This Lady Grew Her Side Hustle into a Business Bringing in Over $200,000 a Year Without a College Degree

Welcome to my new series where I spotlight side hustlers, online business owners, and anyone who works hard to build top-tier businesses.

During my early morning research session, I came across an article about a young lady called Erica Krupin. Erica had tried several jobs and side hustles over the years such as bartending and working in a beauty salon, amongst other things.

Strangely, Erica hit the jackpot when she started scooping dog poop as a side hustle. Yes, dog poop! Erica is the proud owner “Kroopin’s Poopin’ Scoopin’, a dog waste removal business in Northville, Michigan.

The fact that Erica has built her side hustle business from nothing to $200,000 a year shows that there is money in the things that people don’t want to do, and in this case, it’s scooping dog poop.

Erica started her dog poop removal side hustle six years ago when she felt the urge to start a small business. She wanted to try something different and make some additional income; at the time she was working as a pharmacy technician. She was inspired to start when one morning, she had a brainwave. Her dog was doing his usual morning poop in the backyard, and she thought to herself:

“I’d actually pay someone to do this for me.”

That’s when everything clicked, and she decided to put her spontaneous idea to work.

In 2018, Erica quit her job as a pharmacy technician to run he dog poop scooping business full time. It was the perfect time to start because 2020, was the year of the global pandemic, and this was the perfect business to run during these months, as it’s outdoor and perfect for social distancing protocols at the time.

Fast-forward, four years and Erica’s business is set to hit $250,000 in revenue for 2024. The goal for the next few years is to hire more staff and expand to other cities in Michigan and beyond.

When asked by CNBC about her dreams prior to building her current business, Erica said:

“I always really struggled in school, I just couldn’t imagine sitting in a classroom for another four years.” She didn’t have any specific goals or dreams however, she always knew that college wasn’t for her, and after several jobs, she knew that entrepreneurship might be her only option.

After enrolling in general courses at Schoolcraft College, she struggled to connect with the courses she took. In 2005, Erica began a career as a pharmacy technician, although she always felt like there was something missing.

“It was a stable career, but I felt like there was something just burning inside of me, this strong desire to challenge myself in a different endeavor, to take a risk and be creative.”

Unbeknownst to her, her side hustle in dog waste removal would ignite her entrepreneurial spirit and lead to a new dream: becoming her own boss while mentoring aspiring business owners.

One of the key benefits of starting a dog waste removal business is the low barrier to entry. Krupin invested $1,000 in essential supplies, including a children's gardening rake, trash bags, gloves, a dustpan, disinfectant, and expenses for setting up an LLC, obtaining business insurance, and securing a website domain. Additionally, she purchased a cargo trailer and hitch for her car to facilitate her new venture.

Erica is proof that side hustles can turn into full time, profitable businesses. The problem that most people have when it comes to side hustles is that they want immediate results, and they want their side hustles to turn into full time gigs straight away.

The truth is, it’s ok if your side hustle doesn’t turn into a full time business, it’s ok to keep trying different things until you find the right one that aligns with your purpose. It’s interesting because looking at Erica’s side hustle, can we truly say that scooping poop is her purpose? Probably not, but helping people and giving people the peace of mind that they don’t have to do the job themselves is purposeful.

Therefore, whatever you choose to do, choose value and purpose over profit, and you might find the most valuable, profitable side hustle that you could ever imagine.

Good luck!