Imagine waking up, checking your bank balance, and realizing you have enough money to see the whole month out – and then some.
You haven’t even gotten out of bed yet.
The best part?
You don’t have to.
You could take the day off if you really felt like it and the money would keep rolling in. You’d have no boss calling and asking where you are.
This lifestyle isn’t just a fantasy.
Traditional 9-5 jobs are no longer the only path to financial stability. But while making money without a job is possible, it’s not easy.
If you want to be successful, you need to do it right.
Below, we’re going to go over 8 ways to make money without a job with real-life examples of how people used each of them to make $1 million or more.
Here’s a quick story about Russell Brunson, the co-founder of ClickFunnels.
He got married while at Boise State University trying to make it as a wrestler, but his passion for wrestling didn’t pay the bills.
His wife had to work to support the both of them.
That didn’t sit right with him.
Russell wanted to start making money but in a way that would let him keep wrestling and be in charge of his own schedule.
So, he tried everything:
But nothing worked.
Then one day during spring break, Russell and his friend built a potato gun just for fun.
They had a blast.
And suddenly it hit him: what if he could turn building potato guns into a business?
He filmed himself and his friend assembling the potato guns and turning it into a DVD. They sold it using Google Ads and made $3,000 in the first month. When they added extra products, like the actual materials to build the guns, they started making even more.
The process of turning ideas & information into online money set the foundation for the ClickFunnels platform.
Today, it helps over 100,000 people the world over to:
Having a job is no longer the only way to achieve these goals.
The potato gun story is a bizarre product to sell. But it demonstrates the fact that you can sell almost anything online and make enough money without a regular 9-5.
If you’ve gotten this far, you’re probably excited about the idea of making money without a job.
But you might also feel overwhelmed.
Maybe you’ve tried something before only to see it fail. Or maybe you’re worried about picking the wrong path and wasting months going in circles.
And it’s a valid concern.
Think about Russell Brunson’s potato gun story.
He eventually made thousands of dollars selling that course, but that success didn’t come overnight.
So, the real question is: how do you make sure you start in the right place?
You need to pick something that will work and keep you motivated through the inevitable challenges.
The potato gun story comes straight from Russell Brunson’s book Expert Secrets.
In the book, he explains how info products are one of the most profitable ways to make money online today.
The info product or digital education market is expected to explode to a valuation of $67 billion in 2028 – and is one of the fastest growing in the world.
Russell Brunson says there are two ways info products can work in a business
Since you’re likely starting from scratch without a pre-existing business, we’ll focus on creative ways to sell info products from the ground up.
Below, you’ll find 8 proven methods to help you start making money with info products, and each one is backed by real-life ClickFunnels users who turned it into $1 million or more.
No job required.
Just creativity, dedication, and the power of selling info products online.
Now, let’s dive into these methods and start building your path to financial freedom.
A series of videos that teach a skill or provide niche information, delivered via an online platform.
Sell access to the online course via a one-time payment or subscription.
Online courses are typically priced anywhere from $50 to $2,000, depending on the complexity and value of the subject matter. These courses are often sold through funnels, where free content (like webinars or free lessons) leads potential customers to purchase the full course. You can promote the course through advertising or by leveraging social media or a blog. Also, courses can lead to upsells like coaching services or advanced workshops. To succeed, it’s important to have expertise in something that other people want to learn. Popular online courses include business training, personal development, fitness, and technical skills.
Russell Brunson, co-founder of ClickFunnels, launched his How to Make a Potato Gun course as one of his first ventures into info products. He created video tutorials that taught people how to build their own potato guns. As a college student, he and his friend made $3,000 in their first month. The original course was actually a DVD – i.e. not a digital product – but it shows how you can make money without a job selling almost anything.
Repurposed content from the public domain, such as old books or manuscripts, converted into new formats like audiobooks or eBooks.
Sell access to repurposed public domain content via a one-time fee or as part of a package.
Public domain products can be created by finding content that no longer has copyright restrictions and transforming it into new formats. Pricing can range from a few dollars to several hundred depending on the uniqueness and value of the product. Public domain products can also serve as bonuses, lead magnets, or upsells for other offers. Leveraging your knowledge of a particular field or era can help create a more appealing product. Examples include republishing classic literature, creating new commentaries, or producing audiobooks.
Russell Brunson also ventured into public domain products with his Secrets of Success books. Since 2023, he’s been republishing works from the New Thought movement, including authors like Napoleon Hill, Charles F. Haanel, Orison Swett Marden, and more. Although it was just launched in October 2023, Brunson paid over $10,000 to acquire a rare edition of just one book. The potential for profit in the public domain niche is vast as you can, in theory, get the original content free. You don’t even need to be an expert yourself – but you do need to understand what might be appealing to your target audience.
A digital audio show is available to listeners through platforms like Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your own website.
Monetize through sponsorships, paid subscriptions, or by promoting your own products/services.
Podcasts usually generate income through sponsorship deals: brands pay you to mention their product during the show. However many podcasters offer premium episodes or memberships for access to exclusive content. Building a loyal audience is key, and this can be done through consistent, high-quality content. It’s important to build on your expertise to provide value in a specific niche, whether it’s business, personal growth, or entertainment.
John Lee Dumas created the Entrepreneurs on Fire podcast, where he interviews successful entrepreneurs and offers value-packed content. The podcast, launched in 2012, has generated over $27 million through courses, books and sponsorships. The website has an ongoing income report which shows a breakdown of income sources. In August 2024, the podcast had made $1.2 million in the year to date with 86% coming from sponsorships, and the rest from info products & affiliates. John Lee Dumas is one of hundreds of entrepreneurs who’ve earned a ClickFunnels 2 Comma Club Award for generating $1 million on the platform.
