Episodi

  • How Do You Use AI?

    Most people use it as a search engine.

    Some people use it write blog posts or customer emails.

    Some for analysis.

    But some assign it a role to do the analysis, like "evaluate this as an executive of XYZ company" or a hiring manager.

    My son-in-law, Eric Niday, uses AI for all of the above. Talking with him about his experiences with it was interesting, so I decided to have him on and share it with you.

    How far is too far?

    In addition to using AI at work to evaluate candidates and write SQL, Eric uses ChatGPT to research and debate theology. He made a chat bot theologian, instructed it with which theologians that he liked, so he could ask it questions. He even made it so it would "counsel" him. The chat bot even offered to "pray" for him (!). Um, that may be going too far.

    Episode website: Ep. 148 - How Do You Use AI? - with Eric Niday

    Sponsors:

    Thriving Food Forest Design - We can create an edible foodscape, a perennial paradise so you can grow more food and be more self sufficient. We use fruit and nut trees and perennial plants adapted to the Midwest to create a low maintenance food forest.

    Grow Nut Trees - Chestnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, elderberry - all adapted to the Midwest.

    Permies digital marketplace is YOUR source for all things permaculture for your homestead, side hustle, and designing your intentional life: from video courses, to blueprints, to books.

  • Jason Snyder of Doomer Optimism shares stories of how his family in NC weathered Hurricane Helene and what he is doing to regeneratively recover from the aftermath.

    Resiliency through community and culture.

    "Biblical flood? Plant trees, cultivate gardens, raise livestock."

    Episode website: https://ThrivingtheFuture.com/hurricane

    Sponsors:

    Thriving Food Forest Design - We can create an edible foodscape, a perennial paradise so you can grow more food and be more self sufficient. We use fruit and nut trees and perennial plants adapted to the Midwest to create a low maintenance food forest.

    Grow Nut Trees - Chestnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, elderberry - all adapted to the Midwest.

    Permies digital marketplace is YOUR source for all things permaculture for your homestead, side hustle, and designing your intentional life: from video courses, to blueprints, to books.

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  • Next week is the election. Once again it is being billed as the "most important election in our lifetime!". And four years from now they will tell us the same thing. If every election is the same way, then maybe they are not as consequential as they say that they are.

    In Oct-27's homily/sermon, my pastor, Father Nikolai Meyers talked about the election (starts at 1:30:00, if it is not cued already).

    We are sold that there are only two sides to this. But Life has many sides.

    We got rain in NE Kansas after weeks and months of drought. The storm brought down trees. Neighbors helped each other to clear the downed trees. Maybe that is more consequential than the circus 2000 miles away in DC.

    "If voting could actually upset the power of the establishment, you wouldn't be allowed to do it." - Cyprian

    Cyprian (aka Vin Armani) and I talk about the "Invisible Enemy" from an Orthodox Christian perspective.

    The Invisible Enemy

    For totalitarianism to come into power you must have an Invisible Enemy.

    In 2020, Trump called Covid the "Invisible Enemy".

    Who is the Invisible Enemy today?

    For the Left, it is White Supremacy. It's the white guy with a rifle asking, "What kind of American are you?"

    For the Right, it's Trans people or "illegals".

    What about the homeless and the poor - are they the Invisible Enemy?

    Fear of the Invisible Enemy

    The fear of the Invisible Enemy is fueled by social media, especially Twitter. You get more Likes and Views when you scare people with it.

    This pattern of declaring someone (or specific people or groups) as an Invisible Enemy and then declaring (social or real) war against it usually happens right before a big upheaval, and usually leads to some form of totalitarianism. Examples in the 20th Century are many: Germany, Russia, China.

    The Real Civil War is Within You. What are YOU going to do?

    Positive solutions to face your own personal Civil War:

    Pray. Pray for humility and discernment.Avoid the mind virus trap of thinking of groups of people as the Invisible Enemy. It never ends well.Give.

