Written by Isac Marginean, Agency Owner
Isac is a 20-year-old young man from Sweden who started his first business at just 17. He began by buying used sneakers, restoring them, and reselling them for a profit. Today, he runs Origin Stories, an agency that helps content creators monetize their audience through communities, courses, and newsletters.
Have you ever found yourself putting in hours of work into creating content that you’re passionate about, only to realize you’re not getting paid for it? I know how that feels.
Not long ago, I was asking myself the same questions you might be facing right now:
“How do I move from just sharing content to making a full-time income?”
A few years ago, I was in a position where I had expertise but wasn’t sure how to monetize it. I had knowledge I could share, but I wasn’t sure how to make a business out of it.
I spent a lot of time experimenting, trying out different strategies, learning from mistakes, and tweaking things until I finally figured it out.
Through persistence, I learned how to leverage my skills in a way that felt authentic and valuable, and it was a complete game changer.
Today, I’m here to help you do the same. Whether you're looking to monetize your newsletter, sell info, or create a digital product.
What does it mean to monetize your knowledge?
Monetizing your expertise means turning your knowledge and skills into a stream of income. When I first started, I didn’t have a huge following or a big budget for marketing, but I did have a passion for sharing what I knew.
I began offering free value in the form of community access and guides, which allowed me to build trust and goodwill in the market.
Over time, I realized that I could start charging money and turn my knowledge into an automated digital product or service people would pay good money for.
This is exactly where tools like Beehive and Skool come in to help you get started with building an audience and getting paid for it.
For example, if you're thinking about starting a newsletter, Beehive is a great platform that helps creators monetize their audience.
To make it even better for you, I partnered up with Beehive to give you a unique deal of a 30-day free trial + 30% off for the next 3 months using my link.
How do you monetize your knowledge?
Here's what I recommend you to do:
1. Start small, think big
When I started, I didn't have the luxury of a large following or budget for ads, but I used what I had, “My Knowledge” and “Drive.” I started by offering coaching, community access, and guides for free. The key is to start small, build momentum, and then scale as you grow and learn. Having a following is a big plus.
2. Create digital products
One of the best decisions I made was creating digital products that provided ongoing value. For me, it was an online course that allowed me to generate income without constantly trading my time for money. I encourage you to create your own digital products, whether it’s an ebook, course, membership, or anything that offers value.
3. Offer coaching or consulting
Offering direct coaching or consulting is another powerful way to monetize your expertise. When I started offering coaching, it allowed me to work directly with people who needed personalized guidance. This was not only fulfilling, but it helped me build stronger relationships with my audience, and trust me, this was key to scaling my business. Here is where Skool makes it easier to manage all this.
This is how skool has helped me and my clients
One tool that I personally used to help my clients build communities and grow their businesses was Skool. Skool combines the best aspects of community-building, course creation, and paid memberships, which helped me and my clients bring everything we offered under one platform.
If you want to learn how to manage your courses and build a community, Skool is an excellent platform to start with.
Again, to make this article as valuable as possible, I also partnered with Skool to give you a special deal of a 14-day free trial by using my special link.
Challenges you may face along the way
Building an online business is not always smooth sailing, and I want you to know it’s okay to face challenges along the way. I went through a few struggles myself when I started:
Imposter Syndrome: I had doubts about whether my knowledge was “enough” for others. But once I began sharing, I saw that people valued what I offered. It’s not about being the world’s foremost expert; it’s about being real and helping people with your experiences.
Balancing Work with Business Growth: Juggling your current commitments with building an online business is hard. I get it. But consistency is key. Even if you can dedicate only a few hours a week, you’ll start to see the results.
Tech Overwhelm: The technology can be intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. Tools like Beehive and Skool are designed to help you with the heavy lifting of running your business.
They make setting up your business easier than you might think.
Tips to get started
1. Identify your niche
“What unique knowledge do you have that others will pay for?”
The more specific you can get, the better. Whether it’s coaching, building a product, or delivering a service, identify your niche and dive deep into it.
2. Test your ideas
Start by offering free content. Once you know what resonates with your audience, you can move on to offering paid services or products.
Platforms like Beehive help you build and monetize your email list. Start growing it now, and you’ll have the foundation for future paid offerings.
3. Use the right platforms
Finding the right platform is essential for scaling. Skool and Beehive are two tools I recommend that can help you build your community, create content, and ultimately monetize your expertise.
You can use these platforms to build a tribe, create content that sells, and get paid for your knowledge. It’s multiple income sources in one.
Are you ready to get started?
If you want to work with me and get personalized advice on how to monetize your knowledge and grow your online business, I’d love to help.
Whether you need guidance on creating your first digital product or building a sustainable online business, I can show you the way. Just reach out to my agency, either on my personal Instagram or the one dedicated to the agency and we’ll take it from there.
Now that you’ve got some actionable tips, the next step is to start implementing them. I’ll leave the links to Behiivee and Skool below if you missed them earlier.
I can't wait to see how you use this to build a business that gives you the freedom and income you deserve!
Access all my social media channels here.
Read more from Isac Marginean
Isac Marginean, Agency Owner
Isac is a 20-year-old ambitious young man from Sweden who launched his first business at just 17. He started by buying used sneakers, restoring them, and flipping them for a profit. Over the years, he’s gained experience in various fields, including e-commerce, reselling, and social media marketing.
Today, he runs Origin Stories, an agency dedicated to helping content creators monetize their audiences through communities, courses, and newsletters. Isac’s mission is to empower his clients to build businesses with purpose, something they can be proud to showcase to the world.
