Entrepreneurs may be sitting on untapped goldmines without realizing it. Business strategist Jay Abraham, founder and CEO of The Abraham Group, says the fastest path to new revenue often comes from monetizing what you already know. On the latest episode of The Ultimate Entrepreneur, Abraham shares how business owners can turn skills, systems, and underutilized assets into scalable profit streams.
Abraham emphasized the importance of quantifying expertise as the first step. “If you are 51% better at something than your peers and can measure that improvement, you possess expertise that can be monetized,” he explained. Internally, this could mean training colleagues in sales or operations for a fee or a share of the savings generated. Externally, it might involve consulting, licensing, or providing methodologies to other businesses.
Real-world examples show the impact of this approach. One lumber mill client cut energy costs in half while improving product quality with a proprietary kiln-drying process. By licensing this method to 250 other mills for $25,000 each year, the client generated an additional $6 million in revenue, on top of $2 million in operational profit. Another client, a car wash operator, boosted monthly revenue by $20,000 with a premium service package that Abraham later licensed to other car washes nationwide.
Quantification, Abraham stressed, is non-negotiable. Entrepreneurs must track revenue, time saved, or efficiency gains before selling systems externally. For example, a construction manager who designs a system that consistently delivers projects under budget could transform that process into a multimillion-dollar performance-based service.
Beyond monetizing expertise, Abraham encouraged entrepreneurs to acquire underperforming businesses rather than starting from scratch. Using creative structures like buy-ins, earn-outs, or partial ownership, business owners can apply proven systems to drive revenue and EBITDA growth, then sell those businesses at higher multiples.
“I believe that nobody has to compete on an equal playing field unless they abdicate, basically gaining an ethical advantage.”
Deal-making and partnerships also play a central role. Abraham shared examples of securing rights to operate a flea market at the Rose Bowl or signage rights in Melbourne buildings, then flipping them to professional operators for upfront fees and long-term profit shares—all while minimizing risk. Strategic partnerships amplify these opportunities: through joint ventures, co-branding, and endorsements, Abraham’s seminar business generated $250 million by leveraging the access, credibility, and distribution of others.
His closing message was clear: too many entrepreneurs settle for “just enough.” “Success isn’t just paying your bills; it’s fully optimizing what you know and the assets you control,” Abraham said. Ethical leverage, performance-based models, and scaling expertise can create virtually limitless growth.
For entrepreneurs looking to unlock untapped potential, Abraham’s strategies reveal that knowledge, systems, and overlooked assets can be transformed into substantial new revenue streams with minimal risk.
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