key takeaways
- Saraswati-Cook was an aerospace worker when she started her podcast as a side job.
- After entrepreneurs and public figures took notice, he realized the business’s growth potential.
This Side Hustle Spotlight quiz features Ginny Muse-Cook, a 40-year-old New York City-based entrepreneur who is the founder and CEO of Side Hustle. Ginny MediaAn award winning podcast production agency. Her side is busy hosting her own podcast, ginny showLed a full-time business that has doubled revenues almost every year since launch and is projected to grow another 20% this year. Responses have been edited for length and clarity.
Image Credit: Courtesy Ginny Media. Ginny Saraswati-Cook.
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What was your day job or primary occupation when you started your job?
I had been living in Melbourne, Australia, my home for 30 years, and my day job was as an aerospace worker at a major airline manufacturer. Yes, I helped build wing components for a commercial jetliner. So technically, if you’ve ever been on an airplane, you’ve probably flown on something I helped build.
Don’t worry, I wasn’t building a podcast and building a wing at the same time (I’m not doing that). He A multitasker of sorts), I could barely keep my coffee hot while following safety procedures.
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When did you start your side and where did you get the inspiration from?
My attempt was to cook food at a slower rate than microwave food. I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit. Not because I wanted to own an empire, but because I really valued freedom. Freedom of time, of speech, and of wearing sneakers at work.
My First However, the side hustle was an events business that failed FabulousI invested $40,000 and earned about a quarter of it back, But it was the best tuition I could pay for my Bachelor’s how not to run a businessI started it for profit, not purpose, and let’s just say that passionless entrepreneurship has the same shelf life as an avocado,
In early 2017, I was working afternoons at an airline manufacturer and hosting a morning radio show (in college, I came across this community radio station called Joy 94.9FM that was offering a free broadcast radio course for people under 25, and I thought, sure why not? – then eventually moved into daytime hosting).
Working in radio made me realize how much I enjoyed audio, and it was right around the time that podcasts started to make a name for themselves. So I decided to start my own show. After my shift as a mechanic, I’d go home and record episodes for my budding podcast, ginny show,
ginny show Originally began as an autobiographical collection of stories, inspired by my own journey as a Sri Lankan immigrant girl growing up in Australia. They were filled with everyday lessons, cultural quirks, and heartfelt reflections that shaped me. I became very engrossed in the humor of it all, especially the imitations of iconic aunts, the familiar wisdom they offered and the way their voices became the soundtrack to my childhood.
Eventually, entrepreneurs and public figures took notice and started asking, “Hey, can you help me build one of these, too?” That’s when I realized, maybe it wasn’t just a hobby.
I spent $300 AUD on my microphone and audio interface.
What were the first steps you took to get your cause off the ground? How much money/investment did it take to launch?
ginny show This was basically my first investment and testing laboratory. I spent $300 AUD on my microphone and audio interface, all of which plugged into my computer. Everything started from here. Since I was still working full-time, I hired an audio producer named Sam Phelps to help me. She immediately got my weird humor and creative rhythm, and the few hundred dollars I paid her per episode were worth every bit of it. My podcast was nominated for Best Comedy Podcast at the Australian Podcast Awards, and I was a finalist for Broadcaster and Presenter of the Year. This was obviously a huge accomplishment, but it also exposed me to a lot of new people.
I started getting requests to help people with my podcast, and at the time, didn’t have any business plan other than, “Hey, I can do this for other people too.” So I started freelancing, audio editing, creating content, and consulting on Upwork while holding down my day job. Before long, the side hustle had its own hustle, and that’s how Ginny Media was born.
I was preparing to move to New York City by December 2018: I needed space mentally, emotionally, and logistically to pack up my life (which fit into three small suitcases) and go about my business. I booked a one-way ticket, lined up at an apartment in Brooklyn, and once I landed, there was no safety net. It was just me and my vision. From that moment forward, it was all Guinea media. No plan B.
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Are there any free or paid resources that have been particularly helpful to you in getting this business up and running?
I started out as a podcast creator, so naturally, podcasts taught me everything. Hearing other creators share their stories was like giving free advice with less awkward small talk.