    We discuss: do you give to the homeless person if he will likely spend it on drugs?

    If you have an issue with this:

    How about asking his name? Greeting him with his name would be acknowledging him as human being.

    How about having a meaningful conversation?

    "The rich exist for the sake of the poor. The poor exist for the salvation of the rich.” - St. John Chrysostom.

    Read the daily Lives of the Saints. Their strength in trials and persecution will be a guide and model for you as you face the same. Because it is coming. (Didn't you learn anything from Covid?!)

    You may think you are winning. You don't think it will happen to you, but someone will be asking you, "What kind of American are you?" and you likely won't fit their definition.

    Episode website and show notes: https://thrivingthefuture.com/civil-war2

    If you like this unique topic, shoot us a tip on Venmo @ThrivingtheFuture or CashApp $ThrivingtheFuture. Or join the Thriving Patreon at Patreon.com/ThrivingtheFuture.

    Sponsors:

    Thriving Food Forest Design: Let us create an edible foodscape, perennial paradise for you so you can grow more food and be more self sufficient. Schedule a free consult session with me
  • It's been almost a year since Grant and I shared about How to Propagate your own Trees, Plants, and Flowers for Free, and Sell the Extras as a Side Hustle (recently as a Flashback episode on Oct-11.

    What has changed with our nursery businesses in the last year? I started my food forest design business and have my first paid design client.

    We share about becoming an "expert".

    Finding your niche: you are an expert in something (or more expert than others).

    How to position yourself as an expert.

    One way to start is to speak to audience or perspective client as you would to yourself several years ago.

    We also talk nursery biz:

    Hostas, trees.Grading nursery stock based on pot size and tree caliper.

    Episode website:

    Ep. 145 - How to Position Yourself as an Expert - with Grant Payne

    Sponsors:

    Grow Nut Trees - Chestnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, elderberry - all adapted to the Midwest.

    Thriving Food Forest Design - Let us create a low maintenance perennial paradise for you so you can grow more food and be more self sufficient.

    Permies digital marketplace is YOUR source for all things permaculture for your homestead, side hustle, and designing your intentional life: from video courses, to blueprints, to books.

  • What are you doing to put your garden to bed for the winter time?

    Maybe you are luck and your growing season is still in swing. We are nearing the first frost date. It has been too hot and dry for my Fall greens to germinate so I will need to start them in the greenhouse, where they can grow until Jan or Feb.

    How do you clean up your garden beds?

    For Milpa beds, I chop and drop the beans and other plants for mulch, cover with a little compost, and then some woodchips.

    In the main garden:

    I loosen the soil with a broadfork. Not too much. I add amendments like lime, rock phosphate, and liquid kelp.Then a thick layer of compost.I add a thick layer of leaves that I collect from the curbside in town once the leaves drop. Then I cover it with a layer of woodchips.

    If I am creating a new garden bed, I use the lasagna method:

    Break up or turn over the soil with a broadfork.Like Nick Ferguson, I may add a layer of animal feed pellets.I adda layer of compost or horse manure.Then I add a layer of molasses mixed with water to feed the soil bacteria.I cover it all with leaves and woodchips.

    What do you do to put your garden to bed for the winter time?

    Share your wins and losses on our Telegram group. Sign up at signup.thrivingthefuture.com

    I also share in this episode -

    What happened to the podcast?My tour of Charlie's Chestnuts and the hybrid chestnut called Revival, which is almost as big as the palm of my hand.

    Episode website:

    Ep. 143 - How I Put My Garden to Bed for the Winter

    Sponsors:

    Grow Nut Trees - Chestnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, elderberry - all adapted to the Midwest.

    Thriving Food Forest Design - Let us create a low maintenance perennial paradise for you so you can grow more food and be more self sufficient.

    Permies digital marketplace is YOUR source for all things permaculture for your homestead, side hustle, and designing your intentional life: from video courses, to blueprints, to books.

