Who knew you could create your own cookbook? I had no idea! I thought this was something only for the famous cooks on the Food Channel. When I heard Mel, today’s guest was releasing a cookbook, I was blown away. I knew I had to see if she would share her story with the Wallet Squirrel community. Thankfully for us, she is excited to tell us how she wrote a cookbook.
I know Mel through her husband, Jesse, who I worked with about five years ago. Lately, Jesse and I have started talking again because of our common interest in fitness and wellness. Mel and Jesse are truly an inspiring couple. Their journey to a healthy and full life is something my wife and I really aspire to be like.
Though the eating healthy piece can be challenging for me because I like food a little too much. 🙂
1. Tell us a little about yourself. What do you do for your primary job? What is your side hustle?
I have been working as an office manager for an integrative health facility, but was able to leave about two weeks ago to finally pursue my side hustle full-time now (Congrats Mel)! My side hustle is managing a health and wellness blog called Peace of Mel. I publish health articles, create healthy recipes, and just released my very first cookbook as in Ebook!
2. What motivated you to start this venture?
I started my blog just over 2 years ago as a way to share my health journey and hopefully help a few people along the way. When I was in college, I moved across the country to participate in an internship program at Disney World. During my time there I began struggling with health issues. I felt lost and ended up turning to women who were blogging about living healthier and it changed my life. During this journey, I discovered that a lot of what I had been struggling with was due to food sensitivities. I quickly learned how frustrating it can be to try and navigate through normal cookbooks and restaurant menus when you have a list of foods that don’t agree with your body so I began creating recipes that were allergy-friendly and delicious. After years of creating my own recipes and falling in love with the process, I decided I wanted to share them with others and so I launched my blog which led me to release my cookbook.
3. What did you do to get started with writing your cookbook?
Part of why I decided to release my cookbook digitally is so that I wouldn’t have to invest as much money or worry about inventory. All I needed to purchase was a membership to Food Blogger Pro, some props for my photoshoots, and of course, food. The moment I decided to start a blog two years ago, I signed up for Food Blogger Pro and have never looked back. They have courses, training, and group chats that answer any question you could possibly have about starting a blog involving food. They are the ones that walked me step-by-step through how to set up my blog, how to put together a recipe page, and they had an entire training on how to produce your own ebook. The props that I have in my photos are usually from the dollar store or Michael’s – it’s amazing how inexpensive it is to make a beautiful set. Put all of that together, add in some hard work, and you have yourself a cookbook!
4. What platform did you decide to use to write your cookbook? Why did you choose this platform?
In order to create my cookbook, I was able to design all of the page layouts using Canva. Canva is a design website that allows you to create just about everything from Instagram posts
to Postcards, to ebooks. There is a professional version of Canva that you pay a monthly fee for, but I was able to get everything that I needed using the free version. From there, I simply exported the entire book as a PDF and uploaded it to an ebook selling platform called Gum Road. There are a variety of different platforms that allow you to sell your ebook, I chose Gum Road because it was rated highly by the members of Food Blogger Pro. It was extremely user-friendly, has a nice layout, allows you to set up discount codes, and doesn’t have an outrageous fee to utilize their services.
5. How long did it take to create the cookbook? What’s the most time-consuming part?
This cookbook took me about two months to put together. It has 20 recipes and they were all recipes I had not given a try before so there were quite a few trial and error recipe testing days in there! That being said, the most time-consuming part is definitely the recipe testing phase. The recipes that I create are all gluten-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free, and sometimes vegan so it can be a challenge to change so many elements of a recipe while keeping it close to the original.
6. What is your favorite part of the creation process?
I think my husband, Jesse, would agree with me and say the recipe testing phase. I love it because I really enjoy cooking and trying to make a recipe come together just right is like a puzzle and when you get it the way that you want it, it is so rewarding. Jesse loves it because it means that he gets to test out all of the recipes I’m working on; it is definitely a win-win for both of us!
7. What challenges did you run into?
Making so many substitutions in each recipe means there is no guarantee that it will work out and it can take a few rounds. I had a few batches of test recipes end up in the trash or that didn’t make it into the book at all. I also have had to teach myself a ton about designing a book, running a business, and maintaining a blog. The knowledge is out there, it is just a challenge sometimes to weed through everything to get what is going to be most useful.
8. Where did you get your inspiration for all of your recipes?
This cookbook is all about Fall so a lot of my inspiration came from my favorite Fall flavors or spins on foods that I had growing up that I can no longer have due to food allergies. A lot of the recipes that I end up putting together are versions of foods that I miss that I make allergy-friendly and a little healthier.
9. What is your favorite recipe in the book? (If you have a photo of this one, could I use it in the article?)
Oh my goodness, there are these caramel apple blondies with homemade caramel sauce in my cookbook and they are so good! It is honestly the ultimate comfort dessert if you eat them after they come out of the oven with warm caramel drizzled on top of them – they are perfection!