Books also played a big role. nuclear habits, 7 habits of highly influential people And you are a scoundrelAll of them rewired my thinking, And honestly, a good memoir can also be a business masterclass, If you read between the lines of someone’s story, you will always find a lesson that applies to you,
When I realized my health was deteriorating I finally took the next step and invested in a business coach. I gained weight, had frequent migraines, and realized I needed to change the way I managed my life and business. What I was doing wasn’t sustainable, and having someone from the outside, holding me accountable and showing me how to grow the business sustainably, was invaluable.
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If you could go back in your business journey and change one process or approach, what would it be, and how do you wish you had done it differently?
I would have taken self-care more seriously a long time ago. And not the sweet kind of self-care that involves spa days and green smoothies… I mean. boring, difficult Kind
things like:
- Learning to stretch so my body doesn’t feel like an Ikea chair by 5pm
- Say no without apologizing later.
- Relaxing without checking your email every 12 minutes.
- And actually going outside, because apparently humans need sunlight. Who knew?
When it comes to this specific business, what is something that you have found particularly challenging and/or surprising that people who get into this type of work should be prepared for, but perhaps aren’t?
People think podcasting is all creative flow and deep conversations – and yes, it is. But it also has a surprisingly high tolerance for project management, emotional labor, and Wi-Fi instability.
What surprises most people is that podcasting is as much about listening as it is about talking. You’re maintaining space for someone’s story, brand, and message, plus adding up to 57 audio files and making it seamless. It’s like therapy, but with better microphones and fewer HIPAA regulations.
It goes without saying that when you’re a creator, what you create represents your client’s brand as well as your own. When your side hustle turns into global success it’s not just about you anymore. It’s all about the people and brands you’re working with, so your mindset should evolve with it too.
There has been a lot of change in the industry also. When I started, podcasting was still niche, and it was mostly audio-focused. This is now an emerging multimedia field where video is almost expected, and great production quality cannot be compromised. Between booking studio time, learning new tools, and keeping up with changing trends, it can be overwhelming for new podcasters and creators. But finding your rhythm and being consistent makes it easier to really build momentum and create content you can be proud of.
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Image Credit: Courtesy Ginny Media
Within four months, I reached $10,000 per month.
Can you remember a specific example when something went horribly wrong – how did you fix it?
Once a client’s entire episode file went missing the night before a big launch. Imagine me, at 3 in the morning, with coffee in one hand and tears in the other.
This was in the era before AI and voice cloning. We rebuilt the episode from backup files (thanks, cloud gods), and I learned two important lessons:
- Always keep redundant backups.
- Crying when exporting audio doesn’t make it render faster – I checked.
How long did it take you to see consistent monthly revenue? How much did Side Hustle make?
When I officially started Ginny Media and moved to New York in December 2017, the business was making about $6,000 a month. Just enough to cover the bills and some outsourced help.
Once I made this my main focus, the momentum grew rapidly. Within four months, I was making $10,000 per month, and by the end of the first year, Ginny Media had made $141,000. Not bad for a girl who once built airplane wings and had a knack for mics. The annual salary at my previous job was $67,000 USD, so within a year of leaving my job, I was making more than double what I was making before.
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What do growth and revenues look like now?
We’re currently at about $600,000 per year (about $50,000 per month) – our best year ever, with a 20% increase in revenue. This comes after what was a challenging year for us in 2024, with massive market change, AI disruption and the economic challenges our customers were facing. We made several changes to move things in the right direction. We made adjustments to the platforms we were using, developed new offers that brought in an additional $80,000, set new standards for our team members and company culture, and streamlined many processes using AI.
We are now opening two brand new recording studios in Manhattan and expecting a projected 25% increase in revenue for 2026. One thing I love about how this all evolved is that our team is happier because of the changes we’ve made, and we’re all seeing more success because of it.
What do you enjoy most about running this business?
People, 100%. My team, my customers and the voices we amplify. They are what make this work so rewarding. Creating a podcast is a front row seat to human stories, and it never gets old.
What is your best specific, actionable business advice?
Hire a business coach who you’re a little afraid to disappoint and who will set realistic goals for you – and make them real money. Do not trade or swap unpaid services. You need to realize that accountability is affected differently when the money leaves your bank account when your credit card is on the line. You will suddenly find yourself showing up, working and keeping promises as if your future self is watching. Because he is. And she’s cheering you on.
