How to Run a Multimillion Dollar Brand as a Side Hustle
Executive Summary
A Shopify Masters interview in which the host talks with Rachel Hochhauser and Jena Wolfe, co-founders of Piecework Puzzles, about building a multi-million dollar brand while keeping other careers. The founders describe starting the brand as an experiment after a rainy weekend in a cabin, expanding from puzzles into cocktail napkins and curated gift items, and how they work together and disagree. Sponsor: Shopify, which presents the show (a free Shopify trial is linked in the description). PARTIAL COVERAGE: this note is based on the opening, the origin story, a middle section on napkins and curation, the closing and the description, and does not cover every exchange in the roughly 41 minute interview. All figures and views are the speakers' own claims and are not independently checked.
Key Takeaways
A rainy-weekend experiment
Hochhauser says a cabin weekend in Yosemite with no phone service led her to spend days on old jigsaws and pitch the idea to her agency partner.
Sales so far
The host says that in six years the founders have sold over 300,000 puzzles while keeping other careers.
Day jobs alongside the brand
The description says the founders did not quit their jobs, and the host mentions a full-time role at Goop Kitchen leading marketing teams.
From puzzles to napkins
The founders say tomato napkins made for a themed collection did well, followed by sardine napkins and a wider line of linen cocktail napkins.
Wholesale demand
They say napkins have become a considerable part of wholesale and buyers encourage new product categories.
Curated gift edits
Hochhauser says customers asked about props in the puzzle art, so they created themed shoppable edits for gifting.
Working as partners
The host quotes the founders as saying they listen to each other and are willing to argue.
The Conversation Breakdown
A rainy-weekend experiment
⏱ Untimed topicHochhauser says a cabin weekend in Yosemite with no phone service led her to spend days on old jigsaws and pitch the idea to her agency partner.
Sales so far
⏱ Untimed topicThe host says that in six years the founders have sold over 300,000 puzzles while keeping other careers.
Day jobs alongside the brand
⏱ Untimed topicThe description says the founders did not quit their jobs, and the host mentions a full-time role at Goop Kitchen leading marketing teams.
From puzzles to napkins
⏱ Untimed topicThe founders say tomato napkins made for a themed collection did well, followed by sardine napkins and a wider line of linen cocktail napkins.
Wholesale demand
⏱ Untimed topicThey say napkins have become a considerable part of wholesale and buyers encourage new product categories.
Curated gift edits
⏱ Untimed topicHochhauser says customers asked about props in the puzzle art, so they created themed shoppable edits for gifting.
Working as partners
⏱ Untimed topicThe host quotes the founders as saying they listen to each other and are willing to argue.
Core Frameworks & Ideas
Treat it as an experiment - the founders' origin
Start small with a low-stakes idea and see if people respond.
Follow customer questions - Hochhauser's curation logic
Customers asking about props showed a natural next product line.
Build a framework for other interests - the episode's theme
Design the business so it leaves room for other work and passions.
Actionable Next Steps
- ✓Test a small product line before committing full time to a new idea.
- ✓Look at what customers ask about to find natural extensions of your range.
- ✓Make a plan for how the business fits around other commitments.
- ✓Treat all numbers as the speakers' own claims and check them before relying on them.
Notable Quotes
“It was a total lark is what it was.”
“So, we made tomato napkins and they did really really well, which was surprising to us.”
“We listen to each other, and we're willing to argue with each other.”
The One Thing to Remember
Two founders explain, in their own words, how a weekend experiment became Piecework Puzzles and how they grew it alongside other jobs.