10. Do you have any advice for anyone looking to get into writing a cookbook?
I would say to find your niche and start cooking! The most time-consuming piece is putting together recipes and yet it is the one thing that anyone can be doing at any time. We all need to eat, we all need to buy groceries, so why not take advantage of that? I have turned my grocery list into a list of recipes I need to give a try so I am using the same time I would be using to cook us meals anyway to get work done.
11. Shameless plug. Tell us where we can buy your cookbook and where we can follow you. Feel free to brag why you are the best!
My cookbook is currently being offered through Gum Road, you can also find more recipes, updates, and fun giveaways at my blog website.
All 20 of the recipes in this book are delicious, packed with Fall flavor, and are great for just about anyone with or without food allergies. I had such a great time putting this cookbook together and cannot wait to hear what people think and see all of the delicious meals they make with it!
Wallet Squirrel is a personal finance blog by best friends Andrew & Adam on how money works, building side-hustles, and the benefits of cleverly investing the profits. Featured on MSN Money, AOL Finance, and more!
How this Machine Operator Started to Earn Extra Money Streaming on Twitch
I first heard about Twitch about five years ago and to be honest I thought it was the stupidest idea ever. I thought the idea of watching someone else play video cames sounded like the biggest waste of time. Then I learned that people actually pay others to watch people play. I mean, who honestly would have thought you could earn extra money streaming on Twitch? I would rather just play the video game myself.
About a year later in 2016 news came out that Amazon was going to buy the streaming service for almost one billion dollars. I couldn’t believe it. I finally decided to check out what all of the hype was about.
To my surprise, I was very amused. It was so fun to watch StarCraft videos and learn more about the game I thoroughly enjoyed. To this day I still enjoy watching people play games I enjoy playing. This still includes StarCraft and most recently Call of Duty: Warzone.
Personally, I have always wondered what it takes to get started on Twitch. So once I heard that today’s Side Hustle Spotlight, Tom Siegrist, streamed on Twitch, I knew I had to ask him about it. Luckily for all of us, he agreed to share his story with the Wallet Squirrel family as well.
Back in 2015, Tom and I worked together at one of the country’s major retailers. He might know this but he also gave me the courage to get my photographs into a small Colorado artist only consignment shop. Let’s read what he has to say.
1) Tell us a little about yourself. What do you do for your 9-5 job? What is your side hustle?
My name is Tom Siegrist. I am a machine operator at a mail-order food kit delivery service. I joke that it is for people that want to eat healthily but are too lazy to shop for everything themselves. My side hustle is that I stream video games on Twitch.
2) What motivated you to earn extra money streaming on Twitch?
I got into streaming when I walked into a gaming lounge and all the TVs on the walls had people playing video games and recording themselves. I had no idea how they did it or even what IT was they were doing so I asked the manager about it. He told me all about Twitch. From that moment it was a goal of mine to start streaming.
3) What did you do to get started with streaming?
As far as what I bought to stream and my start-up costs if you will, I bought an Xbox One X and a webcam. The new consoles come with the software needed to stream already installed. However, I wanted my stream to be nicer than what the consoles are capable of doing. For that, I needed an external video capture card ($160) and a laptop nice enough to handle the workload of streaming which, at the time, cost me $950 (cheaper options were available).
4) What platform do you stream on? Why did you choose this platform?
I have an Xbox One X, a Nintendo Switch, PS4, and a PC. I stream from them all. Initially, I owned just a PS4, but when I decided to start streaming it was when the Xbox One X was released so I decided I wanted the most current console to stream from.
As for why I got the other systems I decided that I want my stream to be as open as possible. All consoles are great and have really fun games, I want to play them ALL MUAHAHAHAHA!
5) What is your weekly time commitment to streaming? Do you have an overall estimate of how long it took to get where you are (follower/viewer wise)?
I stream for roughly 3 to 4 hours a day on days I work my day job. Then I stream roughly 7 – 10 hours on my days off. I have been doing this for the last two years.
6) What is your favorite part of streaming?
My favorite part of streaming is the relationships that I have been able to build with people from all over the world. I am by no means a big streamer, but I do have people that have been watching me for a long period of time. I have never met them in person but it doesn’t matter, they stop by and we get to hang out as long as they are there.
7) What challenges have you run into so far?
Challenges? Good lord too many to name, I have NO idea what I’m doing when it comes to computers and technology so this was/is an abrasive learning experience, to say the least. Every step I’ve taken to advance my stream has had obstacles. When I FIRST started streaming from my Xbox all I had was a capture card and a crappy laptop, only to find out that the laptop wasn’t compatible with the card so I needed to get a NEW laptop. Then when I started streaming my internet plan wasn’t NEARLY enough to stream on (streaming is a data MONSTER) so I had to upgrade my internet plan. Everything you see on my stream (Follow alerts, sound queues, scene transitions, overlay, etc) took COUNTLESS hours of watching how-to videos on YouTube, as well as A LOT of help from my more technologically savvy friends.
8) What games do you specialize in? Do you recommend any games for people to get started with?
I wouldn’t say I specialize in anything really. I do play a lot of 1st person shooters (Halo, Apex Legends, COD: MW) to name a few.
