How to Make 6 Figures As A Investment Banker? (11 Best Ways in 2024)

Updated: September 9th, 2024

So you want to make six figures as a Investment banker? Good for you! Being a Investment banker is a highly respectable and well-paid profession, and there's no reason why you can't earn a high income if you put your mind to it.

In this blog post, we'll look at some of the best ways to make more money as a Investment banker - business ideas you can start to achieve such income. Keep reading to learn more!

1. Create an online course ($91.9K/month)

As an investment banker, you could leverage your extensive industry knowledge to create an online course, offering specialized insights and strategies that are in high demand. By identifying educational gaps and developing engaging video lessons and supplementary materials, you cater to the needs of aspiring bankers and finance enthusiasts. This entrepreneurial venture allows you to reach a global audience, providing both self-paced and cohort-based learning options which could result in a steady stream of passive income.

Given the low startup costs and the increasing demand for convenient access to quality education, launching an online course could be a lucrative way to supplement your primary income. Your course could cover topics ranging from financial modeling to investment strategies, allowing you to monetize your expertise while helping others advance in their careers. This not only diversifies your income but also enhances your professional brand within the finance industry.

How much you can make: $350 — $1,000,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $2,000 (?)

How long does it take to build: 88 days (?)

How This 28-Year-Old Couple Quit Their Jobs And Make $20K/Month Running A Blog

Learn how one couple created a successful personal finance blog, The Savvy Couple, that now makes over $20,000 per month and has sold thousands of digital workbooks and courses, by focusing on purposeful content and optimizing their ROI with efficient time management.

Read by 28,672 founders

2. Start a freelance writing business ($65.5K/month)

Starting a freelance writing business could be an excellent way for an investment banker to supplement your income and potentially reach a six-figure salary. With your industry knowledge and adeptness at explaining complex financial concepts, you could carve out a niche in financial writing, offering services such as market analysis reports, investment guides, and economic forecasts.

The flexibility of freelance writing allows you to work on your own terms, making it easier to balance it with the demanding schedule of investment banking. Your ability to research, meet deadlines, and communicate effectively positions you well to thrive in this entrepreneurial venture, giving you a diversified revenue stream and more financial security.

How much you can make: $700 — $500,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $500 (?)

How long does it take to build: 56 days (?)

How I Started A $80K/Month Content Writing Business

How David Tile turned a freelance writing gig into an $80k/month business, discussing lessons learned through managing growing demands and maintaining a remote team operation.

Read by 24,751 founders

3. Start a career coaching business ($48.5K/month)

Starting a career coaching business could significantly supplement your income as an investment banker and help you achieve six-figure earnings. By leveraging your industry expertise, you could offer personalized guidance, support, and strategic services to clients navigating professional transitions and growth opportunities in the financial sector.

Designing custom sessions on resume building, interview prep, and workplace advancement tailored to each client's aspirations allows you to monetize your natural talents in motivation and speaking. Additionally, the flexibility for in-person or virtual meetings ensures that you can build a lucrative client base without compromising your primary career commitments, turning your expertise into a profitable venture.

How much you can make: $1,000 — $235,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $1,500 (?)

How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)

From Getting Fired At 24 To Growing A $140K/Month Online Community

Wall Street Oasis, the largest online community focused on careers in finance, has over 100 million visitors during its 14-year history and is currently receiving over 2 million visits per month, offering interview courses and mentorship services, in addition to building and investing in a thriving online community.

Read by 22,351 founders

4. Start a social media marketing agency ($116K/month)

Starting a social media marketing agency could enable you to make six figures by leveraging your financial acumen and existing professional network. As an investment banker, you could clear your utility bills, finance your global vacations, or pad your retirement savings by running an agency without a hefty time commitment. Utilize social media marketing tools to automate much of your work, allowing you to serve clients efficiently and maintain your primary job responsibilities.

Developing a robust social media marketing strategy and creating a detailed agency portfolio will be crucial steps. By effectively marketing your services to target customers, you could build a steady stream of clients interested in boosting their online presence. Such a side business could diversify your income, contributing significantly to reaching the coveted six-figure mark.

