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Listen "The King of Side Hustles Nick Loper: These Are the Businesses to Start in 2026"
Episode Synopsis
Welcome to Market Movers: Building Brands & Links with Linkifi!
Your go-to podcast for transforming your business into an unforgettable brand where branding meets SEO and link-building. I’m Chris Panteli, Co-Founder & CEO of Linkifi, and I’m joined by my co-host and Co-Founder, Nick Biggs.
In this episode we welcome Nick Loper — founder of Side Hustle Nation and host of The Side Hustle Show (~700 episodes). Nick shares a decade+ of patterns from thousands of stories: what still works, what AI can’t replace, and how to go from first $1k to meaningful freedom.
Key Talking Points
✅ From Amazon-Everything to Real-World Moats — The shift from Kindle/FBA/Merch/Influencer to local services, value-add directories, and UGC that brands pay for
✅ Recurring > One-Off — The $180/mo website model (templates + a 2-year term) and other subscription playbooks that print margin
✅ Simple Services, Superior Ops — Cleaning, window/pressure washing, consignment: answer fast, quote clearly, re-book—and you’ll win
✅ Directories That Outlive AI — “Near me” sites that layer useful filters/data over Maps; local, niche, and defensible
✅ UGC as a Retainer Business — Short, hooky brand videos (followers optional); shift to $3–5k/mo retainers for predictable content
✅ AI as a Power Tool — Use it for editing passes, B-roll pulls, SOPs, code scaffolding—keep humans for claims, compliance, and taste
✅ Experimenter Mindset — Take step 1, ship, get feedback; tomorrow looks like today unless you act
Quotes from Nick Loper
📢 “I built the show I wanted to hear—skip the theory, show me the steps.”
📢 “If I don’t do anything, tomorrow looks like today—that didn’t sit well with me.”
📢 “Local services win by being the better administrator—pick up the phone, follow up, re-book.”
📢 “Directories still work—if you add utility beyond a list.”
📢 “AI is a power tool, not autopilot—use it to accelerate, keep humans in the loop.”
Actionable Insights
🚀 Recurring Revenue Playbooks
Flip project work to monthly packages (web builds, maintenance, reporting). Breakeven in 1–2 months, margin thereafter.
Add 2-year terms + reduced “maintenance-only” pricing after the term to lock in LTV.
🏠 Local Service Edge
Win on speed & certainty: answer within minutes, give transparent pricing windows, and ask, “Want me to book the next visit now?”
Build “neighbor virality”: before/afters, yard signs, leave-behind offers, and a referral bonus for houses on the same street.
🗺️ Directories That Rank & Convert
Start one city × one niche; add 3–5 filters the user actually needs (availability, price bands, specialties).
Enrich with phone/email CTAs, FAQs, mini guides, and a short comparison grid.
🎬 UGC That Brands Buy
Create 5–10 spec videos for products you already use; pitch 10 brands with a retainer (2–4 videos/month) vs. one-offs.
They don’t need your following—they need on-brand creative for their ads/social.
🤖 AI in Your Workflow (Guardrails On)
Podcast/video: first-pass trims, summaries, B-roll suggestions; human final cut.
Content: outlines, angle ideation, drafts; human fact checks and tone.
Ops: draft SOPs, client emails, proposal shells; lock down sensitive data.
🧠 Mindset & Momentum
Adopt test-and-tune: ship a tiny offer, gather signal, iterate.
Track leading indicators (response time, quotes sent, trials booked) as much as revenue.
Side Hustle Examples Nick Highlighted
$100k/mo Web Studio via low-friction monthly website packages (niche + templates + fast edits)
Unconventional Rentals: portable hot tubs/saunas with simple logistics and visible, seasonal demand
Teaching → Agency: video-game classes scaled into a multi-instructor business
Mobile Notary / Loan Signing: low barrier, rides financing/refi waves
Amazon Influencer: 25–50 evergreen product videos → ongoing micro-payouts
Nick’s Short List (If He Had a Free Weekend)
Near-Me Directories (AI-resistant, scalable once templated)
Pressure Washing (cheap gear, fast ROI, “neighbor virality”)
About Nick Loper
Nick Loper is the founder of Side Hustle Nation and host of The Side Hustle Show. For 12+ years he’s curated the most practical side-hustle playbooks on earth—favoring repeatable systems, recurring revenue, and AI-resilient businesses—helping millions earn their first $1k and beyond.
📬 Connect with Nick: Side Hustle Nation FB Group → sidehustlenation.com/fb
🎧 Podcast & Web: https://www.sidehustlenation.com/
🚀 Build Your Brand with Real Links
At Linkifi, we help ambitious brands scale organic visibility through digital PR, brand storytelling, and SEO strategy. Book your FREE strategy session today:
🔗 https://calendly.com/linkifi/pr
👋 Connect with your hosts:
👉 Chris Panteli on LinkedIn
👉 Nick Biggs on LinkedIn
🎧 Listen to more Market Movers episodes:
🌍 https://marketmoverspod.com
Your go-to podcast for transforming your business into an unforgettable brand where branding meets SEO and link-building. I’m Chris Panteli, Co-Founder & CEO of Linkifi, and I’m joined by my co-host and Co-Founder, Nick Biggs.