As far as what I would recommend getting started with, it’s easy to pick a popular game like Fortnite or League of Legends, but it’s more important that it be a game you have fun playing. After all, once you get a following it’s really not about the game as much as it’s about being in the streamers company while they are playing the game. Sure some of them may stop by to see you play, but they will come and go quickly, once you have a loyal fanbase they will come by simply to visit with you!
9) Do you have any games you are looking forward to?
The Last of Us Part 2 looks amazing (the first one was great).
10) Do you have any advice for anyone looking to get into streaming on Twitch?
Advice? Grind. This is going to take a while. Success will not come overnight. It’s going to take work. It’s going to take sacrifice. It’s going to have to be your top priority.
To find success to earn extra money streaming on Twitch, make sure you are playing a game that you love because you will have to do it for a long time to get anywhere. Also, take chances, your stream is only limited by your imagination. It’s like having your own tv show written, directed by, and starring YOU! Don’t be afraid to get crazy with it. For a long time, my hair was dyed pink and I wore a chicken on my head (I still have Mr. Cluckles).
11) Shameless plug. Tell us where we can buy your book and where we can follow you. Feel free to brag why you are the best!
I go by Ryowashu. I am the strangest streamer on Twitch. You can find me at www.twitch.tv/ryowashu
Wallet Squirrel is a personal finance blog by best friends Andrew & Adam on how money works, building side-hustles, and the benefits of cleverly investing the profits. Featured on MSN Money, AOL Finance, and more!
Today we have a very special Side Hustle Spotlight. We will talk with a pro about how to become a Virtual Assistant.
Andrew and I always make it a priority to provide you with first-hand experience when giving you ideas to earn or save more money. With all of the amazing side hustles out there in the world we cannot possibly try them all. This is why the side hustle spotlight was developed, to provide you with first-hand information about a side hustle from an expert in the field.
This week I had the pleasure to chat with Alexis Schroeder about how to become a Virtual Assistant. She has been a Virtual Assistant for almost a year now for a major finance blogger (you will learn more soon). Somehow she manages to keep up with her side hustle while juggling schoolwork, managing her own successful blog, and freelance work. Let’s learn how she does it!
Q1. Tell us a little about yourself. What is your main job? What is your side hustle?
Hey there! My name is Alexis and I am a full-time student and blogger. My main job and source of income is blogging, however, I am also a Virtual Assistant, also known as an “Executive Assistant” for the popular blog Making Sense of Cents. Aside from that side hustle, I also side hustle as a freelancer and write for various personal finance websites.
Q2. What motivated you to start this venture?
I had always wanted to be a Virtual Assistant for a blogger who was doing well. This is because Virtual Assistants get an inside look at how a popular and successful blog is running. My sister, the owner of Making Sense of Cents had mentioned several times she was in need of help and eventually reached out to me when it was the right time for both of us to start working together. I’ve had other popular bloggers reach out to me as well to help VA, but I’ve had to turn down the jobs because of commitments to school. I believe I’ll start accepting more Virtual Assistant jobs once I’m graduated in August of 2018.
Q3. What did you do to learn how to become a Virtual Assistant?
I didn’t take any courses or training to learn how to become a Virtual Assistant since I was assigned tasks I was already familiar with as a full-time blogger. However, a Virtual Assistant with no experience at all may want to look at free training on YouTube or paid (but cheap) courses through Udemy. If you have experience with assistant work either in the real world or online, this will benefit you greatly. I have also found that people who hire Virtual Assistants usually do some kind of training to get the VA familiar with tasks.
Side note from Adam:Here is a list of courses of Udemy on how to become a Virtual Assistant for you to look through (I have not personally tried any so I cannot recommend a particular course).
Q4. Do you have any advice as to where people can find Virtual Assistant jobs?
Finding virtual assistant jobs is pretty easy actually, especially since they’re all online. Aspiring virtual assistants will want to list their services on Fiverr and Upworkk, firstly. This will attract potential people who are looking for a VA (Virtual Assistant). You can also look at websites such as FlexJobs, which is a job listing websites for telecommuting jobs. I recently did a search for Virtual Assistant jobs on FlexJobs and there was page after page of positions available.
Q5. What is your weekly time commitment to being a Virtual Assistant?
I spend roughly one hour per day as a Virtual Assistant, but some days that may go to 2-3 hours depending on if I need to schedule posts on Facebook. This is my longest and most daunting task of being a Virtual Assistant. Other Virtual Assistants may work much more than I do, depending on what their boss needs from them. I predict my number of hours will increase in the future as I complete school and will have more time to do other tasks.
Q6. You have a lot going on between being a student, blogger, and a Virtual Assistant. How do you manage to balance all of it?
