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In the quest for Financial Independence, digital products stand out as a versatile and scalable source of income.
We’ve gathered insights from nine business leaders, including entrepreneurs, creators, and coaches, to share their success stories.
From pivoting to evergreen design templates to automating market gap solutions with your platform, discover how these professionals have created and monetized digital products.
- Pivot to Evergreen Design Templates
- Monetize Niche Books via KDP
- Break Down Consulting to Manageable Engagements
- Sell Bulk Online Training Programs
- Create a Recurring Revenue Product
- Offer Personalized Digital Journals with Subscriptions
- Gamify a Toolkit Subscription
- Develop Financial Tools for Entrepreneurs
- Automate a Market Gap Solution with Your Platform
Pivot to Evergreen Design Templates
After burning out as a done-for-you service provider, I pivoted my web design expertise into strategic website templates that I created once and sold over and over again! Then, as I learned more about marketing and selling digital products, I went on to teach others how to package up their knowledge, processes, and shortcuts into paid digital products too. These days, I sell digital products directly from my website using a mix of evergreen and live-launch strategies, which make up more than my old service provider income! — Michelle Pontvert, Digital Product Coach & Creator, Michelle Pontvert
Monetize Niche Books via KDP
I’ve built a sustainable revenue stream by creating books through Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) platform. Each book was tailored to the niche topics of my blogs, offering specific, useful insights to my audience.
As my blogs grew to over 50,000 monthly sessions, I strategically promoted these books within relevant articles, reaching readers already interested in the subject matter. This alignment between my content and products not only increased book sales but also played a key role in supporting my financial independence. — Alexander Weber, Founder, Axlek
Break Down Consulting to Manageable Engagements
We monetized our consulting services by quickly breaking them down into bite-sized, manageable engagements. This strategy helped us generate over $1M in services on platforms like Fiverr Pro. These platforms allow you to build a network and trust in a marketplace while continually testing new offerings.
The key is to take what you know, package it, and start selling. Start small and gradually add layers. The freemium model works well if you can convert digital downloads into meaningful actions that lead to a relationship, sale, or partnership. Always keep the end goal in mind: growing sales and building long-term value. — Mike Zima, Chief Marketing Officer, Zima Media
Sell Bulk Online Training Programs
As part of my training and coaching business, I created an online training program for managers called Manager Boot Camp. It’s a 23-lesson course delivered over 8 weeks to managers of all levels. The key to this program and how it adds substantially to my financial independence is that it is sold in bulk to companies. Bulk sales bring a higher revenue per transaction. Manager Boot Camp is currently 55% of my annual revenue.
Additionally, most online courses have very little overhead and administration required to run them, which boosts their profitability. Manager Boot Camp and other mini-courses have set me up to head into retirement with a ‘passive’ income stream that doesn’t require my time in person to train or coach clients. — Cecilia Gorman, Management Training Consultant, Manager Boot Camp
Create a Recurring Revenue Product
As the founder of Rocket Alumni Solutions, I’ve created digital products to build revenue and support my financial independence. Within our first year, we launched an interactive touchscreen wall of fame that provides schools and athletic organizations a modern way to recognize student achievement. The software generates over $2M in annual recurring revenue through 500+ subscribers.
To gain our initial set of clients, I spent 6 months cold-calling schools to understand their challenges in alumni engagement and student recognition. This research led to building a touchscreen solution to digitize their awards display. We started by offering free on-site consultations where I would showcase a custom demo and propose three package options at $3,000, $10,000, or $25,000 per year based on the school’s needs. Nearly every consultation resulted in a multi-year contract.
