10 Rare Business Models Making People Rich
Tired of dropshipping and subscription boxes? These lesser-known business models are thriving in the background — and making bold entrepreneurs very wealthy. Time to take notes.
Image from Printify
There’s More Than One Way to Make a Million
Most aspiring entrepreneurs are told to start a Shopify store or build a SaaS app. But behind the scenes, other business models are quietly generating six, seven, and even eight-figure revenues. These aren’t just flukes — they’re repeatable, scalable strategies that most people overlook.
So if you’re looking to break free from the mainstream startup echo chamber, this list is for you.
Let’s dive into 10 uncommon business models that are printing money in 2025.
1. Digital Landlords: Renting Out Virtual Real Estate
Entrepreneurs are buying and leasing land in metaverses like Decentraland or The Sandbox. Brands pay premiums for ad space, event hosting, or product placement.
How It Works:
In virtual worlds like Decentraland and The Sandbox, users can purchase parcels of land as NFTs. Once bought, these digital plots can be leased out to brands, event organizers, or creators. Major brands like Adidas, Atari, and Snoop Dogg have already built virtual HQs, concerts, or product showcases on this kind of land.
Monetization Avenues:
- Leasing virtual spaces for brand activations
- Hosting paid virtual events
- Selling ad placements on digital billboards or buildings
Tools & Platforms:
- OpenSea for buying/selling land NFTs
- LandWorks – a decentralized platform to rent out metaverse land
- Voxels for interactive virtual real estate
Revenue Source: Leasing, brand sponsorships, event rentals
2. Faceless YouTube Channels with Voice AI
Creators are building profitable YouTube channels without ever appearing on screen — using AI tools for voiceovers, script writing, and video production.
How It Works:
You don’t need to show your face to grow a successful YouTube channel. With AI tools like ElevenLabs for realistic voiceovers, Pictory or InVideo for video creation, and ChatGPT for scripting, creators are automating entire content production pipelines.
Revenue Streams:
- YouTube AdSense earnings
- Affiliate links in descriptions
- Sponsored content (even for niche channels)
Examples:
- “Relaxing Ambience” or “Tech Explainers” channels that earn tens of thousands monthly
- Channels like “The Infographics Show” (initially faceless)
Tools to Explore:
Revenue Source: AdSense, sponsorships, affiliate links
3. Printables and Digital Planners on Etsy
Sellers on Etsy make thousands monthly by offering downloadable templates for planners, wedding invites, or budgeting tools — with zero inventory.
How It Works:
Selling downloadable planners, worksheets, wedding invitations, and budget trackers on Etsy has become a huge passive income stream. There’s no inventory, no shipping, and you can automate delivery using Etsy’s own digital system.
Why It Works:
- Evergreen niches (budgeting, wedding, fitness, homeschooling)
- High margins with zero recurring cost
- Set it and forget it — income even when you sleep
Revenue Boosters:
- Bundle products to increase cart value
- Use trending SEO keywords via eRank
- Upsell personalized templates for a fee
Starter Resources:
- Creative Fabrica for design assets
- Canva for creating planners
- Etsy’s Seller Handbook
Revenue Source: Digital product sales, Etsy SEO
4. Fractional Real Estate Ownership Platforms
Startups are offering fractional ownership in vacation rentals or commercial properties — democratizing real estate and creating passive income ecosystems.
How It Works:
Platforms like Lofty, Arrived Homes, and RealT let everyday investors buy fractional shares in income-generating properties. Think of it like crowdfunding a rental house — then sharing in the profits.
Revenue Streams:
- Monthly rental income
- Property appreciation over time
- Buybacks or resale of fractional tokens
Why It’s Booming:
- Low barrier to entry (invest from $50–$100)
- Diversified portfolios
- Passive income without being a landlord
Explore Platforms:
- Fundrise for long-term REIT-style investment
- Myco (Africa-focused for Nigerians or emerging markets)
5. Personal Data Marketplaces
Individuals now monetize their browsing or consumer behavior data — voluntarily — in privacy-first marketplaces.
How It Works:
Rather than letting tech giants harvest and profit from your data for free, privacy-first platforms like Wikidata, DIMO, and Swash allow users to sell their browsing, mobility, or purchase data directly to researchers or marketers — with full consent and transparency.