Good question. Honestly, it’s very difficult and I’m pretty burnt out at the moment. I don’t recommend others to juggle so many jobs at once. Not only am I a student, I work as a full-time blogger, freelance for 3+ personal finance websites, and I’m a Virtual Assistant as well. I take advantage of time blocking with Google Calendar and using my planner and notes. I’ve also gone as far as deleting Facebook (I was addicted!). I even downloaded an app called Forest that helps me get off my phone and focus on work more. Forest works by starting a timer in the app that tracks how long you haven’t used your phone. Once you hit a certain time limit (say you put 1 hour in) you will plant a tree and get coins. Once you get to 2500 coins, a charity will plant a REAL tree in the world. People that work from home often struggle with staying on task and eliminating distractions, so I’m constantly looking for new ways to make working from home a more enjoyable experience.
Q7. What challenges have you run into so far?
Staying motivated and inspired to keep working. Burnout is so real, especially while working so many jobs at once. I have faced blogger burnout several times, and it’s because I overwork myself to the point of exhaustion. I definitely need to focus on better work-life balance. Although I spend an average of 20-30 hours a week on my blog, I work several other jobs while maintaining good grades in my last year of college. Another challenge entrepreneurs and freelancers may face (as I have) is saying no to work. This is a big struggle of mine since I love making money and always try to find a way to make a job fit in somewhere.
Q8. Do you have any advice for anyone looking to start being a Virtual Assistant?
Don’t be afraid to charge what you are worth. It’s unfortunate that freelancers and people in this field undervalue themselves, therefore undercharge and people take advantage of that. If you have trouble figuring out what you are worth, see what the average income is for other virtual assistants.
Q9. Shameless plug. Tell us where we can find you. Feel free to brag why you are the best!
You can find me at FITnancials.com. A new post is published every single Monday at 3AM, written by me. Guest posts from entrepreneurs and bloggers publish on Friday’s. Friday’s are usually my favorite because I love hearing inspiring stories from others. 🙂
Side note from Adam: To get the latest from Alexis, you should also go follow her on Twitter and Pinterest.
Conclusion
Alexis has shown us that being a Virtual Assistant is very much in anyone’s grasp to try. If you have a few extra hours a day available with experience in blogging or willingness to learn about how to become a Virtual Assistant this side hustle might be something for you. Also, you should be a very organized person so you can juggle the tasks at hand.
Personally, I think it sounds like a lot of fun! It might be a side hustle I will try out myself.
Are you a Virtual Assistant? What is your favorite part of it?
Is becoming a Virtual Assistant not for you to earn extra money? That is alright. We have you covered! Head over to our Ways to Make Money page. Andrew and I have been putting together a very comprehensive list of ways for you to earn more money this year.
Wallet Squirrel is a personal finance blog by best friends Andrew & Adam on how money works, building side-hustles, and the benefits of cleverly investing the profits. Featured on MSN Money, AOL Finance, and more!
Today we have a very motivating Side Hustle Spotlight for us parents. This mom will talk about starting a photography business. She started her own about 8 years ago in Germany. Once back in the states she has been able to continue to grow this business while her family grew from two to six within 11 months!
Britney is a very special person that all of us aspiring entrepenuers should look up too.
I got to know Britney back when I was studying Landscape Architecture at Iowa State University. Together, we had many adventures from traveling the whole length of Mississippi River to “studying” urban design throughout the Pacific Rim (when I got my first taste of photography).
Since she got into photography it has been fun to watch her work go from good to perfection.
Today Britney will share with us how she got started in photography then how she has been able to continue to grow that business while being a mom of 4.
1. Tell us a little about your crazy awesome life.
Well, my name is Britney Brown, I’m 31 years old and I live in Des Moines, Iowa. I studied Landscape Architecture and Fashion Design at Iowa State University, studied abroad, and then met and married my military husband. I moved to Texas where he was stationed with the Army and shortly after traveled the world living in Germany for several years before moving back to Iowa.
Once we returned to the states, we fostered briefly, and then in the course of a year, adopted three siblings from foster care and got pregnant with my youngest. We went from just us to a family of six in just under 11 months and it was a WHIRLWIND.
That happened about two years ago now and we’re just like any other family these days!
2. You are self-employed, what do you do for a living?
I am a professional photographer that primarily works with families, children, couples, and women to create really exciting, fun images. I have done everything from shooting births to boudoir to destination weddings to major corporate events.
My bread and butter is definitely working with kids and families.
3. What motivated you to start this venture?
When my husband and I got married, I moved to Texas to where he was stationed in the Army. I had been a server all throughout college and pretty much continued doing that. While working with a local theater that I was doing costuming for, I met a local pin-up photographer that I did costume hair and makeup for. I fell in love with her work. We had received a DSLR camera as a wedding gift and I began playing with it, primarily just having fun with my friends and family.
While I was in design school, for better or worse, learning Photoshop was a HUGE part of our curriculum to complete projects so I had a huge head start there. When we moved to Germany, it was incredibly difficult for me to find a job (I didn’t speak German!) so I continued photographing new friends and trying new techniques. Additionally, I took hundreds of hours of online courses with photographers to learn my camera, lighting, posing, and everything in between. It was quite the undertaking but I was home by myself a lot of the time and I was able to commit a LOT of time to it!
