I don’t have a to-do list.
I’m 55. I’m a solopreneur. I make six figures a year from a one-person business I run from home, mostly in pajamas.
No team. No boss. No deadlines I didn’t choose.
I know how that sounds. So in this letter I’m going to show you the whole thing. The income streams. The real numbers. The exact way my days run.
Want the whole playbook now? Here’s where I wrote it all down.
Because I didn’t start here.
The life before
Years ago, I had over 100 employees.
I ran a top catering company. Then a big real estate team. On paper, I was winning.
In real life, I was tired all the way down to my bones.
Managing people drained me more than the work ever did. Payroll. Drama. Turnover. I worked every day and it still never felt like enough.
Then came the divorce. I was a single mom. And I had a choice to make.
The teardown
I tore it all down.
I asked one question: What kind of business would actually feel good to run?
Not what looks impressive. What feels calm. Creative. Free.
I kept the pieces that fit me. My real estate license. My love of teaching. My marketing brain.
Then I rebuilt. This time the goal wasn’t growth. It was ease.
That was over ten years ago. Here’s what it turned into.
How a solopreneur makes six figures (my real income streams)
A six-figure solopreneur business isn’t one big thing. It’s a stack of small streams that feed each other. I have 22 of them now. Mine runs on content, and each piece sends people to the next.
I’m still a licensed agent, but I rarely sell houses myself anymore. Here’s where the money actually comes from.
The base layer: about $1,500 a month each
| Stream | What I do | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Pins that send readers to my blog posts | One pin can drive traffic for years | |
| Substack | Two newsletters, free and paid | I own the list, and readers pay for depth |
| Amazon affiliate | I share gear and tools I really use | I earn when someone buys, no inventory |
| Ebooks | Digital guides I wrote once | They sell on repeat, no shipping |
Together that’s a steady base. It covers the bills before the bigger earners even show up.
The top layer: the bigger earners
Then come the heavy hitters. Software affiliate programs. Teaching small groups. Marketing work for real estate agents.
That layer alone is six figures.
The secret is the loop
Here’s what most people miss. These aren’t separate jobs. They’re one loop.
- I make one piece of content, like a YouTube video.
- That turns into a blog post, a few Pinterest pins, and a Substack note.
- Those bring in readers who click my affiliate links.
- The readers who want more buy an ebook.
- The ones who want help join coaching.
One idea. Five ways to get paid.
When I finally saw it as a loop instead of a pile of jobs, something in me relaxed. I didn’t need more hours. I needed every hour to count five times.
How to make money as a content creator without a to-do list
No to-do list doesn’t mean no system. It means the system does the remembering so I don’t have to. Here are the six rules I run on.
1. Pick the work by energy, not by list
Every morning I get my coffee, sit in my chair, and ask one question: What feels alive today?
- High energy? I get ready and film a YouTube video plus B-roll.
- Quiet focus? I write a blog post or plan Pinterest pins.
- Need to move? I go to the gym and film while I train.
All three make money. So whatever I pick is the right task.
Try this: Write down three kinds of work your business needs. Match each one to an energy level. Tomorrow, pick by how you feel.
2. Make everything count twice
I never make content for one place. Every video becomes a post. Every post becomes pins. Every pin points back to something I sell.
Try this: Before you make anything, ask: “Where else can this go?” If the answer is nowhere, change the idea.
3. Protect your best hours
My sharpest window is before sunrise. Quiet. Clear. No pings.
That’s when I write, test new ideas, and look at my numbers. I don’t spend it on email.
Try this: Track your energy for one week. Find your two best hours. Guard them like a client meeting.
4. Let AI do the repeat work
I’ve trained AI to work like me. It drafts, formats, and repurposes. I review and add the heart.
That gives me time to think instead of just produce. It’s the closest thing to a team I’ll ever want.
Try this: List every task you do more than once a week. Pick one and hand the first draft to AI.
5. Keep only the structure you need
My only fixed calendar items? Two live group calls a month. Two hours each.
Everything else moves. That’s on purpose. Fewer fixed things means less to break.
Try this: Look at your calendar. Cut or batch anything that doesn’t make money or bring you joy.
