What began as a side project in law school grew into a thriving self-improvement brand helping thousands build better mornings.
Challenge
While studying law at the University of Southern California, Arie B. was doing everything right on paper—good grades, solid career prospects, and a bright future ahead. But deep down, he wasn’t fulfilled.
A disciplined early riser, Arie noticed how consistent habits shaped his productivity and mindset. Friends often asked how he managed to stay so focused. When a classmate suggested building an app to help others build better routines, Arie jumped at the idea. He didn’t realize then that the project would take him far beyond the courtroom.
Action
Together with two friends, Arie co-founded Habit Nest, starting with a free email accountability program called Partners in Grind. Participants were matched based on shared goals—like exercising, meditating, or reading daily—and encouraged to keep each other on track.
The idea gained traction but soon hit a wall: email wasn’t a great medium for long-term engagement. Instead of giving up, the trio pivoted. They took what they’d learned about habit formation and created a physical product—the Morning Sidekick Journal.
Designed to guide users through a 66-day habit-building process, the journal combined psychology, structure, and motivation. To fund production, they launched a Kickstarter campaign that raised $20,000. From there, they sold directly through Shopify, Amazon, and even the flash-sale site Touch of Modern.
Result
The Morning Sidekick Journal became a hit. With steady sales across multiple platforms, the founders earned over $7,000 in net profit per month—enough for Arie to skip joining a law firm and focus full-time on building Habit Nest.
The company expanded its product line with new habit journals covering fitness, nutrition, and gratitude, all aimed at helping people take small, consistent steps toward self-improvement.
Lesson
Arie’s journey shows how self-awareness can turn into a business opportunity. By identifying what worked in his own life—and packaging it into a tool others could use—he transformed a personal routine into a profitable mission.
The right habits can change your life. In Arie’s case, they built one.
Inspired by a true story originally featured on Side Hustle School by Chris Guillebeau. This rewritten version is independently produced and fully original.