Eventually, I filed as a business with the Army base and the German Business Agency (which was tricky…remember I don’t speak German – OR read it!) and became the very first licensed photographer on our Army base! I continued building my business in Germany and kept at it when we returned to Iowa several years later.
4. What did you do to get started with photography?
To be honest, I had nothing when I started. Just a camera. I experimented with allllllll the gear and I still do! I’ve rented a lot of things to see how I felt about it before buying. There is actually a really cool challenge floating around on the interwebs where they give really renowned professional photographers toy cameras and what they can come up with absolutely amazing.
I learned very early that having better gear makes things easier but it’s never the end all.
You make it work with what you’ve got. Your knowledge of light and posing and interaction and focus and a million other things matter a lot more than having the latest and greatest camera.
5. What is your weekly time commitment to taking photos and editing?
I always say I’m going to get one of those old fashioned time clocks and clock in and out every day 😉 There’s an app for that right?
On average, I wake up every morning and respond to clients while getting the kids ready for school and during breakfast. Then when my youngest kids nap from 12:30-3:30, I am generally sending invoices, responding to clients, editing, etc. and most evenings I do the same from 8p to midnight. In an average off-season week, I’m shooting anywhere from 2-10 hours per week and in a busy season week or a wedding week it can be up to 20-30+ hours of shooting time. On average, for every hour I shoot, I edit for three. So, it adds up.
I would definitely say that JUST on work activities, my weekly time is anywhere from 40-80+ hours a week.
6. How do you find a balance between being self-employed, being a mom of four, and spending time with your husband?
HA! BALANCE! Good joke, guys 😉 Just kidding, kind of.
I’m working on it CONSTANTLY.
It can be a serious point of contention particularly when I’m smack dab in the middle of the busy season and it is our anniversary and our kids need to be run to gymnastics and I have clients trying to order Christmas cards and no one has cleaned the toilet in 3 weeks…it can get rough. But then some days, I manage to edit perfectly, finish right in time to make a snack before nap is over then take my babies to the park before coming home to make dinner and watch a movie with my husband.
Every single day it’s a challenge to decide what needs my attention the most and doing my best to devote most of my energy to that. Some days I’m a rockstar and some days I’m a disaster. How’s that for balance? 😉
7. How do you maintain focus/energy to get projects done for your business with everything going on?
I will say I am INSANELY organized; an attribute I get to thank my mother for.
I have a meticulous calendar, a very specific desktop workflow system I’ve developed over the years, and digital client and project management system that help me stay organized. Also, I did hire a nanny in the last year that helps me take time away to shoot during the day, run errands, or just get out to complete projects if need be.
I actually decided to start reading for fun again (I listen to audio books while editing) and I’ve been taking a calligraphy class once a week to focus on something creative that has nothing to do with photography. It’s been really refreshing to have time to relax and do something outside of work and family that is just mine and I absolutely couldn’t recommend it enough.
8. What challenges have you run into over the years?
The biggest thing I had to learn was teaching myself to manage expectations. My own, that of my family, and MOSTLY that of my clients.
I had to learn when to say no if a project just wasn’t a good fit. I had to learn how to respond to sensitive situations with absolute impartiality while still remaining empathetic. I had to learn how to offer the right kind of information regarding how long photos would take to receive, what to wear, choosing locations, filling out contracts, you name it. I had to learn to coach my families to relax around their own kids and just engage them rather than worrying about who was knocking over a lamp or punching their brother rather than sitting nicely on a chair. I had to learn to diffuse situations quickly and calmly and to anticipate the needs of my clients before they even thought to ask them. I had to learn how to engage small children to laugh because they never and I repeat NEVER want to smile nicely and say cheese.
I also bribe them. With candy. Yes seriously.
It is VERY rare I run into issues now that I’m eight years into this but occasionally someone still throws me for a loop but it is truly (and I almost hate when people say this but it’s true!!) a learning experience so that I can do it right the next time with no hiccups.
9. Do you have any advice for those patents looking to start their own photography business?
Anyone can use a camera. Anyone can become a gear head and learn how to click a button.
Not everyone can make an authentic and creative connection with other people…even if you’re photographing flowers or landscapes, ultimately building a business is receiving money for your time and energy. You will STILL have to connect with others to convince them that your time and energy is worth paying for.
Work hard to create connections, foster them, and maybe most importantly, trim them as needed. Not everyone is your client…and be ok with that as soon as you can. It can be really disheartening to see someone move on to a new photographer or not pick your print for their wall but you never know what led to that decision – chances are it had very little to do with you and a lot more to do with their aesthetic, budget, time, sales, marketing, etc. etc.
Your clients will always come to you. Trust the process. 🙂
10. Shameless plug. Tell us where we can follow you. Feel free to brag why you are the best!
I’m a bit of a social media junkie so you can follow my adventures all over the interwebs.
Find me on Instagram by following me @being_britney and @britney_shoots. My kids are absolutely nuts and often worth the follow alone 😉
You can also find my current work and fun on my business page at https://www.facebook.com/britneybrownphotography. Also, visit my website for more information at www.britneybrown.com!
