Making Money Matrix
What resources, capabilities, and capital do you actually need to pursue different money-making opportunities?
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? |