The Side Hustle Show

697: 10 Recurring Revenue Side Hustles

September 18, 2025

Key Takeaways Copied to clipboard!

  • Recurring revenue side hustles can be built by solving recurring problems, whether through software, local services, or online subscriptions. 
  • Scalable, remote-friendly, low-startup cost, high-margin, and sellable businesses are key characteristics to look for when evaluating recurring revenue opportunities. 
  • Building recurring revenue often involves leveraging existing skills or assets, such as white-labeling software, repackaging content, or offering ongoing services like website maintenance or coaching. 
  • Building recurring revenue side hustles is achieved by consistently solving recurring problems, which creates predictability and avoids the feast-or-famine cycle of freelance work. 
  • The success of a recurring revenue model depends on aligning it with your personal skills, interests, and available time, as different models require distinct strengths. 
  • Side Hustle Nation offers resources like detailed text summaries, links to guest episodes, and a personalized playlist generator at hustle.show to help listeners explore and implement these recurring revenue strategies. 

Segments

White-Labeling Software
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(00:01:19)
  • Key Takeaway: White-labeling existing software offers a low-risk, high-margin recurring revenue model by eliminating development costs and leveraging established products.
  • Summary: This segment introduces the concept of white-labeling software as a service (SaaS) as a recurring revenue side hustle, highlighting how entrepreneurs can sell existing software under their own brand without development costs, using Chris Lolini’s experience with reputation management software as an example.
Local Subscription Services
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(00:06:26)
  • Key Takeaway: Recurring revenue can be generated through local subscription services by addressing consistent needs, such as pet waste removal or cleaning, with predictable pricing and customer retention.
  • Summary: The discussion shifts to local subscription services, using Erica Krupin’s pet waste removal business (‘Poopin Scoopin’) as a prime example. It emphasizes solving recurring problems and the potential for customer loyalty and price increases over time.
Productized Service Agencies
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(00:10:00)
  • Key Takeaway: Productized service agencies, like those offering local SEO, can achieve significant recurring revenue by standardizing offerings, building a remote team, and proactively delivering measurable results to clients.
  • Summary: This segment explores online subscription services through the lens of a digital marketing agency, specifically local SEO. It highlights the benefits of a remote team, consistent client communication, and delivering tangible results to maintain high margins and client retention.
Rental Property Investing
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(00:18:15)
  • Key Takeaway: Rental property investing provides recurring revenue through cash flow, and scaling to multiple properties can accelerate financial independence by reinvesting profits.
  • Summary: The conversation moves to real estate as a recurring revenue side hustle, with Dustin Heiner explaining how to build cash flow from rental properties and the strategy of reinvesting to acquire more properties over time, emphasizing focusing on cash flow over appreciation.
Membership Programs
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(00:21:14)
  • Key Takeaway: Membership programs, even at a low price point, can generate substantial recurring revenue by offering consistent value, such as templates or community access, and leveraging existing content or expertise.
  • Summary: This segment delves into membership programs, using Liz Wilcox’s $9/month email marketing membership as an example. It discusses the strategy of offering low-cost, low-responsibility memberships that leverage existing content and can build towards replacing client work.
Directory Websites
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(00:28:56)
  • Key Takeaway: Directory websites in underserved niches, offering unique value-added data beyond what search engines provide, can be a resilient recurring revenue model, monetized through advertising.
  • Summary: The discussion focuses on directory websites as a recurring revenue opportunity, particularly in niche markets. Frey Chu shares his experience building a thrifting directory, emphasizing the importance of unique data and the potential for ad revenue.
Product Licensing
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(00:36:34)
  • Key Takeaway: Product licensing allows entrepreneurs to monetize their ideas by partnering with established companies, eliminating manufacturing and distribution costs and generating royalties on sales.
  • Summary: This segment introduces product licensing as a recurring revenue side hustle, where individuals can license their product ideas to companies that handle manufacturing and sales, earning royalties without upfront capital or operational overhead.
Recurring Web Design
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(00:39:14)
  • Key Takeaway: Offering web design, hosting, and maintenance as a monthly service makes websites accessible to small businesses and creates predictable recurring revenue with a short break-even period.
  • Summary: The focus shifts to recurring web design and hosting services, where Ryan Golgoski explains how charging a monthly fee for website creation, hosting, and maintenance is more accessible for small businesses and generates consistent revenue.
Subscription E-commerce
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(00:43:16)
  • Key Takeaway: Subscription e-commerce models, focusing on replenishable products, can be highly profitable by ensuring customer lifetime value exceeds acquisition costs and offering flexible subscription options.
  • Summary: This segment explores subscription e-commerce, using examples like skincare and supplements. Ben Faze discusses the importance of customer lifetime value (LTV) exceeding customer acquisition cost (CAC) and offering flexible subscription management.
Coaching & Masterminds
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(00:47:12)
  • Key Takeaway: Coaching and masterminds can be scaled for recurring revenue by utilizing asynchronous video platforms for one-on-one mentoring, offering high perceived value at a low operational cost.
  • Summary: The final segment discusses coaching and masterminds, highlighting how Steven Faust scales his military career coaching business through unlimited one-on-one mentoring via an asynchronous video platform, creating a sticky membership with high perceived value.
Recap of Recurring Revenue Models
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(00:52:37)
  • Key Takeaway: The podcast recapped ten distinct recurring revenue side hustle models, ranging from software and local services to real estate and coaching.
  • Summary: The hosts provide a numbered list and brief descriptions of the ten recurring revenue side hustles discussed in the episode, referencing specific examples and guests for each.
Core Principle of Recurring Revenue
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(00:53:44)
  • Key Takeaway: The fundamental principle behind successful recurring revenue side hustles is the consistent resolution of recurring problems, which builds predictability and mitigates financial instability.
  • Summary: The common thread across all discussed side hustles is identified as solving problems that customers face repeatedly, leading to a steady income stream and avoiding the freelance ‘feast or famine’ cycle.
Personalizing Your Side Hustle Choice
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(00:54:00)
  • Key Takeaway: Selecting the right recurring revenue model requires a careful assessment of your personal skills, interests, and available time to ensure a good fit and maximize success.
  • Summary: The importance of matching a side hustle model to individual strengths and circumstances is emphasized, with examples highlighting how different models demand different skill sets.
Leveraging Podcast Resources
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(00:54:15)
  • Key Takeaway: Listeners can access detailed episode summaries, links to guest resources, and personalized side hustle playlists through the Side Hustle Nation website and hustle.show to further their learning and implementation.
  • Summary: Information is provided on how to find more in-depth content, including links to previous episodes and a tool for creating a custom playlist of ‘greatest hits’ episodes based on user input.