Passive Income Ideas For Project Managers [2024]
Interested in earning passive income as a project manager in 2024?
We put together a few of the best passive income ideas you can start as a project manager 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 project manager.
Here's the full list:
1. Make passive income with an online course sales business ($85K/month)
As a project manager, you could leverage your industry knowledge and organizational skills to create online courses that teach others how to manage projects effectively. By identifying common pain points and providing practical solutions, you could attract a wide audience of aspiring and current project managers.
Creating and selling an online course allows you to share your expertise while generating passive income. With a rapidly growing e-learning market, there's significant potential to reach a broad audience and supplement your income. Plus, once you’ve created the course, you can continue to earn money from it with minimal ongoing effort.
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.
2. Make passive income with a lead generation tool ($108K/month)
As a project manager, you could leverage your organizational and problem-solving skills to create a lead generation tool that helps businesses attract the right customers. This tool would automate the time-consuming task of finding new clients by capturing valuable data such as email addresses and phone numbers from various digital sources like websites and social media channels.
By developing a lead generation tool, you could address the high demand from businesses looking to streamline their marketing efforts and grow their customer base. If you have a knack for technology and marketing, this venture could become a profitable side hustle that complements your existing skill set and enhances your career.
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.
3. Make passive income with a niche website ($107K/month)
As a project manager, you could supplement your income by starting a niche website that focuses on a specialized topic you're passionate about and knowledgeable in. Your expertise in planning, coordinating, and executing projects can be valuable in managing the research, content creation, and SEO efforts needed to build a successful niche site. By targeting a dedicated audience and providing valuable content and products, your website could attract a loyal following and generate income through affiliate marketing, ad placements, or selling digital products.
Investing time in this project allows you to leverage your project management skills in a new, entrepreneurial way, offering both creative freedom and the potential for passive income. Once established, your niche website could become a reliable source of extra money, making it a rewarding side venture that complements your main career.
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.
4. Make passive income with a niche blog ($31.5K/month)
As a project manager, starting a niche blog could be a smart way to share your specialized knowledge while generating extra income. You could identify a profitable and underserved area related to project management or your personal interests, like agile methodologies, remote team coordination, or even project management software reviews. Once you've found your niche, you could create engaging and informative content such as how-to guides, top tools and software lists, or even personal insights from your professional experiences.
By offering valuable insights, you could build a loyal audience and monetize your blog through affiliate links, brand collaborations, or even by growing a YouTube channel. Over time, this side hustle could provide a steady stream of passive income, allowing you to supplement your current earnings without a significant time investment.
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.
5. Make passive income with a YouTube channel ($72.1K/month)
As a project manager, starting a YouTube channel could be an excellent way to supplement your income and share your expertise. You could create content around project management tips, tools, and techniques, offering valuable insights to a wide audience. This can include how-to guides, case studies, and best practices that other project managers or aspiring professionals would find useful.
Running a YouTube channel would allow you to leverage your skills in planning, execution, and communication. You could earn revenue through ads, sponsorships, and even by selling project management-related merchandise. While it requires consistent effort to create and promote quality content, the potential financial rewards and the satisfaction of sharing your knowledge make it a worthwhile venture to consider.
How much you can make: $2,000 — $333,333/month
How much does it cost to start: $5,250 (?)
How long does it take to build: 30 days (?)
This case study follows the journey of a young entrepreneur from Nigeria who started a profitable blog generating a monthly revenue of $1,500+ through sales of advertising space, sponsored posts, and information products, and shares his strategies for success including a Twitter growth challenge and guest post pitches.
6. Make passive income with an affiliate marketing business ($77.5K/month)
As a project manager, you could start an affiliate marketing business to supplement your income by promoting products and services that align with your expertise. This side hustle involves earning commissions for each sale made through your promotional activities, allowing you to leverage your project management skills like planning, organization, and communication to maximize your earnings.
By carefully selecting products related to project management tools, productivity software, or industry-specific resources, you could offer valuable recommendations to your network and audience. Finding the right companies to partner with is crucial, whether it's an eCommerce store or a manufacturer whose products you can confidently endorse.
Starting an affiliate marketing business requires some initial effort in research and setup, but once established, it has the potential to provide a steady stream of passive income. This makes it an appealing option for project managers looking to diversify their income without compromising their primary career responsibilities.
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.
7. Make passive income with an ai based business solution ($55.8K/month)
As a project manager, starting an AI-based business solution could be a strategic way to generate extra income by leveraging your existing skills in planning and execution. With AI technology, you could help businesses streamline their operations by optimizing tasks like customer service, inventory management, and data analysis. This could involve setting up AI tools that automate repetitive tasks, provide valuable customer insights, and predict market trends.
The beauty of this venture is that you don't need a tech background; many platform providers offer user-friendly tools and robust support to help you get started. The demand for AI solutions is rapidly growing, as more businesses recognize the competitive advantage they offer. By focusing on high-impact areas and creating a solid implementation plan, you could effectively tap into this expanding market and boost business performance.
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.
8. Make passive income with a social media automation business ($139K/month)
As a project manager, starting a social media automation business could be a smart way to supplement your income. You could leverage your skills in organizing and managing resources to help small businesses and influencers automate their social media tasks.
