How Much Can I Make? — Real Jobs. Real Stories. Career Insights

Digital Entrepreneur Discover practical job ideas and career insights in digital entrepreneurship. What if you could learn a practical web skill over a single weekend, build a simple website for a local business, and turn it into steady monthly income? In this episode, we sit down with Matt Raad to break down a realistic path from beginner to profitable digital entrepreneurship. We talk about buil...

Digital Real Estate What if your next big investment isn’t a building—it’s a blog? In this episode, digital real estate expert Matt Raad breaks down how he buys simple content websites, renovates them with SEO optimization , and turns them into reliable passive income . He explains why passion niches —like gardening, wellness, crafts, and hobbies—are some of the most profitable online business opp...

Fragrance Evaluator  Jillian Friedman shares career insights from the fragrance industry, including global differences in taste, why synthetic ingredients can actually lead to safer, more sustainable formulas. We explore how a fragrance evaluator influences what you smell—from the first spark of a creative brief to the final bottle on the shelf. If you’re curious about a career in the fragrance in...

Cyber Security Expert Cybersecurity is one of today's fastest-growing career opportunities, offering high earnings and strong job security as cybercrime continues to evolve. Most cyberattacks don’t start with elite hackers—they start with your email address and phone number . We sit down with Rivka Tadjer , CEO and co-founder of Zero Hack , to break down how modern cybercrime really works—and...

Electrician Entrepreneur If you’re searching for high-paying jobs , career change ideas ,  can your make good money without college? Or just curious about an electrician career - this episode is for you!   Today we’re talking with Eli , a master electrician whose career spans trade school, apprenticeships, residential wiring, commercial work, factory-scale power systems, and hundreds of generator...

Cannabis Farm  What’s it really like to work on a cannabis farm — and how much can you make? This episode takes you inside a legal cannabis grow operation to break down jobs, pay, career paths, and the realities of working in the cannabis industry. This week I’m talking with Beck Mooney , Director of Operations at Supernaturals NY , who takes us behind the scenes of running a legal cannabis farm i...

Restaurant Owner Job Considering a career change or looking for new job ideas? In this episode, we explore the inspiring journey of Nicole Cawley, who transitioned from 20 years in corporate banking to becoming a successful restaurant co-owner and entrepreneur. Nicole shares invaluable career insights about the realities of restaurant ownership, including operating margins, staffing challenges, an...

Lighting Designer Career Go behind the scenes of Broadway with four-time Tony Award–winning Lighting Designer Kevin Adams . He breaks down what a theatre lighting designer actually does, the skills you need to get started, and the unexpected twists of his career path. The jaw-dropper? Adams reveals how Broadway designers really make their big money —including income streams, payment structures, un...

How to Start Swoop Scoop Business Can $1,200, a bucket, and a rake turn into a multimillion-dollar company? Yes — and Will Milliken is living proof. Find out about jobs in the pet waste removal industry - from entrepreneur William Milliken , Founder of Swoop Scoop® , one of the fastest-growing pet waste removal businesses in the country!  It’s simple, low-cost, and you can start making money from...

Dog Groomer  Are you dreaming about turning your passion for dogs into a rewarding career? Want to know how to become a dog groomer? In this episode, we sit down with Sarah Gildersleeve , a grooming professional with over 20 years of experience in the pet industry. Discover the essential skills, earnings potential, and the hustle required to thrive as a dog groomer.  From her first job bathing dog...

Broadway Actress What does a real Broadway career look like behind the spotlight? In this episode, we talk with actress Lauren Blackman —whose credits include Hello, Dolly! , Anastasia , Lempicka , Ragtime , and The Music Man alongside Hugh Jackman —about the true job behind the dream. Lauren gives rare career insights into the grind of the theater world: the early-morning audition lines, the unio...

Dietitian In this episode, registered dietitian Ingrid Anderson shares invaluable career insights on making money in the wellness industry and what sets apart a credentialed dietitian from online nutritionists.  Discover how her Hashimoto’s diagnosis became a turning point, leading her to help others regain energy and debunk nutrition myths. She talks about the importance of niching down in your c...

