Summary of "The Only 25 Ways to Make Money in 2026"

The Only 25 Ways to Make Money in 2026

Overview

The presenter categorizes ways to make money online in 2026 into four buckets based on difficulty, income potential, and time to profitability:

Trash (Avoid)
Easy (Quick, Low Skill)
Medium (Skilled, Outcome-Focused)
Hard (Long-term, High Reward)

Bucket 1: Trash (Avoid)

Income Potential: Zero or negative
Difficulty: Appears easy but wastes time
Time Frame: Months wasted before failure
Who: No one should pursue these

Examples to Avoid: - NFT flipping (market hype over, most lost money) - Crypto trading (fast-moving, high risk, most lose money) - Multi-level marketing (mostly scams, recruitment-based) - Basic captioning/subtitles (replaced by AI) - Low-level data entry (AI automation) - Fiverr microtasks (no long-term growth) - Print on demand (oversaturated market) - Day trading (high risk, requires obsession)

Trash Filter Questions: - Is AI already replacing this? - Is the industry shrinking or obsolete? - Is it easier to lose money than make money?

If yes to any, avoid immediately.

Bucket 2: Easy (Beginner-Friendly, Quick Income)

Income Potential: $5K–$10K/month
Difficulty: Low, basic skills
Time Frame: 30–60 days to get paid
Best For: Beginners building skills and confidence

Examples: - Short-form video editing (high demand, AI-assisted) - Social media copywriting (help businesses convert customers) - AI chatbot setup for small businesses (time-saving) - AI receptionist setup (automate inbound calls, scheduling) - UGC (User Generated Content) middleman (connecting brands and creators) - Virtual/executive assistant (help busy professionals save time)

Recommended Methodology: - Create outcome-based offers (don’t sell time, sell results) - Map offer to client pain points (make money or save time) - Make specific promises with time frames - Remove risk with guarantees - Create urgency by limiting client slots - Daily outreach: contact one potential client every day until success

Example: Mark, a freelancer making $30K/month from 7 clients by repurposing long-form content into short clips using AI tools.

Bucket 3: Medium (Skilled, Outcome-Driven, Scalable)

Income Potential: $10K–$50K/month
Difficulty: Medium, multi-skill work tied to business outcomes
Time Frame: 3–12 months
Best For: People with some skills seeking stability and scale

Examples: - Automation agencies (high demand, bulletproof future) - LinkedIn growth systems powered by AI (building CEO/leader reach) - Micro SaaS products for small businesses (monthly recurring revenue) - AI content agencies (high-volume branded content creation) - High-quality motion graphic design (premium content differentiation)

Pro Tips: - Build 3–5 measurable case studies (use discounted or free clients for proof) - Sell outcome-based monthly retainers instead of hourly or one-off projects (predictable recurring revenue)

AI Tools Mentioned: Hey Gen, 11 Labs, and others for content and automation (screenshots recommended)

Bucket 4: Hard (Long-Term, High Reward, Business/Asset Building)

Income Potential: $1M+/month
Difficulty: High, requires systems, leadership, capital, and long-term commitment
Time Frame: 2–10+ years
Best For: Entrepreneurs building scalable assets or empires

Examples: - Investing in AI-first founders (early-stage equity in AI startups) - Building AI software products (recurring revenue, high valuation multiples) - Buying small businesses and automating 30–50% with AI (operational efficiency) - Personal brand/content machine for deal flow (e.g., Mr. Beast, Logan Paul) - Subscription communities powered by AI curation (monthly membership revenue) - Licensing AI playbooks and custom GPTs as intellectual property

Key Insights: - AI is transforming business operations and asset value - Long-term success requires patience, reinvestment, and focus - Content creation is essential for inbound opportunities and talent attraction

Step-by-Step Framework for Hard Bucket Success: 1. Tie your strongest skill to a fast-growing industry (use AI to identify) 2. Systematize your service (sell outcomes, not time; build automation) 3. Build a small, high-quality team slowly (avoid unnecessary headcount) 4. Layer AI into operations to increase margins and reduce costs 5. Use content marketing to create inbound deal flow and opportunities

General Advice & Warnings

Avoid “shiny object syndrome” — don’t switch ideas every few weeks/years
Winners fail more often but persist longer
Commit to consistent focus (e.g., 1,000 days)
Build and document your journey publicly for accountability
Execution and persistence matter more than knowledge alone

Disclosures

The presenter offers an exact offer template for client acquisition via Instagram DM or video description link
Not explicitly stated as financial advice but framed as entrepreneurial guidance
Examples include personal anecdotes and businesses related to AI and software

Presenters / Sources

Presenter: Founder of Martell Ventures (name not explicitly stated)
Mentioned associates: Mark (freelancer), Sam (media team), Jason (business owner)

Summary

This video offers a structured framework for making money online in 2026, emphasizing the importance of avoiding obsolete or AI-replaced methods, mastering high-income skills, selling outcome-based services, and building scalable AI-powered businesses or investments. The focus is on leveraging AI, systematization, and consistent execution to create predictable, scalable income streams across various difficulty levels and timelines.