This episode of Side Hustle Spotlight Q&A features Heather Freeman. Her Facebook page Coffee. Mom. Repeat. boasts 850,000 followers and brings in a six-figure annual income. Answers have been edited for length and clarity.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Heather Freeman
What was your day job (or other sources of income) when you began your side hustle?
Before becoming an influencer, I worked part-time as a licensed insurance agent and was a stay-at-home mom.
When did you begin doing this and where did you get the inspiration?
I began my Facebook page “Coffee. Mom. Repeat.” in 2013, then called it “Mom’s Time Out.” I began posting affiliate links there in 2016. It wasn’t until 2018 that it went viral when I posted a ridiculous 80s facial exercise video. That same yr, I officially modified my Facebook page name to Coffee. Mom. Repeat. after hitting 100,000 followers. I believed the name was funnier and more believable.
I began monetizing my content as an influencer because I knew I wanted more out of life for my family—from having the ability to travel to living in a higher home—and I desired to spend more time at home with my daughter. My then-husband worked really hard to offer for our family financially, and I desired to help ease some of that burden.
What were the first steps you took to begin your side hustle?
My cousin told me how her husband made money with internet online affiliate marketing – sharing links to online stores and earning a commission on sales. I discovered it very interesting and asked him about it. He explained the way it worked and I made a decision to use for the Amazon Associates program because it was the only program I knew about at the time.
I began posting on my little meme site and made $100 in my first month. From there I began researching every part I could on Pinterest and Google. Affiliate marketing and influencership were still latest so there was a lot of trial and error.
I have built a status with my followers so they know what I’m promoting to them is a good product. I share real reviews of products I really like and I post frequently.
In 2023 I began using an influencer marketing platform Wonderfully to create affiliate links for purchases that I can share with my followers. Mavely has played a huge role in my success because it has expanded my opportunities to earn commissions from a variety of online retailers that my followers love, with tons of of brand partners to decide on from.
What were the biggest challenges you faced while building your side hustle and how did you overcome them?
Online algorithms, definitely! It’s hard to see that one post will reach 500,000 people and one other will only reach 2,500. It’s been a challenge to work through that so my followers still see what I post.
In addition to posting on Facebook, I have an email list where I’ll highlight some awesome deals of the day. Sometimes I’ll also post links on my Instagram stories.
How long did it take you to see a regular monthly income? How much did you earn from this side hustle?
In the starting, I used to be making $100-150 a month consistently. It wasn’t until 2019 that I began making 4 and five figures. To date, I average $14,000 a month. My best month was almost $30,000, and my lowest (recently) was $8,900.
What do you want most about this business?
Flexibility! I can go on vacation tomorrow if I would like, and I just have to make sure I have my laptop with me so I can keep working. I could work in the middle of the ocean, from a resort in the Maldives, and fly high in the air while I travel.
What advice would you give to others who would really like to begin their very own profitable business or do something else?
Just get began and don’t be afraid to guage your game plan frequently. There might be days when you succeed and others when you fail completely, but so long as you retain trying, you can see what works for you. Success doesn’t occur overnight. You need patience — and a lot of it!
