Every once in a while, someone comes along with a story that perfectly captures why small, simple businesses and side hustles still beat complicated, trendy ones.
This episode is one of those moments.
Today, I’m talking with Joshua Polce, from Utah. A guy who went from doomscrolling his phone all day and working a J.O.B. … to mailing more than 50,000 postcards this year, becoming a known figure in his town, and earning north of $30,000 profit with no prior marketing experience.
And he didn’t do it with TikTok, SEO, funnels, AI, or any of the noise most side hustles are built on today.
He did it with shared postcards and relationships.
If you’re curious about the postcard “9×12” model, local marketing, print brokering, or building a true side-hustle business that doesn’t require debt or massive startup costs, this is a must-listen.
One of the biggest themes in this podcast is honesty.
- He may have quit his job too early
- He lost momentum chasing shiny objects
- He tried scaling too fast
- He nearly suffocated his own business by pulling money out too soon
- He ran into cash flow issues and had to pivot on the fly
Joshua shares the wins, but he also shares the mistakes that almost wrecked everything:
But that’s the point, the journey is real.
And despite all that, he still built a profitable operation that supported him through the toughest parts of the year.
Why Postcards Work (When Everything Else Feels Chaotic)
We spend a lot of time breaking down why postcards and direct mail are still powerful, especially for small, local businesses that don’t have time to learn new platforms every six months.
In the episode, Joshua and I discuss:
- Why local businesses love shared-mail postcards
- The psychology behind mail pieces that stick
- How he priced his first 10,000-piece card
- What makes a good advertiser and what red flags to avoid
- How he fills cards fast and consistently
- Why simple, old-school marketing beats overly complex digital strategies
If you’ve ever wondered whether direct mail still works — or if there’s room to build a real business around it — Joshua proves that the answer is yes.
Becoming “The Postcard Guy” in His Town
One of the coolest parts of Joshua’s story is the identity shift that came with the business.
He started as just another guy scrolling his phone.
But through consistency, networking, and actually being involved in his community, he became:
- An ambassador for his local chamber of commerce
- A known resource to business owners
- Someone recognized at ribbon cuttings and grand openings
- A guy the mayor personally thanked and wanted the city to work with
That’s what makes local marketing special.
You can build a presence — and a business — faster than people think, even starting from zero.
What New Postcard Marketers Need to Know
Joshua also shares hard-earned advice for beginners:
- Stay away from shiny objects and stick to the basics
- Don’t undercharge — it kills your confidence
- Don’t quit your job too early
- Talk to real people, face to face
- Build simple systems and keep improving
- And above all… stay consistent
This is the kind of episode people message me about months later because it changes how they look at starting a small business.
Listen to the Full Episode
If you want the full story — the wins, the mistakes, the money he made, and how he plans to scale to 100,000 postcards in 2026 — listen to the full interview
Whether you’re curious about postcard marketing, direct mail, or you’re just hunting for a business you can actually build without huge risk, this is your episode!