The Side-Hustle Dad

Bryan Steele
  • 5.0 (16)
  • Entrepreneurship

We are helping dads find financial freedom without sacrificing their families in the process. You want to provide more for your kids and create a legacy of wealth, but the thought of starting a business feels overwhelming. You’re afraid that chasing financial freedom means missing out on bedtime stories, soccer games, and quality time with your wife. The Side-Hustle Dad is here to show you a different way. Hosted by Bryan Steele—entrepreneur and founder of Forge Podcast Co.—this show is a masterclass in building a profitable side-hustle without sacrificing the relationships that matter most. Each week, we cover the mindset, strategies and tactics needed to create a thriving side-hustle. Whether you want to get out of debt, save for your children’s college, or build enough passive income to choose how you spend your days, this podcast provides the blueprint. Subscribe to The Side-Hustle Dad and start building your extra income stream today.

  1. 1d ago

    Leveraging Automation: The Intake Form

    Ever lost a potential client because you couldn't respond fast enough? That's the problem we're solving with automation — and it starts with one simple intake form. When someone wants to work with you, they shouldn't have to jump through hoops or wait days for a reply. Today kicks off a new series on building automation systems for your business, and we're starting with the foundation: a single, simple form that captures every lead and puts them in one place. No more scattered messages across email, DMs, and phone calls. One front door, one auto-reply, zero missed opportunities. Plus, I'll walk you through free tools you can use to build it today — no budget required. Highlights Why doing everything manually will eventually burn you out and let leads slip through the cracksThe Saturday baseball game scenario: how delayed responses cost you real moneyThe five-question rule — why your intake form should never exceed five fields (and the first two are free: name and email)Using the BANT framework (budget, authority, need, timing) to craft your qualifying questionsMaking your form the single "front door" across every channel — website, email signature, social media, Google Business profileSetting up auto-replies on DMs and email so every inquiry gets an immediate responseConnecting form submissions to one central place (Trello or Google Sheets) as a lightweight CRMWhy you must test the form yourself before launching itFree tools that make this cost nothing: Tally and Google FormsAdvanced upgrades: conditional logic to auto-reject unqualified budgets, routing by service type, and tagging lead sources"Clarity is kindness" — how automated budget screening saves both you and the prospect from an awkward call Chapters 0:00 — Why Automation Matters 1:46 — The Intake Form Goal 2:33 — Missed Leads Scenario 4:17 — Five Questions Only 7:29 — Make It the Front Door 9:08 — Send Leads to One Place 10:04 — Test and Launch 10:40 — Free Form Tools 13:23 — Next Steps and Upgrades 16:23 — Weekly Action Plan 17:13 — Scheduling Next Week Resources TallyGoogle FormsTrelloGoogle SheetsBe sure to subscribe and leave us a review! For more information about The Side-Hustle Dad, visit our website at https://thesidehustle.dad Remember, build the business, but be the dad! This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net.

