How to Start an Online Business (Part 1)

There is an audio version below. NONE of the links in this series are affiliate links. I just want to give you value

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For 12 years, I was a bread delivery driver. When I say that to people, they tell me they have a hard time picturing that. My business and audience have exploded in the last few years, and many didn’t see how things were when I started my journey to create freedom.

The first time I made money in my online business was in late 2011. Someone—who wasn’t my friend or family—bought my book at $4.97. I was over-the-moon excited that a stranger would spend money with me. That first sale was important in helping shift my mindset. It helped me see that you can make money doing something you love.

Today, four years later, I have a business that involves writing—paid and free—for some great publications. I speak at conferences and companies all over the world. I consult three companies, and I have coached over 100 dreamers. I’ve built a six-figure-a-year online business coming from a place of not knowing anything about this stuff.

Today I’m starting a series that’s going to walk you through the basics of starting and building an online business. In January, I’m launching a $97 (three-week) course that will help you take what you learn in this series and apply it.

1. Pick a topic.

Picking the idea behind your online business is easier said than done. Your topic comes from this idea: Who do you want to help and what do you want help them do? This group of people/the idea can come from personal experience or research, but having clarity helps you build a business people will understand. Here is a podcast interview that could help you pick your topic and audience.

Take some time to get clarity on your topic. Look around at who else is talking about your topic and see how they’re doing. Your goal is NOT to copy them; your goal is to make sure it’s a profitable topic. Remember, this is a business, so it should make money. Too many dreamers treat this as a hobby—that’s not the way to achieve success. Talk to other entrepreneurs who are talking to your audience. You’d be surprised how helpful people are—we’re in this together.

2. Create your foundation.

First and foremost, it’s your website. I prefer WordPress as the platform for a website. WordPress powers a lot of websites on the web and gives you the functionality you’re going to need for your business. I suggest a “self-hosted” WordPress website, which means you’ll need to buy hosting from places such as BlueHost or GoDaddy (I use GoDaddy). There are other website platforms—such as Square Space and Wix—but Google doesn’t like those platforms as much. We witnessed this recently when Google de-indexed Wix websites. Plus, those platforms just don’t have the functionality.

Your website should be simple and clean—try to have the least amount of pages as possible. You have seven to 30 seconds when someone visits your site, if it’s confusing or too busy, people will click off. Have a home page and an about page that’s personal. When you put yourself on a pedestal, people will click off. Eden Dranger demonstrates this in a funny way:

Your goal is to make a connection, and that doesn’t happen if your about page isn’t very personal (we’ll get more into this a little later). After your home and about page on your website are covered, you need a “services” page that tells people what you offer. If you have a book, have a book page and courses page if you offer courses

The next part of your foundation is my least favorite: social media. You should have a “presence” on all the major social networks. Presence means you have a profile, and you post on a semi-regular basis. The best advice I can give you is to find one or two where you will be active. For me, I’m active on Facebook and Instagram. Instagram is an interesting one because it’s still a pretty untapped platform. I have a coaching client who sells $2,500 worth of book sales a month through Instagram. He doesn’t spend time on any other platforms. Yes, you read that correctly.

Just don’t get too caught up in the hype of social media. The organic reach of social media is super tiny these days. You have to pay to reach people, and I think you can build your business without spending a bunch of money. You get the idea. I broke down your foundation in this video:

In this series, I want to break this all down. I want to show you how you can build a profitable, location independent online business that you love. I want to take away all the mystery and show you what works today. There’s a lot of contradictory advice—you have a decision to make.

I know there are many reading this post that are frustrated. You have been trying to build this dream for a while, but things haven’t fallen into place. Go back to the basics. Make sure your topic is good and profitable, and that your foundation is solid. Focus on where you are at in this journey. I’ll see you in part two.

Audio version:

What part of your online business do you need to work on?

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