I’m one of those people who likes variety. I like to work on a couple of different projects and I am HIGHLY curious about many different ways to build business. For an online business this can be a good thing but it can also be a very bad thing. If you are not careful you can easily spin your wheels, get nothing done, and burn yourself out without anything really to show for your efforts.
Since 2008 I’ve done a huge variety of things to earn a living online. Here are my biggest lessons learned so far.
1. KNOW YOURSELF. OMG! This is a BIG lesson learned. You have to understand you. You MUST understand what skills you have to offer, what you truly enjoy doing, what you do not like doing, and how you can best serve others. REALLY know you because only then will you work in your zone of genius and your work will be fulfilling.
2. FOCUS on ONE income stream at a time. I’m sure you’ve heard that diversity is key to success in your biz before. And while it is a key to success it can also be a BIG hindrance. In order to build something with substance (and that earns you a good income) you must focus on ONE way first. Only after you have a good stream of income coming in should you diversify.
3. Your income CAN dry up. Oh yeah you don’t have it made just because you started making an income doing XYZ. You have to be consistent in some form of marketing or your stream of income will try up. Don’t get caught up in the hype…there is always work to do. Luckily there are smarter ways to work.
4. Get help sooner. The way I see it you need support in three different ways. You need a coach/mentor for times when you feel a little lost or unsure of your next move. You also need to build a team to support your business (i.e. a virtual assistant, project manager, or other types of help you can outsource). The third type of support is having business partners that support you (and you support them) through an affiliate program.
5. It’s okay to change directions. This comes back to not really understand you or want you want out of a business. If you don’t feel fulfilled then by all means change up what you are doing. It’s okay…we are all on a journey.
6.BONUS. If you need cash NOW then provide a niche service. This is what helped me get through some rough patches in my online business journey!
What lessons have you learned along the way on your journey in business? I’d love to know in the comments below!