When currency collapses, reputation becomes money. But reputation for what? In the emerging barter economy, generalists starve while strategic specialists thrive. The key is choosing your domain wisely.
The Domain Selection Matrix
High Value + Low Competition + Local Need + Your Capability = Your Domain
Roberto's analysis: - Coding skills: High capability, but infinite AI competition - Cooking skills: Moderate capability, moderate local need - Repair skills: Low current capability, high local need - Network building: High capability, critical emerging need
Roberto chose network building. Not the most obvious choice, but the most strategic for his strengths and the emerging economy.
The Five Domains That Matter
Domain 1: Access Become the person who can get things—not through hoarding but through connections. The trader, the finder, the resourceful one.
Example: Linda became "the person who knows where to find things." Need specific parts? Linda knows who has them. Looking for heritage seeds? Linda has the connection. Her value wasn't in having everything but in knowing where everything was.
Domain 2: Repair In a disposable economy, repair skills atrophy. In a resource-constrained economy, they become vital. The fixer inherits the earth.
Example: James couldn't fix everything, but he became the electronics repair master. Phones, computers, tablets, smart devices—if it had a circuit board, James could resurrect it. In a world of planned obsolescence meeting resource scarcity, James became invaluable.
Domain 3: Communication When official channels fail or become unreliable, alternative communication becomes critical. Be the signal in the noise.
Example: Maria established the neighborhood's informal communication network. Part digital (mesh networks and encrypted channels), part analog (bulletin boards and runners), part social (regular gatherings). When cell towers went down for a week, Maria's network never missed a beat.
Domain 4: Organization Chaos creates opportunity for organizers. In disruption, the person who can coordinate resources and people becomes essential.
Example: David organized nothing fancy—just a neighborhood skill share. But his spreadsheet matching needs with abilities, his regular coordination meetings, and his fair exchange protocols made him the de facto resource coordinator for 200 households.
Domain 5: Preservation Whether food, knowledge, or culture—preservation skills become critical when production systems fail. Be the keeper of essential things.
Example: Karen's domain was food preservation. Not just canning and drying, but teaching, coordinating group preserving sessions, and maintaining the community seed bank. When supply chains stuttered, Karen's preserved food network kept eating.
The Go-To Evolution Process
Stage 1: Skill Development (Months 1-3) - Choose your domain based on the matrix - Develop competence through practice - Start small, fail cheap, learn fast
Stage 2: Reputation Building (Months 4-6) - Offer services free to build credibility - Document successes (photos, testimonials) - Create word-of-mouth momentum
Stage 3: Network Integration (Months 7-9) - Connect with others in related domains - Build referral relationships - Create collaborative value
Stage 4: Position Consolidation (Months 10-12) - Become the assumed solution - Build systems for scale - Train others to extend reach
The Specialization Paradox
Counter-intuitively, the narrower your specialty, the wider your influence. General handymen struggle. The person who fixes bicycles exclusively becomes essential to everyone who rides.