Money Making Matrix
Earning shapes agency more than almost anything else. Financial pressure narrows options. Financial freedom expands them.
But money isn't the goal — flow is. Peak experience. Time doing what feels like play to you and work to others. Money is just the substrate that enables it.
This isn't about getting rich. It's about creating space — the time and energy to pursue what matters, the resources to take meaningful risks, the autonomy flow requires.
The question: What opportunities match your current resources while building toward conditions for flow?
The Matrix
Legend: L = Low, M = Medium, H = High requirement
| Opportunity | Time | Skills | Trust/Audience | Tools/Tech | Cash Capital | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Online microtasks (surveys, testing, data entry) | L-M | L | L | L | L | Easy starter; low upside |
| Freelancing (writing, design, coding) | M-H | M-H | L-M | M | L | Scales with skill; can become main income |
| AI-assisted services (content, automation, agents) | M | M | L-M | M | L-M | Great leverage right now; underpriced by many |
| Virtual assistant / online admin | M | M | L-M | L-M | L | Good if organized; can go retainer-based |
| Content creation (YouTube, newsletter, blog) | H | M | H | M | L-M | Slow build; monetize via ads, sponsors, affiliates |
| Affiliate marketing | M | M | M-H | M | L | Needs audience or traffic engine; leverageable |
| Digital products (courses, templates) | M-H | M-H | M-H | M | L-M | Pairs well with AI to create assets quickly |
| Physical products / reselling | M | L-M | L-M | M | M | From thrifting to full DTC; inventory risk |
| Local services (cleaning, lawns, handyman) | M | L-M | L-M | L | L-M | Fast cash; good starter for immediate money |
| Professional consulting/coaching | M-H | H | M-H | L-M | L | High hourly rates; good leverage on existing career |
| Property/asset renting | L-M | L | L-M | L-M | H | Great if you already own the asset |
| Micro-business (pressure washing, mobile car wash) | M-H | M | L-M | L-M | M | Often underserved niches; can grow |
Opportunity Types vs 5Ps + Capital
Score each opportunity 1-5 against your navigation systems.
| Opportunity Type | Principles Fit | Platform Leverage | Protocols (Repeatable) | Performance (Proof) | Players (Coordination) | Cash Needed | Time/Attention | Consensus-Capital |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Services - Solo | Values-aligned expertise? | Mostly human capital | Delivery, onboarding, feedback | Testimonials, case studies | You + collaborators | L-M | M-H | M (reputation) |
| Services - You + AI | "AI + X" reflects worldview? | Strong if you own prompts, data | High: playbooks, prompts, SOPs | Before/after impact | You, AI tools, engineers | L-M | M | M (need trust) |
| Products - Digital | Encodes your principles? | Strong if hosted on your stack | Very high: productized know-how | Revenue, retention, engagement | You + dev/design | M | M-H upfront | M-H (audience) |
| Products - Physical | On-brand with philosophy? | Depends on manufacturing control | Medium: supply chain SOPs | Sales, margins, inventory turns | Suppliers, logistics | M-H | M | M (brand) |
| Distribution/Affiliate | Aligns with standards? | Weak-medium (don't own product) | Medium: content + promo systems | Clicks, conversions | Product owners | L | M | H (renting trust) |
| IP/Licensing | Direct codification of truths? | Strong: own IP & terms | High: licensing agreements | License deals, usage stats | Licensees, partners | L-M | M | M-H (authority) |
| Asset Plays | Ethical alignment? | Your capital & dealflow | Medium: investment process | IRR, cash yield | Founders, managers | M-H | L-M | M (deal access) |
| Coordination Plays | Community principles explicit? | Very strong: own "Third Space" | High: community norms | Activity, GMV, retention | Members, moderators | M | H | H (network) |
How to Use This Matrix
- Circle rows that need resources you already have in abundance (time, skills, or assets)
- Cross out rows that need capital or trust you don't want to build right now
- From what's left, pick:
- 1 "fast cash" option (microtasks, local services, simple freelancing)
- 1 "wealth-building" option (AI-assisted services, digital products, consulting, content + affiliate)
Customization Questions
To personalize your top-5 opportunity list:
- How much time per week can you invest?
