This Side Hustle Spotlight Q&A features Joshua White, a 50-year-old father of six and grandfather of two living in Boca Raton, Florida. In 2019, White started additional business: Family of mobile phonesthe brand behind a multi-functional STEM learning tool for kids that enables them to assist with DIY projects at home. Responses have been edited for length and clarity.
Image credit: Rose Tzur. Joshua White.
What was your day job or major occupation when you started working on the side?
I’m the general and creative director for Off White Co.multidisciplinary design company. My journey started in traditional design where I honed my branding and design skills. This foundation ultimately introduced me to the world of 3D animation and storytelling, working with industry legends resembling Christopher Reeve and other Hollywood stars to create compelling narratives.
When the movies I worked on required products or promotional items, I expanded my knowledge into the production pipeline – developing every little thing from Cathay Pacific stewardess Barbie dolls to the rebranding of the iconic AeroPress coffee machine. My approach has all the time been to deliver 360-degree solutions that are brand-centric, imaginative and seamlessly integrate marketing and go-to-market strategies.
When did you begin your side business and where did you discover the inspiration for it?
I started Family of mobile phones in 2019 after a trip to Home Depot with my young daughter. We looked for tools she could use, but quickly realized there was nothing on the shelves designed specifically for children – nothing real, functional, secure, and definitely nothing that wasn’t just a toy. This moment sparked the idea for a higher solution.
Photo credit: Courtesy of Handy Famm
What were the first steps you took to interrupt away from the game?
Having run a creative agency for over 25 years, I have been fortunate to work with iconic brands resembling Chobani, Maple Hill, Jordan and AeroPress, helping them turn ambitious ideas into industry-leading brands.
This experience taught me a key lesson: the best ideas solve real, relatable problems. As a father of six children, I know first-hand the challenges parents face – keeping children away from screens while supporting family bonds. I got down to create something that was not only practical and engaging, but also educational, fun and secure – a DIY solution that brings families together.
I also knew the product needed to be versatile enough to evolve into a wider range of DIY tools, and as a branding expert, I wanted a strong, iconic element that will tie every little thing together. This is how the first Handy Famm product was born: a funny bird figure with a design stuffed with personality. It has a tongue with a ruler, an Eye-conic™ level built into the eye (each functional and visually interesting) and a built-in protractor.
To achieve this, I spent many hours with my team laying out measuring tapes, sketching ideas with the kids, 3D printing prototypes, and refining the design until it felt right. We gave the bird unique color options, fun names and expressive personalities, which added depth to the brand. This became the basis of the Handy Famm approach – combining practical tools with creativity to make on a regular basis DIY projects accessible and fun for each children and families.
While we started with a soft launch on Kickstarter and successfully raised our $10,000 goal, the real work took place during the Covid-19 lockdown. I have used this time to enhance the product, working closely with the factory to perfect our multi-function measuring cups. It wasn’t until October 2022 that I hit the ground running, launching Handy Famm on Amazon and embracing our mission of bringing the next generation of creators to a wider audience.
Photo credit: David Khabinsky
What were the biggest challenges you faced in building your side team and how did you overcome them?
Coming up with and building a product from scratch is all the time a challenge, but I’ve spent my entire profession turning ideas into reality, so this was actually the “easy part.” The real challenge was sales: breaking into Amazon, securing retail placements, driving traffic from social media to our website, and navigating physical stores. Each step involved a learning curve—finding the right team members, building partnerships, and understanding consumer purchasing behavior. These are challenges I proceed to beat, but the key to our growth is staying flexible, accepting failure as a learning opportunity, and changing quickly.
The next big hurdle was logistics. Finding a 3PL partner that understands our development needs and can deliver services without constant hiccups is crucial to smooth scaling. Unfortunately, we went through several vendors at first, making mistakes and learning as we went along. In fact, we are in the means of transformation again, and I’m optimistic that this next step will position us for long-term success.
How long did it take for you to attain stable monthly income? How much did the side hustle earn?
We were lucky that we saw revenue right after we launched on Amazon – it was a great platform for us. However, it took about a 12 months to attain consistent results. In our first 12 months, we generated $185,000 in sales, primarily through Amazon and our website.
What does growth and revenue appear like today?
In late 2023, I recognized the need to lift pre-seed capital to attain explosive growth and fully realize my brand vision. This included developing additional character tools and making simpler use of social channels.
We’re in full swing in 2024 – inventing, patenting, and designing two years’ price of products in lower than six months. We spent the remainder of the 12 months traveling to China to establish factories, build our team in sales, community and operations, and make sure every little thing was ready for large-scale deployment.
Even with bird and dog measuring tapes alone, we closed in sales of $500,000 in 2024, which is a testament to the strength of our mission and product. With a strong foundation and a growing team, we are on track to interrupt these numbers in 2025 and proceed to empower families through creativity and hands-on learning.
Photo credit: David Khabinsky
What do you enjoy most about this side hustle?
As someone who loves building corporations, it’s incredibly rewarding to see how my easy walk through Home Depot with my daughter has turned into a thriving business with an engaged community of shoppers and brand advocates. What excites me most is that oldsters, children and even retail buyers are embracing our mission to support the next generation of creators. It’s incredibly rewarding to know that we’re ahead of the curve when it involves supporting the resurgence of expert trades – carpenters, plumbers and makers who aren’t afraid to make use of their hands.
Privately, I like inventing recent tools and products that expand the Handy Famm experience. It’s endlessly exciting to bring our animated 3D characters to life, build their personalities and use them to infuse energy into the brand. Cracking the social media code, growing our YouTube presence, and optimizing our retail channel are challenges that energize and encourage me every day.
But the coolest part? I know that my six children and two grandchildren not only use these tools, but are also happy with what their father and grandfather created. Watching them measure, build and create – with something I got here up with – is surreal. That’s what it’s all about when they say, “My dad did that” or “My grandpa did that.” A legacy like this makes every late night and early morning price it.
Photo credit: Courtesy of Handy Famm
What is your advice to others who want to begin their very own successful side hustle?
Start with a real problem that you just care about solving – something that basically excites you. Don’t get stuck chasing perfection; just get started, test and adjust as you go. And remember, a side hustle is not only about extra income: it’s about building something meaningful that energizes you, challenges you, and adds joy to your life. Surround yourself with positive people, people to want share your journey and make it something you’ll be able to be happy with.