Once we had 50 schools signed up, I hired developers to build a scalable SaaS product. We now charge $5,000 to $50,000 per year, depending on the number of touchscreens and features. This shift to a subscription model has created a recurring revenue stream and high profit margins. The key was identifying a need, developing a solution, proving its value, then scaling through a tech-enabled product. My next venture will follow a similar strategy of leveraging digital tools to solve challenges and build passive income. — Chase McKee, Founder & CEO, Rocket Alumni Solutions
Offer Personalized Digital Journals with Subscriptions
When I was transitioning to financial independence, I turned my passion for storytelling into a profitable venture. I started by creating a series of themed digital journals designed to help people track their personal goals and creative ideas. Instead of going the usual route, I integrated interactive features that allowed users to customize their journaling experience based on their interests, from travel to fitness.
To monetize these journals, I adopted a subscription model where users paid a small monthly fee for access to new templates and features. I also offered premium packages that included personalized coaching and exclusive content.
The key was to identify what made my digital product stand out. Unlike generic templates, my journals were deeply personalized and adapted to users’ evolving needs. This differentiation not only attracted a loyal user base but also enabled me to upsell additional services, turning a simple digital product into a recurring revenue stream.
In a world where digital products often blend together, focusing on creating something truly tailored to user needs can be the difference between just another product and a sustainable business. — Raviraj Hegde, SVP of Growth & Sales, Donorbox
Gamify a Toolkit Subscription
I did this by selling a subscription to a crypto-security toolkit: a series of interactive checklists, security policy templates you can adapt for your organization, and educational instructional videos that walk you through securing your cryptocurrency funds. I gamified digital goods by leveraging rewards for completing certain security milestones.
The toolkit arguably became so popular so quickly because it addressed a clear market need: many people buy into crypto without properly educating themselves and empowering themselves to protect their investments.
By creating this type of hands-on “put it into practice” resource, I created not only a reliable side hustle but also a niche community of users who felt empowered and knowledgeable. This signals to those interested in creating digital products that it’s not necessarily about creating another readable or watchable block of content: think innovatively about formats that straddle the gap between education and application, that can be interactive and user-driven, where user commitment is part of the product. == Thomas Franklin, CEO, Swapped ApS
Develop Financial Tools for Entrepreneurs
One example that comes to mind is when I created a series of digital guides and templates specifically for small-business owners and aspiring investors. I noticed that many entrepreneurs struggle with financial planning and cash-flow management, so I developed a set of downloadable resources: things like budget templates, cash-flow forecasts, and investment analysis tools. These were designed to be simple yet powerful tools that people could use immediately to make better financial decisions.
To monetize these digital products, I started by giving away a few samples for free, which helped to build trust and demonstrate the value of the tools. Then, I set up a sales funnel through my website and social media channels, driving traffic to a landing page where visitors could purchase the full suite of resources at an affordable price.
I also partnered with industry influencers to promote these products, which boosted visibility and sales. The guides and templates sold well, but what surprised me most was the knock-on effect; I saw an increase in consultations and mentorship requests because the products positioned me as a go-to expert. It’s been a great way to monetize my knowledge and extend my reach in the industry. — Austin Rulfs, Founder, SME Business Investor, Property & Finance Specialist, Zanda Wealth
Automate a Market Gap Solution with your Platform
One example of creating and monetizing a digital product that supported my financial independence is with Rank Lightning, a local SEO tool I developed. I saw a huge gap in the market where small businesses, especially local ones, struggled to optimize their online presence and rank in local searches. Rank Lightning automates local SEO tasks like citation building, Google My Business optimization, and local keyword tracking, which was an issue many of my clients had. By building a SaaS platform that directly addressed these needs, I was able to package my expertise into a scalable product.
We launched it as a subscription model, allowing businesses to pay monthly for the software, and I also built in a consulting upsell that provided higher-level strategic advice. This model drastically increased output for my clients as they saw significant boosts in their local rankings, driving more traffic to their businesses, and improved ROI from online marketing efforts.
For me, it created a consistent stream of passive income, reducing my reliance on one-on-one coaching. Rank Lightning became a crucial part of my revenue mix, and with its success, I was able to scale my business faster and ultimately achieve greater financial independence. — Ronald Osborne, Founder, Ronald Osborne Business Coach
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