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This Side Hustle Spotlight Q&A features Katherine Watercutter, founder and CEO of activewear brand Gold Hinge. Mr. Watercutter started the business as a side job when he was 23 years old. Currently, Gold Hinge fans include celebrities like Kristin Cavallari and Kaitlyn Bristowe. The brand went viral during his TikTok trend, “RushTok,” earning him 40 million hashtag impressions and millions in sales.
Image credit: Courtesy of Gold Hinge. Katherine Watercutter.
What was your main job when you started your side business, and why did you become interested in starting a business?
As a sales representative for a distribution company, I worked with kitchen and bath designers around Indiana (I studied interior architecture and design). I have always been an entrepreneur since I was young. To be willing to take a risk, you have to have it as a part of yourself.
When did you start your side hustle and where did you get the inspiration for it?
I came up with the idea in 2018 and started in January 2019. There was really no inspiration. I thought I could make some quick money. But I was wrong about that.
Related article: He ‘accidentally discovered’ his semi-passive side hustle in college and is on track to make more than $500,000 this year
What was the first step you took to get your side hustle off the ground?
I started a Shopify store and created a website and Instagram.
What was the biggest challenge you faced when building your side hustle and how did you overcome it?
One of our biggest challenges early on was cash flow. I received no funding from outside investors and started with a very small investment. As a result, there were several times when we were on the verge of closing due to lack of funding. This taught me a very valuable lesson early on, as businesses often fail in the first year due to lack of funds. I financed myself by getting a line of credit from a bank and a business credit card, which I nearly maxed out. We had to learn a lot of discipline and watch the numbers to overcome this challenge until we were able to see more consistent growth and revenue.
How long did it take you to start earning steady income every month? How much money did you earn from your side hustle?
I didn’t get anything from my side job. It wasn’t until a few years later, when he turned it into a full-time job and put in 80-90 hours a week, that he actually started making money, and was able to pay for himself. He was only available until about 2021. It’s hard to say how long. Revenue only took off in the spring or summer of 2020, so steady revenue was needed, but it declined again in the second half of the year. You could say that 2021 was a year in which debt was paid off and earnings were actually “steady” enough to give you peace of mind that things were moving in the right direction. So that’s about 3 years total (2 years for him if you include my business).
Related article: A side hustle I started in my Princeton dorm room turned into a $510 million business: ‘Don’t take no for an answer’
Then you turned your side hustle into a full-time business. What are your current earnings?
In 2023, it grew from six-figure months to seven-figure months, with total revenue reaching eight digits.
What do you love most about running your own business?
I am in charge of my daily life and future.
What advice would you give to people who want to start their own side hustle and be successful?
My advice may sound cheesy, but don’t give up. Modern people are impatient and can easily give up if they feel like they keep failing. There have been times when I thought I had hit “rock bottom” and exhausted all options, but I found a way around it. It felt like I was failing for three years straight, and I think a lot of people would have given up by then, but business is all about problem solving.
RELATED: This former Amazon employee started a side hustle for ‘lifestyle freedom’ – and now earns $100,000 a month with her business
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