key takeaways
- Kennedy works as a banker and sells his woodworking equipment, Morgan Square, on the side.
- Here’s how the California-based entrepreneur grew his business and brought the product to major retailers.
This Side Hustle Spotlight Q&A features Channon Kennedy, 47, of Hayward, California. Kennedy works as a banker; He started his own company, Kiwi Vision, which sells “first-of-its-kind” measuring and marking equipment, Morgan Squareas a side hustle – and continues to be run as one today. Responses have been edited for length and clarity.
Image credit: Courtesy Kiwi Vision. Channon Kennedy.
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What was your day job or primary occupation when you started your job?
I still have a day’s work. I work as a banker for Silicon Valley Bank, which focuses on startup founders, primarily connecting with early-stage entrepreneurs and pre-seed companies and helping them in their journey.
What inspired you to start your own side?
The inspiration for Morgan Square came from a very personal story. At just two years old, Morgan Dean Hebard, a spirited boy from New Zealand, was diagnosed with leukemia. After a six-year battle filled with courage and resilience, Morgan died at the age of eight. In his final months, his father, Gary – who is a close friend of mine – took time off from work to be with him, cherishing every moment.
Sometime later, Gary, a craftsman, shared a heartfelt wish with me: He wished he had a tool that could help him work faster, so he could spend even more time with his son. That conversation stayed with me. This became the seed that evolved into the Morgan Square – a tool designed to make woodworking more efficient.
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What were the first steps you took to get your cause off the ground? How much money/investment did it take to launch?
The first steps were searching patents and trademarks, finding a manufacturer, and creating a prototype. I had to set up an LLC, secure insurance, and handle all the basic legal work. Building the prototype alone was expensive, so when someone wrote me a check for $50,000 to support the vision, it gave me that initial runway. Other than that, I’ve bootstrapped everything.
Are there any free or paid resources that have been particularly helpful to you in getting this business up and running?
Yes, two in particular. First, SCORE.orgWhich connects entrepreneurs with retired business leaders for free advice. My mentors have been invaluable in helping me with everything from finances to patents. Second, Black Chamber of CommerceWhich provided resources on funding, introduction and exposure in the community. These two resources, along with the business knowledge I gained as a banker, have been vital.
Image Credit: Courtesy Kiwi Vision
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 wish I had invested in the right PR and marketing support earlier. I wasted a lot of time and money teaching myself Amazon advertising and falling prey to untrustworthy people who overpromise and then disappear with the payment. Better investigation and professional help earlier would have saved me both money and stress.
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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?
How expensive is the prototype, and how many iterations do you need before getting it right. You can’t expect the first or second edition to be perfect. It’s a slow process, and you need patience and financial runway.
Can you remember a specific example when something went horribly wrong? How did you fix it?
At my first major trade show, the International Woodworking Fair in 2022, my website was not set up properly, and I was not fully educated on POS functionality. In the middle of making a sale, the system flagged my transaction and blocked me from accepting payments. I had to take out the Excel spreadsheet and my Square reader and walk around the spot to manually pick the orders. It was disorganized, but we still sold everything and shipped everything when we got back home.
How long did it take you to see consistent monthly revenue? How much did Side Hustle make?
During our first year, amid the pandemic, we initially made less than $1,000, but ended the year with $5,000 in total revenue. By our second year, that figure grew significantly to over $60,000, even without any formal marketing strategy. Not bad for a niche product and a young brand still establishing its presence and credibility.
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Sustainability is still a challenge; It increases every time I’m at a trade show. Online, a product doesn’t always attract attention until people can actually hold it. That’s why I plan on at least one or two shows per quarter going forward. I launched Morgan Square in March 2020, just as the pandemic hit, and launched on Amazon in 2021. However, despite the challenge of most trade shows being canceled during the initial years of operation, we sold the initial 50 units. As the economy normalized, we have seen a rapid turnaround and an increase in sales. I have over 1,000 units sold in 2023 and over 3,000 units sold in 2024.
Image Credit: Courtesy Kiwi Vision
What do growth and revenues look like now?
Thanks to consistent effort and persistence, we are now seeing a steady flow of income, averaging around $4,000 per month. With Morgan Square now appearing in multiple retail locations and multiple online channels, strong partnerships with our retail partners, and a dedicated marketing team executing an integrated strategy, we look forward to continued growth and increasingly consistent sales.
How much time do you spend on your business on a daily, weekly or monthly basis?
I work on my business every day – early mornings, evenings and weekends – in addition to my day job. Some days focus on shipping orders, others on certification, accounting or outreach. It depends on the month and what deadlines or opportunities I have in front of me. But not a day goes by that I don’t do something for Morgan Square.
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What do you enjoy most about running this business?
The joy of seeing an idea come to life – and that people really want it. Every sale excites me. Packaging boxes feels like gift wrapping, and I never get tired of it. It’s humbling and energizing to know that people value what I’ve created.
What is your best specific, actionable business advice?
Be intentional. Write down your goals and work on them. In 2025, I made a list of where I wanted to be and what I wanted to accomplish, and I followed it. It was with that intention that I went to trade shows, new stores, and eventually Home Depot. Don’t just put things off until “yesterday.” Take action thoughtfully.
key takeaways
- Kennedy works as a banker and sells his woodworking equipment, Morgan Square, on the side.
- Here’s how the California-based entrepreneur grew his business and brought the product to major retailers.
This Side Hustle Spotlight Q&A features Channon Kennedy, 47, of Hayward, California. Kennedy works as a banker; He started his own company, Kiwi Vision, which sells “first-of-its-kind” measuring and marking equipment, Morgan Squareas a side hustle – and continues to be run as one today. Responses have been edited for length and clarity.
Image credit: Courtesy Kiwi Vision. Channon Kennedy.
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