Busting Making Money Online Myths

by vanessa | May 4, 2022 | creativity, Entrepreneurs, motivation, personal development, Side-Hustles

Busting Making Money Online Myths

They are numerous making money online myths, the four below are the most common and popular.

Here I am again. Your personal myth buster. Haven’t done a segment like this in a while. So, I thought I would dust my favorite yellow myth busting jacket. Take it out of the closet and tantalize your interest. So this year I wanted to bust making money online myths. Here’s the thing about making money. It isn’t easy and there is so much noise out there. No white noise. No, this is the kind of noise that gives you a migraine because of misinformation or just too much information.

The internet has been around since the 90’s. That’s a long time. Making money online started as early as the late 90’s. Strange right, but if you were old enough back, then you must remember subscriptions and even paying for email newsletters. Back then, though, it was in its infancy. Too young to make a dent or splash in the papers. Not enough people were interested.

Making money online became popular after 2008. When the world was hit with a tsunami of bad news. You remember the year? People lost their jobs. Inflation was at an all-time high. Well before the pandemic. College grads were now wondering what they’d do with their life. High school seniors weren’t optimistic about their future. It just wasn’t the best year. But that is when entrepreneurship became popular and more people were trying to find out how to make money online. So, this isn’t a new wave. Every year, this industry grows. And because of that, so do the tails start wagging even more. They are a lot of myths out there. So, I thought I would take the time to bust making money online myths.

Myth 1# People don’t make money online

I have an aunt who I love dearly. When she visited my family seven years ago before, I really made headway in making money online. She told me a story about how a friend of hers’ lost money online. She then told me, ” people don’t make money online.” Now, I had done my research and knew that they are dozens of ways to make money online. I couldn’t blame her. They are many people who think that.

So here’s the first making money online myth that I want to bust. People make money online. You know that adage; they are many ways to skin a cat. What they don’t tell you is that they are right and wrong ways to do it. They are people who never make money online. That’s because they aren’t doing it the right way. Be smart when you want to make money online. That requires foresight and something many of us are terrible at. You got it. Patience. Be patient. You know squirrels spend a lot of their time finding the right nuts to bury. They will forage until they find the right nuts. Many of us aren’t patient. We give up way too early and because of that, we cannot achieve what we want.

If you want to make money, then you need to practice patience. Not the easiest thing to do, but it is the most rewarding thing you can do. Think of what you want to achieve and then focus on that. Let that be the reason behind your purpose.

Myth 2# You need lots of money to make money online

They are dozens of ways to make money online. Some require more money than others. Others you don’t need as much. There’s a twofold way to bust making money online myth two. The first fold is that you can start simple and progress from there. What skills do you have? Maybe you are great at writing or even good at being on camera.

Starting a blog or YouTube channel requires the least amount of money. In 2018, when I started my blog. I didn’t have any money. There was zero dollars in my bank account. My big brother sent me some money. I put it in a bank account. It was only one hundred dollars, and I started my blog with that. I paid for a month using Hostgator and I went from there. Sometimes you don’t need the full picture. Often you just need a smaller one. Use what you have instead of focusing on what you don’t. Even if you have no money, you can borrow or you can make money. I will share that with you later.

You can even start with a YouTube channel. Just use your phone and a lavalier mic that you can get for $20. That’s all you need. So myth two has been busted. If you still have doubts, think about how massive the internet is. It is literally it’s own country. A global opportunity that awaits you to take a chance and decide that you can do it.

Myth 3# You need to be a genius

Maybe you aren’t an intellectual. Few people are. You might not create the next big thing, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make money online. I was once told to find what people want and give them that. That is the secret to making money online. So, it isn’t novel. So what? Give people what they want. That’s how people make money. Follow the trends and figure out what is missing. See what people are doing and do that. You don’t need to be brainy to make money online.

That is one of the biggest making money online myths out there. Change your perspective. Realize that you can be an average Jane or Joe and still make money. In fact, the more relatable you are, the better. Those are the people we connect with. Not the top gurus. Sure they make money. Being famous has its advantages. Those of us who were slow to jump on the ride need relatability to connect with people. They are people who once were relatable who no longer are because they forgot what made people connect with them.

The best way to make money is by looking at your skill set. We all have skills. No single person on the planet doesn’t have that one thing they excel at. And I’m sure they are people who would pay good money to learn that. Unless your skill is so niche and out there that people wouldn’t be interested in. That’s rare though. People these days can make money from literally anything. So, you are in good company. Myth three has been busted. Now onto the last one.

Also Related: Why Entrepreneurship is The New Normal?

Myth 4# Making money online is a scam

For every con artist, there is a legit salesperson. Did you ever read Confessions of a Door to Door sales agent? It was a brilliant read. It tells the story of a struggling salesperson. He struggled to sell his products for several reasons. Many thought he was a scammer. The second reason is he was selling things no one wanted. Perhaps he was selling to the wrong demographic. And he didn’t know how to market his products.

There will always be people who question everything online. “Did so and so really make money from doing that?” I remember reading how webnovel platforms were scammers because of how they’d approach authors instead of the other way around. Now, self-publishing is still better because you make more money but webnovelists do make money.

A webnovel is simply when an author serializes his content or novel and publishes it on a platform. Think Charles Dickens. Now, don’t get me wrong, they are online scams. You just have to be picky with what you spend your time on. The way I look at is like this. The marketplace was niche. So con artists back in the day would con those that were in a particular city or district. Now, the marketplace is global. They are more options out there to scam people. But not everything is a scam. Therefore, you need to take your time understanding how to make money online.

