My First Million — The Side Hustle King: "Make $20K+/month without money, luck, or experience"

Hosts: Sam Parr & Shaan Puri (HubSpot Media)
Guest: Chris "The Side Hustle King" Koerner
Published: April 1, 2026

Overview

This episode is a rapid-fire brainstorm of business ideas for aspiring entrepreneurs who want meaningful, attainable income streams—especially those with limited capital or experience. Shaan and guest Chris Koerner (nicknamed “the side hustle king”) unveil a portfolio of low-barrier, high-potential business concepts and break down the key ingredients to launching and scaling these ventures. From reselling liquidation appliances to launching snail mail subscriptions and simplifying B2B AI consulting, the conversation is packed with practical strategies and memorable insights.

Key Business Ideas & Insights

1. Reselling Liquidation Appliances & Goods

• Timestamps: [01:56]–[06:18]

How it Works:

• Buy: Purchase returned or liquidation items from sites like Gov Deals and B-Stock (e.g., washers, dryers, fridges, outdoor furniture).
• Sell: Resell on Facebook Marketplace; avoid the hassle of customer acquisition since the platform brings the demand.
• Low Capital Needed: Sometimes, just a garage is sufficient—no warehouse required.

Critical Tactics:

• Test Demand First
  • [04:37] Chris: “You literally list it before you even bid on it… you’re getting signals from the market before you take any risk that there’s enough demand for it at a specific price point.”
• AI Automation Hack
  • [05:30] Chris: Describes using tools like Claude for handling listings, price research, and customer communication, even arranging pickups.

Memorable Quote:

• [03:25] Chris: “I like large appliances and outdoor furniture. Not electronics, because there’s a lot of variables... you don’t have to find customers. You just list them on Facebook Marketplace.”

2. Becoming an AI Consultant for Small Businesses

• Timestamps: [07:23]–[14:49]

Core Concept:

• Many small and medium businesses are "AI curious, AI hungry, and AI clueless" ([07:49] Shaan).
• Offer free seminars at local chambers of commerce, followed by paid AI audits and implementation.

Repeatable Use Cases:

• AI Voice Agents: Automate phone answering and appointment booking ([09:34])—huge timesaver especially for service businesses like barbershops.
• Industry-specific Apps: Build AI-powered, custom tools for niche businesses (e.g., CRM for HVAC companies, communication tools for accounting firms).

Real Examples:

• [12:07] John Cheney: Sold custom Replit apps to medium businesses ($2.5M year one, 60% net margins; $8M projected, 50% net).
• [13:16] Barbershop AI Voice Agent: $2,500 upfront, $250/month subscription for handling calls and bookings.

Memorable Quote:

• [08:24] Chris: “You go to your chamber of commerce and offer to give a free tutorial on AI... and then by that point, you’re an AI God to them.”

3. Snail Mail Subscription Clubs

• Timestamps: [14:53]–[18:11]

The Trend:

• Physical mail subscriptions are experiencing a sharp rise, reminiscent of the box subscription boom from 5–10 years ago.
• Examples: Handwritten letters, themed recipe cards, children’s artwork, or stickers sent monthly for a fee.

Success Story:

• [16:21] Chris: “Her name's Hannah...she sends things that are important to her to...like 6 to 7,000 women every single month...her churn is like 2%...she went from zero to 60K MRR in seven months through six TikTok videos. All organic, no paid ad spend.”

Idea Extensions:

• Pen-pal or art subscription clubs for kids; parents pay for their children’s art to be sent and receive enthusiastic responses.

Memorable Moment:

• [17:14] Viral Launch: “Her most viral video was a hidden camera in the kitchen as she explained to her husband what this business was… that video got 2 million views and brought her her first 1,500 customers.”

4. Supplying Food to Warehouse Workers

• Timestamps: [20:28]–[24:54]

The Opportunity:

• Amazon and similar distribution centers have little to no healthy or convenient food options for workers.
• Concept: Partner with a catering business, distribute flyers with a QR code, allow pre-ordering for coordinated meal drops.

Operational Insights:

• [22:38] Shaan: Suggests integrating automated food prep (robotics) for scale; “...you use these warehouses as your end customer...I can actually have a highly automated ghost kitchen here that’s doing the work.”

5. Tote Rental for Moving

• Timestamps: [25:15]–[29:31]

The Concept:

• Rent out reusable, stackable plastic moving totes to home buyers/sellers (often via real estate agents as client gifts).
• Totes are affordable assets with rapid ROI (pay off after a few rentals).
• Promotes eco-friendliness: one tote replaces ~400 cardboard boxes.

Notable Quote:

• [27:43] Chris: "His name is David Stillson...he started going through real estate agents...and he’s doing a few grand a month."

