Experiencing burnout can inspire major changes in how you approach working and earning an income. After taking a sabbatical, the role work plays in your life may become more clear. For many people a bout with exhaustion leads them to a career pivot after burnout. For others, a layoff may make it necessary to find new ways of working and earning. Wherever you fall on the spectrum, you are likely looking for new ways to earn money without overworking.
It’s incredibly empowering then to discover your ability to create income on your own terms. As someone who built a business from scratch after a layoff – and has helped hundreds of others do the same over the years – I’ve experienced firsthand the transformative power of monetizing what you already know and do well.
The key to monetizing is shifting your mindset. Instead of waiting for an opportunity, start looking for ways to create one. You have skills, knowledge, and connections that are valuable. With a little strategy and courage, you can leverage them to generate revenue quickly.
Here are five actionable ways to monetize your personal brand and turn your expertise into income this year.
1. Start Charging for What You Already Do for Free
Many high-achievers undervalue themselves by giving away their expertise. The additional unpaid labor adds to feelings of exhaustion. Are you coaching friends, sharing resources, or offering advice that’s creating real results for others? Have people taken your advice, motivation, or guidance and successfully transformed their life situations? It’s time to start charging for the value you bring.
If your knowledge, insights, or connections help people achieve valuable outcomes, they are most likely worth paying for, so it’s time to send the invoice. Once someone pays you for your expertise, it changes how you see that expertise. You will never be the same. The momentum will inspire you to keep going.
2. Share What You’ve Created But Kept Hidden
Perfectionism often keeps us from putting our creations out into the world. But waiting for “perfect” is the enemy of progress. Have you developed resources, courses, programs, or tools that no one knows about? Revisit those projects you’ve shelved, and start promoting them—even as beta offerings. Feedback from real users will help you refine your work, and getting your ideas in front of your audience will help them start delivering value – and revenue – sooner.
3. Package What You Have Into A Timely Promotion
Create a promotion around what you have – a la a New Year or spring package. Think about what problem is top of mind for your audience right now and think of the existing pieces in your arsenal that may work well together to provide a more targeted result. All the pieces of a potential package probably already exist in your files or even your head, but you can position them in a way that speaks to a timely moment to spark interest and drive sales.
Packaging your offerings also adds perceived value, makes it easier for customers to say yes, and positions your services as a solution for a clear and specific need.
4. Open Spots to Solve One Specific Problem For a Limited Time
Identify a problem you’re uniquely positioned to solve, and make it the centerpiece of your pitch. Don’t overthink this; you likely have something people are already asking you for (or thanking you for if you’re not charging) that demonstrates an existing gap in the market you can fill.
For example, in the past I’ve opened spots to help clients refine their brand story, to draft three months of LinkedIn content, or pitch their first media interview.
It may feel counterintuitive to offer a small piece of the full transformation you offer, but it’s often a way to draw people into your bigger body of work so you can show them what else you’re capable of doing. Plus, when you’re clear about the outcome you’ll be delivering in one specific, limited-time container, it’s easier to get those who may have stayed on the fence to sign up.
5. Follow Up With Your Existing Network
Sometimes, the fastest way to generate income is simply by following up with people who already know and value your work. Reach out to former clients, colleagues, or prospects who’ve expressed interest in the past but didn’t commit.
If someone expressed interest in the past but didn’t decide to move forward, the timing may be better now. Reminding them you’re still around and available to help may reignite their interest, or at the very least inspire a new referral.
The secret to monetizing your personal brand lies in activating opportunities that already exist. You don’t have to build out a complicated new course or invest in an expensive new website to make money. You simply need to tune into how you can support people, connect your skills to a need and problem people already have, and remind them you’re here and available to help.