brand. At just 25 years old, Alexis is the host of the top-rated Too Smart For This Podcast and has worked with brands like Lululemon, Rare Beauty, Microsoft, and Miss Dior as a content creator. In this episode she shares: How growing up low-income provided the foundation for having confidence and an ambitious mindset to overcome the limitations of her pastHer transformative experience as an MBA candidate at The Wharton School at UPennHow she makes a living off of content creation and the opportunities being an influencer has providedHighlights Include:00:00 Intro 03:00 Confidence and putting yourself out there09:55 Becoming a lifestyle influencer12:04 Navigating side hustling and a corporate role19:27 Collaboration with Rare Beauty 20:48 Launching a robe company 29:09 MBA program at Wharton39:20 Transparency in content creation44:07 The importance of building a teamCheck out episode 441 of Side Hustle Pro podcast out now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTubeLinks mentioned in this episodeToo Collective Website: https://toocollective.com/ Too Collective Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/toocollective/ Alexis’ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@alexisbarber_ Alexis’ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexisbarber/ Alexis’ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@alexis_barber MLT Program: https://mlt.org/Harvard Summer Program: https://www.hbs.edu/svmp/Pages/default.aspx Pietra: https://www.pietrastudio.com/ Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): http://sidehustlepro.libsyn.com/rssAnnouncementsJoin our Facebook CommunityIf 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

This week we have a special student spotlight featuring Hiwote Getaneh, an audio producer curious about human-centered, emotion-driven storytelling. We first met when she joined my Podcast Moguls accelerator program, and it’s been so awesome to follow her journey from working in social policy research, to growing her own podcast, to actually changing her career path to work in podcasting full time, to moving to Portugal to live and work full time, to now launching her Emerging Voices, a podcasting accelerator for aspiring creators who want to start a podcast that is unique to them and build their creative resilience along the way.In this episode she shares:How identifying a niche audience transformed her podcast and entrepreneurial journeyHer focus on helping first and second-generation immigrant women find confidence in their stories Balancing financial stability after leaving her full time job and moving abroad to PortugalHighlights include:00:00 Intro03:00 From analyst to podcaster07:45 Mastering storytelling 13:30 Lessons from Podcast Moguls18:00 Creating content with purpose21:00 Becoming an expat in Portugal28:00 Preparing for full time entrepreneurship 33:00 Building a platform to monetize43:00 Defeating self-doubt47:00 Living in Portugal54:00 Tips for entrepreneursCheck out episode 439 of Side Hustle Pro podcast out now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTubeLinks mentioned in this episodeHiwote’s website: https://www.depthandcandor.com/ Hiwote’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hiwote.getaneh/ The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker: https://www.priyaparker.com/book-art-of-gathering Union Docs: https://uniondocs.org/ Podcast Moguls: https://sidehustlepro.co/podcastmoguls/ Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): http://sidehustlepro.libsyn.com/rssAnnouncementsJoin our Facebook CommunityIf 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

This week in the guest chair we are back for an update episode with Arsha Jones, founder of Capital City- the DC-based company behind the wildly popular Mambo Sauce. Stemming from Arsha's desire to create a product that she could sell multiples of, Arsha describes her journey from starting as a web designer, shifting into e-commerce, and finally venturing into entrepreneurship.In this episode Arsha shares:How starting an income-driven business, Tees In The Trap, helped to fund ventures for Capital City How she got Mambo sauce onto shelves of major businesses like Papa Johns, Walmart, and Target The importance of legacy and how embedding the culture of the community she serves has opened up unique opportunities Highlights Include: 07:07 Leaving The Service Industry10:44 Launching Multiple Businesses At Once 17:14 Creating Multiple Revenue Streams19:50 Being The Face Of Your Brand29:33 Creating a Premium Product30:48 Getting Into Retail35:33 Creating Brand Partnerships41:11 Selling On Amazon45:23 Creating Your Own PathCheck out episode 390 of Side Hustle Pro podcast out now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTubeLinks mentioned in this episodeFirst Arsha Jones SHP Episode: https://sidehustlepro.co/arshajones/ Capital City Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/capitalcityco Capital City Website: https://www.capitalcity.com/ Arsha’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arshajones/ Arsha’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/arshajones Tees In The Trap: https://www.teesinthetrap.com/ Amazon Seller Central: https://sellercentral.amazon.com/ Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): http://sidehustlepro.libsyn.com/rssAnnouncementsJoin our Facebook CommunityIf 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

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 successHer methods to creating inspiring, approachable wellness content covering everything from wellness, to productivity, to personal finance, to self-careThe need for financial stability before quitting her corporate job by budgeting, saving, paying off student loans, and organizing her business financesHighlights include: 00:00 Intro04:30 Breaking into wellness10:00 Starting a podcast15:00 Emphasizing relatability to your audience19:30 First year of full-time podcasting23:30 The power of financial planning38:00 Benefits of having a lean team 45:30 The power of an email list50:15 Tips for entrepreneursCheck out episode 437 of Side Hustle Pro podcast out now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTubeLinks mentioned in this episodeLes’ 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/ Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): http://sidehustlepro.libsyn.com/rssAnnouncementsJoin our Facebook CommunityIf 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

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-freeThe best and easiest way to traditionally publish your bookWhat methods of income-earning have failed her and how she helps others find what works best for them, and moreHighlights include:00:00 Intro07:00 Mindset is the key to success 14:00 Revenue milestones25:00 Financial freedom30:15 Understanding life priorities38:10 Creating wealth for side hustlers42:30 Silent wealth  45:30 Tips for entrepreneurs Check out episode 436 of Side Hustle Pro podcast out now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTubeLinks mentioned in this episodeJamila’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/rssAnnouncementsJoin our Facebook CommunityIf 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

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 Intro07:15 Becoming a financial expert12:35 Initial business investments20:30 Determining target audience 25:18 Building a team32:40 Making the platform free and accessible36:53 Benefits and challenges of brand partnerships44:20 Being a content-first business57:00 Tips for entrepreneursCheck out this episode of Side Hustle Pro podcast and others out now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTubeThis 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 episodeClever 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/rssAnnouncementsJoin our Facebook CommunityIf 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/facebookGuest Social Media InfoBola’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clevergirlfinance/ Bola’s Website: https://www.bolasokunbi.com/

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 RihannaHow she became the first Black woman to raise more than $1 Million publicly for a CPG food startup, accumulating more than $20MHow she is continuing to inspire other entrepreneurs while growing her own businessHighlights include:00:00 Intro03:30 Partake’s rise to success07:15 Raising capital with huge companies14:50 Partnerships and rapid expansion23:40 Managing personal finances in the start-up phase29:06 Aligning with your true passions38:21 Work-life balance44:45 Tips for entrepreneursCheck out episode 434 of Side Hustle Pro podcast out now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Links mentioned in this episodePartake’s Website: www.partakefoods.comPartake’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/rssAnnouncementsJoin our Facebook CommunityIf 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/facebookGuest Social Media InfoDenise’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/denisegwoodard/ Desnise’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/denisegwoodard/