Income Strategies for Undocumented Students without DACA | Ep 96

In this episode, Juan Maya Hernandez opens with a deeply personal story of rejection, being nearly hired for a growth marketing internship at UCLA, only to be held back by his undocumented status and lack of DACA. Fueled by that setback, he shares how he pivoted into entrepreneurship, launching ventures like headshot photography to fund his education, and ultimately founding UndocuStartup™, the leading entrepreneurship program for undocumented students. He breaks down the different shades of entrepreneurship, from side hustles and independent contracting to startups and worker cooperatives, and lays out his signature UndocuStartup™ mindset: undocumented entrepreneurship without limits. Juan also walks listeners through practical steps for starting a business, from proving market demand and building a portfolio, to choosing a business structure and navigating taxes, and shares inspiring student success stories along the way.

• How to turn rejection into resilience and launch a sustainable side hustle

• The UndocuStartup™ mindset: expanding beyond freelancing into scalable entrepreneurship

• Step‑by‑step guidance on launching a business, from validating demand to managing taxes

📣 Whether you’re a student with an idea, or an ally who wants to see undocumented students win, this episode is for you.

📆 Learn how to bring UndocuStartup™ to your campus: www.undocustartup.com

• 🌍 Quick Tour Mention:This year, UndocuStartup™ Tour is stopping in CA, NY, TX, FL, IL, and NJ.

⚡ Learn more: www.undocustartup.com/tour

🚀 12 Ways to Connect With Me:

• Newsletter → https://shorturl.at/mpzLO

• Programs & Speaking → https://www.undocustartup.com

• TikTok → https://www.tiktok.com/@jmayahern

• Business IG → https://instagram.com/undocustartup/

• Personal IG → https://instagram.com/jmayahe/

• LinkedIn → https://linkedin.com/in/juanmayahernandez/

• LinkedIn Newsletter → https://linkedin.com/newsletters/7011183488515129344/

• Reddit → https://reddit.com/r/Undocumentedstudents/

• Threads → https://www.threads.net/@jmayahern

• Email → [email protected]

• Website → https://www.jmayahern.com

• Full podcast archive → https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/juan-maya-hernandez

🎤 Hosted by Juan Maya Hernandez, founder of UndocuStartup™, the leading entrepreneurship program for undocumented students.

🧠 Be motivated. Stay motivated.