The Art of the Side Hustle: Blending Creativity, Business, and Passion

Many creatives struggle with the balance between artistic passion and profitability. But what if your creative side project could become a thriving business? Dava Guthmiller shares her approach to launching A Dash Of, a brand born from a love of food, storytelling, and curation. Discover how to align your expertise into a niche, test market demand, and build something that brings profit to your passion.

April 23, 2025
|
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
TRACK:
Personal Journeys
ALL SPEAKERS
Dava Guthmiller
Founder/CEO/Salt Maven, Noise 13 + A Dash Of

Brand consultant for companies that feed, nourish, and connect humans. Founder of Noise 13 and A Dash Of, Dava is a creative leader, taste curator, speaker, investor and connector.

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In those crucial first seconds on your homepage, can prospects understand what you do and why they should care? Most B2B startups struggle to clearly communicate their value, leaving potential customers confused or unconvinced. In this practical session, marketing consultant Garrett Jestice will show you a proven framework to make your homepage message crystal clear. You'll learn:

  • How to structure your homepage so prospects immediately understand your value
  • A simple formula to articulate what makes your B2B solution different and worth caring about
  • Techniques to transform technical features into benefits that resonate with business buyers
  • Real examples of clear vs. confusing B2B homepage messaging

Perfect for founders and marketers at B2B startups, you'll walk away with actionable templates and frameworks to make your homepage message immediately clear to the right prospects. No marketing fluff––just practical guidance to help prospects 'get it' in seconds.

Garrett Jestice
Founder, Prelude Marketing
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Growth & Monetization
Smart Networking: How to Build Relationships That Create Opportunities
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Networking isn’t just about business cards or LinkedIn connections—it’s about building real relationships that open doors. Sure, it can feel awkward or even a little cringe, but with the right mindset, it doesn’t have to be.

Modern networking is about quality, not quantity. It’s not about meeting as many people as possible—it’s about connecting with intention, online or in person. In this session, we’ll cover practical strategies for building authentic relationships that can boost your career or business. We’ll discuss how to network with purpose, make a lasting impression, and turn connections into real opportunities.

If networking feels intimidating, you’re not alone. It’s tricky for most people! But when approached the right way, it can be one of the most valuable tools in your career. Let’s make it work for you.

Kurt Schmidt
Founder, Schmidt Consulting Group
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Personal Branding
From UX Designer to UXpreneur: Monetizing Your Skills Beyond a 9-to-5
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Many UX designers dream of turning their expertise into a profitable side hustle but struggle with where to start. In this session, I’ll break down practical, actionable strategies for monetizing UX skills beyond a traditional job, whether through mentoring, consulting, cohort-based courses, workshops, or digital products.

In this session I will share real-life insights from my journey of scaling MarziUXD into a thriving UX education business.

Marzie
UX Educator, Mentor, and Founder of MarziUXD
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Personal Journeys
My AI Startup Journey: Lessons from Building CareerInsighter as a Solopreneur
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The real behind-the-scenes story of launching and growing CareerInsighter, challenges faced, and key takeaways for aspiring entrepreneurs.

Alan Lai
Founder, CareerInsighter
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Personal Journeys