How much you can make: $1,000 — $500,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $7,500 (?)

How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)

Time commitment per week: Min. 30 hours/week

How I Started A $80K/Month Content Writing Business

How David Tile turned a freelance writing gig into an $80k/month business, discussing lessons learned through managing growing demands and maintaining a remote team operation.

Read by 24,751 founders

5. Become an affiliate marketer ($55.3K/month)

As an investment banker, starting an affiliate marketing business could be a strategic way to supplement your income. By leveraging your analytical skills and expansive network, you could identify high-demand products or services to promote, earning commissions on each sale generated through your unique referral links.

Given the low startup costs and minimal upfront investment required, affiliate marketing offers a feasible and low-risk opportunity to build a profitable side business. This setup allows you to focus on your primary career while creating a steady additional income stream, helping you reach that coveted six-figure mark more swiftly.

How much you can make: $18,000 — $83,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $100 (?)

How long does it take to build: 150 days (?)

My Affiliate Marketing Business Earns $500K/Year Profit [No Employees]

This case study explores how Spencer Mecham founded Buildapreneur, an affiliate marketing business, and has made over half a million dollars in profit with no employees, relying solely on content marketing through platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.

Read by 24,503 founders

6. Start a podcast ($97.9K/month)

Starting a podcast could be a lucrative opportunity for you as an investment banker, allowing you to not only share your industry expertise but also generate additional income. By creating a podcast that covers finance, investment strategies, or industry trends, you could attract a substantial audience interested in your professional insights. This can lead to monetization avenues such as sponsorships, advertisements, and premium content offerings.

Furthermore, your podcast could serve as a platform for networking, attracting potential clients, collaborators, and industry leaders who could bolster your primary business. With a relatively low barrier to entry—just a microphone, basic recording equipment, and a hosting platform—you could supplement your income while enhancing your professional brand and reach. Leveraging social media and online communities could help you grow your audience, paving the way toward a six-figure supplemental income.

How much you can make: $400 — $1,020,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $2,000 (?)

How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)

Time commitment per week: Min. 2 hours/week

How I Started A Successful Podcast Production Company

A successful podcast production company that grew from one client making $15/hour to a team of 10 contractors producing over 30 shows per week with revenue of over $10k/mo, primarily through referrals and with a focus on providing high personal touch and being picky about working only with clients who are a good fit.

Read by 19,141 founders

7. Start a youtube channel ($146K/month)

Starting a YouTube channel could provide you with a lucrative avenue to boost your income as an investment banker. By creating content focused on financial advice, market analysis, and investment strategies, you could tap into a hungry audience eager for expert insights. With the established monetization system on YouTube, once you reach the threshold of 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours in the previous 12 months, you could start generating revenue through ads, sponsorships, and affiliate marketing.

Additionally, your proficiency and credibility in the financial sector could significantly enhance your channel’s growth and viewer engagement. Viewership brings opportunities for supplementary income streams, such as offering exclusive consulting services or premium courses. Thus, a YouTube channel not only diversifies your income sources but also establishes you as a thought leader in the investment banking space.

How much you can make: $800 — $1,000,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $750 (?)

How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)

Time commitment per week: Min. 5 hours/week

How This Couple Makes $5K/Month Generating Content About Ways To Make Money Online

Learn how this entrepreneurial couple made $5-7k a month by helping others find legitimate work from home jobs and creative ways to make money online through their blog and YouTube channel, as well as offering two flagship products designed to help beginner freelancers and new bloggers accelerate growth.

Read by 14,398 founders

8. Start an ecommerce store ($287K/month)

Starting an ecommerce store could be a promising way for you to supplement your income as an investment banker, potentially helping you achieve six-figure earnings. Given your financial acumen and ability to analyze market trends, you could leverage an ecommerce platform to build a highly profitable online business with relatively low overhead costs. This could enable you to reach a global audience without the high expenses associated with brick-and-mortar stores.

The growing popularity of online shopping provides a significant opportunity. Consumers value the convenience and efficiency of purchasing products from their favorite brands directly from their devices. Starting an ecommerce business involves setting up a website, choosing shopping cart software, managing inventory, and integrating payment processing capabilities. With your analytical skills and business savvy, you could successfully navigate these initial steps and scale your online store quickly.