Earning Methods:
- Sell anonymized behavior data
- Join paid research pools or surveys
- Stake or hold tokens (Swash tokenomics)
- Data licensing, researcher fees
Ideal For:
- Data-savvy individuals
- Developers building integrations with privacy-focused ecosystems
- Everyday users tired of giving away data for free
Important Note:
This is a growing Web3 space — always read the platform’s privacy terms.
6. Knowledge Licensing Instead of Coaching
Experts are turning their proprietary frameworks or processes into license-ready packages — creating recurring revenue without having to teach one-on-one.
How It Works:
Coaches, consultants, or course creators are moving away from 1:1 services to licensing their intellectual property — packaged as templates, processes, or curriculum that others can resell or apply.
Revenue Potential:
- Monthly licensing fees
- Royalties based on usage
- White-label rights to curriculum or content
Who’s Doing It?
- HR consultants licensing onboarding systems
- Coaches selling PDF blueprints with resale rights
- Agencies offering branded SOPs to clients
Tools to Use:
- Gumroad or ThriveCart for license checkout
- Trainual for documenting processes
- ClickFunnels for lead gen and licensing funnels
7. Online Micro-Acquisition Flipping
Entrepreneurs are flipping micro-businesses — from niche blogs to tiny SaaS tools — much like digital real estate investors.
How It Works:
Entrepreneurs buy small online businesses (think: $500–$10,000) — often under-monetized blogs, newsletters, or Chrome extensions — then improve them and resell at a profit.
Revenue Playbook:
- Identify low-competition assets on Acquire.com or Flippa
- Improve SEO, UX, or monetization
- Resell to a niche buyer
It’s Like Flipping Houses… but Digital.
Bonus Tip:
You can hire cheap devs/designers on Fiverr or Toptal to overhaul assets before resale.
8. Unbundled Amazon Review Aggregators
Niche review aggregator sites are using SEO and affiliate marketing to pull high-traffic queries and drive sales — without ever holding inventory.
How It Works:
These niche content sites curate Amazon product reviews or buying guides in SEO-friendly formats. Visitors click affiliate links to Amazon or other platforms — earning commissions with no inventory or shipping.
Revenue Models:
How to Stand Out:
- Focus on underserved niches (e.g., “kitchen tools for arthritis”)
- Use AI to auto-generate content drafts
- Build trust with comparison charts and verified quotes
Example Tools:
9. Ambient Commerce via Smart Assistants
With AI assistants getting smarter, some businesses are setting up shops that only sell through voice prompts or passive interactions (e.g., refills, reorders).
How It Works:
Voice-controlled shopping is gaining ground. Startups and brands are optimizing their listings for Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. Users say “reorder toothpaste” and the product ships automatically.
Key Players:
- Smart home ecosystems (Amazon Echo, Google Nest)
- Replenishable product brands (coffee pods, batteries, etc.)
- Software plugins for voice-commerce optimization
How You Can Monetize:
- Create subscription-based physical products
- Build or white-label smart assistant integrations
- Partner with brands to track and monetize “ambient orders”
Reference: Voicebot.ai tracks trends in voice commerce adoption.
10. Automated Online Summits as Lead Magnets
Instead of live events, creators now run evergreen “summits” with pre-recorded interviews or workshops to grow lists and sell high-ticket offers.
How It Works:
Rather than selling one-off AI designs or blog posts, creators are now bundling content — hundreds of templates, social captions, or images — and licensing them to agencies, businesses, or solopreneurs.
Why It’s Profitable:
- One-time creation → many buyers
- Low support overhead
- Evergreen niches (real estate, social media, email marketing)
Best Niches:
- Instagram templates for realtors
- AI-written email newsletters for SaaS
- Design packs for creators or ecom shops
Where to Sell:
Revenue Source: Email leads, course sales, sponsorship
Final Thought: Innovation Lives in the Margins
These models may not trend on Twitter, but they’re proof that real money often comes from unconventional thinking. You don’t need a VC pitch deck or the next big SaaS idea to make money in 2025. The biggest opportunities are often hidden in plain sight — scalable, quiet businesses that most people ignore. Whether it’s flipping a faceless YouTube channel, licensing your own IP, or owning digital land in the metaverse, what matters most is finding a system that works — and building leverage around it.
If you’re ready to build something offbeat — and maybe even more sustainable — consider one of these lesser-known paths.
