Looking to Turn Your Side Hustle Into a Profitable Business? Here's How a 55-Year-Old did That

Turning side hustles profitable requires consistency 

At least once in our lives, we have all thought of taking up a side hustle but only a few of us have been able to make anything substantial out of these gigs. Turning a side hustle into a profitable business beyond a few extra bucks has its challenges, but consistent effort holds the key. Rodney Melton, a corporate worker, emerged as an exception to make an unbelievable six-figure income with his side hustle in just a year. Now Melton is sharing his experience, demonstrating how anyone can do it.

The secret behind Rodney Melton’s side hustle triumph

Melton worked for 60 hours weekly as a maintenance lead at Mars Pet Care which primarily focuses on pet food, healthcare, and other services. Besides work, he had the hobby of working with concrete and stone in his past time, and one day, he thought of selling headstones for pet memorials. Melton was passionate about doing something of his own just after he lost his mother in 2020. When his friend lost his beloved dog, Molly, it struck a chord as he always had a soft corner for people who lost their dogs.

In March 2021, Melton started selling headstones for pet memorials on Etsy as Melton Memorials and his passion gave him a headstart. He already had an engraver worth $15,000 and a free backyard cum workshop in Alma, Arkansas where he lived. His wife, daughter, and daughter-in-law also contributed some amount and made it a profitable business. When Melton was earning good revenue, he invested the amount along with his savings and purchased a laser engraver, a granite saw, a chisel, and a sandblaster for $51,500. This equipment not only reduced his labor but also gave him plenty to make more pet memorials from scratch and bring smiles to his customer's faces.

He just worked five hours a day and in 2022, he made around $20,000. With the help of his family members, the amount accumulated to $207,000 through Etsy sales. 

Family contributed to his success

Melton gave the credit of his side hustle success and making a six-figure income to his family members and said that it was a four-person effort. His daughter Kristen suggested making a fun piece out of the concrete which will just look like a dog bone. Melton further revealed that they have sold many of the dog bone-shaped molds making thousands of dollars.

Melton is enjoying his life as he just needs to work fewer hours while getting to spend quality time with his family and helping them with household chores. He is looking to expand his business by getting in touch with companies who can take the risk of making headstones in cemeteries. Melton further advised that the younger generations can start this business too with an initial investment of $10,000. For the business to flourish and give you profitable gains, you need to have a passion that motivates you every day to make more pieces.