  2. Sep 11

    Building Trust and Opportunities

    What if the "big break" in your business isn't actually one big moment at all — but five, six, seven quiet little ones you almost didn't notice? Today I'm walking you through two real encounters from my own week — a coffee meeting that turned into a client proposal, and a networking introduction that turned into a new lead — to show exactly how the "know, like, and trust" factor actually builds over time. I break down why there's no such thing as a magic one-and-done meeting, what the research really says about how many touchpoints it takes before someone works with you, and a full menu of free, low-cost, and bigger-budget ways you can create more of those touchpoints in your own business. Then I close with the most important question of all: are you even showing up in the right rooms? Highlights Two real stories from this week — a coffee meeting and a networking introduction — that show how "know, like, and trust" actually plays out in real timeWhy there's no magic single meeting that creates an opportunity — it's a progression of touchpointsThe truth behind the "seven touchpoints" rule (and where that number actually comes from)Research on repeated exposure, familiarity, and how long it really takes to build trust with someoneWhy follow-ups matter more than first contact — including a stat on how many replies come from follow-up emailsDifferent types of touchpoints: in-person, asymmetric, real-time, and passiveA full breakdown of free, low-cost, and higher-investment ways to build touchpoints with potential clientsWhy you need to find your ideal client's "watering holes" instead of assuming social media is the answerTactical action steps to build a repeatable follow-up system starting this week Chapters 0:00 — Plan Changed Today 1:06 — Networking Wins 3:04 — No Magic Meeting 4:06 — Seven Touchpoints Myth 8:17 — Borrowed Trust Intro 10:12 — Follow Ups Matter 11:12 — Touchpoints Types 13:11 — Free Visibility Plays 17:16 — Low Cost Connections 20:11 — Bigger Budget Options 23:24 — Find Their Watering Holes 26:44 — Systems And Action Steps 29:12 — Wrap Up And Next Series Resources Mentioned 1 Million Cups — free weekly entrepreneur networking eventJeffrey Lant — coined the "Rule of Seven" marketing conceptBNI (Business Network International)American Marketers Association Sources for Statistics Hours to make a friend — Jeffrey Hall, University of Kansas (2018): https://news.ku.edu/news/article/2018/03/06/study-reveals-number-hours-it-takes-make-friendFull study, Journal of Social and Personal Relationships: https://doi.org/10.1177/0265407518761225The 95:5 Rule — John Dawes, Ehrenberg-Bass Institute: https://johndawes.info/the-955-rule/Follow-up statistics — Belkins 2026 study (7.5M emails): https://belkins.io/blog/sales-follow-up-statisticsTrust in recommendations and podcast ad recall — Nielsen (2021): https://www.nielsen.com/insights/2021/beyond-martech-building-trust-with-consumers-and-engaging-where-sentiment-is-high/In-car listening — Edison Research, The Infinite Dial 2026: https://www.edisonresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/The-Infinite-Dial-2026-Presentation.pdfOnline reviews and AI recommendations — BrightLocal Local Consumer Review Survey 2026: https://www.brightlocal.com/research/local-consumer-review-survey/Mere exposure effect — Zajonc (1968), overview: https://sk.sagepub.com/ency/edvol/embed/socialpsychology/chpt/mere-exposure-effectMere exposure meta-analysis — Montoya et al., Psychological Bulletin (2017): https://researchportal.murdoch.edu.au/esploro/outputs/journalArticle/A-re-examination-of-the-mere-exposure/991005635870307891Thomas Smith's 1885 "20 exposures" list: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effective_frequencyJeffrey Lant's Rule of Seven: https://travelresearchonline.com/blog/index.php/2021/11/remembering-the-rule-of-7Origin of the "80% of sales need 5 follow-ups" stat — SMEI: https://smei.org/sales-statistics/ Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review! For more information about The Side-Hustle Dad, visit our website at https://thesidehustle.dad Remember, build the business, but be the dad! This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net.

  3. Sep 4

    Master Side-Hustle Money Management with Profit First

    What if the money sitting in your business bank account isn't actually telling you the truth? A lot of side hustlers manage their income and expenses in a simple spreadsheet, but that's a far cry from an actual strategy. I break down why the traditional profit and loss statement — while necessary for taxes — is backward-looking and doesn't help you make real-time decisions about your money. I introduce a better mental model based on the "Profit First" framework, walk through the four-bucket system for every dollar you earn, and share the exact tool I use to automate the whole process so it doesn't become another chore on your to-do list. Highlights Why tracking income and expenses in a single account is simple, but not a real money strategyThe core problem with profit and loss statements: they're backward-looking and don't help day-to-day decision makingThe "Profit First" flipped equation: Sales minus Profit equals Expenses (instead of the other way around)Why you should plan to pay yourself a profit from day one, not just whatever's left overThe four buckets every dollar should be sorted into: profit, owner's compensation, tax, and operating expensesWhy side hustlers can often combine the profit and owner's compensation buckets into oneThe friction problem with manually moving money between multiple bank accountsHow automating bucket splits with a business banking app removes that frictionWhy having a real-time view of your money is more powerful than a backward-looking P&LHow this system scales as your business grows more complex (adding buckets for payroll, materials, etc.)Chapters 0:00 — Welcome 1:03 — Why P&L Falls Short 2:54 — Profit First Mindset 5:01 — Four Bucket System 6:37 — Account Friction Problem 7:47 — Automating with Novo 9:03 — Real Time Money Clarity 11:53 — Next Steps and Resources 13:43 — Wrap Up Resources Mentioned Profit First by Mike MichalowiczNovoBe sure to subscribe and leave us a review! For more information about The Side-Hustle Dad, visit our website at https://thesidehustle.dad Remember, build the business, but be the dad! This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net.

