Turning a Hobby Into a Side Hustle: Cooper Wacholtz
By Brayden Suckstorf
Starting a side business can be both rewarding and challenging. For Cooper Wachholtz, a senior at Pierce, the journey began with a simple idea—offering affordable golf club repairs and re-gripping.
With a passion for helping people in the community, he realized that many individuals were looking for these services at a low cost, and that's when the idea of starting a business took place. He noticed a gap in the market in our area.
"There are a lot of people in my area that need these services for cheap," he explained.
With no family history in the business world, his decision to start something on his own was driven purely by himself and what he saw in his community and the need for additional income.
Though he spends about $200 per year on club repair supplies, this entrepreneur started his business while working a full-time job.
“I started doing this at the place I work and decided to make it a side gig,” he shared. This decision not only allowed him to test the waters but also provided the flexibility to grow his business slowly.
The hardest part, as many entrepreneurs will say, is getting started. For him, finding customers early on was a challenge.
"The hardest part of owning/starting a business is finding customers when just starting," Wachholtz explained. However, as time went on, word of mouth and his ability to connect with people through his job helped him grow his customer base.
“I get customers through talking with people at my work,” he said.
Despite the challenges, owning a business has its perks. He enjoys having something productive to do in his free time and enjoys the extra income.
“I like it because it gives me something to do when I am bored. It also makes me a little money,” Wachholtz shared.
For others considering starting their own business, his advice is simple but powerful: “Don’t be afraid to talk to people about offering your business.”
