How Matthew Schissler Makes Money: Business Ventures, Investments & Income Sources

Introduction

Matthew Schissler is not a flashy tech billionaire or a celebrity CEO. Yet, curiosity about his income streams has grown steadily. Why? Because he represents a realistic blueprint for wealth: a former biotech founder who successfully pivoted to private investing, board roles, and franchise ownership—without a single massive exit.

People want to know: How does he actually earn money? Is it from running companies, sitting on boards, or cashing checks from investments? The answer is all three.

Schissler’s primary earning sources include business equity (Cord Blood America, Work Your Core Investments), private investment returns (small and mid-cap holdings through Pyrenees Investments and GHS Investments), and advisory/board compensation (e.g., IIOT-OXYS, Inc.).

This article breaks down each income stream in detail: how much stability they offer, their growth potential, and how they collectively build his estimated $8–15 million net worth.

Overview of Matthew Schissler’s Income Streams

Matthew Schissler’s income is not dependent on a single paycheck or company. Instead, he has constructed a diversified portfolio of four primary earning channels:

• Business Ownership – Equity and potential distributions from companies he founded or controls (Cord Blood America, Work Your Core Investments, Rainmakers International).
• Private Investments – Capital appreciation, dividends, and occasional exits from small and mid-cap equity holdings via Pyrenees Investments and GHS Investments.
• Advisory & Board Roles – Cash retainers, stock options, and consulting fees from corporate boards (e.g., IIOT-OXYS, Inc.).
• Other Ventures – Franchise income from fitness concepts, and potentially aviation-related leasing or fractional ownership.

• Matthew Schissler makes money through business equity, private investments, board roles, and franchise income.
• His largest income source is long-term capital appreciation from small and mid-cap investments.
• He also earns from advisory fees and ownership in Cord Blood America and Work Your Core Investments.

This multi-channel approach provides both stability (board retainers, franchise cash flow) and upside (equity appreciation, exits).

Earnings from Business Ventures

Cord Blood America (CBAI) – Founded in 2003, CBAI’s revenue model is straightforward: families pay for the collection, processing, and annual storage of umbilical cord blood stem cells. Contracts often include upfront fees plus recurring storage charges. As founder and former leader, Schissler earned through (1) salary during his active CEO period, (2) equity appreciation as the company grew and went public on OTC markets, and (3) potential distributions or secondary sales. While CBAI no longer dominates his income, residual equity still contributes to his net worth.

Work Your Core Investments – This venture marks Schissler’s entry into the fitness franchise sector. The business model typically involves either owning individual studio locations (generating monthly membership and class fees) or franchising the concept to third-party operators (earning royalties). Fitness franchises offer recurring, predictable cash flow—unlike the lumpy returns from startup exits. For Schissler, this income stream likely covers living expenses, allowing his investment portfolio to remain untouched.

Other entrepreneurial ventures – Schissler also founded or co-founded Rainmakers International (advertising/marketing) and Feel Golf Co., Inc. (sports equipment). Neither is a major earner today, but they provided operational cash flow during his early career. Any remaining equity or licensing income would be minor relative to his primary streams.

Private Investments & Equity Income

Schissler’s most scalable income source is his private investment portfolio, managed through Pyrenees Investments LLC and GHS Investments. Unlike passive index investors, he takes concentrated positions in small and mid-cap companies—often where he can add value through board seats or strategic advice.

How he earns from investments:

• Capital appreciation – He buys undervalued businesses and holds for years. When stock prices rise, his net worth increases. He may sell portions during market peaks, realizing gains.
• Dividends – Some small and mid-cap holdings pay regular dividends, providing cash income without selling shares.
• Exits – Occasionally, a portfolio company may be acquired or go public at a higher valuation, generating a lump-sum gain.

Long-term wealth accumulation strategy: Schissler explicitly avoids trading. He holds positions for multiple years, deferring taxes and allowing compounding to work. He once noted (paraphrased) that “trading turns you into a tax-paying speculator; owning turns you into an owner.” This philosophy means his investment income is largely unrealized (paper gains) until he decides to sell, but it steadily builds his net worth.