Now It is Your Turn
Are you now interested in starting a photography business? That is great! There are so many different ways for you to make a living off of photography. Today we saw one photographer who mainly focuses on kid and family photography.
Even if photography is not your thing, Britney has shown us how we can accomplish anything we want even with four kids! It takes a lot of hard work, focus, and organization but we can all do it if our side business is really important to us.
Is starting a photography business not for you to earn extra money? That is alright. We have you covered! Head over to our Ways to Make Money page. Andrew and I have been putting together a very comprehensive list of ways for you to earn more money this year.
Just as a friendly reminder…
All photography on this page is copyrighted by Britney Brown Photography & Design. Any unauthorized use of them is strictly prohibited. If you love Britney’s work where you want to use it, just ask her, she will not bite…hopefully.
Wallet Squirrel is a personal finance blog by best friends Andrew & Adam on how money works, building side-hustles, and the benefits of cleverly investing the profits. Featured on MSN Money, AOL Finance, and more!
For today’s Side Hustle Spotlight I have a very special treat for you. Today we will learn how to become a children’s book author and illustrator.
So, let me introduce you to the very talented Leah Gilbert! I met Leah and her husband several years ago through a couples class at the church my wife and I attend here in Denver. A couple years we learned that she was signed by an agent which was just the first huge step of many many more to come that would let Leah make her dream come true.
Well, guess what. Leah’s dream has become true with the release of her first children’s book last week, A Couch for Llama!
First, a little about Leah before we start. During the day Leah is an illustrator and designer for a greeting card company (I’m sure she could provide some advice to improve our header images :P). By night she writes and illustrates her very own children’s books. How awesome is that?!?!
What is even more awesome she has agreed to share with us her adventure to becoming a children’s book author and illustrator!
Q1: Tell us a little about yourself. What do you do for your 9-5 job? What is your side hustle?
I work as an illustrator and designer for a greeting card company as my day job, where I illustrate greeting cards and other gift products like calendars, bookmarks, and magnets. On the side, I am an author and illustrator of children’s books, with my first book that was just released this month, A Couch for Llama!
Both of these a very much related, but also very different in many ways as well.
Q2: What motivated you to become a children’s book author and illustrator?
Well, it has always been my dream to write and illustrate children’s books. I have always loved reading and drawing. Growing up I spent a lot of time doing both of those things. Books were very big in our house and trips to the library were frequent. Even though my parents are not particularly artistic they did everything they could to encourage and help me in my artistic journey. I majored in Illustration and Graphic Design in college and minored in English with the intention of hopefully getting into children’s books after graduation. The issue was the publishing world is notoriously hard to break into. It is also not a good steady income for paying bills, so I decided to look for a traditional full-time job when I graduated instead of pursuing publishing immediately (student loan payments are a great motivation…). I was very blessed to be able to find a full-time illustration job to pay the bills and use my artistic skills at the same time.
Credit: http://www.leah-gilbert.com/
Q3: What did you do to get started with writing and illustrating children’s books?
Somewhere around 2013-2014, I decided to start seriously pursuing becoming published. I started by doing a lot of research—what does the field look like? Where can I find information and resources on breaking into publishing? What kinds of agents and publishers are out there, and what are they looking for right now? What is currently being published? LOTS of research. I joined the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, which is the professional organization for children’s publishing, and learned everything I could about the industry.
I also worked on getting some material ready to submit. This is when I wrote and illustrated two “dummies” (books that are written and sketched out in a mock-book layout), completely updated my portfolio with work that reflected the children’s industry, and got my website up and running. All of that took roughly 2-3 years of working on it on and off when I had time, semi-seriously.
Also, I work digitally and already had most of the equipment and programs I needed, so I didn’t need to really buy anything up front, although I have upgraded since then with fancier equipment that works better than what I had at the time.
Finding an Agent
I started submitting to agents in late 2015 and didn’t get any interest in the first round I submitted. So I decided to revise both my stories and resubmitted them in early 2016 to another round of agents. This time got some interest. In May 2016, I signed with my amazing agent! This was a big step, as it can be pretty tricky to land an agent. You do not HAVE to have one, but they certainly make things a lot easier and help a ton, and I honestly cannot imagine doing this without mine. There are some publishers you can submit to without an agent, but many are closed unless you have one.
I did a round of revisions for my agent, then she put together a submission list of 8-10 publishers she thought would be a good fit for A COUCH FOR LLAMA, and submitted in June 2016. Sterling Children’s Books was interested pretty quickly, though everything in publishing takes a long time. Even though I got the offer from Sterling in July 2016 the book is just coming out now in February 2018. This timeframe is pretty typical.
Credit: http://www.leah-gilbert.com/
Q4: What is your weekly time commitment to writing the books and creating the illustrations? Do you have an overall estimate of how long it took to create Couch for Llama?