Selling the rights to use your intellectual property (such as your course, brand, or materials) to others.
Generate income by licensing your content or brand to other companies for a fee or percentage of sales.
Licensing allows you to monetize content or intellectual property you’ve already created by allowing others to use it, in exchange for payment. For example, you could license your course content to be taught by other trainers. Or you could productize a unique business model and sell it to someone else, for them to implement just like you did. Licensing agreements can provide a steady stream of passive income, but they require strong expertise and a proven product or brand that others would want to use. This model is particularly popular in fields like education, software, and creative works.
Alex Hormozi, founder of GymLaunch, built a business around licensing a model that helps gyms scale their revenue. He sold advertising templates, meal plans, sales scripts, and other niche-specific tools to over 4,500 gyms across 13 countries. In its first 12 months, GymLaunch made $17 million in profit. Hormozi is another ClickFunnels 2 Comma Club Award winner, as he used the platform to sell his licensing deals.
Short-term challenges that guide participants through a transformation, such as fitness goals or productivity boosts.
Charge a one-time fee for joining the challenge, and sell additional products through upsells after the challenge ends.
Tiny challenges are designed to create a small but significant transformation for participants in a short time. They’re a great entry-level offer for new online coaches. Challenges build trust and demonstrate results, which makes participants much more likely to buy higher-ticket offers like coaching programs or premium courses afterward. But you can make an income just from the tiny challenges themselves. As a coach or expert, your challenge should align with your area of expertise to attract participants. Popular examples include fitness, diet, or business growth challenges.
Richmond Dinh built his online coaching business by teaching others how to run 5-day ‘tiny challenges,’ positioning them as an entry point to full coaching programs. His method has been highly successful, earning him a 2 Comma Club “X” Award for generating over $10 million through a ClickFunnels funnel. This proves that tiny challenges can create large revenue streams with the right strategy.
A digital book or audiobook providing detailed knowledge or insights on a specific subject.
Sell eBooks or audiobooks as standalone products directly to customers.
Ebooks and audiobooks are relatively easy to create and can be priced anywhere from $5 to $100, depending on the niche and value of the content. After selling an eBook or audiobook, you can upsell higher-priced products like coaching sessions or digital courses. To succeed with eBooks, focus on leveraging your expertise to provide deep insights on topics you know well or have researched thoroughly. Popular eBook topics include personal finance, self-help, fitness, and business strategies.
Russell Brunson turned a transcript from an interview with Vince James, a businessman who made $100 million in 23 months, into an audiobook titled The 12-Month Millionaire. He sold the audiobook along with an upsell for a physical copy, generating his first $1 million sales funnel using ClickFunnels. This demonstrates the potential of repurposing existing content into profitable e-books or audiobooks.
A platform offering exclusive content or services to members who pay a monthly or yearly subscription fee.
Generate recurring income through subscription payments.
Membership sites provide ongoing value in exchange for a recurring fee, typically ranging from $20 to $100 per month. The key to success is consistently delivering fresh, high-quality content or services, such as courses, webinars or downloadable resources. You can create multiple tiers of access, with higher-paying members receiving more personalized support. Membership sites work best when you leverage your expertise to attract an audience looking for continual learning or guidance. Popular examples include fitness coaching, business mentorship or specialized training communities.
Liz Benny, known as ‘The Queen of Kapow,’ created The Kapow Club, a membership site offering weekly calls on marketing and mindset for $97 per month. Through her life coaching business, she attracted people looking to advance their careers and has earned over $1 million using ClickFunnels, proving that membership sites can generate significant recurring revenue.
Digital or printable templates, guides, or planners for various tasks, such as budgeting, planning or design work.
Sell templates or planners as one-time purchases or part of a bundle.
Templates, guides, and planners are quick to create and can be sold for $5 to $100 each. They save customers time by providing ready-made solutions, whether it’s a financial planner, social media content calendar, or design presets. To succeed, use your expertise to create highly functional, well-designed solutions that save your target audience time or money in their day-to-day work.
Cole Humphus started with a photography blog and scaled it into a successful business by selling photography guides, tools, and presets. His templates and tools helped photographers improve their craft. Cole is another ClickFunnels 2 Comma Club Award winner as he earned over $1 million through this niche. Later, Cole sold his blog to a photography software company, showing the potential of niche templates and planners as profitable info products.
So, you’ve had a spark of inspiration.
Maybe you know exactly what kind of info product you want to sell, or you’re still weighing your options.
But one big question is probably hanging over your head: How are you actually going to sell your info products?
This is where many people get stuck.
Luckily, platforms like ClickFunnels exist to make the process a whole lot easier.
ClickFunnels is a tool designed for people like you – people who want to build a business fast, without getting bogged down by technical details. Whether it’s an online course, eBook, or subscription-based membership site, ClickFunnels provides plug-and-play funnels that you can customize to sell all of the info products we’ve just talked about.
Here are some benefits of using ClickFunnels:
With ClickFunnels, you have everything you need to turn your idea into a full-fledged online business.
In today’s world, making money without a job is not only possible, it’s becoming more profitable than ever.
From online courses and eBooks to public domain products and membership sites, there are countless creative ways to build a business that earns you real income – all from the comfort of your home.
And the best part?
You can be your own boss, working on your own schedule with unlimited earning potential.
We’ve looked at several examples of people who have taken these ideas and turned them into six- and seven-figure businesses, using platforms like ClickFunnels to make it all happen.
Whether you want to:
ClickFunnels is a tool that makes it easy to launch and grow your business.
With plug-and-play funnels, optimized pages, and the ability to start for free it’s the perfect platform for turning your ideas into profit.
So, if you’re ready to stop relying on a job for financial stability and start building your own future, there’s never been a better time.
Dive into the world of info products, and create a new boss-free life for yourself!
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