There are plenty of "non-CFI" jobs you can get to work your way up. Start out doing traffic/pipeline surveys and maybe banner towing. Build over 1000 hours or so on that. Then take a look at small time cargo gigs or crop dusting, both will get you more complex aircraft time and don't require CFI work.
That said, learning to teach, and really putting the effort into that, can exponentially improve your understanding of this field. There is a saying, "if you can teach it then you know it." I am 100 percent for getting your CFI and really taking the time to do it, but it isn't the be all end all to getting into this field. Do some research on low time pilot gigs, there are plenty.