4 days ago
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Posted On: October 30th 2026, 02:39 pm
5 businesses you can test with skills you’ve already built at work:
1️⃣ A niche service. Turn a recurring problem you’ve solved into a paid project, like fixing a SaaS onboarding email sequence.
2️⃣ Fractional work. Take responsibility for one part of a business, like marketing or operations, for a few clients.
3️⃣ A paid newsletter. Cover a specific industry or decision closely enough that readers will pay for your research.
4️⃣ A creator business. Build an audience around your expertise, then test partnerships, workshops, or your own offers.
5️⃣ Small software. Start with one repetitive task you know well and find someone willing to pay to make it easier.
You can test these without buying an existing company or taking on acquisition debt. There are still costs, and finding customers is work. Start by getting someone to pay for a small version before building the whole thing.
If you want to build something around what you know but haven’t figured out the idea yet, my free 5-day email guide will help you work through what you could offer, who would pay, and how to test it through content.
Comment “FIVE” and I’ll send it over (make sure you’re following or IG blocks my msg!).
Follow @itshannahzhang for more ways to turn your skills into income and build a business of your own. I’m sharing what I’m learning as I build mine.
🏷️ entrepreneurship, small business, creator economy, online business, newsletters, consulting, startups, building wealth
1️⃣ A niche service. Turn a recurring problem you’ve solved into a paid project, like fixing a SaaS onboarding email sequence.
2️⃣ Fractional work. Take responsibility for one part of a business, like marketing or operations, for a few clients.
3️⃣ A paid newsletter. Cover a specific industry or decision closely enough that readers will pay for your research.
4️⃣ A creator business. Build an audience around your expertise, then test partnerships, workshops, or your own offers.
5️⃣ Small software. Start with one repetitive task you know well and find someone willing to pay to make it easier.
You can test these without buying an existing company or taking on acquisition debt. There are still costs, and finding customers is work. Start by getting someone to pay for a small version before building the whole thing.
If you want to build something around what you know but haven’t figured out the idea yet, my free 5-day email guide will help you work through what you could offer, who would pay, and how to test it through content.
Comment “FIVE” and I’ll send it over (make sure you’re following or IG blocks my msg!).
Follow @itshannahzhang for more ways to turn your skills into income and build a business of your own. I’m sharing what I’m learning as I build mine.
🏷️ entrepreneurship, small business, creator economy, online business, newsletters, consulting, startups, building wealth
Comments (146)
9 hours agothegoagencyusa
Testing a small paid offer before building the whole business is such an underrated approach. Demand first, then scale.
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