This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Michael Strahl, a 41-year-old senior construction technician and content creator based in Minneapolis. It has been edited for length and clarity.
I’ve been in blue-collar work most of my life and am currently a lineman, working full-time and on call 24/7.
I have a very busy and active lifestyle with my wife and two kids, ages 9 and 11. We have a couple of side hustles, including Amazon, YouTube, an Etsy shop, and a direct-to-consumer five-acre farm.
Amazon came about because I was posting content to the farm’s Facebook page, and one of the reels went viral. I was invited to the Amazon Influencer Program and joined in August 2023.
Now I make around $10,000 a month in revenue from the program.
Amazon gives me the freedom to pursue a profitable side hustle in my free time
I started by reviewing products with no prior knowledge of video editing, and learned everything from scratch. I focus on tools, camping gear, farm, automotive, electronics, and household items.
I’ve purchased roughly 75% of the items I review myself. The other 25% are items I’ve collaborated with various brands on, showcasing them after thorough testing.
I create shoppable videos — reviews of products sold on Amazon. These videos appear on Amazon. My strength is that I film in-depth, highly descriptive, long-form videos, which I believe helped me achieve quick success with the program.
I’ve tried many side hustles, but never one so profitable with so little effort. My full-time job keeps me on call 24/7. If a storm comes through, I have to be out there in the middle of the night working on fiber optic lines and putting networks back together. This Amazon side hustle is mostly accomplished in the evening, outside family and work time.
Since joining, I’ve posted over 900 shoppable videos
I spend no more than 20 hours a month on my Amazon side hustle.
I made about $5,800 in revenue in my fourth month after joining the program, and it kept growing from there. In November 2025, I made five figures for the first time due to Black Friday, earning $11,000 in a single month.
In December, I did $13,500, and then in January 2026, I made just over $10,000. My goal is to become a full-time content creator after I pay off my house this August.
I’m publishing about 10 to 20 videos a month, which is lower than most other content creators. I believe I get better results with fewer videos because I create high-quality, evergreen content — content that could still be generating views and sales five or 10 years from now — rather than focusing on viral, temporary trends. My videos are not overly produced or cinematic, but they’re highly detailed and include product B-roll.
Amazon is still just one of my income streams
I started my first YouTube channel in August 2024 and monetized it within 11 months, reposting the best of my Amazon shoppable videos. Now, my YouTube channels drive traffic to my Amazon.
I also run a free community with a paid membership level for anyone who wants more hands-on coaching and learning around Amazon, plus a podcast on the topic.
To get started on Amazon, I recommend shooting and posting 100 videos to learn the ropes. After you’ve gained some experience, fine-tune which products to focus on and develop a strategy. After that, companies may notice and reach out to request product reviews in exchange for free products, which happened to me.
If you’re looking for a side hustle you can do while the kids are napping or in your spare time, this is easy to fit in
This side hustle can cover a car payment or mortgage payment, or even replace your 9-to-5 income. It all depends on what you put into it. You can treat it like a business, not just a side hustle.
While competition is higher today than when I started in 2023, the opportunities are far greater. Over the past year, companies have created Chrome extensions such as Oink and Viral Vue that help creators automate and maximize income-generating opportunities.
It’s still a good time to get started. There’s a lot of money to be made online with Amazon.
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