This role could involve creating or integrating tools that schedule posts, automate interactions, and analyze engagement data, all of which could drive growth for your clients while saving them time. With the growing need for constant and strategic social media presence, you could find a steady demand for your services.
Moreover, if you have an interest in technology and marketing, this venture could be both profitable and enjoyable.
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.
9. Make passive income with an AI writing tool ($255K/month)
As a project manager, leveraging an AI writing tool to generate passive income could be an exciting and viable opportunity. You could create a digital tool powered by Artificial Intelligence to help businesses, bloggers, and students by automating the process of content creation. Not only would this tool generate accurate and engaging content effortlessly, but it could also save users a significant amount of time and reduce errors.
Considering today's high demand for continual, quality content, your AI writing tool could be a game-changer. By offering a solution that lightens the workload for various writers and enhances their productivity, you could make a substantial impact and earn passive income as the tool gains traction. Plus, as you’re familiar with managing complex projects and coordinating resources, you could efficiently oversee the development and launch of this innovative tool.
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.
10. Make passive income with an online survey tool ($304K/month)
As a project manager, starting an online survey tool could provide you with an excellent opportunity to earn passive income. Businesses are increasingly in need of efficient ways to gather customer feedback to improve their services and products. By offering a survey tool, you could tap into this growing demand and create a steady revenue stream.
Your background in project management means you likely already possess the skills to manage projects, coordinate teams, and deliver results on time. These skills could be advantageous in building and running a successful online survey tool. Additionally, tools like Typeform have shown significant revenue growth, indicating that there's strong market potential.
In summary, developing an online survey tool could not only leverage your existing project management skills but also capitalize on the rising need for data collection in businesses. This could make it a viable and promising side hustle for supplementary income.
How much you can make: $40 — $1,600,000/month
How long does it take to build: 180 days (?)
GreenRope, a self-funded CRM and marketing automation platform with over 1,000 customers in 20 countries, was built organically and focused on creating a positive, customer-centric culture without outside investment, with an all-in-one interface solving challenges in managing sales, marketing, customer service, and operations.
11. Make passive income with a garage organizer business
A garage organizer business could be a great fit for a project manager looking to earn extra income. Your skills in planning, organization, and time management could help you excel in assessing chaotic garage spaces, understanding client needs, and creating efficient organization systems. Working with homeowners to install shelving, cabinets, and other storage solutions might become second nature as you utilize your project management expertise in a hands-on setting.
Additionally, your ability to manage multiple projects and keep clients satisfied aligns perfectly with what’s needed to run this type of business. Your networking abilities and experience in communicating with diverse stakeholders could also help you market your services effectively, expanding your customer base over time. As you grow more confident, this venture could even start generating passive income through repeat clients and word-of-mouth referrals.
How much you can make: $10,500/month
Curate Labs is a creative practice focused around ethical and sustainable design, with an annual publication that champions good business and a travel platform that advocates conscious travel, founded in 2016 by co-founders Abb-d Choudhury and Sara, bootstrapped, now turning into one business with 3 departments and aiming for 50-100% increase in revenue.
12. Make passive income with a mobile app ($70.3K/month)
As a project manager, you could leverage your organizational skills and experience in managing complex tasks to develop a mobile app. It's simpler than you might think; you can either learn basic coding or hire a developer to bring your idea to life. Your main tasks would involve planning the user experience, designing engaging interfaces, and ensuring the app functions smoothly by testing it for bugs.
Marketing is a crucial step to attract users and boost downloads, so your project management skills will be quite handy here too. Mobile apps are a huge part of our daily lives, opening up vast opportunities for innovative solutions. If you have a unique idea that can solve a problem or provide entertainment to millions, developing a mobile app could be a great path to explore for generating passive income.
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.
13. Make passive income with an email marketing tool ($992K/month)
As a project manager, you could harness your organizational and planning skills to create an email marketing tool that automates and streamlines email campaigns. With the email marketing industry expected to reach $2.53 billion by 2028, there's a substantial market for tools that generate leads, increase sales, and improve SEO rankings.
By developing software that helps businesses send bulk emails efficiently, you could create a steady passive income stream. This tool can be particularly beneficial for entrepreneurs, startups, and real estate agents, allowing them to reach more customers with minimal effort. With relatively low startup costs—just a domain and hosting account—you could turn your understanding of project execution into a profitable side hustle.
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.
14. Make passive income with a dropshipping business ($414K/month)
Starting a dropshipping business could be a great way to supplement your income as a project manager. Since you already excel in planning, organizing, and managing resources, these skills are highly transferable to running an online store. In dropshipping, you sell products online without holding any inventory, which means there's no need for a large upfront investment.
You could choose a niche or category of products that interest you and set up an online store using platforms like Shopify or WooCommerce. Finding reliable suppliers from platforms like AliExpress allows you to focus on the overall management of your business, including marketing and customer service. By carefully managing your expenses and monitoring profit margins, you can grow your dropshipping business into a steady source of passive income.
How much you can make: $6,000 — $3,000,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $8,500 (?)
How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)
Time commitment per week: Min. 10 hours/week
Entrepreneur Kamil Sattar has developed multiple six-figure drop shipping businesses, and his company, e-commerce mentoring, specializes in helping others create their own successful companies, with favorite platforms including using Shopify and apps such as Loox reviews and SMSBump.
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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.
