Hey, Reader —
Every December, I revisit the sketch that reshaped my business.
Twenty years ago, frustrated with the wrong kinds of clients, I drew a simple matrix to help me sort out what was really worth my time. That sketch turned into a powerful tool I’ve shared with thousands of solopreneurs. I bring it back every year to help you plan the next one with more clarity, more purpose, and ideally, more joy.
Meet the Money-Fun Matrix
The Money-Fun Matrix is a simple 2x2 tool I created to evaluate the clients and projects I worked with each year. It helps clarify what to continue, and what to cut.
I’ve used this tool in workshops and coaching sessions, and it’s always energizing to see the lightbulb moments when people realize how much it can shift their work.
Best of all, clarifying where to focus your efforts takes only about 15 minutes.
This matrix analyzes clients and projects based on two factors: Money and Fun.
It asks: Was it worthwhile to work with this client or on this project, both professionally and financially?
Here’s how the Money-Fun matrix works:
The graph has four quadrants based on two axes. The horizontal axis is money, from low to high, left to right. The vertical axis is fun, from low to high.
Reflect on the clients and projects you've worked on in the past year and determine their quadrant classification.
Where are your projects on the matrix?
🔵 Low Fun, Low Money (lower left):
This is the worst quadrant. The work wasn’t rewarding, professionally or financially. You remove these clients/projects from your list.
🔵 High Money, Low Fun (lower right):
This work didn’t stretch you professionally, but you were well compensated. Ideally, you wouldn’t need to consider this work, but bills need to be paid.
🔵 High Fun, Low Money (upper left):
These clients or projects were fun and pushed you creatively, but the budgets were tight and the profits minimal. This quadrant can be worthwhile if it enhances your skills, expands your network, or leads to future work referrals.
🔵 High Fun, High Money (upper right):
This is the ideal situation. The work was challenging and expanded your skill set. The clients were appreciative, and you were well compensated. Focus future marketing efforts here. Do more work with past clients in this quadrant, or find other clients and projects that fit this profile.
Get clear on your target quadrant
Each year, I aim to work with clients or on projects that keep me above the horizontal “fun” threshold. I remain open to limited-budget projects if they offer something else, like exploring new intellectual areas or meeting new colleagues.
When starting your business, you may be unable to turn down paying work. But as your company matures, you'll find that where you focus your thinking (and marketing) often determines your endpoint.
The Money-Fun Matrix can help you clarify the types of clients and projects you want to work on.
If you don’t analyze your clients and projects, you won’t know where to invest your time, energy, and financial resources to grow your business.
Upgrade your year in 15 minutes
Take a few minutes before year’s end to plot your 2025 clients and projects on this matrix. What patterns do you see? What quadrant do you want to focus on in 2026?
Even 15 minutes with this tool can surface surprising insights and shape smarter decisions for the new year.
Thanks for being a Solo Field Notes reader in 2025. Here’s wishing you an abundance of money and fun in the New Year!
Here are some other fun things I discovered this week to share with you. This time, all three tools are about thinking clearly, visually, and with a little less friction.
🔵 Whiteboards, but made fun again
Do you feel confined by the structure of digital whiteboards? Check out Kinopio, a new visual thinking tool that feels more like play than productivity. Use it to brainstorm, plan, moodboard, or just make sense of scattered ideas. Free for 100 cards, and no signup needed. Plus, no AI integrations!
🔵 Track projects with clarity and zero friction
If you like the visual rhythm of kanban boards and moving cards on screen, you’ll probably love Fizzy. It’s a new progress-tracking tool from 37signals (makers of Basecamp and HEY) that feels light, fast, and surprisingly fun. Track projects, ideas, and to-dos without the usual drag of overbuilt tools. Free for up to 1,000 cards and 1 GB of storage.
🔵 Brainstorm visually, with AI help
Mixboard is a new experimental tool from Google Labs that turns brainstorming into a visual, AI-powered experience. Start with a prompt, then explore directions using AI-generated images, editable text, and natural-language commands. It’s a digital moodboard that evolves as you think, from product ideas to visual collections. You can even tweak images with plain English thanks to Google’s new Nano Banana model. Currently in public beta (U.S. only).
Until next week: Stay small. Play big.
Terri
P.S. When you’re ready for more, here are a few resources from the Solo Business School:
Want to send a question or comment? Please do — I read (and respond to) my email.
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Authority By Design is a registered trademark, and Content Velocity and Working Solo are trademarks, of Make International LLC. Issue #093.
