How a Librarian Built a 5000 Monthly Side Hustle in Research Consulting episode artwork

EPISODE · Jun 9, 2026 · 7 MIN

How a Librarian Built a 5000 Monthly Side Hustle in Research Consulting

from The Side Hustle Career Podcast with Fexingo: Second Income, Freelancing While Employed · host Fexingo

Episode 41 of The Side Hustle Career Podcast: Librarians have skills that are surprisingly valuable in the business world. Today, Lucas and Luna unpack the story of Maria, a public librarian in Columbus, Ohio, who turned her knack for deep research into a $5,000 monthly side hustle as a freelance research consultant. She works with small startups, authors, and even a law firm that needed historical context for a case. Maria charges $75 an hour for lit reviews, competitive analysis, and fact-finding missions. Lucas breaks down how she built a client pipeline using LinkedIn and cold outreach, and why her MLIS degree gave her an edge. Luna questions whether this model scales, and they discuss the ethics of moonlighting with institutional knowledge. If you're curious about turning a non-business skill into a revenue stream, this episode delivers a concrete playbook. #LibrarianSideHustle #ResearchConsulting #FreelanceResearch #SideHustle #Careers #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #MLIS #InformationScience #FreelancingWhileEmployed #SecondIncome #MariaStory #ColumbusOhio #LinkedInTips #ColdOutreach #LitReview #CompetitiveAnalysis #KnowledgeWork Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

Episode 41 of The Side Hustle Career Podcast: Librarians have skills that are surprisingly valuable in the business world. Today, Lucas and Luna unpack the story of Maria, a public librarian in Columbus, Ohio, who turned her knack for deep research into a $5,000 monthly side hustle as a freelance research consultant. She works with small startups, authors, and even a law firm that needed historical context for a case. Maria charges $75 an hour for lit reviews, competitive analysis, and fact-finding missions. Lucas breaks down how she built a client pipeline using LinkedIn and cold outreach, and why her MLIS degree gave her an edge. Luna questions whether this model scales, and they discuss the ethics of moonlighting with institutional knowledge. If you're curious about turning a non-business skill into a revenue stream, this episode delivers a concrete playbook. #LibrarianSideHustle #ResearchConsulting #FreelanceResearch #SideHustle #Careers #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #MLIS #InformationScience #FreelancingWhileEmployed #SecondIncome #MariaStory #ColumbusOhio #LinkedInTips #ColdOutreach #LitReview #CompetitiveAnalysis #KnowledgeWork Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

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How a Librarian Built a 5000 Monthly Side Hustle in Research Consulting

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This episode is 7 minutes long.

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This episode was published on June 9, 2026.

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Episode 41 of The Side Hustle Career Podcast: Librarians have skills that are surprisingly valuable in the business world. Today, Lucas and Luna unpack the story of Maria, a public librarian in Columbus, Ohio, who turned her knack for deep research...

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