UnSeminary Podcast: Closing the Ministry Income Gap – Need an Extra $1,000 a Month? Try This Proven Side Hustle with Tim MacLeod

Host: Rich Birch
Guest: Tim MacLeod (@thefulltimeflipper)
Date: January 1, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode tackles a major issue for ministry leaders: the significant income gap between church workers and the national average, especially for non-senior clergy. Host Rich Birch introduces Tim MacLeod, a former nurse turned full-time "couch flipper," whose side hustle evolved into a full-fledged business. Tim shares how anyone—including busy church staff—can earn an extra $1,000 a month (or more) by flipping couches in their spare time, and he provides practical, detailed advice and free resources for getting started. The conversation is down-to-earth, generous, and packed with actionable wisdom not typically taught in seminary.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Ministry Income Gap: The Reality (00:41)

• Rich highlights Bureau of Labor and Statistics data showing:
  • 13% pay gap for clergy vs. national average.
  • 40% gap for religious workers classified as "other" (not senior pastors).
• “I know that there are people that are listening in today that are feeling that gap. Here we are in January and they're feeling the pressure…” — Rich Birch [00:41]

Tim’s Backstory: From Nursing to Flipping Couches (02:50)

• Background: Married young, wife in teachers college, working as a registered practical nurse (RPN); finances perpetually tight despite lots of overtime.
• Turning Point: Unable to create margin with double shifts; with second child on the way, he needed something better than evening overtime.
• First Side Hustle: Began by flipping iPhones and iPads for consistent grocery money—loved the game and profit-versus-wage mindset.
• Encountered stiff competition in electronics resale, so sought a niche with higher barriers to entry and less competition.
• Decided (with brother’s input) to try flipping larger items—appliances at first, but quickly discovered couches were better.
• First Couch: Acquired for $0, cleaned and delivered it; sold for $280 the next day (more than a shift in nursing).
  • “It was one of those trips of free meal at the in laws and then a free couch and then bring it home and then solve somebody's problem…” — Tim MacLeod [09:03]

Why Flipping Couches Works (11:39)

• Market Gap: Serves both sellers who need quick pickup and buyers who can’t transport a couch.
  • “There's a gap to fill there… by just committing to being the dude, you can help a lot of people solve a lot of problems.” — Tim [11:52]
• Most people don’t have trucks or the ability to move furniture; the service of reliable pickup/delivery is highly valued.
• Couch flipping is flexible—can be done evenings, weekends, or during free windows in a busy schedule.

Time Flexibility & Family Life (13:05)

• Tim shares how he stacked pickups around his existing schedule, often making it a family activity (road picnics, pizza, etc).
• “The time freedom is crazy… I would acquire inventory when I had availability, and then they'd sell when they sell.” — Tim [14:08]
• Fits well into the lives of busy ministry professionals; can scale up or down on your own terms.

Negotiation & Finding Deals (15:36)

• Tim’s process is highly relational and respectful:
  • Scrolls through hundreds of marketplace listings.
  • Prioritizes real people/private sellers; avoids low empathy approaches (no “Hi, is this still available?”).
  • Uses keyboard shortcuts for personable, detailed inquiries (e.g., “Is anyone scheduled to pick this up?”).
  • Gathers full info on each piece to avoid wasted trips.
• Secret Weapon: The “polite lowball” offer, especially for out-of-towners, to nudge sellers towards their true bottom line.
  • “I’m never a thermometer, I’m always a thermostat. I always set the temperature in the room…” — Tim [21:12]
  • “If somebody accepts my offer, then I didn’t offer low enough.” — Tim [21:45]

Selling & Maximizing Value (23:41)

• Buys in urban areas with low demand (e.g., Tesla/BMW neighborhoods), brings inventory to rural/suburban markets with more pickup trucks and higher demand.
• Presentation: Uses honest, detailed walkaround videos for each listing, highlighting flaws up front to save time and build trust.
  • “My video is super, super honest. And the goal is for it to be so detailed that they could confidently say, okay, he just showed me all the reasons not to buy the couch…” — Tim [27:14]
• Focus on reliability, clear communication, and delivery options widens the buyer pool (including people without muscle/trucks of their own).
• Patience is key—couches stored in lockers until they fetch the right price.

