He started a side job in college that now makes $70,000 a month and $2 million yearly

 Kyle Morrand and his college roommates loved playing retro video games — and the pastime would help launch his career. While Kyle was a student at the University of Central Florida, he and his friends spent countless hours collecting and playing old-school games in their college apartment, known as Apartment 302. This shared passion for gaming would soon turn into something much bigger.

Kyle's first job out of university was with QinetiQ, working on virtual and augmented reality projects for the Navy. Despite not finding the subject matter particularly interesting, he gained valuable experience in applying research and development experiments to real-world scenarios. This job, along with another position working on instructional design solutions, provided him with the stability needed to pursue his side hustle in his free time.

Lesson 1: Introduction to Digital Marketing

In 2013, inspired by "Indie Game: The Movie," Kyle began to envision a business that would allow digital creators to apply their creativity without sacrificing healthy living conditions. After several iterations, he decided to start a game studio aimed at empowering other game studios through collaboration and shared resources. This idea evolved into what is now known as 302 Interactive, but the core intention of creative stability remains at the heart of the company's values and culture. 2013, inspired by "Indie Game: The Movie," Kyle began to envision a business that would allow digital creators to apply their creativity without sacrificing healthy living conditions. After several iterations, he decided to start a game studio aimed at empowering other game studios through collaboration and shared resources. This idea evolved into what is now known as 302 Interactive, but the core intention of creative stability remains at the heart of the company's values and culture.

Kyle started by switching his major to UCF's game design program, which connected him with many of the people he still works with today. He also bought his first virtual reality development kit and began experimenting with different ideas for VR. By showcasing his projects at local developer meetups, he attracted his first contract projects. This strategy of experimenting with new technologies and showcasing capabilities organically became the company's core marketing strategy for its first five years.

Building a creative team culture was also crucial. From design sessions at his apartment to local game jams and trips to the Game Developers Conference in California, Kyle and his team spent a lot of time together, enjoying the process of working collaboratively. This camaraderie paid off when they started hiring their first employees, who were attracted to the company's positive culture.

The biggest challenges Kyle faced were consistently finding contract work while also trying to build their own creative projects. Initially, they worked with local startups and small companies on R&D projects, but this was not a stable source of revenue. To resolve this, they started focusing on national marketing efforts by attending events like the Augmented World Expo and the Game Developers Conference. This investment in building a strong community of client and vendor partners eventually provided a consistent stream of new project work.

Balancing contract work with their own creative projects was another struggle. For the first few years, they tried to accomplish both simultaneously, but it wasn't until recently that they found a more steady division of the team's time and resources. This allowed them to manage client projects effectively while also designing and building new creative projects.

In the first three years, 302 Interactive made very little revenue, mostly from class projects and local networking events. By their fourth year in 2017, they started consistently securing contract projects, making around $5,000-$10,000 in monthly revenue. This trend continued into 2018, with an average monthly revenue of $10,000 and a total annual revenue of $130,000.

In the spring of 2018, a contract with Steamroller Technologies to work on a project for Universal Creative allowed Kyle to leave his day job and focus on 302 Interactive full-time. That year, the company made $130,000 in revenue from a few contract projects. Over the next three years, they experienced consistent growth in projects and increased their contract rates. By 2021, they were averaging $30,000 a month, and in 2022, larger projects helped them double their revenue to $70,000 a month. This trend continued into 2023, with a total annual revenue of $1.9 million.

Kyle enjoys that his business reflects his own life, ambitions, and creativity. Growing up in a digital lifestyle of video games, apps, and social media, he has had time to reflect on the impact of digital technology on mental health. Through 302 Interactive's commitment to "turning everyday life into a playful experience," he aims to reshape our relationship with technology and design lifestyles that are more playful, ultimately reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety common in modern-day living. Another bonus is working with friends as both employees and industry partners on fun and meaningful projects that express their collective creativity.

Kyle advises others hoping to start successful side hustles or businesses to start slowly and mindfully. Rushing through healthy business practices and chasing trends often leads to burnout and shallow results. Instead, he suggests taking time to define the culture and values of your business, helping your first customer with a problem you can clearly solve, and using that success story in your marketing to attract more customers. This approach takes time, but it allows for deeper relationships with customers and team members, resulting in a community that supports your continued growth and success.

Sources:

1. “The Side Hustle He Started in His College Apartment Turned Into a $70,000-a-Month Income Stream — Then Earned Nearly $2 Million Last Year.” Entrepreneur, 2024.

SkillBridge Online School - Registration Form
Full Name:
Phone Number:
Email Address:
Location:
Course of Interest:

SkillBridge Online School
Student Registration

Full Name:
Phone Number:
Email Address:
Location:
Course of Interest:	-- Select Course -- Digital Marketing Project Management Smartphone Income Public Speaking

SkillBridge Institute
Registration Form

First Name:
Surname:
Email Address:
Phone Number:

SkillBridge Institute
Student Registration

First Name:
Surname:
Email Address:
Phone Number:

SkillBridge Institute
Student Registration

First Name:
Surname:
Email Address:
Phone Number:

Hello

Many people think a fish pond is just a hole dug and installed with a pond liner then put fish.The design of your fish pond plays a vital role in the growth of your fish.

1. Pond Depth

Depth Range: 1.3m to 1.5m is recommended.

Benefits:

    Nutrient Distribution: Deeper ponds promote better nutrient distribution and stratification, supporting phytoplankton growth.

    Temperature Stability: Deeper areas provide stable temperatures, crucial for fish metabolism and growth.

    Predator Avoidance : Deeper sections serve as hiding spots for fish from predators.

2. Shallow End

Sunlight Penetration: Shallow areas allow sunlight to penetrate, promoting photosynthesis and supporting the growth of food sources for fish.

Feeding Ground : Shallow areas are ideal for young fish (fingerlings) to feed.

3. Dykes

Height : Dykes should be high enough to withstand weather conditions like wind and rain.

Soil Erosion Prevention : Planting grass or similar vegetation on the dykes can help prevent soil erosion.

Protection from Contaminants : Properly designed dykes reduce the risk of external pollutants entering the pond.

4. Outlet

Water Management : The outlet helps drain dirty or contaminated water, allowing for fresh water replacement.

Water Quality : Regular water exchange maintains water quality and reduces stress on fish.

5. Samp (Spillway)

Flood Control : The samp helps regulate water levels during heavy rains, preventing the pond from overflowing.

Water Level Management : It ensures that the pond maintains a stable water level, protecting the fish and pond infrastructure.

Professional Construction: Involving a fish farming expert ensures the pond is constructed to meet the specific needs of fish farming.

Contact Information: 0888757640/0992918898

For those interested in pond construction.

📘 Module 3: Content Marketing

Lesson 1: Content Marketing – Giving Value Before Selling

Lesson 2: Types of Content in Content Marketing

• 1.1 What is Digital Marketing?
• 1.2 Digital vs Traditional Marketing
• 1.3 Types of Digital Channels
• 1.4 Understanding the Customer

💬

SkillBridge Bot ✖

👋 Hello!

Welcome to SkillBridge Institute.

We offer free online courses and certificates.

Feel free to explore or ask any questions.