Side Hustle 101 - A Business in a Box

Almost everything you need for your small business start up in one box. How to turn this machine into a side hustle business including where to find work and how much to charge.

Transcript provided for the hearing impaired.

Side Hustle is our middle name

Alright today’s episode of Repairs 101 is sponsored by Princess Auto. Turns out my channel has been teaching side hustles all along – spackle, paint, plumbing, grout, oil changes on cars or boats, even how to make stuff you can sell like hammocks, dog toys and wooden spoons. I show you basic maintenance on outdoor equipment, even some small appliance repairs.

What’s in the box

So, this new pressure washer with half a litre of oil and some gasoline and a garden hose is all you need to drag this beauty to your neighbour’s house and get started – even if you don’t have wheels. If you’re just starting out and hungry enough, you’ll bum a ride or grab a cab or drag it there if you have to. But you will be making bank and it costs money to make money.

So, I was surprised to discover that I didn’t need any tools at all to set up this machine. Everything gets turned down by hand thus it goes together in a few minutes. I trust you know you can’t use it to wash your car, other than the underside which I still don’t recommend personally. But you know you will find work cleaning service bays and loading docks, buses and trucks and tractors and trailers and forklifts and boom boats and racers and schooners and sloops – on deck and in the bilge. Right near where you live, you might find old gates and fences and sidewalks that need a good washing. Just knock on the door or better yet, write up a cost estimate and put it in the mailbox along with your business card.

Getting started

Certainly, if you’re just starting out and operating out of a cab or working for your aunt or somebody like that, I think that you can still safely charge double the minimum wage in your area and it will be a fair price. Although on the other hand, if you have invested in a truck and a uniform and a business license and insurance and you’re working for a corporate client, well you can easily justify five times the minimum wage or even more.