What do you do when the product you need simply doesn’t exist?
Alexandra Rutkay is the founder of Citymouse, a diaper bag brand that’s generated almost $2 million in sales in just a few years.
Before this, she was a serial side hustler who’d dabbled in jewelry, print on demand, and Amazon FBA, including one Amazon product she sank $8,000 into and had to liquidate.
The idea for Citymouse came from her own frustration. Heading to dinner with her husband and toddler son, she couldn’t find a bag that fit her diapers, wipes, and bottle without looking like a bulky, traditional diaper bag. So she decided to make one herself.
With no design background, she sketched a rough concept and brought it straight to Alibaba to find a bag manufacturer.
After a few failed samples, she ordered 500 units for close to $10,000, against her husband’s advice to stop investing in new products.
Tune in to Episode 769 of the Side Hustle Show to learn:
- how to go from a rough sketch to a manufactured product without design experience
- how to use preorders and organic TikTok content to fund inventory before it even lands
- how to use AI agents to run ads, PR outreach, and daily business coaching as a side hustle
Full Show Notes: This Mom Built a 7-Figure Brand From Her Apartment
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About The Side Hustle Show
This is the entrepreneurship podcast you can actually apply!
The award-winning small business show covers the best side hustles and side hustle ideas. We share how to start a business and make money online and offline, including online business, side gigs, freelancing, marketing, sales funnels, investing, and much more.
Join 100,000+ listeners and get legit business ideas and passive income strategies straight to your earbuds. No BS, just actionable tips on how to start and grow your side hustle.
Hosted by Nick Loper of Side Hustle Nation.

