Home

Multipreneurship is the strategic choice of an entrepreneur to pursue a portfolio of profitable small-scale products rather than focusing on a single large-scale business.

This alternative approach to traditional entrepeneurship is achieved by creating a portfolio of small, cash-flowing ventures through means of placing a series of "small bets" rather than going all-in on a single, high-risk startup. The goal is to build multiple income streams and diversify your efforts to achieve greater resilience and autonomy.

Instead of one single business, a Multipreneur focuses on creating a portfolio of profitable products. Multipreneurs proactively build a diverse array of income-generating projects and experiments, each with a relatively small time and financial commitment. This allows Multipreneurs to enjoy greater independence, flexibility, and antifragility compared to traditional entrepreneurs who focus solely on scaling a single venture.

A small bet is an experiment with a specific hypothesis, time budget, and expected payoff. It's an approach that involves placing many small, manageable bets rather than going all-in on a single, high-risk venture. The key is to limit the downside and avoid jeopardizing your future if the bet doesn't work out.

The definition of "small" is relative and depends on your circumstances. For one person, a small bet might be a weekend project, while for someone else, it could be a month-long endeavor. What is a small bet for Elon Musk or a large corporation might not exactly be a small bet for you. The important thing is to keep the time, money, and potential downside risk within your comfort level and ability to absorb a setback. The goal is to test ideas quickly and inexpensively, rather than investing significant resources upfront.

While focus is important, the Multipreneurship mindset encourages an agile, portfolio-based approach rather than putting all your eggs in one basket. That doesn’t mean that you have to do it all at once. Placing small bets doesn’t mean to be all over the place and not being able to put in deep work. What is encouraged by the Multipreneurship approach is to diversify your efforts across multiple small bets, so you can mitigate the risks inherent in any one venture. If one project fails, it shouldn’t threaten you in any way—financially nor psychologically. A project should never have the remote potential of jeopardizing your future. The Multipreneurship method suggests to avoid spending several years on one seemingly great idea that never pays off. Ideally, with more small bets you place, you’ll eventually get into a position to help you sustain greater risks. This diversification also allows you to adapt more quickly to changing market conditions and explore new opportunities.

The key benefits of a Multipreneurship approach include greater autonomy, reduced risk, and increased resilience. By building a portfolio of small, cash-flowing projects, Multipreneurs enjoy more control over their time, work, and lifestyle compared to traditional entrepreneurs. The diversification inherent in Multipreneurship also mitigates the downside of any single venture failing, allowing Multipreneurs to better withstand setbacks. Additionally, the Multipreneurship mindset fosters adaptability, as Multipreneurs can quickly pivot between different income streams in response to changing market conditions.

The key difference lies in the approach. Traditional entrepreneurship often focuses on scaling a single, high-growth venture with the goal of a big "exit" event, such as an IPO or acquisition. In contrast, Multipreneurship involves building a portfolio of smaller, cash-flowing projects and experiments, diversifying your efforts rather than going all-in on a single idea. Multipreneurs prioritize autonomy, resilience, and sustainable income over chasing the elusive unicorn.

The Multipreneurship approach stands in contrast to the startup "unicorn" pursuit, which is the dominant narrative in much of the entrepreneurial world. While the unicorn chase focuses on scaling a single, high-growth venture with the goal of a massive exit, Multipreneurship emphasizes building a diversified portfolio of smaller, sustainable projects. Multipreneurs are less concerned with achieving outsized financial returns and more focused on maintaining autonomy, resilience, and a balanced lifestyle. Instead of going "all-in" on a single bet, Multipreneurs spread their risk across multiple small bets, seeking steady cash flow over the pursuit of a billion-dollar payday.

Yes, Multipreneurship can be a viable approach even for individuals with a full-time job or other significant commitments. The key is to start small, identifying opportunities that can be pursued during evenings, weekends, or spare pockets of time. As the small bets begin to generate income, Multipreneurs can gradually scale up their efforts and potentially transition to a fully independent, Multipreneurial lifestyle. The flexibility and low-risk nature of the Small Bets approach makes it accessible for those with limited available time.

The Small Bets philosophy encourages entrepreneurs to approach their work as a series of experiments, each with a specific hypothesis, time budget, and expected payoff. Rather than investing significant resources into a single, high-risk venture, Multipreneurs place many smaller bets, testing ideas quickly and inexpensively. This allows them to learn, iterate, and adapt more efficiently, mitigating the downside of any individual project failing.

To get started with Multipreneurship, begin by identifying opportunities that you can explore with a relatively small time and financial commitment. Assess your skills, interests, and existing assets, and look for ways to monetize them through small, testable projects. Start by setting aside a specific budget of time and/or money, and then develop a hypothesis for how you can generate a meaningful return on that investment.

The best small bets for Multipreneurs are typically projects that can be brought to market quickly, have a clear path to generating revenue, and pose a low risk of jeopardizing your overall financial and personal situation if they were to fail. This could include e-books, online courses, freelance services, software tools, and even physical products, as long as the upfront investment is manageable.

