What a Guide is

I'm Tony. I built AlongSide because I kept watching the same thing happen. Somebody buys the welder, the 3D printer, the parts for the brake job. They've watched the videos. They're one good afternoon with someone who's done it before away from getting it right. And there's nobody to call, because every listing out there is set up to take the job off their hands.

That's the gap you fill as a Guide.

You work alongside people

A Guide is someone with real skill who works with a Member on their job. The Member keeps their hands on it. You bring the judgment, the shortcuts and the "stop, don't do that" moments that keep the job safe and right.

That's what we mean by done-with-you. It's the category we're building, and it's the one thing no one else is set up to sell.

The five Levels

Every Session runs at a Level. The Member picks how much of the job they hand over:

1. Talk Me Through. Remote. You coach by call or video while they work.
2. Watch Over. In person. They do all the work; you speak up only when needed.
3. Side by Side. In person. You show the tricky steps, they do the rest.
4. Hands Together. In person. You work it together, and you take the hardest parts.
5. Done For You. You handle the job. They watch, ask questions, or walk away.

Levels 1 to 4 are home base. Level 5 is always on the menu, so nobody who just wants it handled walks away. You choose which Levels you offer.

What you don't have to be

You don't need a storefront, a truck with your name on it, or a full calendar. You don't need to be the best in the world. You need to be the person people already ask, and you need to be honest about where your skill ends.

Credentials help. If you hold a license or a cert, list it. Plenty of good Guides don't, and that's fine. Your Record, the reviews and Sessions you build up here, does the talking over time.

One promise I'll make you

No hype. I'm not going to tell you this replaces your paycheck. It's a way to get paid for what you already know, on your schedule, with the payment protected on both sides. How much you do with it is up to you.