In this episode we welcome Nick Loper — founder of Side Hustle Nation and host of The Side Hustle Show (~700 episodes). Nick shares a decade+ of patterns from thousands of stories: what still works, what AI can’t replace, and how to go from first $1k to meaningful freedom.
Key Talking Points
✅ From Amazon-Everything to Real-World Moats — The shift from Kindle/FBA/Merch/Influencer to local services, value-add directories, and UGC that brands pay for
✅ Recurring > One-Off — The $180/mo website model (templates + a 2-year term) and other subscription playbooks that print margin
✅ Simple Services, Superior Ops — Cleaning, window/pressure washing, consignment: answer fast, quote clearly, re-book—and you’ll win
✅ Directories That Outlive AI — “Near me” sites that layer useful filters/data over Maps; local, niche, and defensible
✅ UGC as a Retainer Business — Short, hooky brand videos (followers optional); shift to $3–5k/mo retainers for predictable content
✅ AI as a Power Tool — Use it for editing passes, B-roll pulls, SOPs, code scaffolding—keep humans for claims, compliance, and taste
✅ Experimenter Mindset — Take step 1, ship, get feedback; tomorrow looks like today unless you act
Quotes from Nick Loper
📢 “I built the show I wanted to hear—skip the theory, show me the steps.”
📢 “If I don’t do anything, tomorrow looks like today—that didn’t sit well with me.”
📢 “Local services win by being the better administrator—pick up the phone, follow up, re-book.”
📢 “Directories still work—if you add utility beyond a list.”
📢 “AI is a power tool, not autopilot—use it to accelerate, keep humans in the loop.”
Actionable Insights
🚀 Recurring Revenue Playbooks
Flip project work to monthly packages (web builds, maintenance, reporting). Breakeven in 1–2 months, margin thereafter.
Add 2-year terms + reduced “maintenance-only” pricing after the term to lock in LTV.
🏠 Local Service Edge
Win on speed & certainty: answer within minutes, give transparent pricing windows, and ask, “Want me to book the next visit now?”
Build “neighbor virality”: before/afters, yard signs, leave-behind offers, and a referral bonus for houses on the same street.
🗺️ Directories That Rank & Convert
Start one city × one niche; add 3–5 filters the user actually needs (availability, price bands, specialties).
Enrich with phone/email CTAs, FAQs, mini guides, and a short comparison grid.
🎬 UGC That Brands Buy
Create 5–10 spec videos for products you already use; pitch 10 brands with a retainer (2–4 videos/month) vs. one-offs.
They don’t need your following—they need on-brand creative for their ads/social.
🤖 AI in Your Workflow (Guardrails On)
Podcast/video: first-pass trims, summaries, B-roll suggestions; human final cut.
Content: outlines, angle ideation, drafts; human fact checks and tone.
Ops: draft SOPs, client emails, proposal shells; lock down sensitive data.
🧠 Mindset & Momentum
Adopt test-and-tune: ship a tiny offer, gather signal, iterate.
Track leading indicators (response time, quotes sent, trials booked) as much as revenue.
Side Hustle Examples Nick Highlighted
$100k/mo Web Studio via low-friction monthly website packages (niche + templates + fast edits)
Unconventional Rentals: portable hot tubs/saunas with simple logistics and visible, seasonal demand
Teaching → Agency: video-game classes scaled into a multi-instructor business
Mobile Notary / Loan Signing: low barrier, rides financing/refi waves
Amazon Influencer: 25–50 evergreen product videos → ongoing micro-payouts
Nick’s Short List (If He Had a Free Weekend)
Near-Me Directories (AI-resistant, scalable once templated)
Pressure Washing (cheap gear, fast ROI, “neighbor virality”)
About Nick Loper
Nick Loper is the founder of Side Hustle Nation and host of The Side Hustle Show. For 12+ years he’s curated the most practical side-hustle playbooks on earth—favoring repeatable systems, recurring revenue, and AI-resilient businesses—helping millions earn their first $1k and beyond.
📬 Connect with Nick: Side Hustle Nation FB Group → sidehustlenation.com/fb
🎧 Podcast & Web: https://www.sidehustlenation.com/
🚀 Build Your Brand with Real Links
At Linkifi, we help ambitious brands scale organic visibility through digital PR, brand storytelling, and SEO strategy. Book your FREE strategy session today:
🔗 https://calendly.com/linkifi/pr
👋 Connect with your hosts:
👉 Chris Panteli on LinkedIn
👉 Nick Biggs on LinkedIn
🎧 Listen to more Market Movers episodes:
🌍 https://marketmoverspod.com
In God we trust