Effective management of multiple income streams as a Multipreneur involves organization, automation, and prioritization. Use tools and systems to streamline your operations, automate repetitive tasks, and keep track of your various projects and revenue sources. Regularly review your portfolio and focus your time and energy on the most promising and profitable ventures, while maintaining a diverse mix of income streams to ensure stability.

Yes, the principles of Multipreneurship can be applied across a wide range of industries and business models. Whether you're in the services, e-commerce, software, or creative sectors, the Small Bets philosophy can be adapted to your specific circumstances. The key is finding opportunities that align with your skills, resources, and market demand, and then testing them iteratively through small, manageable projects.

Yes, the Multipreneurship approach can indeed be applied effectively within larger corporate settings as well. While the scale and resources may differ, the core principles of the Small Bets philosophy can be highly beneficial for enterprises looking to foster innovation, adaptability, and long-term sustainability.

Even for large corporations, a "small bet" is a relative term. What may constitute a small bet for a solo entrepreneur could equate to a significant project or new business line for a major company. The key is to encourage a mindset of experimentation, where the organization is willing to test new ideas, products, or services with a defined time and resource budget, rather than committing massive upfront investments.

By adopting a Multipreneurial approach, larger corporations can:

Just as individual Multipreneurs benefit from the increased autonomy, resilience, and adaptability, corporations that embrace the Small Bets philosophy can position themselves for long-term viability and success in an increasingly uncertain business landscape. The Multipreneurship mindset is highly recommended for organizations of all sizes.

Some common challenges for Multipreneurs include managing multiple priorities, maintaining focus, and avoiding burnout. To overcome these challenges, Multipreneurs must be diligent about prioritizing their time, automating and delegating tasks where possible, and setting clear boundaries to prevent overcommitment. Regular self-reflection, goal-setting, and the ability to pivot are also essential skills for Multipreneurs to cultivate.

The Multipreneurship mindset is fundamentally different from the "hustle culture" mentality, which often glorifies working around the clock and sacrificing work-life balance for the sake of scaling a single venture. Multipreneurs, on the other hand, prioritize sustainability, autonomy, and a balanced lifestyle. They seek to create multiple income streams that serve their preferred way of living, rather than the other way around. Multipreneurs are more focused on resilience and adaptability than on chasing a singular, high-stakes success.

Absolutely. While the Multipreneurship approach may not always lead to the outsized financial returns of a unicorn startup, it can still enable Multipreneurs to achieve considerable financial success and wealth over time. By diversifying their income streams and focusing on sustainable cash flow, Multipreneurs can steadily build their net worth and enjoy greater financial stability than those who rely on a single, high-risk venture. The compounding effects of multiple small wins can result in significant long-term wealth.

Yes, there are indeed notable similarities between the Multipreneurship approach and the principles of Lifestyle Entrepreneurship, particularly as championed by figures like Tim Ferriss.

Both philosophies emphasize the importance of designing a career and business model that serves the entrepreneur's desired way of living, rather than the other way around. At the core of both Multipreneurship and Lifestyle Entrepreneurship is the goal of achieving greater autonomy, flexibility, and work-life balance.

Just as Multipreneurs seek to build a portfolio of small, cash-flowing projects that provide sustainable income, Lifestyle Entrepreneurs often prioritize creating location-independent, time-efficient businesses that allow them to maintain their preferred lifestyle. The focus is on optimizing for quality of life, rather than maximizing wealth or the size of a single venture.

Tim Ferriss, a prominent advocate of Lifestyle Entrepreneurship, has written extensively about topics such as automating and outsourcing business operations, as well as diversifying income streams to support an unconventional, location-independent lifestyle. These principles align closely with the Multipreneurship approach of managing multiple small bets to achieve greater control over one's time and resources.

Both Multipreneurship and Lifestyle Entrepreneurship encourage a mindset shift away from the "hustle culture" and the pursuit of a single, high-stakes success. Instead, they emphasize the value of sustainable, balanced, and personally fulfilling work arrangements – whether through a diversified portfolio of small projects or a streamlined, lifestyle-oriented business.

While the specific tactics may differ, the underlying goals of autonomy, resilience, and alignment between work and life are shared between these two complementary entrepreneurial philosophies.

The Small Bets philosophy is highly complementary to work-life balance and lifestyle design. By focusing on small, manageable projects rather than all-consuming ventures, Multipreneurs are able to structure their work around their preferred way of living, rather than the other way around. The autonomy and flexibility inherent in Multipreneurship allow Multipreneurs to prioritize their personal and family needs, take regular breaks, and pursue their hobbies and interests, all while building a diversified income.

There are many inspiring examples of successful Multipreneurs, such as Nathan Barry, the founder of ConvertKit, who built a diverse portfolio of small projects before focusing on his breakout success. Another example is Daniel Vassallo, the creator of the Small Bets community, who has generated income from a range of sources, including books, courses, freelancing, and community-building. Indie hackers like Pieter Levels, the founder of Nomad List, and Sahil Lavingia, the CEO of Gumroad, have also embraced the Multipreneurship approach. You can see more stories in the Stories section on this page.