Photography in the early 2000s. Made enough to level up my gear multiple times over. Renovated houses from 03-07. But now my money making side projects are programming-based.
Ask HN: What is your money-making side project outside programming?
11–20 of 744 posts
Re: Ask HN: What is your money-making side project outside programming?
#12I sleep a lot
Re: Ask HN: What is your money-making side project outside programming?
#13Launched in 2016 for free. Started making money in 2018 with $3,000+ MMR. Referral only (side) business. I work full-time as an engineer/principal in growth.
I conduct a form of ethnography, embedding myself in the lives of consumers the way Margaret Mead did among Samoans. I interviews my subjects and the people around them, itemizing the contents of their home (photographing and videotaping), and accompany them as they progress through their day. Then I sift the resulting information for weeks, even months, looking for connections and telltale behaviors.
The service is used mostly by founders for small businesses and startups. I takes questions about sales figures and product lines and reconfigures them into questions about worlds, the context in which people unthinkingly live their everyday lives. The idea is that examining the beliefs and unconscious biases that people have will eventually yield profitable insights for these businesses.
So far, I've done market entry for a few Chinese companies into Japanese market, helped indie game design company launch a successful game, a boutique lingerie shop launch a new summer line, street musicians, and a few cafes and bars.
I do this on the side with hopes to go full time into it soon.
Re: Ask HN: What is your money-making side project outside programming?
#14Investing. It takes a lot of time to have an understanding of filtering the good long term stuff from the bad short term strategies, but it's worth it.
How you started?
Re: Ask HN: What is your money-making side project outside programming?
#15I'm a lawyer who doesn't do much (any) marketing. But when someone gets referred and calls or sends an email asking for help with setting up an LLC, helping wind-down or sell their business, or even something small like reviewing an NDA, I can jump in.
I'm solo, so I don't have any overhead and I can charge far less than anyone else. This is also entirely a side gig, so volume is so low that I can be responsive, helpful and more like a thought partner who is also helping out on legal.
Re: Ask HN: What is your money-making side project outside programming?
#16Investing. It takes a lot of time to have an understanding of filtering the good long term stuff from the bad short term strategies, but it's worth it.
Online? If yes, which platform do you use?
Re: Ask HN: What is your money-making side project outside programming?
#17Tried everything:
youtube channel,
multiple tutorial websites,
music video making/videography,
photography, for artists and bands,
and finally sound design and mixing
The last one is the only that is actually working somewhat
Re: Ask HN: What is your money-making side project outside programming?
#18I did a coffee kiosk once. It went well, but required a large amount of energy and focus. We did a little twist on the business model. Starbucks sells nice places to sit down. We sold drugs. The model, from logo design to promotions, was designed to create a habit loop where people would get their morning coffee from us. It was so profitable that I seriously considered making it my full time career, expanding cafes a…
Are you willing to share more about successful strategies or process? Email in profile.
Re: Ask HN: What is your money-making side project outside programming?
#19I sleep a lot
It mends the ravelled sleeve
Re: Ask HN: What is your money-making side project outside programming?
#20I did a coffee kiosk once. It went well, but required a large amount of energy and focus. We did a little twist on the business model. Starbucks sells nice places to sit down. We sold drugs. The model, from logo design to promotions, was designed to create a habit loop where people would get their morning coffee from us. It was so profitable that I seriously considered making it my full time career, expanding cafes a…
It was hugely profitable but you had problems with people you were paying minimum wage?
Theres a reason why it was profitable, low labor costs