Full-Time Uber Employee’s Side Hustle Made $10K in 48 Hours

This Aspect Hustle Highlight Q&A options Nicole Glabman, 30, a New York Metropolis-based entrepreneur. Glabman presently works full-time at Uber in promoting whereas constructing her protein and prebiotic sauce model She’s The Sauce. She attracts on an expert background in retail and meals, beginning her profession at Jet.com/Walmart as a purchaser, adopted by a stint at Gopuff in advertising. Responses have been edited for size and readability. 

When did you begin your facet hustle, and the place did you discover the inspiration for it? The concept for She’s The Sauce and motivation to start out it as a facet hustle got here from a really actual frustration. I’ve all the time liked sauce, however as I turned extra well being aware whereas coping with hormonal imbalances (PCOS) and weight fluctuations, I stored listening to the identical factor: “skip the sauce, it’s empty energy.” That by no means sat proper with me. I didn’t need to reduce one thing I liked, I wished to make it higher. So I created sauces that really do one thing for you — with protein, fiber and elements you be ok with. 

Earlier than protein turned the development it’s as we speak, I used to be already fascinated with how you can make condiments extra practical — not simply decrease energy, however truly additive. Protein and fiber weren’t a advertising angle. They had been a part of fixing the issue from the beginning. Because the broader market began to catch up and protein turned a much bigger focus, it solely bolstered that I used to be onto one thing. However for me, it was by no means about chasing a development, it was about rethinking what sauce could possibly be. 

Beginning a scrappy, hands-on facet hustle

What had been among the first steps you took to get your facet hustle off the bottom?The primary steps to launch the facet hustle had been scrappy and really hands-on. On the finish of 2023, I began in my very own kitchen, testing how you can incorporate protein and fiber into sauce with out compromising style or texture. On the similar time, I used to be doing a variety of analysis on analysis and improvement (R&D) consultants who may assist take the product past a kitchen prototype and into one thing that would truly be produced at scale. From there, I moved into sourcing, discovering a producer and constructing the visible id of the model. I’ve bootstrapped the enterprise and began with about $20,000 of my very own cash.

Are there any free or paid assets which have been particularly useful for you in beginning and operating this enterprise? A mixture of each, however the greatest unlock has been folks. Actually, probably the most useful assets has simply been different founders. Having folks you may textual content when one thing breaks, whenever you’re caught on a choice, or whenever you want a intestine test, has been invaluable. 

I additionally labored with Kelly Bennett, a shopper packaged items (CPG) model strategist, who helped me map out the model early on, together with positioning, messaging and the way I wished She’s The Sauce to point out up. That gave me a a lot clearer basis. 

On the finish of the day, it is a very “study as you go” business, so being surrounded by people who find themselves a number of steps forward makes an enormous distinction. Honorable mentions to communities and assets like Startup CPG, Categorical Checkout and Snaxshot, which have been nice for studying and staying near what’s taking place within the area. 

Bringing in manufacturing companions early on

In the event you may return in what you are promoting journey and alter one course of or method, what would it not be, and the way do you would like you’d executed it otherwise? I believe the most important factor I’d change is how I approached manufacturing early on.

I used to be making a product that doesn’t actually exist out there, so there wasn’t a transparent playbook. Due to that, I bumped into a variety of sudden manufacturing challenges. There have been moments the place even skilled companions didn’t totally know what it could take to supply our product persistently. 

If I may do it once more, I’d spend extra time upfront stress testing the formulation particularly for scale, not only for style. I’d additionally contain manufacturing companions earlier within the course of as a substitute of making an attempt to good every part by myself first. 

I realized that what works in a kitchen or a small batch doesn’t all the time translate to manufacturing — and bridging that hole is the place a variety of time, power and cash can go in case you’re not cautious. That mentioned, it’s additionally a part of constructing one thing new. Whenever you’re creating a brand new class, it’s important to be keen to determine issues out the arduous manner a bit. 

A profitable facet hustle requires greater than a good suggestion

In the case of this particular enterprise, what’s one thing you’ve discovered significantly difficult and/or shocking that individuals who get into any such work needs to be ready for, however seemingly aren’t? How operationally intense it’s and the way a lot of it’s fully out of your management. 

From the skin, CPG can look very brand- and marketing-driven. And whereas that’s vital, the truth is that a large a part of the enterprise is operations, manufacturing timelines, ingredient sourcing, packaging delays and logistics. 

What shocked me most is that even whenever you do every part proper, issues can nonetheless go improper. A delay from one provider can push every part again weeks. A small formulation change can influence manufacturing in methods you didn’t anticipate. 

I’ve needed to study endurance in a manner I by no means had earlier than, understanding that some issues simply take time, and you’ll’t drive pace in a system that doesn’t assist it. 

It’s not nearly having a good suggestion. It’s about having the ability to navigate fixed friction, keep affected person and hold transferring ahead anyway.

The facet hustle hit $10k in simply 48 hours with two SKUs

Are you able to recall a selected occasion when one thing went very improper — how did you repair it? One of many greatest issues that went improper truly began as seemingly an enormous win. 

