You know how to do something most people can't. When somebody asks how you did it, you say "I just know." That answer is worth money, and right now it's making you nothing.
Last updated: October 2026 · By Gen X Still Standing
Your experience turns into a product when you write down what you know, name the problem it solves, and figure out who needs it most.
Most of us massively underestimate what we know. We compare ourselves to credentialed experts and assume our street knowledge doesn't count. It counts more.
Formal education teaches theory. Experience teaches what actually happens when theory meets reality. The person who's done the thing ten thousand times knows something the person who studied it can never teach.
Grab paper. Write down five things you know how to do that you've never once thought to charge for. Don't filter them. Write it messy.
Then pick the strongest one and answer two questions. What problem does it solve? Who needs this most?
Here's a hint on the second one. The person who'd pay is usually somebody 10 years behind you. The person trying to do what you already did, scared of the mistakes you already made.
Finding what you know is step one. After that comes picking a format, turning it into steps somebody else can follow, pricing it and putting it where people can buy it. Most people quit early, because nothing visible is happening yet and they mistake invisible for broken. Start with the free worksheet below.
I worked hazmat. I ran my own construction company in Colorado, and I had to close it down. An injury put me in the hospital and ended my construction career for good. So I started over. At 53, I taught myself AI. I'm not a guru. I'm a guy who's walked this path a few steps ahead of you and can show you where the shortcuts are.
Get the free Experience Inventory worksheet. It walks you through the questions that uncover what you already know that someone else would pay to learn, and the one thing to do next with what you find.
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What experience can I turn into a digital product?
Three kinds sell: survival experience, meaning things you got through that someone is going through now; skill experience, meaning things you know how to do; and wisdom experience, meaning how you see money, work, relationships and life.
Do I need to know what product to make before I start?
No. Start by writing down what you know and the problem it solves. The format comes after you know what you've got.
Who would pay for what I know?
Somebody 10 years behind you. The person trying to do what you already did, scared of the mistakes you already made.
What if what I know feels like no big deal?
That's usually the sign. The things that feel automatic to you are usually the things other people are stuck on.
Do I need a tech background?
No. If you can type a question and copy and paste, you can use AI to help you organize and write it.
Educational only. Not business, legal or financial advice. Results vary and are not guaranteed. You're responsible for reviewing anything AI produces. Not affiliated with or endorsed by Anthropic or any tool mentioned. Built by a Gen Xer with AI, for Gen Xers.