Physical Labor & Accessibility (30:25)

• You don’t have to be super strong—most people can manage with basic lifting, dollies, and occasional help from the seller or others.
• “If you can carry in a stubborn load of groceries… you could make a lot of money flipping couches.” — Tim [30:25]

Proven Path to $1,000+ Per Month (34:07)

• Baseline: Flipping 5 couches per month (buy for ~$50, sell for ~$250 delivered) = $1,000 profit.
• Most can be done with a minivan or occasional U-Haul trailer; higher profits available with truck/trailer for bigger sets or sectionals.
• “If you were to start 30 conversations a month… there would be five people that hit deadlines and… 50 bucks if you can actually show up, it's yours.” — Tim [36:31]
• This is an accessible side hustle: “The barrier for entry is high enough that it's basically a private little fishing pond.” — Tim [36:56]

Tools, Scripts, and Free Help (37:24)

• Scripts: Tim offers a free Google Doc with all his conversational scripts—available by commenting “scripts” on any of his Instagram videos (@thefulltimeflipper).
• Couch Course: Three-month ridealong, previously a high-ticket course, now just $100. Includes everything Tim did to scale his business while still having plenty of family and leisure time (e.g., 75 rounds of golf in a year).
  • “For $100 you can come along on a three-month ride along with me while I’m pulling like $15,000 months…” — Tim [37:24]
  • “Just take his scripts, take what he's done, and apply it and you'll for sure be able to find that extra thousand dollars a month or more…” — Rich [39:49]

Unique Edge for Ministry Leaders (40:32)

• Many church workers already commute between church and more affordable neighborhoods—perfect for moving inventory.
• Church facilities often have underutilized storage space that can be repurposed for flipping (with permission).
• “People aren't in ministry for the big bucks… it's nice to not rely on your ministry for income.” — Tim [40:32]
• The people skills and kindness core to ministry translate perfectly to this business—no need to be “sleazy” or pushy.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “It was one of those trips of free meal at the in laws and then a free couch and then bring it home and then solve somebody's problem…” — Tim [09:03]
• “There's a gap to fill there… by just committing to being the dude, you can help a lot of people solve a lot of problems.” — Tim [11:52]
• “The time freedom is crazy… I would acquire inventory when I had availability, and then they'd sell when they sell.” — Tim [14:08]
• “If you can carry in a stubborn load of groceries… you could make a lot of money flipping couches.” — Tim [30:25]
• “The people that are in church ministry have an advantage of storage where the church… said the back room’s available, and he said as long as I just keep a rotation of couches for the student ministry.” — Tim [40:32]
• “I’m never a thermometer, I’m always a thermostat. I always set the temperature in the room…” — Tim [21:12]

Key Timestamps

| Timestamp | Topic | |------------|--------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:41 | The ministry income gap – statistics and context | | 02:50 | Tim’s story: from nurse to flipper | | 09:03 | The first couch flip: free to $280 overnight | | 11:39 | The double-sided market gap | | 13:05 | Flexibility and family time benefits | | 15:36 | Negotiation strategies and polite lowball offers | | 21:12 | “Thermostat, not thermometer” approach | | 23:41 | Selling insights: market selection and honest videos | | 27:14 | Video walkarounds: building trust with buyers | | 30:25 | Physical requirements & support available for all | | 34:07 | How to make $1,000/month: the numbers and framework | | 37:24 | Free scripts and course offer | | 40:32 | Advantages for ministry leaders (storage, skills) |

Resources & How to Get Started

• Free Scripts:
  Follow Tim on Instagram @thefulltimeflipper. Comment "scripts" on any video to get his scripts via email.
• Couch Flipping Course:
  $100 for three months of behind-the-scenes access and proven strategies. Link via Tim’s Instagram bio.
• Key Advice:
  Start small with available vehicles, use cheap storage (or church space), and focus on three-seater couches to test the market.

Bottom Line

Flipping couches is a proven, ministry-friendly side hustle that can help close the income gap, offer genuine time flexibility, and leverage the relational and practical skills church leaders already have. Tim MacLeod provides both high-level strategy and tactical tools to help you get started immediately—even if you’re not “handy” or particularly strong.

Takeaway:
This isn’t about getting rich or leaving your calling—it’s about stewarding what you have, meeting real needs, and gaining financial breathing room for yourself and your family.

Find Tim & Resources:

• Instagram: @thefulltimeflipper (comment “scripts” for free resources)
• Course: Link in Instagram bio

Apply Tim’s approach, and you could be making that extra $1,000 a month—and maybe a whole lot more—in just a few weeks.