Example plan for a made-up person. Nadia is not a real customer. We gave our engine her answers and this is the plan it built, exactly as a buyer sees it, with the lower part cut off.
Earn Path full plan · example
Example plan: Nadia, 29, a graphic designer with a day job
She works full time as an in-house designer in Durban and does logos and social media graphics for small businesses in the evenings, when friends send people her way.
Time10 hours a week, evenings and Saturdays
Savings she could riskR2 000 to R5 000
Monthly goalR8 000 extra
Day jobFull time, no weekday calls
One dayShe would like a few clients who pay every month
After paying R199, she answered 6 quick questions about her design work.
1
Fitted to your answers: Logos and social media graphics for small businesses
From your 6 answers about graphic design for small businesses.
Make it regularAim for 3 paid projects.
Still to sort outYoco or PayFast payment links. Borrow or buy second-hand before you buy new.
People I knowAsk every happy customer for one name of someone else who could use you.
Instagram, TikTok or YouTubePost the same kind of content on the same days each week so people know what to expect.
Freelance sites (Upwork, Fiverr)On an app or freelance site, a complete profile and fast replies matter more than a low price.
Your numbers1 project a week at R1 500 is about R6 495 a month before costs, or R5 651 after Marketplace + payout (blended) fees. To reach your goal of R8 000 a month at this price you would need about 2 a week, before costs. These are your own numbers. Real weeks will vary.
2
Your top 3, side by side
Ranked for your 10 hours a week, R5 000 budget and goal of R8 000 a month.
#1 Graphic design for small businesses
Start-up cost for you
R0 to R1 500
Time to first rand
usually 30 days (range 7 to 90)
Monthly, once going
R77 to R3 844
Skills to add
Marketing & social media
Risk
LowerEndless revisions: limit them in writing
Data
Needs reliable internet, which you have
Why it made your list
You picked graphic design as something you already do, so this path builds on it.
You said you are into art and making things, and writing and media, and that is what this work is about.
You rated yourself able to do graphic design, which this work needs.
You have about 10 hours a week. That covers the roughly 5 hours a week it needs to get going.
You most enjoy working with ideas, and that is most of the day here.
The work can happen in evenings and weekends, when you said you are free.
It needs a laptop, and you said you have one.
Monthly range: Once you have paying customers (usually month 3 or later): low end is 20% of your 10 weekly hours paid at R500/project; Marketplace + payout (blended) fees (Assumes ~10% platform fee plus ~3% payout/conversion via Payoneer.); R300 a month for data and tools. High end is 40% of your 10 weekly hours paid at R2 750/project; Marketplace + payout (blended) fees (Assumes ~10% platform fee plus ~3% payout/conversion via Payoneer.); R300 a month for data and tools. Source: Fiverr Help Center: how Fiverr works for freelancers.
#2 Digital templates and practical tools
Start-up cost for you
R0 to R1 500
Time to first rand
usually 90 days (range 14 to 365)
Monthly, once going
No reliable sales data yet, so we do not guess.
Skills to add
Marketing & social media
Risk
LowerBuilding before validating demand
Data
Needs reliable internet, which you have
Why it made your list
You said you are into art and making things, and writing and media, and that is what this work is about.
You most enjoy working with ideas, and that is most of the day here.
You rated yourself able to do graphic design, which this work needs.
You have about 10 hours a week. That covers the roughly 4 hours a week it needs to get going.
The work can happen in evenings and weekends, when you said you are free.
You would rather earn online, and this is done from your phone or computer.
It needs a laptop, and you said you have one.
#3 Printables and digital downloads on Etsy
Start-up cost for you
R0 to R1 000
Time to first rand
usually 90 days (range 30 to 270)
Monthly, once going
No reliable sales data yet, so we do not guess.
Skills to add
Marketing & social media
Risk
LowerSaturation
Data
Needs reliable internet, which you have
Why it made your list
You said you are into art and making things, and writing and media, and that is what this work is about.
You most enjoy working with ideas, and that is most of the day here.
You rated yourself able to do graphic design, which this work needs.
You have about 10 hours a week. That covers the roughly 4 hours a week it needs to get going.
The work can happen in evenings and weekends, when you said you are free.
You would rather earn online, and this is done from your phone or computer.
Paid research studies and surveysYou fit this well personally, but the commercial picture is weak (heavy competition, low demand evidence or high risk). Treat it as a side project until it proves itself.
Transcription and captioningYou fit this well personally, but the commercial picture is weak (heavy competition, low demand evidence or high risk). Treat it as a side project until it proves itself.
Expensive "passive income" courses and coaching funnelsIncome claims are rarely verifiable and the seller usually earns from selling the course. Passive income always needs upfront work, distribution and often capital. If a seller promised results that were false, you can complain to the National Consumer Commission.
3
Your earnings model
For graphic design for small businesses, filled in with your hours and goal. Change any number to see what it takes.
From your answers
Researched range R500 to R5 000
The rest goes on finding work, admin and learning. 40% is a fair start.
Our estimate for this kind of work. Change it once you know yours.
Assumes ~10% platform fee plus ~3% payout/conversion via Payoneer.
Data, software, transport. R300 is our starting guess.
Your salary before tax, if you have one. Used only for the tax estimate.
From your answers
Paid projects a month
2
Money in
R4 763
Payment fees
- R619
Costs
- R300
Estimated income tax
R0
Take-home a month
R3 844
To take home R8 000 a month, you would need one of these:
charge about R5 510 per project, which is above the researched range
sell about 4 projects a month at R2 750
work about 21 hours a week at today's price, more than double your hours
How this works: hours × 4.33 weeks × paid share × projects per hour × price, minus fees and costs. Tax is the extra SARS income tax (2026/27 tables) this adds to your other income. An estimate to plan with. It is never a promise. Price evidence for graphic design for small businesses: Logo design R500–R5,000 reported by JustMoney (secondary).
4
Your first 14 days
About 85 minutes a day from your 10 hours a week. Tick each one off; your dashboard shows the next one. Done: 0 of 14.
Week 1
0 of 7 done
Week 2
0 of 7 done
5
Her profile: eight value types
How she likes to work, from her answers. A description, not a validated psychometric test.
Proven
Strengths to lean on
Proven creator ability (paid or proven design).
Professional-level graphic design: the most valuable thing you can sell quickly.
You have work samples, which shortens the time to a first client.
Week 3First paid work
Reach 6 new people a week and follow up once with last week's
Work on this: Contract template with revision limits
Week 4Learn from month one
Reach 6 new people a week and follow up once with last week's
Raise prices for new clients
Month-one review: what got replies, what got paid, what you will drop
The rest of her plan
Weeks 3 to 13: 7 blocks of tasks, each with a focus and a target
5 templates filled in from her answers, ready to copy
Payment routes from South Africa with fees, tax in plain terms, and the scams on her path
Her blind spots, how she works best, and the budget and platforms for each of her top 3
Your plan is built the same way, from your own answers and for your own top 3.