Podcast Summary: The Side Hustle Show – Episode 710
Title: 15 Things You Can Buy on Amazon to Make Money
Host: Nick Loper
Date: December 1, 2025
Episode Overview
In this actionable episode of The Side Hustle Show, Nick Loper presents 15 specific products—available on Amazon—that listeners can buy and use to launch profitable side hustles. From low-cost kits to rental-ready machines, Nick details their potential, startup costs, real-world stories from entrepreneurs, and practical marketing strategies. Whether you’re seeking a gig that’s part-time, seasonal, or scalable, you’ll find concrete business ideas with fast break-even potential.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Headlight Restoration Kit ($60)
- Income Strategy: Purchase in bulk; market via flyers in parking lots, shopping centers, or business parks.
- Pricing: Charge ~$50 per job; 10–15 jobs on a weekend could earn $500–$750.
- Marketing Tip: Play up the “improved safety” angle with before-and-after photos.
- Quote:
"Maybe each job only takes a few minutes. You could probably stack up 10 or 15 of these on a Saturday; could be a nice little side business." — Nick Loper [01:45]
2. Paintless Dent Repair Kit ($70)
- Market: Office parks, car washes, used car lots.
- Pricing: $75–$200 per dent, higher for larger jobs.
- Pro Tip: Partner with office properties for scheduled service days.
3. Solar Panel Cleaning Kit ($160)
- Income: $100–$350 per residential system.
- Strategy: Door-to-door sales; identify homes with solar panels via Google Maps.
- Marketing: Google Business Profile; upload job photos for reviews and visibility.
4. Window Washing Kit ($80)
- Features: 24-foot extension pole for second story windows.
- Story Highlight: Jack Linebach (guest) emphasized humor and rapport in door-to-door sales.
- Quote:
“Try to throw in a joke...like, oh, are those the guard dogs? They're so ferocious. And 10 times out of 10, the homeowner will laugh.” — Jack Linebach [05:38]
- Quote:
- Sales Process: Break the ice, mention neighbors, create urgency for ‘today’s special.’
5. Lawn Aerator ($200)
- Strategy: Instead of mowing (saturated), pitch lawn aeration (rare).
- Pricing: $100–$200 per yard; recoup equipment cost with a job or two.
- Budget Hack: Pre-book work, then rent the machine before investing.
6. 3D Printer ($200)
- Business Models:
- Sell design files on marketplaces.
- Sell physical prints (toys, car parts, cookie cutters, dollhouse furniture).
- Quote:
“Create it once, sell it over and over again. That's the holy grail.” — Nico Mendoza [11:13]
- Potential: $2,000 weekends at markets; niche sellers can hit six or seven figures.
- Story: Cookie cutter designer made $30,000 in a month [12:42].
7. Knife Sharpening Kit ($285–$300)
- Story: Matt Rowell began with the Edge Pro Apex system after seeing an ad.
- Clientele: Households, restaurants, print shops, farms.
- Rates: ~$1/inch, minimum $5/knife; translates to $30–$60/hr.
- Marketing: Roadside Dropbox, Google Business Profile, booths at farmer’s markets.
- Quote:
“Every house that you pass has a bunch of knives in it. So there's no shortage of potential customers.” — Nick Loper [16:50]
8. Car Detailing Kit ($170)
- Startup: Buckets, towels, brushes, extractor, mobile pressure washer.
- Pricing: $200–$350 per detail.
- Target: First-time customers—a growing market.
- Marketing: Recurring plans, partnerships with dealerships, themed gift card campaigns.
- Quote:
“It is labor, but I think it's pretty satisfying work...restoring something to like new in a lot of cases.” — Nick Loper [23:31]
9. Gas-Powered Pressure Washer ($300)
- Story: Scott Anderson started lean ($300 investment, $200 first job).
- ROI: Quick; use yard signs (“We Wash Houses”) for hyperlocal marketing.