  • This flashback episode with Grant Payne has tips that you can also use on your homestead to save and propagate trees and plants, with enough abundance to sell the extras. Create your own nursery side hustle,

    Propagation - from cuttings - elderberry, mulberry, figs, berries, and discarded trims from nursery plants.Flowers, mums, and bulbsObtaining seeds and plantsWhere to sell - FB, Craigslist, ebay, and creating a popup website. The pros and cons.

    Episode website: Ep. 144 - Flashback - How to Propagate your own Trees, Plants, and Flowers for Free, and Sell the Extras as a Side Hustle

    Sponsors:

    Grow Nut Trees - Chestnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, elderberry - all adapted to the Midwest.

    Thriving Food Forest Design - Let us create a low maintenance perennial paradise for you so you can grow more food and be more self sufficient.

    Permies digital marketplace is YOUR source for all things permaculture for your homestead, side hustle, and designing your intentional life: from video courses, to blueprints, to books.

  • What are you doing to increase your self reliance and self sufficiency?

    Jack Spirko's definitions:

    Self Sufficiency – The percentage of your needs met by your own systemsSelf Reliance – The duration in time you can live well without systems of support (or to live well with YOUR systems of support)

    Let's face it - the 2024 election is not going to go well. The side that loses is not going to accept the results. There will be civil unrest. Plus WW3 conditions are looming.

    Change is coming. People can feel it.

    What would you do in another 2020-type situation? What lessons learned can you apply from the last time?

    What could you do to be able

    Long term/short term -

    Plant treesCultivate gardensTend livestock

    More short term:

    Look at your gaps in energy, food, water. What can you improve so that you can live well with your systems of support?Fight the mind virus and the fearPrepare mentally and spirituallyBuild communityLearn skills through self study and networkingExpand your other forms of income

    I share what I am doing to become more self reliant and self sufficient.

    Episode website: Ep. 142 - How Are You becoming More Self Reliant?

    Sponsors:

    Grow Nut Trees - Chestnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, elderberry - all adapted to the Midwest. Now taking orders for shipping in Sept/Oct.

    Thriving Food Forest Design

    Permies digital marketplace is YOUR source for all things permaculture for your homestead, side hustle, and designing your intentional life: from video courses, to blueprints, to books.

  • Lindsay Brandon, CEO and Permaculture Consultant at Permaculture Canada joins me to share about Armagarden, her new project to integrate community design into the permaculture design.

    We discuss Armagarden and how it contrasts with the usual permaculture design.

    From the website:

    What is Armagarden?

    Armagarden was born from the desire to get back to the land and live a lifestyle that is connected to family, place and community. Through strategic design methods considerations are made through the design process towards food/water security, community resource management, and holistic design from a community perspective. With the recent increase in people desiring a homesteading lifestyle many realise that self-reliance is best when combined with the skills of their community. That we are stronger, more resilient, and can accomplish much more when we pool our resources, talents and skills together.

    The community resilience is created with elements including food production, on-site (off-grid) energy production, infrastructure for community events, educational courses and sustainable construction and energy efficiency practices for all buildings.

    Episode website: Ep. 141 - Armagarden - Regenerative Community Design, with Lindsay Brandon

    Sponsors:

    Grow Nut Trees - Chestnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, elderberry - all adapted to the Midwest. Now taking orders for shipping in Sept/Oct.

    Permies digital marketplace is YOUR source for all things permaculture for your homestead, side hustle, and designing your intentional life: from video courses, to blueprints, to books.

  • With tough times, more people are looking for homestead property, or to add gardens, fruit and nut trees, and chickens to their existing suburban property to be more self sufficient.

