This Side Hustle highlight Q&A features Carlos Ugalde, 52, of Las Vegas, Nevada. Ugalde is the founding father of the print-on-demand clothing brand Chingasos house. Responses have been edited for length and clarity.
Photo credit: Courtesy of House of Chingasos
What was your day job or major occupation when you started working on the side?
I used to be a copywriter and landing page designer at a Google marketing agency.
When did you begin your side business and where did you discover the inspiration for it?
I started in December 2018. I used to be made redundant and my possibilities of getting the same pay as before were pretty slim, so I made a decision my only option was to start out my very own company.
What were the first steps you took to interrupt away from the game?
I immediately opened a Shopify store, created about 10 very basic designs, connected it to the print-on-demand platform Printable and I started running ads on Facebook, learning as I went.
Photo credit: Courtesy of House of Chingasos
What were the biggest challenges you faced in building your side team and how did you overcome them?
I knew next to nothing about digital marketing, what designs people would want, and whether 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 used social media promoting often, as I had successfully done with Facebook. Running short-term ads to see what resonated allowed me to learn what resonated with my audience and make data-driven decisions. This strategy not only helped me filter out less popular designs, but also provided essential insight into the varieties of messages and visuals that reach my Latino audience. By leveraging my ever-growing social media and email following, I used to be able to repeatedly refine my brand and product offerings to stay unique in a crowded marketplace.
Photo credit: Courtesy of House of Chingasos
How long did it take for you to attain stable monthly income? How much did the side hustle earn?
The company made $2,500 in the first month, $11,000 in the second month, and $54,000 in the third month. Then I used to be off to the races and became much more confident in my design and marketing skills.
What does growth and revenue appear like today?
In 2023, we achieved almost $3 million in revenue and almost 70% growth over 2022.
What do you enjoy most about running this business?
I really like creating something meaningfully related to my Latino audience (I really like browsing the review site). I also derive satisfaction and pride from creating something on my very own, which allows me time and financial freedom. I just bought my mom a $50,000 SUV as a Christmas gift.
Photo credit: Courtesy of House of Chingasos
What is your advice for others trying to start a successful side hustle or their very own business?
Don’t look at the obstacles in front of you. Just resolve what you are going to do and follow it. Decide that success is the only option! Be flexible in your approach and never stop learning.