6. Build things that keep selling
An hour on a client call pays once. An hour on an ebook, a pin, or an affiliate post can pay for years.
That’s the real reason I don’t need a list. The work I already did keeps working.
Try this: For every hour you trade for money, spend one hour building something you can sell again.
Is it too late to start at 40, 50, or 60?
No. Being older is the advantage.
I hear it all the time: “Lori, I’m too old for this.” “I’m not techy.” “Everyone online is 25.”
Here’s what I see instead. Grown-ups have three things younger creators don’t.
- Life experience. You’ve raised kids, run teams, survived hard things. That’s content people trust.
- Patience. This takes time. You already know good things take time.
- Skills you forgot you had. Nursing. Teaching. Sales. Gardening. Someone out there wants to learn exactly what you know.
And AI just took away the “I’m not techy” excuse. The tech part is easier than it has ever been.
I rebuilt my whole business after a divorce, as a single mom, in my 40s. Starting late didn’t slow me down. It gave me something to say.
In the first three months of 2026, I made $102,334 as a solopreneur, from 22 income streams. No team. No investors. No to-do list.
I’m not going to pretend it’s magic, because it isn’t.
You have to do the work. You have to follow the steps.
But if you’re in your 40s, 50s, or 60s and you’re quietly burning out in a job that’s eating your one and only life…
If you’ve looked at the retirement math and felt that cold feeling in your chest…
If you’ve tried side hustles before and they all turned into second jobs…
If your kids are grown, your schedule is finally yours, and you’re wondering “what now?”…
This is the closest thing I know to an exit door.
It’s quiet. It’s yours. It’s done at your kitchen table in pajamas.
If you’re still reading, you know it’s time.
Time to stop thinking you’re too old, too busy, or too late.
Time to build something that answers to you.
You’ll learn how to:
- Pick the one or two income streams that fit you, from all 22 I use
- Set each one up click by click, with a 30-day plan and AI prompts for every chapter
- Stack them into a business that runs without a to-do list, with a 90-day plan to get there
26 chapters. 69 copy-and-paste AI prompts. It’s simple. And most importantly, it works.
But don’t wait.
Every day you stay stuck is a day you could have been building.
With love,
Lori
P.S. You don’t need all 22. You need the one or two that fit you, and a plan to stack them. That’s exactly what the book walks you through. Here’s where to start.
Earnings disclaimer: Any income or results I share are my own and are not typical. Your results will depend on your effort, experience, niche and the market. Nothing here is a promise or guarantee that you’ll make money.
Frequently asked questions
What is a solopreneur?
A solopreneur is someone who runs a business alone, with no employees. Lori Ballen is a solopreneur who earns six figures from 22 income streams, including content, affiliate links, digital products, and teaching.
How do solopreneurs make six figures?
Most six-figure solopreneurs stack several income streams. Lori’s base layer is Pinterest, Substack, Amazon affiliate, and ebooks at about $1,500 a month each. Software affiliates, coaching, and marketing services add six figures on top.
How do you make money as a content creator?
Content creators earn through affiliate links, digital products, paid newsletters, ad revenue, coaching, and brand deals. The key is turning one piece of content into several assets that each point to something you sell.
Can you start an online business after 50?
Yes. People over 50 bring life experience, patience, and skills others will pay to learn. AI tools now handle much of the tech work that used to stop beginners.
How can you run a business without a to-do list?
Choose work by energy, make every piece of content serve several platforms, and build assets that keep selling. Keep only the fixed commitments you truly need.
What’s the best first step to make money online after 40?
Pick one or two income streams and learn them all the way before adding more. Lori’s book, The Grown-Up’s Guide to Making Money Online, maps all 22 of her income streams and includes a 90-day plan for getting started.
Hey there! Just a quick heads-up: some of the links on this site are affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase (including through the Amazon Associates program), at no extra cost to you. Occasionally, products featured here are gifted by brands.
I also use AI tools to help research and create content for you! While I love sharing strategies to help you succeed, please remember that everyone's journey is unique—individual results vary, and there are no guarantees. Thanks so much for stopping by!
