Business Models 101 — Cabinet No. 1
Before you start

When you are getting started in business, one of the most important things you can do is understand the model underneath what you are building. You cannot change the fundamentals of how certain businesses are set up, even if you are the best operator in the world. The economics, the customer dynamics, the grind required: it is all baked in. So before you pick a path, know the game you are signing up to play.

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E-COMMERCE BRAND
📦
E-commerce Brand
You buy products, mark them up, and sell them online.
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RESTAURANT
🍽️
Restaurant
You cook food, serve people, and hope the math works out.
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MARKETING AGENCY
💡
Marketing Agency
You help other businesses market themselves and charge for it.
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LAWN MOWING COMPANY
🌿
Lawn Mowing Company
You mow lawns. People pay you every week to do it.
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FOOD FRANCHISE
🏪
Food Franchise
You buy the right to run a proven restaurant brand.
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LAW FIRM
⚖️
Law Firm
You sell legal expertise by the hour, or by the outcome.
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SCHOOL
🎓
School
You build a place where people learn something valuable.
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MEDIA COMPANY
🎙️
Media Company
You build an audience and then monetize their attention.
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SAAS COMPANY
💻
SaaS Company
You build software once and charge customers to use it every month.
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RENTAL PROPERTY
🏠
Rental Property
You own a property, rent it out, and let tenants pay down your mortgage.
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STAFFING AGENCY
👥
Staffing Agency
You match people to jobs and take a cut of their wages.
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CAR DEALERSHIP
🚗
Car Dealership
You buy cars from manufacturers and sell them at a markup, plus everything around the car.
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HOMEBUILDER
🏗️
Homebuilder
You buy land, build homes, and sell them. The margin is in the execution.
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GYM / FITNESS STUDIO
💪
Gym / Fitness Studio
People pay monthly to use your space and equipment, often regardless of whether they show up.
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HOTEL
🏨
Hotel
You rent the same room over and over again, every night.
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INSURANCE BROKERAGE
🛡️
Insurance Brokerage
You help clients find and buy insurance, and the insurer pays you a commission.
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MANAGEMENT CONSULTING
📊
Management Consulting
You help organizations solve hard problems and charge a lot to do it.
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CPG BRAND
🛒
CPG Brand
You make a product, get it on store shelves, and sell millions of units.
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