Advisory Roles, Board Positions & Consulting

Schissler monetizes his operational and financial expertise through board memberships and advisory roles.

Board memberships – He serves on the board of IIOT-OXYS, Inc., a small-cap industrial IoT company. Board compensation typically includes an annual cash retainer ($20,000\text{–}$20,000–60,000 for companies of this size) plus equity grants (stock options or restricted shares). The equity component aligns his interests with shareholders and can become highly valuable if the company grows.

Strategic advisory roles – While not publicly detailed, Schissler likely provides consulting to other small businesses or investment firms. Advisory fees can range from 5,000 to 15,000 per month depending on scope.

Why this matters: These roles provide semi-passive income—less work than running a company, but more involvement than passive investing. The cash retainers offer stability, while equity grants add upside.

Passive Income & Diversified Revenue Streams

Not all of Schissler’s income requires active work. He has built several truly passive or semi-passive streams:

• Passive investments – Some of his equity holdings are in businesses where he has no operational role. Dividends and capital gains flow automatically.
• Franchise income – Through Work Your Core Investments, franchise royalties (if he licenses the brand to others) or profit distributions from owned locations come in monthly with minimal oversight.
• Portfolio diversification – By spreading capital across biotech, fitness, industrials (IIOT-OXYS), and potentially aviation, he reduces dependence on any single sector. Stability improves because different industries cycle at different times.

Stability vs. active earnings: Franchise income and board retainers are relatively stable and predictable. Private investment returns are less predictable but offer higher growth potential. This balance ensures he can weather market downturns without forced selling.

Business Model Breakdown

The table below summarizes Schissler’s income sources by type, stability, and growth potential.

Income Source	Type	Stability	Growth Potential
Business Ventures (CBAI, Work Your Core)	Active / Semi-active	Medium	High
Private Investments (Pyrenees, GHS)	Passive	Medium	High
Advisory & Board Roles	Semi-active	High	Medium
Other (Aviation, past ventures)	Passive	Low	Low

Note: Stability refers to predictability of annual cash flow; Growth Potential refers to long-term appreciation or upside.

How His Income Translates Into Net Worth

Understanding Schissler’s income streams is only half the picture. The other half is reinvestment.

Most of his earned income—board retainers, franchise profits, consulting fees—does not get spent on luxury lifestyles. Instead, he reinvests it into his private investment vehicles (Pyrenees, GHS). This creates a compounding loop: more capital leads to more equity stakes, which leads to more appreciation, which leads to even more capital.

Similarly, when he sells a portion of an appreciated investment, the proceeds are redeployed into new opportunities rather than consumed. Only a modest portion of his income covers living expenses (aided by stable franchise cash flow).

For a detailed estimate of his total accumulated wealth, see our Matthew Schissler Net Worth article.

Financial Philosophy & Wealth Strategy

Schissler’s approach to money is defined by three principles:

Long-term value investing – He buys businesses, not tickers. He looks for durable competitive advantages, competent management, and reasonable valuations. Holding periods are measured in years, not months.

Diversification across asset types – He avoids over-concentration in any single company or sector. His portfolio spans biotech, fitness, industrials, and potentially aviation. Diversification reduces risk without sacrificing returns.

Strategic business involvement – Unlike pure passive investors, Schissler takes board seats when his expertise can increase a company’s value. This “active owner” approach enhances returns beyond what passive indexing could achieve.

This philosophy has allowed him to grow wealth steadily without taking excessive risks.

FAQs

Conclusion

Matthew Schissler’s income is not the result of a single lucky break. It is the product of a deliberately diversified earning strategy: business ownership provides equity upside, private investments drive long-term appreciation, board roles offer stable cash retainers, and franchises/fitness ventures generate recurring passive income.

What makes his approach instructive is the reinvestment discipline. Rather than inflating his lifestyle, he channels earnings back into his investment vehicles—creating a compounding engine that steadily increases his net worth.

To see how these income streams have accumulated into an estimated $8–15 million net worth, read our Matthew Schissler Net Worth article. For a deeper look at his career journey, explore the Matthew Schissler Biography: Career, Businesses & Financial Success Story.