That is kind of a tough one. I don’t necessarily have a set schedule, but usually, when I’m in the middle of a project (especially with a specific deadline) I work on writing and illustrating every free second I have. During the week, I get home from work at 6 pm, eat a quick supper, then usually work from around 7 until 10 or 11 or whenever I’m at a good stopping spot. Whenever I can, I often work much of the weekend too.
My husband’s support has meant the world to me and I certainly could not be doing this without him.
When I’m busy, he takes care of all the cooking, cleaning, housework, yard work or whatever else is needed so I can have time to spend on my books!
I guess the short answer to that question is anywhere between 20-40+ hours per week, with breaks when I’m not in the middle of a project to take a short time off from doing anything so I can keep my sanity 😉 It is hard to say exactly how long it took to make A COUCH FOR LLAMA… a year or two of working on it on and off, then a couple more years of working on it more seriously.
Q5: How many reiterations have you had to go through before final approval?
A few. I had completely revised on my own once or twice. Then my agent had a round or two of changes. Then my editor and art director had changes. So I guess roughly maybe about 4 major versions, with other tiny changes here and there. The final story is actually pretty close to the very first version, mostly just with more added to the beginning and end that helped fill it out and develop it a little more. Originally, I had the story starting on what is now page 4 (see sketch below).
Even though I both wrote and illustrated it, there’s still a lot of other people involved. This includes my agent, editor, and art director, among others who had input and contributed to making it the final book that it is.
Q6: What challenges have you run into so far?
I think the whole process of trying to become published is pretty challenging.
It is hard sometimes not to just give up on it.
Also, from a financial standpoint, publishing is pretty tricky. You have to put in tons of time up front creating your book first. This is with no guarantee that anyone will want to publish it. Then, if/when you get an agent and a publisher interested, your advance (the money they pay you up front as an advance against royalties) can range anywhere between literally nothing to 6 figures. This advance depends on you, the publishing house, and how well they think the book will do. THEN, depending on how well the book actually sells, you may or may not earn much in royalties after the advance earns out.
So there’s a ton of variables in play and it’s nearly impossible to plan on anything financially, especially when you’re first starting out.
Q7: Do you have any other books in the works? If so, has the process been easier
Yes! I do have another book project I’m working on. I cannot share yet because it is still in the top secret stage.
The project has been different, though I’m not sure about easier. I think each project will always have its own unique challenges and will never be “easy,” but I certainly learned a ton from going through the process beginning to end with LLAMA. I have been able to put that into practice this time around.
The new book took roughly 6 months from idea to submit to my publisher, whereas that whole process took a couple of years for LLAMA.
Q8: Do you have any advice on how to become a children’s book author and illustrator?
Join the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and learn as much as you can about the industry!
Read! Read all the books you can find that are currently on the shelves at bookstores to get an idea of where the market is at and what publishers are currently looking for.
Finally, don’t give up!
My little one getting his copy of A Couch for Llama signed by Leah.
Shameless plug. Tell us where we can buy your book and where we can follow you. Feel free to brag why you are the best!
Be sure to watch the book trailer below! I’m a little biased, but I think it’s a pretty cute book for any age.
Adam here with my honest opinion: In all seriousness, this book is pretty awesome. Before having a 15-month-old son, I would have never guessed the number of children’s books I would own or get to read. Out of the giant pile of books we have, there are only three that stick out to me. Let’s Find Momo, The Book with No Pictures, and yes you guessed it, A Couch For Llama.
These books stick out because of how creative and how well executed they are. These books are not your typical cookie cutter children’s books.
If you feel like Leah was so helpful showing you how to become a children’s book author and illustrator, to say thank you, you should go grab your own copy of A Couch for Llama!
Alright, sales pitch over, let’s conclude this article.
Conclusion
We can learn from Leah, the side hustle on how to become a children’s book author and illustrator is not an easy one. With a lot of work, dedication, and support it is very possible!
To me, it is one thing to become a children’s book author. Leah takes it to a whole new level by illustrating her books as well! That takes some serious talent!
So what happens when you cannot illustrate? Or you can illustrate but are not a creative writer? Well, you can always find a business partner to help you with the other one. One of my favorite professors for my undergraduate was amazing with color pencil illustrations. He often did the illustrations for children’s books while another gentleman wrote the storyline for those books.
Have you ever wrote and illustrated a children’s book? Tell us how you become a children’s book author and illustrator!
Is writing and illustrating a children’s book not for you to earn extra money? That is alright. We have you covered! Head over to our Ways to Make Money page. Andrew and I have been putting together a very comprehensive list of ways for you to earn more money this year.
We are going to start a new series that spotlights side hustles from various people from around the nation, beginning with aerial imagery. This series will hopefully shine some light on new ways for you to make some extra income that Andrew and I do not have the resources or talent to try out.
A Full-Time Teacher, Coach, Husband, and Father Brings Aerial Imagery to Life
Today we will talk with Mr. Haskovec, the co-founder of WHaerial Imagery.
I know Mr. Haskovec through my years in high school as he was my American history teacher about 15 years ago. Wow! I cannot believe it has been that long!
