There are a million articles and videos covering this topic and for a good reason, most people are curious about supplementing their income from their day job or earning enough from an entrepreneurial endeavor to be able to quit their 9–5 hustle altogether.
Being able to work remotely while making an extra income is the dream.
I’ve talked about how I did $318k in affiliate sales this past year, and while it takes dedication and practice, it’s not impossible.
Here’s the best piece of advice that I can provide to any reader that’s looking to start an entrepreneurial endeavor:
Just start.
As much as it might seem like my favorite writers on this platform, Youtubers, etc. may appear as though they have all of the answers, rest assured that they don’t.
Nobody has all of the answers.
It’s about trying, failing, and continuing to try — even when there isn’t a soul watching or reading your content, buying your products or services, etc.
Pick one niche or topic and stick to it for a year.
This is the hardest part, in my humble opinion.
Many of us (including myself) get shiny object syndrome.
We want to try our hand at e-commerce, we want to write, create video content, grow an Instagram following, etc.
I get bored easily and love change.
Many might see my boredom and hunger for newness as a positive, and while adaptability is great, getting bored isn’t.
Here’s the truth:
Unless you have a huge team of freelancers or staff on payroll (which let’s be honest, nobody has any help when they first start) — it’s impossible to do multiple ventures at once and be successful.
Ideally, you want to pick a topic that you’re an expert in or that you have a passion for.
It’s much easier to stick to a venture long-term when you enjoy the subject that you’re creating content around, or when the product or service that you’re offering brings you joy.
You need to see value in the vision that you’re working to create.
You need to have a sense of purpose.
Pick a topic and then pick a platform — whether that’s Youtube, Medium, etc. and stick to it for a year.
It takes an extended period to gain traction and see growth; most people quit too soon.
You don’t need to worry about monetizing immediately and having a grand plan.
As you create and grow, there will be opportunities that present themselves, such as affiliate opportunities from brands, sponsorships, creating your own products or services, etc.
When you start, go “all-in” on content and give as much away for free to your audience — the rest will work itself out later.
Figure out how you can add value. What new, fresh, perspective can you offer?
Everyone’s afraid of competition.
I’ve had family, friends, and readers ask me for advice about starting a blog or a business.
“But the niche or business I want to enter is so oversaturated”, they say.
Are you sure?
I was talking to a friend the other day who owns a nail salon. I was telling her that while there are hair and nail salons on every corner, there aren’t exceptional hair/nail salons on every corner.
I could absolutely go back into the archives and find some horrid pictures of haircuts/coloring services that went absolutely wrong.
Don’t worry about entering an over-saturated market; worry about being the best in your field.
If you focus on adding value and listening to the needs of your audience, you never have to worry about competition.
There are no growth hacks, sales tactics, etc.
The only “hack” is to relentlessly serve your customers.
Don’t be afraid to outsource
This is an area where I’m finally surrendering.
I want to grow and scale, but I don’t have the bandwidth.
I work in tech sales by day, and I have a huge quota that I need to hit.
I love sales, but it’s stressful and there are 24 hours in a day and I’m only one person.
I have finally taken advice from Abena Talks, and I’m beginning to outsource work for some of the niche sites that I’m building.
Managing people isn’t always easy and it’s trial and error to find good freelancers, but given that you can outsource affordably, the stakes are fairly low.
The inability to delegate is often the trait that cripples entrepreneurs; don’t let that be you!
In Summary: Pick a niche
Pick a platform
Create Content
Sell a product or service if that’s your thing. If not, that’s okay too; there are a million ways to make money online (I like affiliate marketing).
Keep going and be consistent. Consistency is just as important as hard work. Nothing happens overnight, and it’s tough to gain momentum without posting content frequently.
Delegate as soon as you’re able to. You will not be good at every task, nor will you have the time to do everything solo!
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