HVAC Career The attic feels like a furnace, the thermostat is clueless, and the AC just quit on the hottest day of the year. Enter Carl Fagerstrom —part electrician, part plumber, part detective.  Carl pulls back the curtain on the HVAC world with insider tips on keeping your home safe, cool, and filled with clean air. But beyond the tools and filters, Carl shares real career insight: why HVAC is...

eBay Side Hustle  Zac Shaw is back—and this time, we’re talking all about his eBay side hustle, Over and Out Vintage .  From vintage board games to throwback clothing, Zac’s turned thrifting into a side career, blending online sales with a brick-and-mortar twist. Great selling on ebay information for beginners and what ebay reselling business is like. What started as casual weekend treasure huntin...

What happens when local journalism collides with the digital revolution? Zach Shaw takes us behind the curtain of his 30-year career at Hudson Valley One, revealing triumphs and struggles of community reporting in an age of dwindling print subscribers and shrinking advertising revenues. But the real jaw-dropper? His take on the future of journalism: AI helping one reporter do the job of ten, and e...

Boutique Hotel Entrepreneurs  Quit your job, move to the mountains, and become a hotel entrepreneur—easy, right? Martin Torres and Joe DiThomas actually did it, leaving NYC careers behind to run Graham & Co. a 20-room boutique hotel in the Catskills.  This episode delves into the nuances of the hospitality industry, offering valuable career insights and showcasing the real success factors that...

Pharmacist  Career Insights If you’re wondering how much a pharmacist makes and whether pharmacy is still a good career today, this episode breaks down the real pay, pressure, and options. Dr. Neal Smoller - an entrepreneur, a holistic pharmacist and owner of Village Apothecary in Woodstock, NY, pulls back the curtain on the job of a pharmacist and the pharmacy industry’s hidden economics .  Wheth...

Academic Career  Dive into the world of academia with valuable career insights and job tips from English Professor Tom Kitts .  Tom has spent 45 years teaching English at St. John’s University - when he wasn’t in the classroom, he was busy with his cool side gig - writing books about Rock 'n Roll legends like Ray Davies, John Fogerty, and Richie Furay. In our chat, we don’t just talk music -...

Physical Therapist Seven years of school to become a physical therapist? Yep—you heard that right! Trisha Groff, Director at AccessPT in Woodstock, NY, spills the beans with her career insight on what it really takes to break into (and thrive in) the demanding yet rewarding PT job. From helping weekend warriors bounce back, to witnessing jaw-dropping recoveries—like the 70+ man who learned to walk...

Zoe Lewis Zoe Lewis —aka “a band in a body”—takes us on a whirlwind tour of her music career,  from her childhood in England to jamming her way through 70+ countries. Along the way, she’s collected grooves, stories, and a knack for turning tiny everyday moments into songs that caught the ear of big brands—and even Netflix. If music’s in your veins and you can’t imagine doing anything else, or just...

Be a Consultant Ever thought about ditching your 9-to-5 job and calling your own shots? Amy Rasdal did just that—and she’s here to tell us how. Amy went from a corporate job to living that sweet consultant life and building a great career. Now she helps other professionals do the same. In this episode, she breaks down how to turn what you already know into a flexible, high-paying consulting jobs....

Custom Shirt Maker  Ever wonder how a guy chasing love in NYC ends up dressing Broadway stars and Hollywood legends? Meet Carl Goldberg —a shirtmaker, entrepreneur, and all-around fabric whisperer .  He didn’t plan on a career in fashion, but 40+ years later he still runs his a thriving custom shirt business in the heart of Manhattan In this episode, Carl shares his career journey—from retail gigs...

OR Nurse Ever wonder what really goes down behind those mysterious operating room doors? In this episode, longtime OR nurse Patti Columbia Walsh spills the tea on her 40-year career in one of the most high-stress, high-stakes jobs in healthcare. Spoiler alert: it’s not like Grey’s Anatomy . From anticipating a surgeon’s every move to staying cool during full-blown medical emergencies, Patti takes...

A Goat Farmer Ever wonder what it’s really like to run a goat farm? In this episode, Victoria Balentine —owner of Shady Farms in upstate New York — shares her career insights in goat farming and tips for making money in agrotourism.' She gives us a behind-the-barn look at her job and her career switch, from city acupuncturist to hands-in-the-dirt farmer, and the sweet (and sometimes stinky) r...

Acupuncturist  Career Insight - Exploring Alternative Healthcare Job. What do you do when your job turns into a calling? Victoria Balentine built a thriving career as a Manhattan acupuncturist, specializing in women’s reproductive health. With a mix of East-meets-West smarts and sharp networking with top fertility docs, she turned her passion into a bustling practice. In this episode, Victoria dro...