    Kerry Brown of Strong Roots Resources joins me to share tips to find your homestead property:

    Look for off-market properties. Properties are selling before they show up in Zillow or MLS. Contact your network of folks, like realtors to give you a heads up when something is coming available. If you are in the Tennessee area, Kerry recommends Marcie and Jeff Yadon. On FB as on fb as Marcie n Jeff Yadon or email: [email protected] CommunitiesSome have a membership model or you can live there seasonally.FB Group - Homestead RoommatesTSP Land Group on TelegramPermies SKIP program on Permies.com

    What to consider when looking at a property:

    Water sourceAccessSolar aspectForaging and trees - what is on there now?Suburban tips:Look at space and think of "what else could that be used for?" (stack functions)Avoid HOAsDon't discount garage space (like for aquaculture).

    Episode website: Ep. 140 - Tips to Find Your Homestead Property - with Kerry Brown

    Sponsors:

    Permies digital marketplace is YOUR source for all things permaculture for your homestead, side hustle, and designing your intentional life: from video courses, to blueprints, to books.

    Grow Nut Trees - Chestnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, elderberry - all adapted to the Midwest. Now taking orders for shipping in Sept/Oct.

  • Last time, in Ep. 138, Jason Thomas shared stories and we discussed how to design your intentional life.

    We talked about the main categories - wealth, health, relationships, and spirituality.

    I was contemplating my journey to design my intentional life and I had more to add.

    Having an Intentional Life means:

    Aligning your life and actions with your values, as much as possible.Being deliberate in your actions and forming good habits.Taking positive steps rather than being driven by your circumstances and surroundings.Preparing for adversity - both physically and mentally.Being more at peace and having a positive view of your future.Focusing on your physical and spiritual health.

    Write down your values.

    Evaluate things to Change:

    Make a plan. Start simple.

    There are no solutions, only tradeoffs. You won't get to 100% (unless you are very lucky, or you have the right situations). There will be some tradeoffs.

    It's not All or Nothing.

    Get out of the "I am going to replace my job!" mindset.

    Redesign your life by changing your lifestyle and expectations:

    Paul Wheaton's (in)famous "Story of Ferd and Gert"

    Get out of the "progressive mindset"

    Grow your own food.

    Find your tribe - Grow community.

    Episode website: Ep. 139 - More Tips to Design Your Intentional Life

    Sponsors:

    Permies digital marketplace is YOUR source for all things permaculture for your homestead, side hustle, and designing your intentional life: from video courses, to blueprints, to books.

    Grow Nut Trees - Chestnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, elderberry - all adapted to the Midwest. Now taking orders for shipping in Sept/Oct.

  • What does your perfect day look like? Does today look like that perfect day?

    In this episode, Jason Thomas of Regeneration Nation Costa Rica shares foundational steps to design your intentional life.

    Needs most people have:

    WealthHealthRelationshipsSpirituality

    What does your perfect day look like?

    We also discuss how to apply permaculture principles to your business or side hustle.

    Check out Jason's FREE e-book: 77 Ways to Practice Permaculture Professionally. (some may surprise you)

    Episode website: Ep. 138 - Jason Thomas on How to Design Your Intentional Life

    Sponsors:

    Permaculture Business Design Course from Regeneration Nation Costa Rica - This course will guide you step-by-step toward designing a profession that cultivates your permaculture education into a regenerative livelihood.

    Permies digital marketplace is YOUR source for all things permaculture for your homestead, side hustle, and designing your intentional life: from video courses, to blueprints, to books.

    Grow Nut Trees - Chestnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, elderberry - all adapted to the Midwest. Now taking orders for shipping in Sept/Oct.

  • It's been a crazy week. The assassination attempt on Trump.

    Now a Global cyberattack (“no, it was just a bad patch!”)

    What will you do with this moment?

    Focus on your local Circle of Influence and Circle of ConcernPlant treesCultivate gardensRaise livestockPrepare mentally and spirituallyGrow your local community

    Because Gov’t will not save you.

    Episode website: Ep. 137 - What Will You Make of This Moment?

    Sponsors:

    Permies Permaculture Design Course - 70 hours of videos for $50. Watch what topic that you want to learn for your homestead (water, swales, ponds, earthworks) - without taking a week off of work or getting a certificate.

