Podcast Summary: The Side Hustle Show – Growing an Online Business to $100k a Month (Greatest Hits)

Host: Nick Loper
Guest: Jennifer Marks (JenniferMaker.com)
Date: October 23, 2025

Overview

In this “Greatest Hits” episode of The Side Hustle Show, Nick Loper interviews Jennifer Marks, creator of JenniferMaker.com, a leading DIY and crafting blog. Since launching her site in late 2016, Jennifer has grown it from a $33-a-month side project into a multi-six figure monthly business. The conversation dives into her organic growth strategy, her focus on email list building, the power of niche content tied to specific products, her diversified income streams, and the evolution of her team and operations—all delivered with actionable advice, candor, and humor.

Main Themes and Purpose

• How to identify and scale an online niche business
• Tactics for building high-value traffic and engaged audiences
• Monetizing content creatively (ads, affiliates, products, courses)
• Building repeatable systems and a content team
• Learning and adapting in a competitive space

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Jennifer's Origin Story and Early Traction

• Jennifer started blogging for fun—crafts and recipes shared with her daughter—before recognizing its potential.

• First unexpected AdSense check ($100) coincided with a financial crossroads, motivating her to take blogging seriously.

  • “It was a sign. And so I went and I dusted off that Genuine Mom...I’m going to turn this into a real thing and put actual effort into this and see what I can do by actually working at it, like, with intention.” (Jennifer, 03:02)

• Her initial monetization: Google AdSense and affiliate income.

• Blog growth was slow, but she diversified her efforts (Upwork, asking friends, etc.).

• Transition from a previous 20-year print travel guidebook business focusing on Disney to digital content.

2. Overcoming “Crowded Niche” Concerns

• Jennifer’s confidence stemmed from knowing everyone offers something unique; age and past experience helped.

  • “I have learned it is never literally too late to ever start anything...I can always do that.” (Jennifer, 06:09)

• Early months were “toiling in obscurity.” First traction came from learning Pinterest deeply (6 hours/day at times) and engaging authentically in relevant Facebook groups (craft niches, not networking with other bloggers).

• Initial Growth Metrics:

  • Traffic: Grew from ~1,000 to 10,000 pageviews in four months, all from Pinterest and Facebook.
  • Key lesson: Go where your audience already hangs out and contribute value.

3. Traffic Strategies: Pinterest and Facebook Groups

• Pinterest treated as a discovery/search engine, not social media; heavy focus on keyworded boards and pinning strategy.

  • “Every blog post...I create the pin image...I pin it on Pinterest to a very specific board that I feel its keyword matches...That is my strategy in a nutshell.” (Jennifer, 10:48)

• Group boards still work if they’re niche-specific; early on, mixing popular pins builds board authority.

• Once established, Jennifer mostly pins her own content.

• Facebook groups: Deep engagement, answering questions, and sharing projects (with admin permission). Built her community large and active.

4. Monetization and the Power of the Email List

• Blog posts are a funnel to Jennifer’s mailing list; lead magnets are gated project patterns and templates—essential for readers to complete tutorials.

  • “My big goal in everything I do is to get people onto my mailing list...because mailing list is gold.” (Jennifer, 17:51 & 21:05)

• Over 375,000 email subscribers, powered by ConvertKit. Three segmented welcome sequences (Cricut crafts, craft room organization, and blogging tips).

• Products are the largest source of revenue:

  • Revenue breakdown: ~5% affiliate, ~5% advertising, ~90%+ products (ebooks, courses).
    • “Products are amazing. Our ad revenue is not insignificant...but I’m okay scaling that back because...the ultimate goal...is really products.” (Jennifer, 24:15)

• Multiple low-cost ebooks and a higher-ticket (open twice yearly) design course. Working on filling in the “middle” of the product ladder.

5. Content Creation and the Power of Niche

• Content is mostly step-by-step tutorials, always with a downloadable/printable lead magnet.

• Every tutorial has a full-length YouTube video; YouTube has become a traffic source rivaling Pinterest.

• Annual “content blast” during peak season (December): A new post + video every day for a month, resulting in sustained traffic and revenue jumps.

  • “Each time I’ve done [the daily December content blast], it’s like increased my traffic and my revenue by three to five times and it stays there.” (Jennifer, 29:38)

• Regular schedule: Typically one amazing tutorial each weekend (post + video + lead magnet).

• Content ideas sourced directly from her very active Facebook communities (polls, questions, requests).