- How much cash are you willing to risk upfront?
- What are your top 3 skills or unfair advantages?
The Fast Cash vs Wealth Building Split
| Category | Characteristics | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Fast Cash | Low barrier, immediate income, limited upside, trades time for money | Microtasks, local services, simple freelancing, reselling |
| Wealth Building | Higher barrier, delayed income, unlimited upside, builds compounding assets | Digital products, content platforms, consulting, asset plays, coordination |
The pattern: Start with fast cash to cover expenses, invest time savings into wealth building.
Scoring Your Ideas
For each specific opportunity you're considering, score it:
| Dimension | Question | Score (1-5) |
|---|---|---|
| Principles fit | Does this reflect your values? | |
| Platform leverage | Do you control the key assets? | |
| Protocol potential | How repeatable is this? | |
| Performance evidence | Can you prove it works? | |
| Player alignment | Who do you need to coordinate with? | |
| Time to first dollar | Days, weeks, or months? | |
| Ceiling | Small, medium, or large outcome? |
Deep Evaluation: The First Fifteen
For serious opportunities (not quick filters), nest the full 5Ps sub-questions:
| P | Sub-Questions | What You're Really Asking |
|---|---|---|
| Principles | Purpose, Positioning, Problems | Why this? Who's it for? What pain? |
| Platform | Products, Prompts, Property | What do you own? What's defensible? |
| Protocols | Priorities, Progress, Process | How does it scale? What's repeatable? |
| Performance | Proof, Predictions | Can you show results? What's the bet? |
| Players | People, Persuasion, Perspective | Who do you need? How do you reach them? |
Use this when evaluating a big commitment — not every side hustle idea.
Finance Reality Check
Before committing significant time or capital:
| Dimension | Question | Your Answer |
|---|---|---|
| Time to first dollar | Days, weeks, or months? | |
| Runway required | How long can you sustain without income? | |
| Unit economics clarity | Do you know what one customer/sale is worth? (1-5) | |
| Ceiling | Small income, real business, or wealth-building? | |
| Exit optionality | Can you stop if it doesn't work? |
The Agency Test
Every opportunity should answer:
- Does this expand or narrow my options? — Some fast cash narrows (golden handcuffs). Some wealth-building expands (compounding assets).
- Does this build or consume my time and energy? — Trading time for money is neutral. Trading energy for money depletes.
- Does this create or erode trust capital? — Affiliate marketing can rent out your reputation. Build slowly, spend slowly.
The Flow Five
Money isn't the goal — flow is. Time in peak experience is the ultimate success metric. Money is just the substrate that enables it.
The real question: Does this opportunity create conditions for flow, or trade flow for money?
| Dimension | Flow-Enabling | Flow-Killing |
|---|---|---|
| Autonomy | Choose what/when/how | Micromanaged, rigid schedules |
| Mastery | Challenge matches skill, room to grow | Too easy (bored) or too hard (anxious) |
| Purpose | Know why it matters, see the impact | Feels meaningless, no connection |
| Feedback | See results quickly, tight loops | Wait months for signal, no gauges |
| Energy | Work when sharp, rhythm matches you | Forced schedule misaligned with cycles |
Score each 1-5. Below 3 on any dimension = flow-killer. The opportunity might make money but cost you peak experience.
The pattern: Fast cash often kills flow. Wealth-building that compounds can eventually purchase the autonomy flow requires. The goal isn't to maximize income — it's to reach the point where money stops being the constraint on flow.
Related
- Flow State — The actual goal
- Time and Energy — Your most valuable resource
- Value System — What's worth measuring
- Capabilities — What you can do
- Business Ideas — The pitch template
- Making Money — The philosophical frame