    Grow Nut Trees - Chestnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, elderberry - all adapted to the Midwest. Now taking orders for shipping in Sept/Oct.

  • My friend Kevin Brubaker from Dallas Media Productions, an independent film producer in Dallas, joins me to talk about LLC Tips (and lots of film stuff).

    What does a film producer have to do with my usual content of homesteading? It fits into creating side hustles and businesses to Design Your Intentional Life.

    We were having a conversation about LLCs and we decided to record it. We also talk a lot about film. How can you make money on film production in the streaming era?

    We dove into these topics:

    Should you have an LLC for each project or side hustle?Should you wait to become profitable before forming an LLC?Do you have to be profitable after 3 years to be considered legit (or bear the wrath of the IRS)?Should I spin Grow Nut Trees into its own LLC?

    To answer these questions, you have to ask yourself - why have an LLC?

    Although you want to use an LLC to offset your expenses, an LLC is mainly to protect you in a hyper-suing culture that we are currently in. If I was sued (for some reason) on trees, I would lose all my businesses, including the podcast.

    Tips:

    It is recommended that you have an LLC for each project or side hustle.You do not have to be profitable after 3 years if you are showing growth and an "intent to make a profit".Make sure that you create an LLC in a state where the application and charge is one-time only. (some states require yearly renewal). I have mine in KS (cost me $166). Kevin has his in TX and cost about $150. You can create the LLC and get an EIN on the state website - you don't need a lawyer or Legal Zoom.Find a mentor.

    Disclaimer: This is not tax or financials advice. Discuss with your tax or financial planner for your situation.

    Episode website: Ep. 134 - Surprising Small Business LLC Tips

    Join the mailing list and our Telegram group and you can keep up to date with all of Grant Payne, Homestead Padre, and my homesteading projects. Signup at https://Signup.ThrivingtheFuture.com

    If you like this content and the podcast, here is how you can support the podcast and my Thriving empire of side hustles:

    Shoot me a tip on Venmo or CashApp @ThrivingtheFuture.​Go to the Stuff page on Thriving the Future site and buy something.OR - click on one of the Amazon links on the Stuff page and then buy your other stuff that you want. Anything you buy on Amazon for 24 hours will give Thriving the Future a credit.

    Sponsors:

    Grow Nut Trees: Buy Elderberry, pecan, hazelnut seedlings, and red mulberry seedlings - all adapted to the Midwest. Seeds and trees have “memory”. They thrived and reproduced in a certain climate.

    Often when you buy chestnut trees, seeds, or plants online, you have to buy from nurseries in the Northeast or Southeast US, or the Pacific Northwest.

    Take it from us, trees and plants grown in those climates do not do well in Kansas.

    So buy Elderberry, pecan, hazelnut seedlings, and red mulberry seedlings - all adapted to the Midwest. At GrowNutTrees.com.

  • Jeremy is better known as DeweyLikeDonuts on Instagram and TikTok.

    We start his story in 2008 and how a SHTF can be your own personal apocalypse. He turned to "raising chickens, growing his own food, and striving for a more sustainable life" (his tagline).Prepping to Thrive rather than survive. Not living in fear.He shares about is recent adventures with a bee swarm.How he grew his Instagram account with a chicken video that went viral.And what is the "Internet in a Box"?

    Episode website: Ep. 133 - Striving for a More Sustainable Life - with DeweyLikeDonuts

    Join the mailing list and our Telegram group and you can keep up to date with all of Grant Payne, Homestead Padre, and my homesteading projects. Signup at https://Signup.ThrivingtheFuture.com

    If you like this content and the podcast, here is how you can support the podcast and my Thriving empire of side hustles:

    Shoot me a tip on Venmo or CashApp @ThrivingtheFuture.​Go to the Stuff page on Thriving the Future site and buy something.OR - click on one of the Amazon links on the Stuff page and then buy your other stuff that you want. Anything you buy on Amazon for 24 hours will give Thriving the Future a credit.

