From Jedi Master to Lawsuit Disaster: My Hilarious Side Hustle Mishap

As a serial entrepreneur, I've had my fair share of brilliant ideas, some more successful than others. But there's one particular side hustle from the early 2000s that still makes me chuckle and cringe simultaneously.

Picture this: a mashup of Star Wars' Yoda and Nike's Michael Jordan, complete with the catchy tagline, "Try Not, Do." It was a fun concept that I wanted to explore, mostly for my own amusement. I hired a graphic artist on eLance (remember that platform?) to create some mockups, and I found a website that could print and drop ship t-shirts, sweatshirts, and hats featuring my clever design.

I ordered a bunch of swag for myself, and as I wore it around, friends and co-workers started asking about it. I simply directed them to the website, thinking nothing of it. Little did I know, I had stumbled upon a potential goldmine.

In the first month, I made a little over $3k from my inner circle alone. The second month saw a jump to $7k, and by the third month, I was raking in over $10k. I was ecstatic! I thought, "This is it—my ticket to side hustle success!"

But then, in a single week during that third month, reality came crashing down in the form of two letters. One from Lucas Arts and the other from Nike, both politely informing me that if I didn't take down everything from the website and stop selling the likeness of Yoda and Jordan, I'd be facing a lawsuit faster than the Millennium Falcon making the Kessel Run.

Needless to say, my side hustle came to a screeching halt. But whenever I pull on that old sweatshirt or hat, I can't help but smile at the memories and the valuable lessons learned. It's a reminder that even the most well-intentioned ideas can sometimes lead you down a path to the dark side of entrepreneurship.

So, to all you aspiring entrepreneurs out there, remember: before you launch your next brilliant side hustle, make sure you're not inadvertently channeling your inner Darth Vader. And if you ever find yourself in a similar situation, just take a deep breath, laugh it off, and keep on hustling. May the force (and better judgment) be with you!