And, yes, I still find it strange to call Mr. Haskovec by his whole name after so many years. 😀
Somehow, this full-time teacher, coach, husband, and father has found time to start this aerial imagery side hustle.
Who Is WHaerial?
WHaerial imagery is a drone photography and videography business located in Northeastern Iowa. They provide customers with new marketing perspectives and opportunities. A recent project that Wayne completed was for a golf course in Waverly, Iowa. The video shows off the course from a unique perspective that traditional photography and videography cannot.
Aerial imagery has really started to boom over the last five years as the technology becomes cheaper. There continues to be more and more creative ways to capture different industries using drones. We have started to see this in the real estate business as drones are able to show off properties very well.
WHaerial has only just begun this side hustle but is already publishing some great work! Let’s see how Wayne and his business partner got started, what it took to get into the field, and what are the challenges of drone photography.
1. What do you hope comes out of this side hustle?
Well, to be honest, and upfront….this is a first time endeavor. I am hoping that this start-up will blossom into something that lends itself to more opportunities down the road. The goal is to grow this aerial imagery business into something that will provide not only extra revenue but opportunities to expand. My partner and I decided to officially start a business that features a fully insured and licensed drone company.
There are thousands of drones out and about, but many are not licensed or insured to fly commercially. We are hoping to provide that security and opportunities to our future customers in the Cedar Valley of Iowa.
2. What motivated you to start this venture?
Just over a year ago, I was able to fly one of the first Phantom 4 drones in our area. I immediately fell in love with the creativity and technology packaged in such a small device. The opportunity to capture never seen before areas of my family’s property turned into an absolute passion for me.
As I became better at piloting the drone, I decided to purchase my own drone.
The purchase soon turned into a serious hobby. I was able to show friends and family how unique the drone perspective was. Soon I was capturing images and video and including those creative pieces onto my social media. The excitement and fun I was having made me realize that I could potentially jump into a market of professional aerial imagery. It was a pretty easy to convince myself that I should go ahead get certified, and make money doing something I enjoy.
3. What did it take to get up and running for professional aerial imagery?
My partner and I laid out all of the potential assets we had, which included the two drones that I currently owned. I also invested $150 in taking the FAA certification exam at a local community college that allows for such testing. The insurance and fees for creating our LLC have completed our initial startup costs.
Obviously, there will be more costs down the road….but our hope is to get off the ground (no pun intended) running. In terms of being able to pilot the drone….anyone can do it. The trick, however, is doing it the right way. Making sure you take the time to follow protocol in pre-flight and flight. I have spent the past year getting better at making turns manually without jagged video.
Experience is the name of the game!
4. What is your weekly time commitment to the business?
As of now, it is hard to speculate what future weeks will look like. As of now, we are just waiting on making sure all of our paperwork is in order. My estimation is that once we get into the swing of things, we will be looking at 10-12 hours of pure droning and video editing.
In addition, time will be spent on social media helping to promote our product. Without a doubt, that number per week will increase. With that growth, we are hoping to enlist more certified pilots into WHaerial.
5. How are you going about to getting work?
Social Media! Between Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter….we hope to boost sales dramatically as we begin to actively search for projects.
We also have several connections within our area in the real estate and agriculture realms but are going to be diving deeper. As we build our numbers via social media, we hope to showcase our work on our website. Our most recent project has been highlighted through the use of Facebook.
The opportunities to connect and grow are limitless in the world we live in today.
6. What challenges have you run into so far?
I believe one of the biggest challenges we will have is staying ahead of the curve. Even though there are droning/aerial image companies out there, we are hoping to get a foot up on the competition in our area.
The other issue that potentially could create some difficulties is the expense in keeping our equipment up and running. The drones that we operate can take 20-megapixel photos along with 4K video. Continuing to stay current and state of the art in the world of droning will be something that will be continuing to fuel our company.
7. Do you have any advice for anyone looking to get into aerial imagery?
My biggest piece of advice is to read all manuals before flying! Know your drone inside and out, and account for your surroundings. Helping the drone community to look as professional as possible, will allow more opportunities to drone in the future!
8. Shameless plug
Head over to one of, or all of, WHaerial’s social media and give them a follow! Personally, I really enjoy the Instagram account! There are some pretty aerials of the Iowa countryside.
Our company page is located on:
Facebook: @WHaerial
Twitter: WhAerial
Instagram: whaerial
Email: whaerialimagery@gmail.com
Conclusion
If aerial imagery sounds like an awesomely fun side hustle, go for it! If you are interested, I would follow Mr. Haskovec’s advice of getting your FAA license as well insurance. This might be the difference as to why a customer chooses you over another company.
Also, do not forget to practice flying your drone, a lot! You will want to create high-quality videos for customers which will require you to fly the drone smoothly as you film.
If aerial imagery is not your thing but you are still looking to earn some extra money and need some ideas on how to do that, then check out our Ways to Make Money page. Here Andrew and I provide 70, yes 70, ways you can make money outside of your 9 to 5 job. We even test these out for you so you can easily figure out what side hustle is best for you.