    Sponsors:

    Check out the Solar Food Dehydrator. Watch the movie, get the plans, all for a reasonable cost.Grow Nut Trees: Buy Elderberry, pecan, hazelnut seedlings, and red mulberry seedlings - all adapted to the Midwest. Seeds and trees have “memory”. They thrived and reproduced in a certain climate.

    Often when you buy chestnut trees, seeds, or plants online, you have to buy from nurseries in the Northeast or Southeast US, or the Pacific Northwest.

    Take it from us, trees and plants grown in those climates do not do well in Kansas.

    So buy Elderberry, pecan, hazelnut seedlings, and red mulberry seedlings - all adapted to the Midwest. At GrowNutTrees.com.

  • Part of Thriving is embracing both the wins, as well as the losses.

    Homestead Update:

    My Spring garden has failed, for the most part.

    I usually sow plants and then spread lettuce and kale seed around to act as a cover crop - hey, lettuce is a companion plant of everything.

    This year hardly anything came up. The starter plants that I planted also did not thrive.

    Why? Lots of rain.

    In Kansas we do not get "April showers bring May flowers."

    We get May and June thunderstorms. Almost all of our annual rain comes in May and June.

    This year it rained almost every other day in May. We even had a mini-tornado pass just south of us and we got 8-10 inches of rain that week. Should have been a Spring bonanza of crops.

    I added a couple of truckloads of compost from the nursery. The compost is worse-than-usual municipal compost.

    The perennials saved the day - plantain, walking onion, bloody dock sorrel. They all did wonderfully.

    Some trees thrived. Some did not.

    My apple grafts are all thriving. Nearly 80% success so far, which is rare.

    But the chestnut seedlings from last year didn't come out of dormancy. The 5 year chestnut trees are looking sickly, with half the branches with no leaves. I need to heavily fertilize and see if they recover.

    Side Hustle Update on GrowNutTrees.

    I sold hundreds of $ of elderberry on FB marketplace.I am adding black lace elderberry for next Fall and in 2025.

    Episode website: Ep. 132 - Never Give Up, Never Surrender

    If you like this content and the podcast, here is how you can support the podcast and my Thriving empire of side hustles:

    Shoot me a tip on Venmo or CashApp @ThrivingtheFuture.​Go to the Stuff page on Thriving the Future site and buy something.OR - click on one of the Amazon links on the Stuff page and then buy your other stuff that you want. Anything you buy on Amazon for 24 hours will give Thriving the Future a credit.

    Sponsors:

    Check out the Solar Food Dehydrator. Watch the movie, get the plans, all for a reasonable cost.Grow Nut Trees: Buy Elderberry, pecan, hazelnut seedlings, and red mulberry seedlings - all adapted to the Midwest. Seeds and trees have “memory”. They thrived and reproduced in a certain climate.

    Often when you buy chestnut trees, seeds, or plants online, you have to buy from nurseries in the Northeast or Southeast US, or the Pacific Northwest.

    Take it from us, trees and plants grown in those climates do not do well in Kansas.

    So buy Elderberry, pecan, hazelnut seedlings, and red mulberry seedlings - all adapted to the Midwest. At GrowNutTrees.com.

  • Enough talk. Get Stuff Done. It's Proof of Work.

    Grant Payne and Matt Derosier share what Stuff they are Getting Done this Spring, as well as Side Hustle and Tree Nursery tips.

    Hear why "The IBC King is Back":

    Grant's weddingGrant added MANY chickens and ducksTurkey production - if you start now will they be ready to sell for Thanksgiving?Tree nursery tipsHedge production by coppicing.

