Can I clearly articulate the monetization strategy?

Man, I totally get it. It's exactly like when I go home for Chinese New Year, and my mom asks me, "What exactly are you typing on that computer that makes you money?" Explaining "how you make money" to laypeople, especially elders, is a skill in itself – harder than writing code.

Don't talk tech. Don't ramble about "architecture," "concurrency," or "algorithms" – nobody cares. Just remember, the essence of business hasn't changed for thousands of years: it's "value exchange." You need to translate what you do into a "business" they can understand.

You can try explaining it using this three-step approach:

Step One: Clearly state who you "serve". Don't say "my users are..." Speak in plain language. Is it "small business owners who want to open an online store but don't know how to use a computer"? Is it "young people who want to watch international dramas but can't find resources"? Or "HR personnel at companies managing hundreds of employees, who get headaches over attendance every day"? The more specific you describe this person, the more they resemble someone familiar, the easier it is to understand.

Step Two: Clearly state what "problem" you solve for them. Your product or service is like a "band-aid" or a "painkiller." This problem must be something they can empathize with.

For example, helping small business owners solve the problem of "wanting to sell things online but not knowing how to set up a shop or collect payments."
For example, helping young people solve the problem of "finding a show but it has no subtitles or keeps buffering."
For example, helping HR personnel solve the problem of "tallying attendance at the end of the month for hundreds of people, with latecomers and leave requests, driving them crazy."

Step Three: Clearly explain "why" they are willing to pay you. This is the most crucial part: your monetization model. Compare it to the most common things in everyday life:

If you're in SaaS (monthly/annual subscription): You can say, "I provide them with a 'tool' or a 'venue' to use. They don't need to buy it themselves; they just pay me a small 'rent' every month. It's like they don't have to buy their own generator; they just pay the electricity bill monthly. I ensure the tool works well and doesn't break, saving them hassle."
If you're running a platform/brokerage (commission-based): You can say, "I've opened a 'big marketplace.' On one side, I attract people who want to sell things to open shops, and on the other, I attract people who want to buy things to browse. The more people there are, the livelier the market becomes. I help them close deals, and I take a small 'brokerage fee' or 'stall fee' from the seller's transaction amount. Didi, Taobao, and Meituan all operate this way."
If you make money through advertising: You can say, "I've set up a 'TV station' or a 'free magazine' (your app or website). The content I create (articles, videos, small tools) is very popular, so it attracts a lot of attention. Then, manufacturers who want to sell things, like car dealers or real estate agents, are willing to pay to run ads on my 'TV station' so more people see their products. I earn money from advertisers."
If you sell software/services directly (one-time payment): This is the simplest. You can say, "I'm like a 'craftsman,' for example, an interior designer. I tailor a solution (software) for the client or help them solve a technical problem (service), and they pay the 'labor fee' in one lump sum."

So, the next time someone asks, you can combine it into one sentence:

"I mainly help small restaurant owners solve the problem of customers always forgetting coupons, leading to fewer repeat visits. I developed a mini-program that automatically issues coupons to customers after their meal, which they can use next time. To attract more repeat customers, the owner is willing to pay me a few hundred dollars in 'service fees' every month."

See? When you put it that way, it doesn't sound so "high-tech," does it? They might not understand what a mini-program is, but they definitely understand "repeat customers," "service fees," and "attracting business."

Remember, your goal isn't to turn them into IT experts, but to let them generally know: You're not just messing around; you're running a legitimate business. That's enough.