This week writing intern Maggie Barbour interviews Jo Grode, a recent grad who's transformed her passion for painting into a business by customizing shoes and other items--even selling to celebrities like Billie Eilish!
Keep reading to find out how Jo got started and her tips for anyone else who wants to start and grow their side hustle!
Recently, I wrote about how to start your side-hustle and how to take it full-time if that’s your goal. For those of you who read that post, and for those who didn't, this week I spoke with Jo Grode, a customizer for shoes and purses, to see how she started her side-hustle. We talked about how Jo started painting as a creative outlet and how she was eventually able to create shoes for American singer-songwriter Billie Eilish!
Jo graduated from The George Washington University in 2019 with a major in Women’s Studies and a minor in Political Science. Currently, she holds a full-time marketing position for a start-up in Los Angeles, but on the side she paints and customizes shoes and other items. I asked Jo how she got into painting and the world of product customization. She explained that graduating gave her the freedom to do things she had always enjoyed, like art. Jo has always been a creative person–whether she’s taking art classes or doodling, it's always been a passion of hers.
Upon graduating, Jo started painting and turned to YouTube to improve her skills. The YouTube algorithm matched her love for painting with her interest in sneakers, showing her videos of customized shoes. She thought to herself, “I bet I can do that, it can’t be that hard because it’s not that different than a canvas.” Jo started buying throwaway shoes from thrift stores and practiced painting on tens of pairs of shoes before donating them back. Learning through YouTube, Instagram, and trial and error, she was able to get the basics down and develop her own technique. Jo also asked for help and wasn't afraid to reach out to those who were already in the customization game. She knew she had to learn and put herself out there. A lot of people might want to start a quick and easy side gig, but honing in on your work and ensuring it is the best quality you can produce takes time. So once Jo developed her craft, she started posting her designs on Instagram.
I was eager to learn more about how Jo turned her hobby into a side-hustle and how she started receiving custom orders. She said she was able to start taking orders through word-of-mouth marketing, but she also had to put herself out there. For example, she painted the DuragDev design on a pair of shoes and DM’d a picture of it to him. DuragDev is a designer who sells leisure clothing printed with a camo-like pattern. That DM led to him asking for a pair and more custom orders, including a pair, for Billie Eilish as seen in the image on the right.
In my previous interview with Kevin O’Connell, when I asked him how to get your side-hustle out there and credible, he gave me a similar response that aligned with Jo’s experience. A quote that stuck with me was, “It’s all about testimonials, referrals, and putting out really good work.” Jo taught herself how to paint and customize and is now able to produce really brilliant and unique custom work. From there she was able to put herself out there and put her product in front of people, eventually leading to a referral for Billie Eilish.
I asked Jo how she was able to pitch herself, if it was nerve wracking for her, and how she managed those obstacles. The answer was yes. It was daunting at some points, but for her as a creative person, talking to other creative people wasn’t that difficult. When it came to the business side of her hustle, that was the part that stressed her out more. Jo told me she follows the mantra of leading her pitches and calls, not by asking for something, but by leading with the offer of giving something. When pitching, it’s important to be specific in your request. If you can offer them something instead of immediately asking for something, you’ll have a better shot at working with them.
Two crucial qualities for the world of entrepreneurship and business are refining your pitch and networking. The art of the pitch comes in many forms, whether you're informally talking to a potential customer or meeting with a room full of investors. This Medium post breaks down a quick 60-second pitch, which involves leading with your passion, moving onto the crucial details, and concluding with your personal work. Another important facet of entrepreneurship is networking. I’ve already touched on that in a previous conversation with Kevin, you can read about it here.
I ended our conversation by asking Jo how she was able to work full-time and also keep her side-hustle thriving. Painting and designing shoes isn’t an easy quick gig, it takes Jo about 10 to 20 hours to customize a pair of shoes and on top of working full-time, it can be a lot to juggle. Jo responded that she gave herself breaks when she needed to, especially during the start of the pandemic. She took a break in order to be more intentional about her next moves. Being consistent with your side-hustle is important, but it’s important that you don’t burn yourself out. The Harvard Business Review explains why self-compassion and breaks are critical for personal development, and delves into what self-compassion really means and how it can be achieved to enhance your performance.
Jo gave a lot of applicable advice for those of you who may be considering starting a side-hustle or if you are trying to keep the momentum going for your current one. Whatever your creative outlet may be (painting, digital design, writing, etc.), if you take the time to develop your skills, you can turn that passion into a side-hustle. Below are four pieces of advice to make your side-hustle successful.
Takeaways:
Produce the best work you can and if you are still learning, don’t be afraid to ask for help!
Put your craft out there–online and through social media.
Learn how to pitch yourself and your work to others (you never know where a DM might lead to!).
Don’t be afraid to give yourself a break.
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