# The Only 25 Ways to Make Money in 2026

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhEMFeo_gL8
Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/DhEMFeo_gL8
Generated: 2026-01-20T14:33:54.379+00:00

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## Quick Overview

The only viable ways to make money online in 2026 are categorized into Easy ($5K-$10K/month), Medium ($10K-$50K/month), and Hard (+$1M/month), with the speaker strongly advising against 

**Key Points:**
- The "Trash" bucket, including options like NFT Flipping, Day Trading, and Multi-Level Marketing, offers $0 or negative income potential and wastes months.
- The "Easy" bucket offers $5K–$10K/month with low difficulty and fast turnaround (30–60 days), suitable for beginners gaining momentum, including tasks like AI Chatbot setup and Social Media Copywriting.
- The "Medium" bucket offers $10K–$50K/month, requires multi-skill and business focus (3–12 months timeframe), and includes AI Automation and AI Content Agencies.
- The "Hard" bucket offers +$1M/month but requires high difficulty, systems, leadership, and vision, taking 2–10 years, exemplified by Investing in AI-first Founders.
- To succeed in the 'Hard' category, one must build an empire by tying their strongest skill to a fast-growing industry and systematizing/automating operations.
- The speaker emphasizes that winners lose more often than losers, stressing the importance of commitment and focus (1000 days) to avoid 'shiny object syndrome'.

![Screenshot at 00:18: The speaker is shown in a meeting setting, referencing his company, Martell Ventures, which has created dozens of companies generating millions, setting the context for his advice on business building.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/DhEMFeo_gL8/00-00-18.jpg)

**Context:** The video presents a framework for evaluating online money-making opportunities for 2026, categorizing them into four levels: Trash, Easy, Medium, and Hard, using physical props (jars labeled with the categories and slips of paper representing ideas). The speaker, Dan Martell, draws on his experience building multiple 8-figure businesses and investing to provide context on what strategies offer realistic income potential versus those that are time-wasting or overly difficult.

## Detailed Analysis

The speaker categorizes online money-making opportunities for 2026 into four buckets: Trash, Easy, Medium, and Hard, based on income potential, difficulty, and timeframe. The Trash bucket (e.g., NFT Flipping, Day Trading, MLM) yields $0 or negative income and wastes months. The Easy bucket ($5K–$10K/month, 30–60 days) is low difficulty and good for beginners, featuring AI tools like AI Chatbot setup and Social Media Copywriting. The Medium bucket ($10K–$50K/month, 3–12 months) requires multi-skill, business focus, and includes AI Automation and AI Content Agencies where the key is tying pay to outcomes. The Hard bucket (+$1M/month, 2–10 years) requires systems, leadership, and vision, exemplified by investing in AI-first founders. To succeed in the Hard category, one must build an empire by creating content to drive inbound deal flow and focusing on outcomes rather than hourly work. The speaker stresses avoiding 'shiny object syndrome' by committing to 1000 days of focus and documenting the journey publicly to stay accountable. He advises that success requires commitment and that winners often lose more than losers before succeeding.

### Idea Categorization

- Trash ($0 or negative income)
- Easy ($5K–$10K/month, fast turnaround)
- Medium ($10K–$50K/month, multi-skill)
- Hard (+$1M/month, long-term, high systems requirement)

### Trash Ideas

- NFT Flipping
- Multi-Level Marketing
- Low-Level Data Entry

### Easy Ideas

- Basic Short-Form Editing
- Social Media Copywriting
- AI Chatbot
- AI Receptionist
- Virtual/Executive Assistant

### Medium Ideas

- AI Automation
- LinkedIn AI Content
- Micro-SaaS
- AI Content Agencies

### Hard Ideas

- Investing in AI-First Founders
- AI Software Products
- Licensing AI Playbooks
- Buy + AI

### 5 Steps to Create an Empire (Hard Bucket)

- 1. Tie strongest skill to fast-growing industry
- 2. Systematize service via outcome-based monthly retainers
- 3. Build small team slowly
- 4. Layer AI into operations to increase margins
- 5. Use content to create inbound deal flow

### How to Avoid Shiny Object Syndrome

- 1. Commit to 1000 days of focus
- 2. Document the journey publicly

![Screenshot at 00:00: The speaker introducing four categories of money-making ideas: Trash, Easy, Medium, and Hard, using jars on a table.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/DhEMFeo_gL8/00-00-00.jpg)
![Screenshot at 00:17: A graphic showing a glowing AI globe, symbolizing the modern era of AI influencing business opportunities.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/DhEMFeo_gL8/00-00-17.jpg)
![Screenshot at 00:52: A graphic outlining the four evaluation criteria for income streams: Income Potential, Difficulty, Timeframe, and Who is best for each bucket.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/DhEMFeo_gL8/00-00-52.jpg)
![Screenshot at 03:14: A slide displaying 'The 3 Question Trash Filter' used to evaluate if an idea is viable \(Is AI replacing this? Is the industry shrinking? Is it easier to lose money than make money?\).](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/DhEMFeo_gL8/00-03-14.jpg)
![Screenshot at 10:32: A slide showing various AI tools like Canva, ChatGPT, Midjourney, and Jasper, relevant to the 'Medium' bucket discussion.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/DhEMFeo_gL8/00-10-32.jpg)