This Side Hustle Spotlight Q&A features Carlos Ugalde, 52, of Las Vegas, Nevada. Ugalde is the founder of the print-on-demand apparel brand Chingaso's house. Answers have been edited for length and clarity.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Chingaso House
What was your day job or main occupation when you started your side hustle?
I was one writer and landing page designer at a Google marketing agency.
When did you start your side hustle and where did you find the inspiration for it?
I started in December 2018. I was let go because of downsizingand my chances of getting paid the way I was were pretty slim, so I decided the only option was to start my own business.
What were some of the first steps you took to get your hustle off the ground?
I immediately opened a Shopify storefront, created about 10 very basic designs, connected it to the print-on-demand platform Printed and it started running Facebook adslearning as i went.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Chingaso House
What were some of the biggest challenges you faced while building your side hustle and how did you navigate them?
I knew almost nothing digital marketingwhat designs would people like and if my website would cut through the noise of all the amazon sellers, t-shirt upload sites, Etsy Latin retailers and brands already in the market.
So I tested designs early and often using social media advertisingas I did successfully with Facebook. Running short-term ads to see what resonated allowed me to learn what attracted my audience and make data driven decisions. This strategy not only helped me filter out the less popular designs, but also provided the necessary insight into the types of messages and visuals that resonated with my Latino audience. By leveraging my ever-growing social media and email following, I was able to continually improve my brand and product offerings to stay unique in a crowded marketplace.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Chingaso House
How long did it take you to see consistent monthly income? How much did the side hustle earn?
The business earned $2,500 in the first month, $11,000 in the second, and $54,000 in the third. Then, I went to the races and much more confident in my design and marketing skills.
What do growth and revenue look like now?
In 2023, we achieved almost $3 million in revenue and nearly 70% growth over 2022.
What do you enjoy most about running this business?
I love creating something meaningfully relatable to my Latino audience (I love looking at my ratings page). I also enjoy the satisfaction and pride of creating something myself that allows me freedom of time and finances. I just bought my mom a $50,000 SUV as a Christmas present.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Chingaso House
What is your advice to others hoping to start successful side hustles or businesses of their own?
Don't look at the obstacles in front of you. Just decide what you're going to do and go after it. Set it up sUccess it's the only option! Be flexible in your approach and never stop learning.