Side Hustle 1 – AI Consulting
Work with businesses on AI implementation as a solo consultant. The model demonstrated on Day 5 was a solo operator charging mid-to-large enterprise clients six figures and up for AI projects — with one project saving a client $500K per month. The approach: build a proof of concept (a demo app or case study), show it to prospects, and offer to do the same for them. The fee is easily justified when the time and cost savings dwarf what you charge.
Side Hustle 2 – Custom App Building
Build custom software for businesses using Lovable, Claude Code, or Overskill. The pitch is straightforward:
'I just completed an AI marketing intensive and learned how to build custom software. To celebrate, I'm giving away 3 custom apps at half my normal rate. Want more leads, more retention, or want to automate a task that's eating your time? Drop a comment or DM me.'
Build the app first using Lovable or Overskill if needed, then charge once the client says yes. Comparable custom apps from agencies typically cost $300,000 or more. Your rate is anchored to the value, not the effort.
Side Hustle 3 – The Email Magic Trick
Two variations on this hustle:
Version A — New lead generation
Build a simple lead-magnet app for the business (for example, a digital loyalty card for a restaurant), set up a landing page, and write a five-to-seven email Soap Opera Sequence to onboard new leads. Price: $2,500 setup fee plus a monthly retainer, or a 20% revenue share if the client does not have budget upfront.
Version B — Dead file revival
Pull old or inactive customer records from the business, load them into an autoresponder, and run a five-email Seinfeld sequence with an offer in email four. Russell applied this for a friend and more than doubled his client count without spending a dollar on advertising.
Why the price is justified: if a business's average customer is worth $3,500 to $4,000, and your $2,500 sequence brings in two new clients, they have already doubled their money.
Side Hustle 4 – Dream 100 / Affiliate Manager Services
Use the Influencer Secrets tool inside Marketing Secrets AI to build a 100-name list of potential affiliates and partners for a business — searching across YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and podcasts. Optionally handle outreach through the platform. Professional affiliate managers charge $100K per year plus revenue share. A productized version targeting smaller businesses runs $2,500 to $10,000 per engagement.
Side Hustle 5 – Marketing Agency Services
Combine the four hustles above into a full agency offer. Use RevScan AI (see the RevScan article) to generate a customized 30-day proposal for each prospect, then deliver the work using Marketing Secrets AI's suite of tools. Russell's recommended pricing structure: $2,500 setup fee plus $500 to $1,000 per month retainer, with the RevScan 30-day plan making the recurring engagement framing natural.
How do I get my first client?
Build a case study first — a demo app, a sample email sequence, or a working RevScan report for a fictional or real business. Then reach out via DMs, comments, or a social post: 'I built X for a roofing company. Want me to build something like this for you?' When prospects can see proof of concept, the close is significantly easier.
What is the simplest first pitch script?
'I just completed an AI marketing intensive and I learned [skill]. To celebrate I am doing a giveaway — 3 spots at half my normal rate. Want [outcome]? Drop a comment or DM me.' Use Chief of Staff to rewrite this in your own Attractive Character voice before sending.
I'm nervous about charging $3,000. How do I think about the price?
Anchor the price to the value the client receives, not to your discomfort. A professional copywriter charges $25,000 or more for a single VSL script. A six-figure email agency starts at $100,000 per month. $3,000 is a starter rate, not a stretch — and it is fully justified when the result for the client is measurably larger than the fee.