James Wedmore – Business By Design – Free Download Course

Summary

Podcast Summary:

Great New Courses – Online eLearning With The Best Coaches
Host: Eric Mega Download
Episode: James Wedmore – Business By Design – Free Download Course
Date: June 28, 2026

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Episode Overview

In this episode, the host embarks on a bold, entertaining experiment to test popular online side hustles, specifically those promoted by the well-known YouTuber Joshua. Through a mix of humor and candid commentary, the host dissects the reality behind viral claims of earning $500 in a single day using only your phone, exploring various apps, websites, and opportunities that promise quick cash. The episode offers practical insights for aspiring entrepreneurs, freelancers, and anyone curious about the gig economy, blending real-world attempts with honest reflections and a dash of skepticism.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Viral Side Hustle Challenge

• Objective: The host decides to try earning $500 in 24 hours by testing out side hustles featured by YouTuber Joshua, promising to eat an onion on camera if successful and give away the earnings.
• Quote:

  "If I somehow do manage to actually earn $500 in 24 hours, then I'll eat this onion and I will give away all the money that I did earn...to someone random in the comments." (A, 00:09)

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2. Attempted Side Hustles: Expectations vs. Reality

Human Microbes (Sell Your Stool)

• Description: Claims you can get paid for donating stool samples.
• Result: Not available to Europeans, only for USA/Canada.

IAM (Stock Photography)

• Description: Sell authentic travel and lifestyle photos.
• Result: Uploads 150 photos, receives likes but no purchases yet. (01:09–01:29)

Papa (Virtual Friendship)

• Description: Get paid to be a virtual friend.
• Result: Not accessible without a US phone number. (01:38)

Upside (Cashback on Purchases)

• Description: App gives money back, especially for gas.
• Result: Host doesn’t own a car, so not applicable. (02:06)

Field Agent / Be My Eye (Mystery Shopping)

• Description: Complete retail tasks for cash (e.g., photographing tomatoes in a grocery store).
• Memorable Moment:

  “So the mission is simple. Go to the grocery store around the block and audit the tomatoes. Which means I have to make photos of all the tomatoes and answer some questions.” (A, 03:01)

• Challenge: Loads of photos required, almost gets into trouble with store staff, phone battery nearly dies.
• Outcome: Mission submitted for approval, ultimately earns first $5.

  “The tomato mission. Officially, mission accomplished. Our first five bucks." (A, 05:18)

Studypool (Sell Study Notes)

• Result: Not eligible as host is not a student anymore. (04:51)

YouTube Thumbnails Freelance

• Result: Host admits lacking design skills and already employs someone for thumbnails. (05:05)

Lime Scooters (Bird/Lime Charging)

• Result: Not available in Amsterdam due to local regulations. (05:13)

Low Content Books

• Description: Sell digital planners, journals, coloring books.
• Host’s Hack: Counts sales from his existing Monk Mode Notion template towards the $500 goal. (05:46)

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3. Productive Side Hustle Discoveries

After initial setbacks, the host shifts to only testing those side hustles that actually payout instantly:

Yandex Toloka

• Description: Do micro tasks for AI and receive small payments.
• Earning Potential: Up to $5/hour for repetitive, easy work.

Google Opinion Rewards

• Description: Surveys for pennies per completion.
• Earning Potential: $1–2/week due to survey availability limit.

Be My Eye / Field Agent

• Description: Store tasks, mystery shopping.
• Earning Potential: $10–20/hour if you can get enough gigs.
• Pro Tip:

  "To actually earn money instead of losing money, don't buy the tomatoes." (A, 06:00 approx.)

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4. Results, Reflection, and Takeaways

• Reality Check: Many viral side hustles are location dependent or don’t pay as much as advertised.
• Practical Earning Ceiling:

  “I realized it is possible to earn about $180 in one day, which is the amount I'm giving away to someone random in the comments.” (A, 07:20)

• Earnest Reflection:

  "Is it impossible to earn $500 per day? Is Joshua Mayo lying? No. Even though a lot of his side hustles don't work, are not available or just don't pay out, some side hustles actually do work...if you put in the time and effort beforehand." (A, 07:10)

• Giveaway: Host pledges to give away all earnings (~$180) to a commenter.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On side hustle realities:

  "Not even one hour has passed with three side hustles in, and I've earned a total of $0." (A, 02:06)

