Passive Income Ideas For Chief Information Officers [2024]
Interested in earning passive income as a chief information officer in 2024?
We put together a few of the best passive income ideas you can start as a chief information officer today. These will help you increase your quality of life by bringing in more income for yourself or your business.
For each income idea, we’ll show you real-world examples, revenue expectations for each idea, plus some things you might need to know before you start your passive income journey as a chief information officer.
Here's the full list:
1. Make passive income with an email marketing tool ($992K/month)
As a Chief Information Officer, you could leverage your technical expertise to develop an email marketing tool that automates and optimizes email campaigns. This kind of tool is highly sought after, given the effectiveness of email marketing for generating leads, increasing sales, and improving SEO rankings. By entering this booming market, expected to reach $2.53B by 2028, you could create a reliable passive income stream.
Developing an email marketing tool could be as straightforward as securing a domain and hosting account, but the real value lies in continuously enhancing its features to attract entrepreneurs, startups, and businesses. Your understanding of technology and strategic planning could be invaluable in identifying and implementing the functionalities that will make your tool stand out. This venture could not only supplement your income but also allow you to capitalize on your existing skill set in a lucrative and growing industry.
How much you can make: $120 — $20,833,333/month
How much does it cost to start: $1,000 (?)
How long does it take to build: 180 days (?)
H-supertools founder Hasan developed a set of free SEO and digital marketing tools generating $2k per month in profit using Google Adsense, affiliate marketing, selling ad spaces, and email, plans to launch a membership option, and has attained over 80k registered users and 300k monthly visits in less than two years.
2. Make passive income with an ai based business solution ($55.8K/month)
As a Chief Information Officer, you could supplement your income by launching an AI-based business solution. This involves leveraging artificial intelligence to optimize crucial business processes such as customer service, inventory management, and data analysis. With AI, companies can automate repetitive tasks, provide valuable customer insights, and predict market trends accurately, thereby enhancing efficiency and reducing operational costs.
The great news is that even if you don't have a deep tech background, many platform providers offer easy-to-use interfaces and robust support systems. Given the rising demand for AI solutions, businesses are increasingly looking to gain a competitive edge by implementing these technologies. By focusing on high-impact areas and having a solid plan, you could tap into this expanding market, making it a promising avenue to boost your income while driving innovation in the business world.
How much you can make: $4,000 — $120,000/month
How long does it take to build: 125 days (?)
Mikkelsen Twins grew an online education company from scratch with over 800 students, making over 6-figures in profit every month thanks to their successful program, Audiobook Income Academy 2.0.
3. Make passive income with a lead generation tool ($108K/month)
As a Chief Information Officer, you could leverage your technical skills and industry knowledge to develop a lead generation tool, targeting businesses eager to streamline their customer acquisition processes. By creating a software application that automates the laborious task of finding new clients, your tool could capture valuable customer leads like email addresses, phone numbers, and interests from various digital platforms, such as websites and social media channels.
Given the high demand for efficient lead generation solutions, your tool could appeal to a broad range of businesses looking to optimize their marketing efforts. This venture not only allows you to supplement your income but also positions you as a key player in the digital marketing space, using your expertise to solve a common problem for businesses.
How much you can make: $1,000 — $400,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $600 (?)
How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)
Dux-Soup is a LinkedIn automation tool that helps business owners and sales & marketing professionals generate more leads, increase efficiency, and save time; with over 70,000 users and revenue of nearly $5 million, it offers automated top-of-the-funnel LinkedIn outreach activities, targeted LinkedIn campaigns and multi-touch & personalized LinkedIn drip campaigns for lead generation.
4. Make passive income with an AI writing tool ($255K/month)
As a Chief Information Officer (CIO), you could supplement your income by venturing into the creation of an AI writing tool. Given your background in technology and leadership, developing a digital tool powered by artificial intelligence to generate content makes sense. It aligns with the rapid advancements in your field and offers a practical solution for businesses, bloggers, and students who need accurate and engaging content quickly.