6. Community and Team Building

• Active Facebook group (“Cricut Crafters and Makers”) tied to Jennifer’s content, over 115,000 members, 1,000 posts a day.
• Jennifer sets the tone: “If you set the tone and you are present in your community...they will follow suit.”
• Moderation by volunteers and employees; Slack used for communication.
• Team: 15 employees, almost all hired from within the community; growth overseen by an Operations Director (Jennifer’s first hire).

7. Scaling and Long-Term Vision

• Jennifer wants to scale by building a repeatable “content machine” with more delegation, but remains the face of the brand for now.

  • “I plan to stay here at least as the face and the voice of Jennifer Maker for the time being because we know this is working for us and I am happy to do so. But I need to keep it at the bare minimum so that I can actually lead our company to success.” (Jennifer, 38:56)

• Goal: Brand sustainability beyond herself; potentially grooming a successor.

8. Key Inflection Points

• Six months in: Faced flagging momentum and decided to double down.

  • “How bad do I want this? Am I going to allow it to peter out or am I going to actually work at this and put what is required into it?” (Jennifer, 46:42)

• After one year: First course launch on a community suggestion—this provided enough income to go full-time and drop side gigs.

  • “That was truly a magical moment because I love what I do, but I also love taking care of my family. And now I could do both together.” (Jennifer, 48:00)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On jumping into a crowded market:
  “There's always one of us, and we always have a unique voice and something to offer...I just was fearless about it.” (06:09)

• On making Pinterest work:
  “Pinterest is a discovery engine. You have to make amazing things that attract attention...you can still stand out with amazing graphics. You might have to work a little harder.” (09:49)

• On mailing list focus:
  “By focusing on my mailing list from almost the beginning...that has been the biggest thing that has made a difference for me. I can’t stress that enough.” (41:16)

• On community leadership:
  “If you set the tone and you are present in your community and you show your members how to behave, they will follow suit.” (35:51)

• On learning and adapting:
  “I didn’t expect to grow so fast so quickly. And I’m learning as we go how to do this.” (23:00)

• Final tip for side hustlers:
  “A lot of the problems that people have getting traction...they’re not out there promoting themselves and their content enough...You need to get into their spaces and understand them and be a part of that community...Just hoping that someone finds you is not going to work.” (45:21)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [02:02–05:25] – Jennifer’s background and pivot to blogging
• [06:09–07:41] – Confidence and starting in a crowded niche
• [07:41–09:06] – Getting first traction via Pinterest and Facebook groups
• [10:48–14:32] – Detailed Pinterest strategy and pinning approach
• [17:51–21:15] – How blog posts funnel to lead magnets and mailing list strategy
• [24:15–25:09] – Product-centric revenue breakdown
• [26:43–27:56] – Piggybacking on niche-specific tools/products
• [29:38–31:13] – Content strategy: yearly content blast and video workflow
• [35:51–37:46] – Managing large online communities, moderation, and team building
• [41:16–43:36] – Mailing list as ultimate business asset and nurturing trust
• [46:42–48:00] – Turning points: recommitting and first big course launch

Actionable Takeaways

• Prioritize your email list with content-upgrade lead magnets; make joining your list valuable and essential.
• Go where your audience already is—study and participate in their communities, answer real questions, and share your most helpful content.
• Don’t fear crowded niches; unique perspective and execution matter more.
• Leverage niche-specific products/tools for targeted content and products—“piggyback” on existing demand.
• Batch and systematize content if possible to avoid burnout, and build a team as soon as feasible—start by hiring from your community.
• Grow and nurture your community—both on-platform (email, FB groups) and off-platform (YouTube, Pinterest)—and lead by example.
• Listen to (and learn from) your audience; let their needs drive your content and product roadmap.
• Treat your business seriously—make it a priority, especially in the slow phases.

Host’s Takeaways

1. Email is still a big priority for any online business.
2. Learn as you go; you don’t need to have every step mapped out.
3. Piggyback on popular tools, products, or trends to quickly find engaged audiences.

Resources

• JenniferMaker.com (Website)
• Facebook group: Cricut Crafters and Makers
• ConvertKit (email platform of choice)
• Mediavine (ad network)
• Pinterest, YouTube, Facebook (main traffic sources)

This episode is a playbook for building and scaling a content-driven business in any niche—centered on audience focus, real community engagement, and continuous learning. Whether you’re just starting or ramping up, Jennifer’s story is both inspirational and practically instructive.