After interviewing dozens of financial outliers on the podcast, I’ve noticed that the most successful people think differently about making money. Here are five unconventional strategies my recent guests swear by:
Why start from zero when you can buy something that’s already working? Ross Tomkins has raised over $10 million acquiring almost 20 businesses across two continents.
How it works: Look for seller-financed deals where the business owner becomes your bank, letting you pay them over time from future profits. Government-backed loans like SBA 7(a) in the US can finance 70-90% of acquisition costs based on the target business’s revenue, not your personal assets.
Getting started: Start networking with business brokers and join online marketplaces like BizBuySell to find opportunities under $1M that fly under private equity’s radar.
Traditional real estate investors focus solely on returns, missing the massive opportunity in solving housing problems while still making money.
How it works: Create investment groups that pool capital (as little as $5,000 per investor) to develop affordable housing, using philanthropic capital to reduce risk and concessional (low-cost) financing to improve returns while keeping housing affordable.
Getting started: Join or create a property investment club in your area focused on affordable/sustainable development, and connect with local housing non-profits to explore partnership opportunities.
Books aren’t just vanity projects – they’re business accelerators. Eric Jorgenson has sold over 1 million copies of books he’s curated from existing content.
How it works: Rather than writing from scratch, compile and organize valuable content that already exists (with permission), then use modern publishing models that let you keep control of your IP and higher royalties.
Getting started: Identify a knowledge gap in your industry, then organize existing content (interviews, articles, social posts) into a structured format. Use services like Scribe Media to handle the professional aspects without giving up control.
The exploding podcast market has created a niche service opportunity – connecting hosts with guests and vice versa.
How it works: Build relationships with shows in a specific niche, then charge clients monthly retainers ($1,000-3,000) to secure them interviews. Scale by using VA’s to handle outreach while you focus on client acquisition and relationship building.
Getting started: Pick an industry you’re familiar with, make a list of 50 relevant podcasts, and reach out offering to help them find guests. Once you have relationships, find your first client by approaching authors or businesses in that industry.
Boring businesses often make the best investments. Nigel started with a single driving school location and built it into the largest in the country, operating in 9 states.
How it works: Acquire or start a local service business with steady demand and clear unit economics, then systematize operations and expand through geographic expansion or additional service offerings.
Getting started: Research service businesses in your area with aging owners who might be looking to exit, or consider franchise opportunities in recession-resistant industries like education, health, or maintenance services.
©2025 Travis Chappell.