This entrepreneurial venture could capitalize on your expertise in tech innovation, allowing you to offer an automated, error-free, and time-efficient content creation tool. By addressing the rising demand for quality content, you could ease the workload of writers and enhance their productivity. The development of an AI writing tool represents a futuristic and valuable business idea that fits well with the current digital landscape.
How much you can make: $4,000 — $1,000,000/month
How long does it take to build: 52 days (?)
Rytr, a new AI writing assistant developed by a startup platform and business incubator, has become a market leader, serving over 300,000 customers across the world and doing seven figures in ARR.
5. Make passive income with a mobile app ($70.3K/month)
As a Chief Information Officer, you could leverage your tech expertise to create a mobile app, transforming an innovative idea into a source of passive income. Developing a mobile app involves building a software application for smartphones or tablets, addressing various user needs, from productivity tools to entertainment.
With your background, you could either dive into basic coding or work with a skilled developer. Your main tasks would involve planning the app's user experience, designing intuitive interfaces, and ensuring functionality through rigorous testing. By effectively marketing your app, you could attract a broad user base, potentially generating substantial revenue if your app addresses a common problem or provides unique entertainment.
How much you can make: $1 — $500,000/month
How long does it take to build: 180 days (?)
BACH, an app that plans and books bachelorette parties, has grown from $0 to >$1M net revenue run rate in less than 6 months, gained over 100,000 users in their first 60 days, and has over 40,000 parties using the app this month.
6. Make passive income with a wordpress plugin business ($33.4K/month)
As a Chief Information Officer, you could leverage your technical expertise and industry insights to develop WordPress plugins that solve specific problems or improve website functionality. Given your background, you likely understand the pain points and needs that various organizations face, and you have the skills to create solutions that address these issues.
Starting a WordPress plugin business could be an excellent way to supplement your income while providing value to other businesses. You could sell your plugins on platforms like CodeCanyon, your own blog, or a dedicated website, reaching a wide audience looking for practical tools to enhance their WordPress sites.
By focusing on offering a solution to a particular need, you could create a sustainable source of passive income. Your deep understanding of IT and strategic thinking would give you an edge in identifying and addressing gaps in the market.
How much you can make: $120 — $120,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $5,000 (?)
How long does it take to build: 120 days (?)
Time commitment per week: Min. 5 hours/week
Wheely Sales CEO Josh created a lucky wheel popup that has grown revenue from $0 to $600/month in just 4 months since getting started and has attracted over 1.1 million users to his customers’ websites, all while proving that when it comes to creating a product, competition is validation.
7. Make passive income with a social media automation business ($139K/month)
Starting a social media automation business could be a great way for a Chief Information Officer (CIO) to supplement income and earn passive revenue. As a CIO, you already have a strong background in technology and data management, which could be incredibly useful for developing or utilizing automation tools. These tools help clients schedule posts, automate interactions, and analyze data across social media platforms, allowing them to manage their online presence more efficiently.
Given the high demand for strategic and consistent social media engagement, your expertise could help businesses and influencers save time and increase their engagement. By leveraging your existing knowledge, you could offer valuable services that clients would gladly pay for, turning this side venture into a lucrative source of passive income. Plus, your familiarity with the latest tech trends would enable you to stay ahead of the curve, ensuring your services remain relevant and in-demand.
How much you can make: $4,000 — $400,000/month
How long does it take to build: 50 days (?)
MeetEdgar, a bootstrapped social media automation tool founded in 2014 by Laura Roeder, has grown to $4 million in annual recurring revenue and more than 5,000 customers, with a team size of two dozen, achieved through content marketing, social media marketing, and organic search.
8. Make passive income with a niche blog ($31.5K/month)
Starting a niche blog could be an effective way for you, as a Chief Information Officer, to supplement your income by sharing your knowledge and insights. By focusing on an underserved topic that you are passionate about, you could attract a dedicated online audience. For instance, you might consider blogging about emerging technologies, cybersecurity trends, or IT management strategies, providing expert articles, how-to guides, and industry commentary.
