“I want to be paid to be me.”

I had a dear friend (and sometimes client) tell me this once and at first I thought, “Yeah, sister, don’t we all?” And after thinking about it over the following weeks, I started to realize what we were talking about. ⠀

Why the heck not?⠀

See, there are all sorts of business models out there, but 90% of us are stuck in 2 or 3 that we see and hear of all the time, and in the online world that is arguably even less.

So all those budding entrepreneurs with the creative ideas and wild fantasies try to fit themselves in these familiar boxes and end up with arms and legs sticking out in all the places they don’t fit, looking horribly uncomfortable and just as unhappy.⠀

To make matters worse, service providers are largely streamlined to serve that majority and so when these outliers go looking for help, all they see are the blank looks and all they hear are the gentle nudges to get back into that box because obviously nothing else will work.⠀

I’ve had at least three conversations over the last week with those poor stuck souls who can’t live inside the box. They are so frustrated and feel hopeless and anxious and have come so close to giving up, thinking they just don’t have a business idea that will work.⠀

Have faith, creative souls. You just haven’t met the rest of the business models out there that are not quite so commonly discussed. But if you really look, you’ll see them everywhere.⠀

What my friend was talking about was a business model called a thought leader, who monetizes their intellect and analysis. Think Seth Godin.⠀(If you want a fantastic rundown on business models, listen to Episode 170 of The Startup Sessions, with Michael Knouse).

Other business models include the community builder, or the entertainer or the connector. You don’t necessarily need a product or to be a coach in order to have something people will pay for. ⠀

When we figure out that there is a business to be made stitching together these seemingly obscure pieces of themselves, these budding business owners are skipping with relief and delight. ⠀

Yes, you can get paid for being you. And the more you you are, the more they will want you.

Tell me in the comments…

What out of the box ideas would you explore if you gave yourself the permission to be who you are?