You know the feeling — scouring the internet, reading analyst reports and listening to talking heads on financial TV, all in the hopes of finding that elusive “10-bagger” stock pick that could turn your modest investment into a life-changing windfall. But let’s be honest, by the time a hot stock is making headlines and being touted by the experts, the easy money has likely already been made.

The real fortunes are built by getting in early on under-the-radar stocks before the mainstream catches on. They’re often risky small-cap bets, but that’s exactly why they offer such mouthwatering upside potential.

You should never go all-in on penny stocks. However, it makes sense to have a solid base of blue-chip stocks as the core of your portfolio. Allocating a small slice — say 5 to -10% — to high-risk, high-reward plays can be the secret sauce that supercharges your overall returns. Here are three such stocks.

IZEA Worldwide (IZEA)

IZEA Worldwide (NASDAQ:IZEA) is in the influencer marketing space. The company has been connecting creators and marketers through advanced services tailored for top brands and agencies.

The rise of social media has ushered in a new era of influencers, and their numbers continue to swell as more people spend an increasing amount of their time online. That trend is unlikely to abate anytime soon, positioning IZEA as a potential long-term investment opportunity. The business is still relatively small, with its market capitalization hovering around $40 million. IZEA stock has also been trading sideways for the past year and a half.

However, the financial prospects here look promising for the long haul. Analysts project blistering earnings per share (EPS) growth, with the company expected to nearly break even in 2025. If this EPS growth trajectory sustains, we could witness IZEA pulling off multibaggers going forward, as the current market capitalization sits below forward revenue. That leaves ample room for margin expansion, and revenue is also anticipated to grow by 17% in 2024 and 22% in 2025.

Moreover, IZEA boasts a robust balance sheet, with $55 million in cash and no debt.

Spire Global (SPIR)

Spire Global (NYSE:SPIR) operates in the satellite business, a sector that carries inherent risks and volatility. However, that doesn’t preclude the possibility of SPIR stock delivering multibagger returns, especially considering its current undervaluation relative to its future prospects.

Satellite companies often trade at steep premiums despite generating meager sales and profits. If a space company can deliver both growth and profitability simultaneously, it could easily command a substantial premium from the market. Spire Global could be poised to do just that in the near future.

The company is expected to reach profitability in 2025, with analysts forecasting significant EPS growth going forward. Moreover, revenue growth is projected to hover around 30% annually, a remarkable feat for a company whose stock is currently trading at bargain-basement levels. This setup presents an ideal scenario for substantial upside potential.

Data Storage Corporation (DTST)

If you’ve been following my articles recently, you’re likely familiar with Data Storage Corporation (NASDAQ:DTST). It is a data center play that I’ve been bullish on and one that has paid off handsomely thus far. The cloud computing boom shows no signs of abating as the world becomes increasingly digitalized. AI is also becoming an integral part of our daily lives. Data demand is poised to skyrocket with the advent of new AI models like OpenAI’s text-to-video Sora model, making stocks like DTST an attractive long-term investment proposition.

While DTST has pulled back after a somewhat disappointing Q4 earnings report, I’m not losing any sleep over these numbers. The company missed revenue estimates by a mere 1.76%, coming in at $6.19 million versus the expected $6.3 million. And yes, the company posted a slight loss of 1 cent per share. However, Data Storage Corp still achieved profitability for the full year and is guiding for robust revenue growth going forward.

Moreover, the company maintains a 94% renewal rate with an average contract term of 24 months. The balance sheet includes $12.7 million in cash and marketable securities, no long-term debt, and over $11 million in working capital. Additionally, with over 60 proposals outstanding totaling over $8 million in potential contract value, the pipeline looks promising.

On the date of publication, Omor Ibne Ehsan did not hold (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.