Podcast Summary: The Martell Method w/ Dan Martell
Episode: I Ranked the Most Profitable Businesses to Start Before 2026
Host: Dan Martell
Date: September 8, 2025
Overview
In this episode, Dan Martell leverages his experience as a serial entrepreneur and business coach to rank the 15 most popular businesses to start before 2026, using his signature "tier system." He reveals what makes certain business models "no-brainers" and why others are best avoided, with an emphasis on profitability, learnability, scalability, and potential for resale. The episode is packed with candid, actionable insights and memorable real-talk moments designed to help listeners cut through hype and make smart moves in their entrepreneurial journey.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
The Ranking Framework (00:21)
Dan details four main criteria for evaluating business models:
- How quickly you can make your first dollar
- How hard it is to learn
- Long-term profitability
- Whether the business is a sellable asset
He introduces his 5-tier ranking system:
- S Tier: No brainer, start now (high profits, fast cash, here to stay)
- A Tier: Worth it, but you need business skills first
- B Tier: Decent, but not for everyone
- C Tier: You could, but should you?
- F Tier: Scammy, avoid at all costs
Business Model Breakdown
1. Real Estate (01:05)
Rank: S Tier – No Brainer
- Real estate is the backbone of American wealth.
- Benefits: Monthly cash flow, tax advantages, asset appreciation, leverage on capital.
- Quote: "Most millionaires, the majority of wealth created in the US was made on the back end of real estate." (01:11)
2. NFTs & Crypto Projects (02:14)
Rank: F Tier – Scammy
- Used to be fast money, now often a legal and ethical minefield.
- Most NFT projects are "pure scams" and "money grabs."
- Quote: "If you look at a thousand NFT projects, more than 500 are pure scams." (02:45)
3. Paid Ads Agency (03:18)
Rank: B Tier – Decent, but risky for the future
- Fast to first dollar, but AI and platforms threaten relevance.
- Hard to sell the business unless client contracts are sticky.
4. Coaching & Online Courses (05:04)
Rank: A Tier – Worth it
- Lightning-fast to get started, easy to learn, and highly profitable (97% profit margins).
- Less sellable long-term but builds a meta skill.
- Quote: "If you're selling courses, then every course you sell costs you nothing. Essentially. It's so profitable." (05:35)
5. AI Automation Agency (06:00)
Rank: A Tier – Worth it (Higher than Coaching/Courses)
- The hottest market right now; huge, growing demand.
- Very easy to enter, but AI advancements present risks.
6. YouTube Channel (07:08)
Rank: B Tier – Decent
- Difficult to break into, slow to earn first dollar, but valuable skill and business if it scales.
- Channels can sell for massive amounts.
- Quote: "What do you think the number one channel on YouTube's worth? Billion bucks." (07:42)
7. Social Media Marketing Agency (SMMA) (08:07)
Rank: B+/A- Tier – Worth it
- Fast to first dollar, easy to learn, defendable with organic content strategies.
- Higher ranking than paid ads agencies.
- Quote: "Organic content is going to be more interesting and more defensible than trying to just be traffic buyer for a paid ads agency." (08:15)
8. Dropshipping (09:09)
Rank: C Tier – Should you? (Bottom)
- Difficult to make money, highly competitive, and market is saturated.
9. Ghostwriting (10:01)
Rank: C Tier – Should you? (Just above Dropshipping)
- Good writers needed, but AI is a looming threat to the market and it's not scalable/sellable.
- Quote: (Joking) "I've never met a ghostwriter that wants to take advantage of anybody. If anything, they should charge more for their services." (10:29)
10. Day Trading & Stocks (11:28)
Rank: C Tier – Should you? (Lower end)
- Fast potential money but high risk and unsellable as a business.
11. Virtual Assistant Agency (12:30)
Rank: C Tier – Should you? (Upper end)
- Fast to earn, but low margins and high client turnover, threatened by AI.
12. Web Design Agency (13:24)
Rank: B Tier
- Quick and easy to learn, but AI will automate much of this work and resale potential is low.
13. Print on Demand (14:14)
Rank: C Tier – Should you? (Low)
- Easy to launch, but slim margins and little long-term value.
14. Vending Machines (15:10)
Rank: A Tier – Worth it (Right side)
- Not super quick to first dollar, but decent margins with good locations and resale value.
15. Affiliate Marketing (16:00)
Rank: A Tier – Worth it (Right side)
- Quick to learn, always in demand, but little resale value.
- Great entry point and develops meta skills.
Bonus Analyses (17:00+)
- Software Businesses
Dan’s favorite, would be S Tier.
- Unbeatable profit margins, subscription revenue, easy to build (AI, no-code), and incredibly valuable if sold.
- Quote: "The margins on it, like I said earlier, 97%... one of the highest in the world." (17:40)
- Network Marketing
Would be F Tier/Scammy
- Most are legal minefields. Too many bad actors spoil genuine opportunities.
- Franchises
Dan’s Critique
- Feels like glorified reseller jobs; great for selling franchises, not so much for buying one.
- Quote: "Here's my definition. If you don't control the product development, then it's not really a business." (18:40)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- “The other thing I said that hopefully you caught was the idea of meta skills, right? Copywriting, paid ads, AI. These are meta skills that even if the business you start doesn't work, they're skills that you can stack into the future to be even more successful.” (19:11)
- “If you’re working 100 hours a week making 50 grand a year...or a million bucks but still stuck in the business, you didn’t build something valuable that somebody else would want to buy.” (19:41)
Final Takeaways
- Meta Skills Win: Dan urges listeners to prioritize businesses that reward you with versatile, high-leverage skills like copywriting and AI, which transfer to any future business.
- Asset-Building Mindset: He warns against building businesses that slavishly depend on your presence rather than being true assets that can be sold.
- Stay Ahead of Tech: Ignore AI and automation at your peril; leverage them, don’t compete against them.
Episode Timeline
- 00:00 – Introduction & business ranking framework
- 01:05 – Real estate
- 02:14 – NFTs & crypto projects
- 03:18 – Paid ads agency
- 05:04 – Coaching/online courses
- 06:00 – AI automation agency
- 07:08 – YouTube channel
- 08:07 – SMMA
- 09:09 – Dropshipping
- 10:01 – Ghostwriting
- 11:28 – Day trading & stocks
- 12:30 – Virtual assistant agency
- 13:24 – Web design agency
- 14:14 – Print on demand
- 15:10 – Vending machine
- 16:00 – Affiliate marketing
- 17:00 – Missing: Software, network marketing, franchises
- 19:11 – Closing lessons and asset-building mindset
This summary captures Dan Martell’s tough-love analysis and his direct, entrepreneurial tone. If you want the “shortlist” of business models to focus on before 2026—and the traps to avoid—this episode is must-listen, no nonsense advice from a proven founder and coach.