  4. Aug 28

    Running Someone Else's Race | How Comparison Kills Momentum

    What if the very thing making you feel like a failure has nothing to do with your business at all? If you've ever scrolled social media late at night and watched a competitor announce their big win while you're sitting there wondering why it's not you, this one's for you. I share a moment that knocked me off balance — seeing someone I'd hoped to work with celebrating a partnership with a competitor — and unpack why comparing your side hustle to someone else's highlight reel is a losing game. Social media only shows the glossy storefront, never the debt, the strain, or the struggles behind it. I walk through the hidden variables that make every "race" different — starting lines, financial support, family obligations, goals — and bring it back to the two-part definition of success we set up earlier in this series: are you reaching your goals faster than you would without the business, and is it operating within the constraints you set for it? If both are true, you're winning, no matter what anyone else's feed says. Highlights A personal story about seeing a hoped-for client publicly celebrate signing with a competitor — and the gut-punch of comparison that followedWhy "comparison is the thief of joy" and how easily a few minutes of scrolling can spiral into doubt about your own progressSocial media as a "glossy storefront" — it shows the wins, not the debt, health struggles, or unprofitable months behind themThe reminder: "you are running your own race" — comparison only works when every variable is equal, and it never isThe hidden variables behind someone else's success: starting capital, inherited audiences, spousal income, debt load, family obligations, and different goals altogetherRevisiting the two-part success equation: (1) is the business moving you toward your goals faster than without it, and (2) does it operate within the constraints you originally set for itA preview of next week's topic: managing the money in your business — how it flows and where it goes Chapters 0:19 — Recap of The E-Myth Revisited series 0:38 — The story: seeing a competitor's win on social media 3:35 — Social media as a glossy storefront 4:35 — "You are running your own race" 6:37 — Revisiting the success equation, part one: reaching your goals faster 7:37 — Success equation, part two: fitting within your constraints 8:30 — Next week: managing the money in your business Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review! For more information about The Side-Hustle Dad, visit our website at https://thesidehustle.dad Remember, build the business, but be the dad! This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net.

  5. Aug 21

    Becoming the Manager with the Help of Parkinson’s Law

    Should you actually be working fewer hours in your business? In this episode, I dig into the "manager" role from Michael Gerber's E-Myth framework and why having only a few hours a week to work on your business might actually be your biggest advantage. I walk through how Parkinson's Law shapes the way we use our time, and break down the systems every side-hustler should be tightening up — from admin and invoicing to marketing, client onboarding, and delivery. If you've ever felt like your business is running you instead of the other way around, this one's for you. Highlights The three roles every solo business owner plays: technician, manager, and ownerWhy Parkinson's Law works in your favor when you only have limited hours to run your businessRevisiting the boundaries concept and the Easy Ates (automate, delegate, eliminate) frameworkAuditing your admin systems: invoicing, proposals, scheduling, and financial reportingTightening up marketing and client onboarding to make it easier for people to work with youStreamlining client delivery and documenting standard operating proceduresInvesting in the right tools to buy back time instead of overspending on unnecessary software Chapters 0:00 – Welcome and Recap 1:17 – Meet the Manager Role 1:50 – Parkinson's Law Advantage 2:41 – Time Boundaries and Easy Ates 3:45 – Systems and Admin Efficiency 6:02 – Marketing and Client Onboarding 7:27 – Streamlining Client Delivery 8:54 – Lean Tools and Wrap Up Resources Mentioned QuickBooks — for online financial reporting vs. manual spreadsheetsCalendly — scheduling tool for eliminating back-and-forth emailsAcuity Scheduling — alternative scheduling toolGoogle Business Profile — for managing your online listing, photos, and reviewsClaude — AI automation tool mentioned for handling manual workZapier — automation tool for connecting workflows Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review! For more information about The Side-Hustle Dad, visit our website at https://thesidehustle.dad Remember, build the business, but be the dad! This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net.

  6. Aug 14

    Making Time for Ownership: You Are Not Just the Technician

    What do you actually say when someone asks, "What do you do?" If your answer is just your task — "I paint houses," "I do landscaping," "I'm a consultant" — you might be missing the identity shift that separates a freelancer from a true business owner. Building on last week's conversation about the three roles inside every small business (technician, manager, and owner), I dig into what it really means to own your business rather than just work in it — and I lay out exactly how to carve out "owner time" so you can step back, evaluate your business's health, and make sure it's still serving the goals that made you start it in the first place. Highlights Why saying "I paint houses" instead of "I own a house painting business" reflects a mindset gap, not just semanticsThe critical difference between working in your business and working on your businessFour things to evaluate during dedicated owner time: strategic vision, economics/business model, and boundariesWhy regularly checking your business against its original mission and "why" prevents driftHow to know when a boundary is being broken — and why that's your signal to hit the "emergency brake"A simple system for scheduling owner time: start with 30 minutes to an hour a week, distraction-freeWhy protecting this time leads to better decisions for your business and your family Chapters 0:00 – Recap: E-Myth Roles1:25 – Owner Identity Shift3:50 – In vs. On the Business5:41 – Strategic Vision Check7:21 – Economics and Business Model9:09 – Boundaries: The Emergency Brake11:13 – Scheduling Owner Time12:56 – You Are the Owner Resources Mentioned The E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review! For more information about The Side-Hustle Dad, visit our website at https://thesidehustle.dad Remember, build the business, but be the dad! This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net.

