Ok, so can we agree on one thing first?

Passive income gets thrown around a LOT online.

I’m sure you’ve heard it before.

Like the first thing you’ll see out there, in the wild (if your algo is tailored the “right” way) is…

• Make passive income fast
• How to make money while you’re sleeping
• Sales funnels you need
• $100K in 100 days

Or something like it.

It’s all very bro-marketing-esque.

Me no likey (yes, even though I create similar content, but my goodness I make it way more fun and cozy⎯ if I do say so myself.) 🥲

And while yes, making money while you sleep sounds super dreamy.

But if you’re like me (an introvert who’s a big fan of cozy mornings and hates busywork for the sake of busywork), you want it to feel simple, sustainable, and of course, cozy (duh!)

So today, I’m not here to tell you to drop thousands of dollars on fancy tools and shiny funnels you don’t need yet.

No way, José!

I’m sharing the only 4 tools you really need to start building passive income online and how they all connect.

Let’s keep it simple, shall we?

Because getting your bum closer to freedom (AKA creating a passive income business) could cost you abouuuut $0, at least in the beginning stage.

 

 

A quick note on “passive” income

Nothing is ever passive.

If people are telling you you can make money snoozing with no effort, time, or energy put in, they are either lying or talking about investing in funds.

There’s always some work and maintenance involved when it comes to making money online.

You’ll still be writing emails, helping students, and updating products

But the upfront effort creates space later. 🧘‍♀️

It’s not a get-rich-quick scheme; it’s hard work, but we can make that hard work simpler and cozy for sure, so let’s dive in! 👋

 

 

Related Reads:

• How to Start a Cozy Passive Income Business From Zero
• Why I’m Shifting My Content (Embracing My Multi-Passionate Life)
• How to Start a Profitable Blog in 2025

 

 

For my visual learners:  

 

 

 

1. You Need an Email Marketing Service

Your email list = your business safety net.

Full stop.

If you take one thing away from this post, let it be this:

Most people don’t buy from your Instagram posts, your blog, or your website…

They buy from your emails—because that’s where trust is built.

💌 A fun little stat for you:

For every $1 you spend on email marketing, you can expect an average ROI of $40.

So if you do spend money on just one tool in your business, let it be your email provider.

I’ve been with Kit (previously ConvertKit) for 7+ years and genuinely love it.

I warmly recommend it to everyone who asks.

Of course, you don’t have to spend anything to start—many email tools have a free tier.

Start scrappy if you need to, but just start.

Why you need an email list:

Your list is how you’ll build an audience, nurture them, share stories, deliver free value…and then pitch your offers in a cozy, genuine way.

 

If you’re like “huh” when it comes to this whole email marketing thing, I have a FREE roadmap that’ll teach you all the things you need to get started → 

 

 

Bonus tool: well, You Need Something to Sell

Okay, this one is a little obvious, so it’s actually baked into the mix, but I still wanted to mention it.

Let’s look at this “tool” as a little bonus, k?

If you want to earn passive income online, you need an offer:

• A digital product
• An online course
• A paid template or swipe file
• Or even affiliate recommendations

Your emails warm people up.

Your offer gives them a reason to buy.

If you have no idea what to sell yet, I have a full video on how to create your first digital product in 6 hours (yes, really.)

It’ll help, pinky-promise. ✨

 

 

 

2. You Need a Content Platform

Ta-da!

This is your bridge, your cozy corner of the internet and your way to get discovered online but your people (not all the people, ya don’t need all of the people, phew!)

You need to put stuff out there (content) and create visibility for your brand to build your community.

Think:

• A blog (still so good in 2025, trust me)
• A YouTube channel
• A podcast
• Or your fave social platform (Instagram, TikTok, not sure if Facebook is still a thing? 🤭)

Here’s why it matters → You can’t grow an email list if no one finds you.

Your content is the free breadcrumb trail that leads people to your world (and eventually our offers.)

My tip? Pick one platform to start.

Go deep, not wide (at least in the beginning.)

✨Be consistent to build trust✨

I started with a secret blog (my platform of choice) back in 2018, and I still blog every week, but I added the bells and whistles (YouTube and Instagram) later on.

 

Wanna try out the blogging thing? I have a FREE course right here → 

 

 

3. You Need a Traffic Strategy

This is where people overcomplicate things and want 10 strategies at once.

Your traffic strategy is just how you get eyes on your content.

This could be:

• Pinterest marketing for your blog
• SEO to rank your posts on Google
• YouTube SEO (same thing, really)
• Or TikTok/Instagram if you love video and the algorithm lottery

Pick one and master it.

This is your little visual so far:

Traffic → your content → your freebie → your email list → your offer → 💰

 

 

4. You Need a Way to Get Paid

Last but not least: how will you collect those cozy payments?

You need a checkout page and a secure payment system.

I use both Stripe and PayPal (but prefer Stripe if I’m being honest).

For checkout pages, I use Thrivecart or the built-in checkout in Kajabi (my course platform and where I host my online courses).

Yes, these both cost a little something, but you can set up checkouts with Stripe and send invoices through PayPal and Stripe too, and they are totally free of charge.

 

 

“Wait…Don’t I Need a Fancy Course Platform?”

Nah, not yet and not necessarily.

If you have the budget, sure—platforms like Kajabi, Teachable, or Podia are wonderful for hosting digital courses.

But you don’t need them to start.

You can deliver your digital product:

• By email
• As a PDF download (by email)
• Inside a private Facebook group
• Or via a simple Google Drive link (by email)
• Host coaching calls on Zoom or Google Meet

Keep it scrappy while you’re testing your idea and get fancy-pantsy later. 💅

 

 

Another Bonus Tool: A Website (Optional, But Helpful)

If your content platform is a blog, you already have a home base on the WWW.

If not, I recommend getting one soon-ish.

It helps you look legit, land on Google, and build trust.

I personally use Showit for design, paired with a WordPress blog.

WordPress is still the best for blogging, IMO.

Always and forever. 💖

 

 

Your Cozy Passive Income Funnel

Let’s bring it all together for the big funnel reveal, shall we? 🥳

Here’s how it flows:

1️⃣ Create valuable, helpful content (blog/YouTube/etc.)
2️⃣ Offer a freebie in exchange for an email signup
3️⃣ Use your email tool to nurture, share stories, and build trust
4️⃣ Pitch your digital product (or service, or affiliate offer)
5️⃣ Get paid via Stripe/PayPal → deliver automatically

That’s it. Truly.

The complete visual:

 

 

If I Were Starting Over Today

I’d do exactly this:

1. Pick one content platform
2. Create a simple freebie → grow my email list
3. Offer a low-ticket digital product
4. Use Kit for email
5. Stripe for payments
6. Deliver the product by email
7. Keep the overhead teeny-tiny until the money rolls in

Here’s to your cozy pajama lifestyle. 🥂

Start simple. Keep it human.

And don’t forget: you don’t need all the tools⎯ just the right ones.

Cozy vibes! ☕️✨