To monetize your blog, you could incorporate affiliate links, collaborate with tech brands, or even expand your reach by launching a YouTube channel. These actions could lead to additional income streams through partnerships, sponsored content, and speaking engagements. Engaging with your readers regularly and delivering high-quality, relevant content would be key to building a loyal audience and growing your blog's influence.
How much you can make: $100 — $650,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $650 (?)
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
Starter Story grew to 1.4 million monthly visitors and millions in annual revenue by sharing the stories of entrepreneurs. Pat breaks down the early days and how he grew the business into something that changed his life.
9. Make passive income with a niche website ($107K/month)
As a Chief Information Officer, you could leverage your industry expertise by creating a niche website focused on a specialized topic within the tech world. For example, you could establish a site dedicated to emerging technologies, cybersecurity best practices, or IT project management strategies. Sharing your insights and experience through articles, guides, and tutorials might attract a dedicated audience who are eager for your professional knowledge.
Investing some time in creating high-quality content and optimizing it for search engines could drive significant and steady traffic to your site. Over time, this could open up various monetization opportunities like affiliate marketing, ad placements, or selling digital products such as e-books or online courses. With your background and passion for technology, building a niche website could be a fulfilling way to generate passive income while continuing to share your valuable insights with a broader audience.
How much you can make: $400 — $250,000/month
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
DPW (Digital Procurement World) is a fast-growing conference and community in procurement that has more than tripled in revenue since launching in 2019, capping out the year at €1.8 million, with 95% of their growth coming from inbound traffic leveraging LinkedIn and applying social selling techniques.
10. Make passive income with an online course sales business ($85K/month)
As a Chief Information Officer, you could leverage your extensive knowledge and experience in technology to create and sell online courses. This could allow you to take your understanding of areas like cybersecurity, enterprise software, or data management and turn it into a valuable resource for businesses and individuals looking to upskill. The e-learning market is booming, expected to be worth over $645 billion in the coming years, so there’s never been a better time to dive in.
You could choose a specific target audience, such as aspiring IT professionals or business leaders looking to understand new technologies, and tailor your course content to meet their needs. With your expertise, creating high-quality, informative courses could position you as a thought leader in the industry while generating passive income through online sales. Plus, with various online learning platforms available, it’s easier than ever to reach a wide audience and make a meaningful impact.
How much you can make: $100 — $300,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $2,000 (?)
How long does it take to build: 180 days (?)
A multipreneur shares how she built a successful print on demand side hustle, generating $120,000 per year through multiple brands spread over various platforms.
11. Print on demand business ($411K/month)
As a Chief Information Officer, you could consider starting a print-on-demand business to supplement your income by selling customized products like apparel, home goods, and phone cases. This business model would allow you to leverage your tech-savvy skills by utilizing dropshipping production and fulfillment services, which handle the printing and shipping for you, eliminating the need for upfront inventory costs.
You could set up virtual storefronts on platforms such as Amazon, eBay, and Etsy to reach a global audience with your unique designs. With minimal startup costs and the ability to run the business from home, this side hustle offers the flexibility to manage your time and scale your operations at your own pace, making it an ideal passive income opportunity alongside your main career.
How much you can make: $200 — $3,000,000/month
How long does it take to build: 30 days (?)
Time commitment per week: Min. 5 hours/week
Founder Roy Kirchner shares how he started an eCommerce business specializing in 3D printing with an initial investment of $65,000, which now averages monthly gross sales of $330,000 and has partnered with international manufacturers and local businesses while offering technical support and education.
12. Make passive income with an affiliate marketing business ($77.5K/month)
As a Chief Information Officer, you could leverage your expertise and industry connections to start an affiliate marketing business. By promoting products and services relevant to technology and IT, you have the potential to generate a steady passive income. Imagine partnering with eCommerce stores or manufacturers to market cutting-edge hardware, software, or IT solutions for a commission on each sale.
To get started, you only need to research and identify the right products and brands that resonate with your professional network. Your credibility and experience could add significant value, making you a trusted voice for these products. This approach not only supplements your income but also allows you to stay engaged with the latest trends and innovations in your field.
How much you can make: $500 — $773,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $700 (?)
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
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.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
