After our last episode about teaching kids entrepreneurship, many parents realized they wanted to start something themselves. But most side hustle advice is terrible - scams, pyramid schemes, or ideas requiring massive followings.

This episode cuts through the noise with six proven side hustles you can start this week with under $200 and 5-10 hours per week.

**The Six Side Hustles:**

**Virtual Assistant Services** ($600-1,800/month) - Handle administrative tasks for small businesses remotely. Minimal startup, flexible hours.

**Online Tutoring** ($480-1,600/month) - Teach what you know, whether academic subjects or professional skills. Parents are desperate for quality tutoring.

**Pet Sitting & Dog Walking** ($400-1,200/month) - Canadians spent $10 billion on pets in 2023. Trusted local pet care is always in demand.

**Freelance Content Writing** ($500-2,000/month) - Every business needs blogs, social media content, and newsletters but most owners hate writing.

**Home Services** ($600-2,000/month) - Handyman work, cleaning, organizing. Simple services with constant demand.

**Digital Products** ($100-500/month) - Create templates, guides, or courses once and sell them forever.

Each side hustle includes: exactly what it is, why it works, startup costs, how to get your first client, time commitment, and realistic income expectations.

No hype. No "quit your job in 90 days." Just practical ways real Canadians can create extra income while keeping their day jobs.

Three parents texted me the same week. All asking: "What should I tell my kid about entrepreneurship?"

One said: "My 16-year-old asked if she should start a business or get a job at Tim Hortons. I told her to focus on school. What should I have said?"

Another: "My son wants to start a lawn care business but I'm worried he'll fail and get discouraged."

And the third: "My daughter asked why she needs university if she could just sell stuff online. Did I kill her dreams?"

These are good parents trying to give good advice. But nobody taught them about entrepreneurship, so they default to what their parents told them: "Get good grades, go to college, get a stable job."

Except that world doesn't exist anymore.

This episode is my answer to those parents. Three conversations every parent should have with their kids about making money, starting businesses, and building real security.

Learn why the "risky" path (entrepreneurship) is actually the secure one. Discover the three types of businesses any kid can start for $100 or less. Understand why failure at 16 costs $100 but failure at 35 costs $100,000.

The math is simple: A kid mowing 10 lawns on Saturdays makes $1,300/month—double a Tim Hortons job in fewer hours while learning skills they'll use their entire life.

Golden Hour Challenge: Have "The Dinner Table Business Plan" conversation tonight. Ask your kid what they'd do, pick one thing to start, do the math together, and challenge them to make their first $100 profit in 30 days.

The goal isn't making them millionaires. It's teaching them to create value. Because that's real security.

Connect with Chris Cooper:

Website - https://businessisgood.com/

Three friends graduated high school together. Same opportunities, same starting point. Fifteen years later, one makes $85,000 working overtime (exhausted), one makes $115,000 through specialization (better income, still trapped by time), and one makes $105,000 total with $30,000 coming from assets that earn while she sleeps.

The difference isn't intelligence or work ethic. It's leverage.

Most Canadians are stuck trading time for money. Statistics Canada reports that over 30% of workers have taken on side gigs just to survive. We work more hours for the same money because we don't understand the three fundamental paths to earning more.

Path One: Work more hours (1X leverage, hard ceiling). Path Two: Increase your skills through education and specialization (3X leverage, higher income but still time-dependent). Path Three: Buy assets that work for you (infinite leverage, no ceiling).

This episode combines Naval Ravikant's principles on leverage with Robert Kiyosaki's Rich Dad Poor Dad framework—but for regular people, not just entrepreneurs. You don't need to own a business. You can start with $50.

Learn how to calculate your "Freedom Number," open your first investment account, and begin building wealth through Canadian index funds, real estate, and digital assets. Discover why only 3% of Canadians achieve financial independence, and how you can join them.

Golden Hour Challenge: Create your Personal Leverage Map and take your first concrete step toward Path Three income.

Stop renting out your time. Start buying assets.

Connect with Chris Cooper:

Website - https://businessisgood.com/