• On mystery shopping anxiety:

  "The only thing I could think of was what the do I say when someone asked me, sir, why are you making all these photos of tomatoes?" (A, 03:30)

• On pivoting:

  "I'm going to try every single site also I can find on YouTube and I will only show the ones that actually make me money." (A, 05:54)

• Tongue-in-cheek wisdom:

  "Pro tip: To actually earn money instead of losing money, don't buy the tomatoes..." (A, 06:01)

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Important Timestamps

• Side Hustle Overview & Inspiration: 00:00–01:00
• Early Attempts & Frustrations: 01:00–03:00
• Grocery Mystery Shop ‘Tomato Saga’: 03:00–04:30
• First Earnings (Success!): 05:13–05:30
• Evaluating Other Side Hustles/Apps: 05:31–06:30
• Efficient Side Hustles & Pro Tips: 06:30–07:10
• Final Results, Lessons Learned & Giveaway: 07:10–end

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Summary

This episode offers a direct, humorous, and pragmatic look into the realities of quick-money online side hustles. The host debunks “easy money” myths, demonstrates that location, regulations, and prerequisites make a huge difference, and ultimately shows that while earning $500 in a day is possible, it’s atypical and requires either prior setup or massive, focused effort. Listeners get practical recommendations, real income figures, and laugh-out-loud moments as the host suffers, hustles, and nearly eats an onion for the sake of internet truth.

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Transcript

[A]

So this YouTuber posted a video viewed by millions claiming you can earn $500 in one day using nothing else but your phone. I think Joshua is full of bull, so I'm putting his claim to the test. Using Joshua's side Hustles, I'm gonna try and earn $500 in 24 hours. However, if I somehow do manage to actually earn $500 in 24 hours, then I'll eat this onion and I will give away all the money that I did earn up until then to someone random in the comments. All right, so first side Hustle.

[B]

Many of you are going to think that this first side Hustle is a joke. This company here, Human Microbes, will literally pay you for your stool, which is just a nice way of saying poop.

[A]

So let's see. Humanmicrobes.org focused on the USA and Canada. All right, so side hustle one didn't work out for us Europeans. Time for side hustle number two.

[B]

IAM is a stock photography website that prides itself on selling authentic imagery. But many of these images sell for close to $350 per image. All you have to do is just go to im.com Correct.

[A]

Let's try to upload some photos. Iam.com so, since I've traveled the world for a full year, I have some pretty dope photos. I'm just going to upload them to the app. Let's see what happens. All right, so I uploaded like 150 photos. Let's revisit later to see if someone actually wants to buy my photos. But first, the Next side Hustle Papa

[B]

will pay you to be a virtual friend for somebody who's lonely. Obviously. Guys, be safe and use common sense. Your friendships with these random strangers on the Internet should be strictly conversational.

[A]

I'll be the judge of that. Papa.com. so basically, I just have to be a friend for someone and I get paid for it. Not bad. Let's go. Enter your phone number to start your application. It's not a US Phone number. So again, next side Hustle. Fucking advertisement. Why would anyone put advertisements on there YouTube video?

[B]

Upside is an app that gives you money back for everyday purchases. Where this app really shines is the money back that it gives you on gas. As you can see, the I don't

[A]

even have a car. So not even one hour has passed with three side hustles in, and I've earned a total of $0.

[B]

Field agent is an app that's used by some of the largest companies in the world to have agents perform various tasks for their business. For example, using the app, you'll gather information for brands and retailers by taking photos, sharing opinions, and completing other tasks.

[A]