Furthermore, the flexibility of managing an ecommerce business allows you to run it alongside your primary job as an investment banker, creating a diversified income stream. This just might be the entrepreneurial venture that propels you toward your financial goals.

How much you can make: $350 — $13,500,000/month

How long does it take to build: 120 days (?)

Time commitment per week: Min. 5 hours/week

How I Started A $20K/Month Southern Inspired Candle Business

Southern Elegance Candle Company, founded by D'Shawn Russell, started as a side hustle making around $200 per weekend at a local Farmers Market, but now averages approximately $20,000 per month in sales across their retail site, wholesale site, and Faire.

Read by 72,171 founders

9. Digital products ($261K/month)

Aside from your demanding role as an investment banker, you could supplement your income and diversify your revenue streams by venturing into creating and selling digital products. This could include anything from an investment insights ebook or a financial planning course to even a comprehensive app that offers real-time market analysis.

The beauty of digital products lies in their low overheads and ease of distribution. Since there’s no inventory to manage and everything can be sold online, you would cut down significantly on operational costs while having a potentially global customer base. Not only could this entrepreneurial endeavor leverage your financial acumen, but it also offers the possibility to scale up effortlessly, bringing you closer to that coveted six-figure income.

How much you can make: $10,417 — $1,766,666/month

How much does it cost to start: $5,000 (?)

How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)

How We Created A $30K/Month Marketplace Of Photo Filters And Digital Assets For Creatives

FilterGrade is an eCommerce platform offering digital assets such as photo filters and video templates; attracting over 450,000 monthly users and generating approximately 30k a month, the founders worked hard to build a valuable marketplace for creators while focusing on digital marketing, partnerships, and content creation.

Read by 11,016 founders

10. Become a social media influencer ($57.4K/month)

As an investment banker, you could diversify your income significantly by becoming a social media influencer. Given the importance of social media platforms like Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and TikTok, you have the opportunity to tap into a massive audience. By establishing credibility in finance or a related niche, your expertise could attract followers who trust your insights and recommendations.

Brands are keen to partner with influencers who can effectively connect them with their targeted audience. Leveraging your professional knowledge, you could create valuable content that resonates with your followers, leading to lucrative sponsorships and brand deals. With a well-executed strategy, this venture could supplement your investment banking salary, potentially helping you reach six figures.

How much you can make: $2,500 — $166,666/month

How much does it cost to start: $800 (?)

How long does it take to build: 155 days (?)

How I Started A $2.5K/Month Blog About Motherhood, Life And Travel

How one mother built a profitable frugal motherhood, life, and travel blog from scratch, using Instagram, Pinterest, and paid sponsorships to grow from 0 to 18.5K followers and generate $1,500-$3,000 per month in less than two years.

Read by 7,441 founders

11. Start a blog ($44.9K/month)

Starting a blog could be a lucrative way for you as an investment banker to supplement your income and potentially reach six figures. With the finance niche being highly sought-after, you could leverage your industry expertise and insights to attract a wide audience. According to Optinmonster’s statistics, 77% of internet users read blogs, making it a powerful platform to share your knowledge and build a loyal readership.

By consistently producing valuable content, you could monetize your blog through various channels such as advertising, sponsored posts, and affiliate marketing. Additionally, your blog could serve as a creative outlet and offer the flexibility to work from any location, allowing you to maintain your investment banking career while exploring entrepreneurial opportunities.

How much you can make: $100 — $650,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $500 (?)

How long does it take to build: 30 days (?)

Time commitment per week: Min. 5 hours/week

How This 28-Year-Old Couple Quit Their Jobs And Make $20K/Month Running A Blog

Learn how one couple created a successful personal finance blog, The Savvy Couple, that now makes over $20,000 per month and has sold thousands of digital workbooks and courses, by focusing on purposeful content and optimizing their ROI with efficient time management.

Read by 28,672 founders

meet the author
Pat Walls

I'm Pat Walls and I created Starter Story - a website dedicated to helping people start businesses. We interview entrepreneurs from around the world about how they started and grew their businesses.