  7. Aug 7

    The E-Myth for Dads | Filling Each Role in Your Business

    What if the reason you feel constantly overwhelmed in your business isn't about time management at all, but about never realizing you're actually playing three completely different jobs? Every entrepreneur — even a side hustler — is really the owner, the manager, and the technician all rolled into one person. Today I'm breaking down what each of those roles actually means, why bouncing between them creates so much chaos, and the practical guardrails you can put in place to switch between them without losing your focus or your flow. Highlights Every business owner unknowingly plays three roles: the entrepreneur/owner, the manager, and the technician.Constantly flipping between roles without structure is what causes stress, overwhelm, and disorganization.A rough time breakdown for an early-stage side hustle: 1–3 hours/week as owner, 2–5 hours/week as manager, and 7–15 hours/week as technician.It's natural (and necessary) to default to technician work early on, but neglecting the owner and manager roles keeps your business on a "feast or famine" rollercoaster.Block your time into dedicated 60+ minute sessions for each role instead of mixing them together.Set guardrails for each role (e.g., turning off email notifications during technician time, staying out of project software during owner time).Use the last few minutes of each block to jot notes for your next role so information transfers smoothly between "yourself as owner," "yourself as manager," and "yourself as technician."Closing out tabs, notebooks, and open loops before switching roles helps you get back into flow state faster. Chapters 0:00 — Welcome Entrepreneurs 0:42 — E-Myth Seizure 1:33 — Three Business Roles 3:15 — Role Switching Stress 4:14 — Time Constraints Plan 4:47 — Owner Manager Technician Hours 6:40 — Avoid Technician Trap 8:42 — Block Your Roles 10:26 — Guardrails Against Distraction 11:23 — Smooth Role Transitions 13:39 — Wrap Up and Next Steps 15:25 — Closing and Teaser Resources Mentioned The E-Myth Revisited by Michael GerberEpisode 3 Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review! For more information about The Side-Hustle Dad, visit our website at https://thesidehustle.dad Remember, build the business, but be the dad! This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net.

  8. Jul 31

    Break the Chains of Busyness: It’s Time to Eliminate, Delegate, Automate

    Are you stuck doing everything in your business — and wondering why you never seem to have any time left over? If you feel like busyness has become your full-time job, it might be time to take a hard look at where your effort is actually going. I break down a simple framework called the "Easy Ates" — eliminate, delegate, and automate — that helps you find the 20% of your work that's driving 80% of your results, and cut or offload the rest. By the end, you'll have a clear, ten-minute exercise to start freeing up real capacity in your business. Highlights The 80/20 rule (Pareto's Principle): 80% of your results come from 20% of your effort — find that 20% and double down.The "Easy Ates" framework: Eliminate, Delegate, Automate.Eliminate non-revenue-generating busywork like endless website tweaks and excessive content consumption.Delegate tasks to freelancers, admins, coaches, or a CPA — even if they only do it 80% as well as you, that frees you up for higher-value work.Automate repeatable processes: scheduling links, email templates, and intake forms can turn multi-step tasks into a single click.A real example of using a website form + Zapier automation to pre-qualify leads before ever getting on a call.Use AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini to help identify what in your business could be automated.The assignment: take 10 minutes to list what you did this week, then sort it into eliminate, delegate, or automate. Chapters 0:00 — Stop Doing Everything 0:48 — 80/20 Focus 1:38 — The Easy-Ates Framework 3:15 — Eliminate Busywork 5:21 — Delegate for Growth 10:02 — Automate Repeats 12:02 — Forms and Zapier 15:37 — Recap and Assignment 17:17 — Use AI to Streamline 18:37 — Final Takeaways Resources Mentioned Calendly — scheduling tool mentioned for automating meeting bookingsZapier — used to automate email responses based on form submissionsChatGPT — recommended for identifying automation opportunitiesClaude — recommended for identifying automation opportunitiesGemini — recommended for identifying automation opportunities Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review! For more information about The Side-Hustle Dad, visit our website at https://thesidehustle.dad Remember, build the business, but be the dad! This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net.

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About

We are helping dads find financial freedom without sacrificing their families in the process. You want to provide more for your kids and create a legacy of wealth, but the thought of starting a business feels overwhelming. You’re afraid that chasing financial freedom means missing out on bedtime stories, soccer games, and quality time with your wife. The Side-Hustle Dad is here to show you a different way. Hosted by Bryan Steele—entrepreneur and founder of Forge Podcast Co.—this show is a masterclass in building a profitable side-hustle without sacrificing the relationships that matter most. Each week, we cover the mindset, strategies and tactics needed to create a thriving side-hustle. Whether you want to get out of debt, save for your children’s college, or build enough passive income to choose how you spend your days, this podcast provides the blueprint. Subscribe to The Side-Hustle Dad and start building your extra income stream today.

Information

  • Creator
    Bryan Steele
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    31
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © (c) 2026 Bryan Steele
  • Show Website
    The Side-Hustle Dad

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