- Viral Potential: Before-and-after draws in neighbors.
10. Cotton Candy Cart ($315) & Ice Cream E-Bike ($5,000)
- Cotton Candy: Low-cost, high-impulse at events; potential for brick-and-mortar.
- Ice Cream E-Bike: Higher investment, “cute branding” and real-time location tracking.
11. Foam Party Cannon ($350–$400)
- Story: Tim’s first bookings from mass postcard mailings to daycares, camps, libraries.
- Business Model: Send postcards in winter for spring/summer events; collect deposits before purchasing more gear.
- Quote:
“If I needed to, if it wasn't going to work, I could sell the equipment back… Relatively low risk.” — Tim [31:02]
12. Photo Booth ($550+ iPad)
- Story: Kat Block saw an oversaturated ‘cheap’ photo booth market—went upmarket with custom, high-end props.
- Marketing: Network with local event planners, focus on branding for events.
- Quote:
“It’s literally a business in a box. Just add an iPad and you’re good to go.” — Kat Block [33:53]
- Rates: $300–$400 for 3 hours (Kat charged more for higher quality).
13. Mobility Scooter ($675)
- Rental Model: Buy (ideally used), rent out for $250/week + delivery.
- Validation Hack: Launch website and Google Business Profile before buying equipment to gauge demand.
- Quote:
“I didn’t even buy that first one until I had a critical mass of inbound inquiries wanting to rent from me.” — Lenny Timm [40:35]
- SEO Tip: Use an exact-match domain for local searches.
14. Party Inflatable/Bounce House ($1,100)
- Startup Story: Corey Jeffries bootstrapped by renting to family and friends, got next rentals via word-of-mouth.
- Rates: $120–$200 per day; fast payback.
- Insurance Warning: Confirm costs before investing—can be significant.
15. Vending Machine ($2,000–$6,000)
- Sourcing: Buy direct for better financing vs. Amazon.
- Critical Skill: Location selection; target places with 100+ residents or employees.
- Sales Approach: Drop in, ask about their “vending situation,” highlight modern features like credit card readers.
- Quote:
“You're sitting on a $1,500 to $2,000 gold mine.” — Mike Hoffman [46:34]
- Tech Advantage: Remote inventory tracking gives you an edge over old-school competitors.
Notable Quotes & Moments
On Mindset and Hustle
“Your 9 to 5 may make you a living, but your 5 to 9 makes you alive.” — Nick Loper [00:40]
On The Power of Recurring Business
“I treat every client as recurring. It's like, well, they're going to get dull again.” — Nick Loper, discussing knife sharpening [17:40]
On Standing Out in a Crowded Market
“There was a need there for a more customized, stylized, high quality photo booth that people could actually use as a tool.” — Kat Block [34:40]
Timestamps for Key Segments
- Car Services (headlight, dent repair, panel cleaning, window washing): [01:00]–[08:30]
- Lawn & Yard Care: [08:30]–[10:00]
- 3D Printing (interview with Nico Mendoza): [10:00]–[13:30]
- Knife Sharpening (Matt Rowell): [16:12]–[18:30]
- Car Detailing & Pressure Washing (Josh Belk, Scott Anderson): [20:41]–[26:24]
- Event Treats & Party Equipment: [28:10]–[32:40]
- Photo Booth & Mobility Scooter Rentals: [33:53]–[41:13]
- Inflatables & Vending Machines: [43:27]–[48:17]
Conclusion
Nick wraps up by encouraging listeners to take action: pick a product, do some research, and try launching a low-risk side hustle. He emphasizes that many of these ideas can repay their startup costs quickly and can be grown with straightforward, local marketing.
If you try any of these, reach out—maybe you’ll be the next success story featured on The Side Hustle Show.
For the full list of 15 Amazon products to launch a side hustle—and some bonus ideas—see the episode show notes or visit the Side Hustle Nation website. Hustle on!