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Earlier this month, actor Drake Bell revealed something surprising.

Despite starring in Drake & Josh, one of Nickelodeon’s biggest hits and a show still trending on Netflix today, he doesn’t earn a single dollar in residuals.

Not from reruns, not from streaming, not from syndication.

During an appearance on The Unplanned Podcast, Bell explained that he was paid a one-time fee per episode as a child actor. That’s it. No backend, no royalties, no long-term share in the value he helped create.

The show lives on. The money still flows. But he gets none of it.

This isn’t just about show business.

If you’re building courses, content, brands, or systems, the same thing can happen to you.

You create something that works. Maybe it even scales. But if you don’t structure things right, you could be locked out of the long-term upside your work helped generate.

Here’s what that looks like in real life:

• You publish a top-selling course, but the platform owns the IP and controls pricing
  

• You deliver a winning strategy that becomes a client’s core product, but you were only paid for the initial consult
  

• You build a brand system or campaign that drives ongoing growth, but signed away rights
  

• You create templates or frameworks that get repackaged and resold, without any rev share

In each case, the “creator” does the heavy lifting. But once the invoice is paid, the income stops.

So how can you flip the script?

Instead of taking one-time payments, some entrepreneurs and creators are negotiating for ownership, royalties, and performance-based equity.

• 50 Cent famously took equity in Vitamin Water instead of cash. When Coca-Cola bought the brand, he reportedly made up to $100 million.
  

• Alix Earle, a TikTok influencer, took an equity stake in Poppi rather than a flat sponsorship. When PepsiCo acquired the brand, she didn’t just get paid, she earned a meaningful return.
  

• Behind the scenes, more consultants and freelancers are structuring deals that include equity, rev share, or licensing fees tied to long-term success.

Of course, sometimes a flat fee is the right call. The important thing is making sure you’ve considered all your options and structured the deal in a way that matches the value you’re bringing.

If you’re doing valuable work, ask yourself:

1. Do I still own what I created?
   If not, can you negotiate licensing rights or equity on future projects?
   

2. Can this earn more than once?
   Recurring income, royalties, and equity can turn one-off work into long-term wealth.
   

3. Am I thinking about taxes and growth?
   In some cases, you can even hold equity inside a Solo 401k. That means potential gains could grow tax-deferred (or tax-free) if structured properly.

Here’s the bottom line.

Creating value is just the beginning.

If you don’t protect your upside, you could spend years building something incredible… that pays everyone else but you.

Ownership matters. Structure matters.

And the smartest entrepreneurs aren’t just working hard. They’re building systems that keep working for them.

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If you want more resources on building wealth as a solopreneur/entrepreneur, check these out:

• The Solo 401k handbook

• The Roth IRA handbook

• The Self-Directed IRA handbook

• The Guide to Paying Less in Taxes

• What is a Solo 401k?

• How to Open a Solo 401k