    Grant Payne - PayneHomestead on Twitter

    Matt at FarmHopLife

    Episode website: Ep. 131 - Get Stuff Done - with Grant and Matt

    If you like this content, shoot us a tip on Venmo or Cashapp @ThrivingtheFuture

    Sponsors:

    Check out the Solar Food Dehydrator. Watch the movie, get the plans, all for a reasonable cost.Grow Nut Trees: Buy Elderberry, pecan, hazelnut seedlings, and red mulberry seedlings - all adapted to the Midwest. Seeds and trees have “memory”. They thrived and reproduced in a certain climate.Often when you buy chestnut trees, seeds, or plants online, you have to buy from nurseries in the Northeast or Southeast US, or the Pacific Northwest.Take it from us, trees and plants grown in those climates do not do well in Kansas. So buy Elderberry, pecan, hazelnut seedlings, and red mulberry seedlings - all adapted to the Midwest. At GrowNutTrees.com.
  • Real world examples to start and then grow your side hustle.

    I am taking a Permaculture Business Design Course through Regeneration Nation CR. The exercises and worksheets are fantastic and have helped me to focus more on the customer.

    What is the problem you are trying to solve? What does your customer actually want? Are you trying to solve what you think the problem is?

    Example: If you are evaluating someone's land and doing a permaculture design, have you asked: "what do you like to eat?"

    So many people plant things that they actually don't eat, or will not likely eat.

    Define who your customer really is and let your customer define themselves by what they really want.

    Niche down and then niche down some more so you are known as an expert in that space.Quickly go to market with a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) to test the response and whether it is worth throwing money (and more importantly TIME) at.Charge less for it in a beta test. Get real world feedback.Let your customer ultimately decide if they are your customer. Don’t chase after someone who doesn’t want to be your customer.Learn skills while doing. Charge less while learning those skills, build clientele and experience, then raise your price.Become a producer and not just a consumer.Like the permaculture principle – Use your yield. It can be used to give, trade, or sell to grow your forms of capital.Don’t grift for the sake of the grift or people will easily see through you.

    Use research tools like Google Trends and Answer the Public.

    I do a deep dive on How to use Answer the Public in the latest Thriving News article on How to Overcome Writer's Block.

    Episode website: Ep. 130 - Tips on How to Grow Your Side Hustle

    If you like this content, shoot us a tip on Venmo or Cashapp @ThrivingtheFuture.

    Sponsors:

    Check out the Solar Food Dehydrator. Watch the movie, get the plans, all for reasonable cost.Grow Nut Trees: Buy Elderberry, pecan, hazelnut seedlings, and red mulberry seedlings - all adapted to the Midwest. Seeds and trees have “memory”. They thrived and reproduced in a certain climate.Often when you buy chestnut trees, seeds, or plants online, you have to buy from nurseries in the Northeast or Southeast US, or the Pacific Northwest.Take it from us, trees and plants grown in those climates do not do well in Kansas. So buy Elderberry, pecan, hazelnut seedlings, and red mulberry seedlings - all adapted to the Midwest. At GrowNutTrees.com.
  • Times are tough. I talked with a recruiter friend the other day and there are >40 people in my field in our local job market that he knows that are looking for work. And those are just the ones that he knows.

    Build something for yourself. It’s basic prepping. Build your side hustle. Multiple streams of income.

    In this episode I will share tips on how to discover and develop your side hustle niche.

    How to find your side hustle niche

    Let's talk about YOUR side hustle.

    Are you having difficulty finding your side hustle niche?

    What are you good at?You know stuff. You may not think it is much, but there is someone out there who will pay (or pay attention) for that knowledge.

    Remember - Guys on YouTube are getting hundreds of views from sharpening knives or using a scythe. This week I saw a post on permies where a guy took a scythe blade that was mangled by a lawn mower and he fixed it. All are skills that can be taught or sold as a side hustle, or as sales of knives and scythes.

    Grant Payne takes pruned and trimmed pieces of plants and rejects from the big box store and grows them out into full plants and sells them.

    Anything like that can drive into a side hustle.

    Even better - you can tell someone how to do a skill step by step and they will often PAY YOU to do it for them.

