He Lost His Job, Started a Side Hustle Earning $3M Last Year

This Side Hustle Spotlight Q&A features Carlos Ugalde, 52, of Las Vegas, Nevada. Ugalde is the founder of print-on-demand apparel brand House of Chingasos. Responses have been edited for length and clarity.

^{Image Credit: Courtesy of House of Chingasos}

What was your day job or primary occupation when you started your side hustle?
I was a copywriter 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 due to downsizing, and my chances of getting paid the same as I was were pretty slim, so I decided the only option was to start my own business.

Related: At 16, She Started a Side Hustle While ‘Stuck at Home.’ Now It’s on Track to Earn Over $3.1 Million This Year.

What were some of the first steps you took to get your side hustle off the ground?
I immediately opened a Shopify storefront, created about 10 very basic designs, connected it to the print-on-demand platform Printful and started running Facebook ads, learning as I went.

^{Image Credit: Courtesy of House of Chingasos}

What were some of the biggest challenges you faced while building your side hustle, and how did you navigate them?
I knew next to nothing about digital marketing, what designs people would like and if my website would cut through the noise of all the Amazon sellers, T-shirt upload sites, Etsy sellers and Latino brands already in the market.

So, I tested designs early and often using social media ads, as I did successfully with Facebook. Running short-term ads to see what resonated allowed me to learn what appealed to my audience and make data-driven decisions. This strategy not only helped me filter out less popular designs but also provided the necessary insights into the types of messaging and visuals that connect with my Latino audience. By leveraging a constantly growing social media and email following, I could continuously refine the brand and product offerings to stay unique in a crowded market.

^{Image Credit: Courtesy of House of Chingasos}

Related: This Couple Started a Side Hustle Out of Their Volkswagen. It Made $1 Million a Month Last Year and Is ‘So Fulfilling.’

How long did it take you to see consistent monthly revenue? 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 was off to the races and much more confident in my design and marketing abilities.

What does growth and revenue look like now?
In 2023, we hit almost $3 million in revenue and a nearly 70% increase over 2022.

What do you enjoy most about running this business?
I love creating something meaningfully connected with my Latino audience (I love looking at my reviews page). I also enjoy the satisfaction and pride of creating something on my own that allows me freedom of time and finances. I just bought my mom a $50,000 SUV as a Christmas gift.

^{Image Credit: Courtesy of House of Chingasos}

Related: These College Classmates Started a Side Hustle to Solve a Common Household Problem — Then Scaled It From $0 to Over $50 Million in Under 4 Years

What’s your advice for 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 are going to do and go after it. Decide that success is the only option! Be flexible in your approach, and never stop learning.