Build infrastructure for multiple revenue models simultaneously so you can flip between them
Don't just diversify revenue streams—build the full infrastructure (teams, systems, content) for each model before you need to rely on it. This enables rapid pivots when market conditions change. Create & Cultivate had podcast, membership, and e-commerce infrastructure 1-2 years before COVID, allowing them to flip from 70% events to 70% digital within months.
When to use
When you have a primary revenue model but want resilience against market shifts. Especially important for event-based or location-dependent businesses.
Don't do this
Treating alternative revenue streams as side projects without proper teams/systems, waiting until crisis hits to build new infrastructure, diversifying without investing in operational capacity.
1 Founder Who Did This
Launched podcast WorkParty in 2018, membership club in 2019, ramped up e-commerce pre-pandemic. When COVID forced event cancellations, 'simply flipped those numbers' from 70% events/30% digital to reverse because 'had the infrastructure and teams in place to make it happen'