    Try it. Talk about your skill in your community. Offer to show someone how you do it. Make a proof of concept web page, YouTube page, or use FB Marketplace. Sell your service or your product/what you make. Or sell your knowledge and skill.

    Use Flippa as a Side Hustle Idea Generator

    Get on Flippa. Check out the current listings. But, even more importantly, check out the listings that have recently sold.

    The prepper site BunkerBasics.com sold not long ago for $1,100.

    You could buy a website like this, build one similar, or use it as an idea for a niche.

    This is my usual process and checklist for evaluating a website:

    Is the site within my niche or in an adjacent niche?Is the site in my price range? Most that I have bought are starter sites that are $100-200.They must be created in Wordpress.Do I have a vision for them:Do I buy the site, build the audience, and then generate affiliate income?Will I resell the site?Do I think that I can make the site better?

    I usually brainstorm 10-15 article topics that I would write for each site as a proof of concept to support my decision.

    Check out the show notes on the Episode website: https://ThrivingtheFuture.com/side-hustle-niche

    Guitar Pedal Mania

    Sponsors:

    Duplicator Pro - when you buy a website off of Flippa, Transfer the website over easily with Duplicator Pro plugin. It creates the database and sets up all plugins and content. Check out Duplicator Pro plugin.Check out the Solar Food Dehydrator. Watch the movie, get the plans, all for reasonable cost.Grow Nut Trees: Elderberry, pecan, hazelnut seedlings, and red mulberry seedlings. At GrowNutTrees.com.
  • Andy Hickman (shagbark_hick on Twitter) shares his new adventures. Andy was on on Ep. 83 - You're Gonna Make it.

    His video "You're Gonna Make it" is still the most encouraging video I have ever seen, and still puts a smile on my face.

    Andy has a big Summer planned:

    He is getting married to Keturah in June, with a wedding in the woods of upstate NY, with bring-your-own-picnic lunch, and campout. (Saving money and gaining family).

    Before that, he is travelling the month of May coast-to-coast on Amtrak to visit new friends from Twitter in NE and TX, stealth camping, and in Oregon to greet the father he has never met.

    He shares tips for traveling on Amtrak.

    Plans to travel to Europe on QE2.

    Making a living writing on Substack. Subscribe and support him (I do). It is a must-read!

    We also talk about Thriving by being Time Rich.

    Check out the show notes on the Episode website: https://ThrivingtheFuture.com/shagbark_hick

    Sponsors:

    Check out the Solar Food Dehydrator. Watch the movie, get the plans, all for reasonable cost.Grow Nut Trees: Elderberry, pecan, hazelnut seedlings, and red mulberry seedlings. At GrowNutTrees.com.Do you forage nettles? A guy I know forages and freezes nettles and they are his main green veg for the entire year! Check out the How to Forage and Prepare Nettles on AllGardenAdvice.com
  • New health challenges require Homestead Padre to rethink and redesign his garden to adapt to those changes.

    After some health issues, Homestead Padre and his wife are adopting the Mediterranean Diet.

    Padre shares about IBS and Crohn's Disease.

    Unlike American Italian Food, the Mediterranean Diet is heavy emphasis on vegetables, seafood, lean meats, fat from olive oil, and whole wheat pasta (if they have pasta).

    Padre is realigning his garden around those foods. Changing what he will grow in his garden - based on new dietary needs. Come and listen to how he plans out his journey.

    The usual disclaimer: This is a personal story and is not medical advice.

    Padre also shares about his updates and challenges with the farmer's market this year as they take on leadership of the market.

    Check out the step by step instructions on the show notes on the Episode website: https://ThrivingtheFuture.com/garden-health

    Sponsors:

    Check out the Solar Food Dehydrator. Watch the movie, get the plans, all for reasonable cost.Grow Nut Trees: Elderberry cuttings are still available. Now have hazelnut seedlings and red mulberry seedlings. At GrowNutTrees.com.Check out the Companion Planting Guide on AllGardenAdvice.com