All right, so an app that lets you do TAs, like doing groceries or whatever, and you get paid for it. Field agent. Ta da. It's not available in Holland. Hey. But there is a Dutch version. Be my eye. Do short missions in stores around you. So let's give this a shot. So it's not exactly the app Joshua mentions in his video, but it's a Dutch alternative. Let's give it a try. In the meantime, I had a notification. Michael Warming likes your photo. Nice. Likes inked cash, son. Short missions, easy money. Let me get this straight. So the mission is simple. Go to the grocery store around the block and audit the tomatoes. Which means I have to make photos of all the tomatoes and answer some questions. If I succeed, I get $5. Sounds easy. Let's go. But little did I know that my phone battery is almost dead. So I'm away to the grocery store. The only thing I could think of was what the do I say when someone asked me, sir, why are you making all these photos of tomatoes? Anyways, My phone battery is almost dead, so that'll be probably fine. And also, I didn't realize there would be so many tomatoes. So for the mission to be successful, I had to make photos of the price tag, the barcode, and every side of the packaging. But since there were so many different tomato products, I had to take like 50 photos. And obviously, an employee saw me standing there for more than 30 minutes taking pictures of tomatoes. And after looking my way a couple of times, the employee approached me and asked me, sir, can I help you? And I told him, oh, no, I'm just looking at the tomatoes. And I got the hell out of there, since I also just had 1% battery left on my phone. All right, so mission accomplished. Kind of. And now I've submitted the mission as completed, and I'm waiting approval. There's a chance they might reject it. Let's see. But luckily, I did buy a lot of tomatoes. Why did I buy the tomatoes, you ask? I have no fucking idea. I was just supposed to make pictures, and I bought a friend who missed the onion. Now there's two of them again. I am so sure that I won't be able to make 500 bucks within 24 hours that I will eat both of these Vikings. And another update is that my photos that I've uploaded have not been bought yet, but I have received 17 likes and Diego started following me. So there's that. On to the next side hustle.

[B]

Studypool is a site where you can upload documents such as past notes that you've taken and sell them to tens of millions of students.

[A]

Another side hustle I cannot earn money with because I'm not a student. I don't. I'm not going to school anymore. I actually have a serious job, Joshua. I'm a full time YouTuber.

[B]

A lot of YouTubers will actually outsource their thumbnail creation to other people.

[A]

Again, this is not a side hustle that's going to work out for me because I suck at making thumbnails. In fact, I have a thumbnail guy who always edits my thumbnails for me.

[B]

If you live somewhere even remotely populated, you've likely seen these scooters on random corners of the street.

[A]

Companies like lime scooters are forbidden in Amsterdam because I don't know why. Because the mayor of Amsterdam is an idiot. Guys, I have an update for you. The tomato mission. Officially, mission accomplished. Our first five bucks. But we need to step it up because if we keep this space going on, we'll probably earn about 50 bucks and we need 500. Onto the next side hustle.

[B]

Low content books are an extraordinary way to make well over six figures per year. Think of things like journals, coloring books, word games.

[A]

All right, so I like this one because basically Joshua is saying that you can write low content books. It's not meant for reading, it's meant for filling out or doing exercise. Now, I don't have 24 hours to fucking design a whole book and write a book, but I do have a digital version of these kind of books because I've made notion templates in the past. And I'll drop a link right here to one of my best selling notion templates, which is the Monk mode notion template. So I'm going to cheat a little bit. I'm going to count the sales of the Monk Mode notion template towards the $500 I can add earn within 24 hours. So if you want to see me eat an onion, then make sure to download the monkload notion template. I'm just. You will see this video. All right, change of plans. I'm going to try every single site also I can find on YouTube and I will only show the ones that actually make me money. We're going into Monk mode after watching not just every single video that Joshua Mayo has ever made, but after searching the entire Internet for side hustles that are easy, quick, actually work and actually pay you money right away. I found the following three Toloka get paid for doing online micro tasks like labeling cars and photos for AI, comparing products, or simply saying which AI generated photos look better. You get paid just a couple of cents per task, but since they're so easy and fast to do, it can add up if you do a lot of tasks. Earning potential in my experience up to $5 per hour. Next site also that actually works. Google Opinion Rewards get paid. Fill out surveys, answer one to four questions and get paid between 10 to 50 cents. The only downside is the amount of available surveys, which means the earning potential per day is not that high, around one to two dollars per week. And then the best side hustle that works and pays the most in my experience is be my eye or field agent if you live in the us Pro tip To actually earn money instead of losing money, don't buy the tomatoes. Earning potential 10 to $20 per hour, which means potentially if you would work eight hours per day, you could earn up to 80 to $160 in one day. So is it impossible to earn $500 per day? Is Joshua Mayo lying? No. Even though a lot of his side hustles don't work, are not available or just don't pay out, Some side hustles actually do work. Plus Joshua talks about a lot of side hustles that can earn you a lot of money if you put in the time and effort beforehand. And as promised, even though I didn't make the $500, I realized it is possible to earn about $180 in one day, which is the amount I'm giving away to someone random in the comments. Leave something nice and you got to be subscribed obviously, and I'll see you in the next video. Cheers.