In September, our pre-order went reside and did about $10,000 in income in simply 48 hours throughout two SKUs (Honey Mustard and Ranch). It was an unbelievable second, however it rapidly uncovered a serious challenge. Our producer wasn’t in a position to produce the product on the scale we would have liked, which meant we had demand we couldn’t fulfill. 

I needed to pause, discover a new co-manufacturer and primarily rebuild our provide chain whereas managing buyer expectations. It took about three months to resolve. Throughout that point, I centered on being extraordinarily clear with prospects and sustaining belief. 

We relaunched this previous January, fulfilled pre-orders, and are presently working with solely Honey Mustard whereas the Ranch and some new flavors are being finalized. 

The facet hustle now generates about $10k a month

What does progress and income appear like now? We’re now producing round $10,000 monthly in income for our Honey Mustard alone, primarily by way of direct-to-consumer. And thus far, all of our progress has been fully natural; we haven’t used paid media. It’s been pushed by content material, phrase of mouth and constructing in public. 

For me, the most important takeaway was that the preliminary launch validated actual demand. Now, I’m centered on rebuilding in a manner that’s truly scalable and repeatable. 

Balancing the facet hustle with a full-time position at Uber

How do you stability the facet hustle together with your full-time position; what does a typical week of labor appear like for you?I’m constructing She’s The Sauce outdoors of my full-time position, so most of my time goes into early mornings, evenings and weekends. 

On weekdays, I usually spend a number of hours at night time centered on key priorities, whether or not that’s operations, content material or strategic planning. Weekends are extra versatile however often contain longer blocks of time for issues like product improvement, logistics and outreach.

I attempt to be very intentional with how I exploit that point. Throughout the week, it’s about sustaining momentum and dealing with what’s pressing. On weekends, I focus extra on bigger-picture work and something that requires deeper pondering. 

Balancing each has undoubtedly required self-discipline, however it’s additionally compelled me to be extraordinarily environment friendly and centered with each hour I put into the enterprise. 

Leaning into buyer connection and suggestions

What do you get pleasure from most about operating this enterprise? The group, for sure. 

Getting messages from folks saying the sauce has genuinely modified the way in which they eat, or that they used to really feel like that they had to surrender sauce altogether — that’s every part to me. 

I really like speaking to prospects, listening to their suggestions and studying how they’re truly utilizing the product of their day-to-day lives. It makes the model really feel like a two-way dialog, not simply one thing I’m constructing in isolation. 

And actually, they’re shaping it simply as a lot as I’m, from suggestions to taste concepts to how we take into consideration innovation. It’s not simply my model: It appears like ours. 

That connection is what retains me going. It turns this from only a product into one thing folks truly really feel part of. 

“Progress comes from momentum, not perfection”

What’s your greatest piece of particular, actionable enterprise recommendation? It sounds easy, however one of the best recommendation I may give is: Simply begin. 

It is a very execution-driven enterprise. You possibly can spend months researching, planning and chatting with different builders however, sooner or later, the one factor that strikes you ahead is definitely doing the work. 

There’ll all the time be people who find themselves extra skilled or extra educated. The distinction is that most individuals don’t act.

So as a substitute of making an attempt to determine every part out upfront, do one thing tangible: Discuss to actual prospects. Get a model of your product into folks’s arms. Ask for suggestions and iterate.  Progress comes from momentum, not perfection. 

And one of many greatest mindset shifts is studying to not over-index on what different folks suppose. In the event you’re constructing one thing new, not everybody goes to grasp it instantly — and that’s okay.

This Aspect Hustle Highlight Q&A options Nicole Glabman, 30, a New York Metropolis-based entrepreneur. Glabman presently works full-time at Uber in promoting whereas constructing her protein and prebiotic sauce model She’s The Sauce. She attracts on an expert background in retail and meals, beginning her profession at Jet.com/Walmart as a purchaser, adopted by a stint at Gopuff in advertising. Responses have been edited for size and readability. 

When did you begin your facet hustle, and the place did you discover the inspiration for it? The concept for She’s The Sauce and motivation to start out it as a facet hustle got here from a really actual frustration. I’ve all the time liked sauce, however as I turned extra well being aware whereas coping with hormonal imbalances (PCOS) and weight fluctuations, I stored listening to the identical factor: “skip the sauce, it’s empty energy.” That by no means sat proper with me. I didn’t need to reduce one thing I liked, I wished to make it higher. So I created sauces that really do one thing for you — with protein, fiber and elements you be ok with. 

Earlier than protein turned the development it’s as we speak, I used to be already fascinated with how you can make condiments extra practical — not simply decrease energy, however truly additive. Protein and fiber weren’t a advertising angle. They had been a part of fixing the issue from the beginning. Because the broader market began to catch up and protein turned a much bigger focus, it solely bolstered that I used to be onto one thing. However for me, it was by no means about chasing a development, it was about rethinking what sauce could possibly be.