6. Wall Printer Service

• Timestamps: [30:23]–[35:25]

The Gist:

• Use 3D wall printers (on rollers) to create murals, timelines, and branding inside businesses.
• Machines cost anywhere from $4,000 to $65,000, but each wall print has a 99% margin ($8 ink sells as $800 print).

Sales Strategy:

• Leverage TikTok and short-form social content for lead generation.
• Start by using image mockups and organic content—you don’t need to own the machine to gauge demand.

Quote:

• [32:12] Chris: “A five by eight foot wall costs you $8 in ink, and you can sell that for about $800.”

7. Binary Outcome Businesses Philosophy

• Timestamps: [35:53]–[41:35]

Defining the Approach:

• “Binary outcome” businesses have clear, repeatable, value-added transactions (e.g., remove or trim tree, install or rent equipment).
• These businesses are approachable, asset-light, and easy to explain/market.

Real-World Application:

• Tree trimming example: [39:11] Chris—“It’s the best business in the world because we need to do one of two things...remove a tree or trim a tree...we’ve never got less than a five-star review ever. Not because we’re amazing, but because it’s simple.”

Customer Acquisition Advice:

• Focus on finding customers before investing in gear or hiring. Use Facebook Marketplace, referrals (landlords, realtors), and basic paid ads.

8. RV Rentals as a Service

• Timestamps: [45:19]–[50:54]

The Model:

• Finance and rent RVs (Class C is generally best) via platforms like RVShare and Outdoorsy.
• Most RVs are used by owners only a handful of times a year—renting out can cover costs and earn extra profit.

Size Matters:

• One RV: Great side hustle.
• 10+ RVs: Scalable operation, systematize everything.
• 2–4 RVs: Tough "messy middle," not worth the hassle.

Memorable Quote/Tip:

• [47:04] Chris: “I would act as if I were a consumer...say, I want a booking for this weekend for three nights...then one year from now...if those numbers were true, it’s like, wow, 90% booked for this unit.”

9. Cautionary Tales: Overhyped “Passive” Businesses

• Timestamps: [52:17]–[54:15]

Vending Machines and Similar Models:

• Often sold as passive income—reality is maintenance, restocking, and technical issues make them more operationally intensive than people expect.
• Chris: “I can't tell you how many people I've heard say like I just, just a few vending machines and just extra thousand bucks a month. Just passive...it's just not.”

General Rule:

• Be wary of businesses where the main proponents are selling high-ticket “how to” courses rather than running the business themselves (e.g., Amazon FBA, YouTube automation, dropshipping, trading strategies).

• [53:17] Shaan: “How many people are trying to sell you high ticket courses and how sleazy do they look? Is the best proxy you can sort of...I don’t even need to see the underlying business.”

Memorable Moments & Notable Quotes

1. On Marketplace Liquidity:
   [05:13] “It's unbelievable the amount of, like, liquidity in the Facebook marketplace. It's unreal.” (Shaan)

2. On AI's Potential:
   [07:49] “Every single small business—well, not even small business. Large and small business—is right now, AI curious, AI hungry, and AI clueless at the same time.” (Shaan)

3. On 'White Belt' Businesses:
   [50:54] “You need a starting point as an entrepreneur. Everybody starts somewhere... you learn in this, like, kind of safe sandbox.” (Shaan)

4. On Approaching Practical Entrepreneurship:
   [41:35] Chris: “There’s two tasks that any business owner needs to do. Find customers. Fulfill customers. That’s it.”

Actionable Takeaways

• Test before Investment: Always try to acquire customers before investing in inventory or expensive equipment (e.g., list products before you have them, gauge interest in a service before launching).
• Leverage Platform Demand: Tap into existing marketplaces (Facebook, RVShare, B-Stock) where customers already congregate.
• Think Small and Repeatable: Start with simple, binary outcome businesses to accelerate “momentum and progress”—don’t fall for the illusion of overnight passive income or ultra-complex ventures.
• Capture Trends with Content: Novel or visually satisfying services (like wall printing or snail mail clubs) thrive with strong viral content on TikTok and Instagram.
• Beware of Overhyped Models: Thoroughly vet any “hyped” business idea, particularly if it’s surrounded by expensive online courses and suspect marketing.

Further Resources

• Chris’s Database of 200 Business Ideas: Free download available via QR code/link in episode description.
• Chris’s Podcast: The Koerner Office (tkopod.com)
• Follow-ups:
  • Facebook Marketplace, B-Stock, Gov Deals for reselling
  • AI agent tools for small business consulting
  • TikTok for snail mail/creative subscription launches

Endnote:
If you’re entrepreneurial but overwhelmed, this episode arms you with specific, realistic small business playbooks and the mindset to validate before you invest. Whether you want $2K/mo or to chase something bigger, Chris and Shaan’s tactical breakdowns demystify how to start smart—and keep the entrepreneurial grind practical and fun.