Products
Micro-Automation Tool
Assessment Tool
Playbook / Template Pack
Micro-Automation Tool
Engagement type: Product creation and light consulting
Commitment band: Moderate up front (10–15 hours a week for 4–6 weeks) then low upkeep
Earning potential: $$$ (one-time licenses, subscriptions, or marketplace revenue share)
Core skill leveraged: Process mapping, light coding or no-code building, user-centric design
Starter platforms: Microsoft AppSource · Google Workspace Marketplace · Bubble Template Store · Gumroad
What It Is
You build small, purpose-built tools such as Excel add-ins, Zapier integrations, or no-code web apps that eliminate repetitive steps for niche teams. Once published, each tool can earn recurring sales with minimal maintenance.
How the Income Works
- One-time purchase fees for downloads or add-ins
- Monthly or annual subscriptions that include updates and support
- Freemium core features with paid premium tiers for power users
- Enterprise licenses that allow unlimited internal seats
Where to Start
- List three pain points in your domain that a script or template could solve in under two minutes
- Choose a build path: VBA, JavaScript add-in, Zapier app, or no-code platform such as Bubble
- Create an MVP and test with two trusted users, capturing before-and-after time savings
- Publish on a marketplace like AppSource or Gumroad and set tiered pricing (individual, team, enterprise)
- Plan a quarterly update cycle for bug fixes and new feature requests
Illustrative Scenario
A tax accountant builds an Excel add-in that allocates multi-state payroll taxes in seconds. He spends four weekends coding, then lists the tool on AppSource for a twenty-nine-dollar license and a fifty-nine-dollar annual update plan. Within three months two regional CPA firms buy enterprise seats, generating recurring revenue with less than two hours of monthly support.
Assessment Tool
Engagement type: Product development and diagnostics consulting
Commitment band: Moderate while building (8–12 hours a week for 4–8 weeks) then low upkeep
Earning potential: $$$ (per-assessment fees, subscriptions, enterprise licenses)
Core skill leveraged: Framework design, question logic, automated reporting
Starter platforms: Typeform · Outgrow · SurveySparrow
What It Is
You package your evaluation methodology into an online quiz, survey, or diagnostic that delivers instant, customized reports. Tools might measure leadership style, technical readiness, or process maturity and include clear next-step recommendations.
How the Income Works
- One-time assessment fees billed per user or per completion
- Monthly or annual subscriptions that allow unlimited tests
- Tiered pricing for basic versus premium report depth
- Enterprise licenses for company-wide deployment with branding and API access
Once the tool is live, income continues with minimal maintenance apart from periodic updates and customer support.
Where to Start
- Define the metric your tool measures and why it matters to business outcomes
- Create a scoring rubric and draft 20–40 high-quality questions with clear answer keys
- Use Typeform, Outgrow, or SurveySparrow to build an MVP with automated PDF reporting
- Pilot with a small beta group and refine questions, scoring thresholds, and report language
- Offer bulk pricing or enterprise licenses to HR or L&D leaders and collect case studies that show actionable insights
Illustrative Scenario
An organizational-culture consultant builds a 40-question Team Health Index on Outgrow. Each completed assessment generates a branded PDF scoring communication, accountability, and alignment. Companies buy ten-pack bundles for managers, and the consultant upsells a one-hour debrief call, creating recurring revenue while spending less than two support hours a month.
Playbook / Template Pack
Engagement type: Digital product creation
Commitment band: Moderate while building (8–12 hrs / wk for 3–6 weeks) then very low upkeep
Earning potential: $$ – $$$ (one-time purchases, bundles, or subscription library)
Core skill leveraged: Process design, clear documentation, user-friendly formatting
Starter platforms: Gumroad · Payhip · Notion Template Gallery · Creative Market
What It Is
You turn your proven workflows—project charters, financial models, marketing calendars—into ready-to-use templates or step-by-step playbooks. Busy professionals download the files, plug in their data, and skip hours of setup.
How the Income Works
- One-time purchase fees for individual templates
- Discounted bundles that combine related tools into a “starter kit”
- Subscription access to an ever-growing template library
- Team or enterprise licences that permit company-wide use
Once published, sales arrive passively; maintenance usually means quarterly updates and customer Q&A.
Where to Start
- List three tasks your colleagues reinvent from scratch every month—those are template goldmines
- Build a polished sample in Notion, Excel, or Google Sheets and add concise instructions
- Price test on Gumroad or Payhip with individual and bundle options
- Collect early-user feedback, refine formatting, then launch to your LinkedIn audience
- Consider a small subscription tier that delivers a fresh template each quarter
Illustrative Scenario
A product-ops manager packages her sprint-planning toolkit—backlog sheet, velocity calculator, retrospective board—into a Notion bundle. She lists it on Gumroad and promotes it in two Scrum forums. Within six weeks she sells 150 copies, earning recurring revenue that now trickles in every month with fewer than two hours of quarterly update work.
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