The number one reason people get scammed is that they aren’t knowledgeable. That’s why I created this blog post series. By the end you will know how to bust making money online myths. You will also know how to make money online without losing sleep and losing hair.

What is your one takeaway from this post? What making money online myths did you think were true? Comment below.

KEEP PUSHING

VANESSA

Passive Income Vs Active Income (Ultimate Beginner’s Guide)

by vanessa | Mar 23, 2022 | Blog, Entrepreneurs, Side-Hustles, Success

6 BRILLIANT wayS TO MASTER SELF-SABOTAGE

Here is a break down about passive income and active income

No matter how you make money, it falls into two categories. Passive income and active income. Thing is most people can’t tell the difference between the two and often they can easily mistake these two types of incomes. Passive income is investment that is achieved through past work that was done. This can be the course you paid for, the ebook you read, the affiliate link you clicked on. Often the work is done once and as a result the person earns income for work on a daily or monthly basis.

It depends on how much time they spent creating the product. Passive income is usually a result of digital products, but it can be earned in other ways as well, but that is the most common way to earn passive income. Active income is different though. Your job is a active income. You earn based on a salary. The harder you work, the more you make. That’s the big difference.

Why is it important to understand these two terms? Because they are so many ways to make money online. But most people have no idea because they don’t understand how passive or active income works. That’s why I created this blog post because before we get into the nitty gritty we need to understand the two categories of income. Once, you have an idea you will understand ways you can make money online. Let’s start.

Passive income (Explained)

When it comes to the top dogs of income it’s passive income. Why? We have limited time on our hands. If you ever wanted to know how people become wealthy it’s passive income. Unfortunately because many people don’t understand passive income they think it’s the illusive pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Often they assume people exaggerate so they don’t bother.

Passive income has so many advantages. The advantages outweigh all the disadvantages. Yes, passive income seems like a dream come true, but I would be misleading you if I didn’t tell you the uphill battle you will face. Everyone wants to make passive income. Unfortunately that makes it harder to make it. Competition is stiff. Not saying it’s like Hunger Games. But you will need to understand marketing and be well versed in self-discipline. Because it takes a lot to make this kind of income.

It’s worth it when you figure it out though, but it does require time. Unfortunately not everything is a given. If you also don’t know what you are doing you can get overwhelmed because of how many options they are when it comes to making passive income.

Also Related: How to Stop Comparing Yourself to Others

Why is passive income important

In this blog post, I list down all the passive income opportunities because they are so many. I will reserve that for another blog. But I do want you to know why passive income is more important than active income. They are limited number of hours in a day. We all know that. But more importantly you can’t duplicate yourself. So, time will always restrict you in terms of making money.

This is where passive income comes in. However, you need to understand that it takes time to build it. I learned an important fact from my father. Everything worthwhile takes time. So, the same applies here. It takes time to build passive income streams which ever you choose to do. But in the long term it is worth. You can be lying on a beach and earn money. But it won’t roll in if you don’t build something and work on selling it. The first $50 I earned online was through affiliate marketing. One of the most popular passive income streams. It was then that I saw the value passive income has.

Active Income (Explained)

Many of us are used to active income. Sometimes it is called residual income or earned income. This is income you earn from a salary, hourly wage or commission. You work for every dime. Now you can’t get rich with this kind of income, but that doesn’t take away it’s importance. Passive income takes time and often you need money in order for you to do passive income.

This is where active income comes in. It will help you to raise enough money for you to start building your passive income streams. They are reasons why people don’t start a business. Besides it taking time, they also don’t have enough money. This is where active income becomes advantageous. You can work so that you raise enough money to build your business.

Active income requires a lot of work as well because you are paying based on the hours you are working. So if you are working 10 hours per day, you calculate that. It depends on what you are doing. Though, if you don’t get a task for the month you don’t make money. If you don’t have a shift then you don’t get paid. You work and then get paid. Not once, but repeatedly.

Below are the main types of active income

Also Related: 7 Things Holding You Back in Life

1. Salary

Most people earn this kind of income. You are trading your year for an income. You go to work at 8am and come back at 5pm. It’s a consistent revenue stream because you know you can depend on money coming into your bank account at a certain time or month. You often go to college or university to earn this kind of income. Though, they are times when you can simply have just a qualification. That’s all you need to be eligible to earn a salary.

2. Hourly wage

Those who don’t have qualifications or are still in school can earn this kind of active income. You get paid by the hour. So if you work for five hours per day and make $15 per hour then that is how much you make per day. It is easier to get this kind of active income than a salary. You can work at a fast food restaurant, deliver food, work for a company like Uber and the list goes on to make this kind of money.

3. Commissions

This type of active income stream helps you to make more money. It’s more profitable than the other two because it comes to the sales you make. They are some jobs where you can make commissions on top of your salary. You get this if you are in sales, events and even real estate. You make a percentage of the initial sale. So, it all comes to how much you sold a property or how much a client paid the company for a service.

4. Tips

If you are in the hospitality industry this is the active income you will earn. Tips are based on how much people want to give you. There’s no exact figure though it depends on where you work. For example, you are likely to make more money in tips if you work at a country club compared to a fast food restaurant. It all comes down to where you work.

5. Freelancing and consulting

If none of the above tickles your fancy and you want to be your own boss. You can do this one. Just like passive income streams this active income isn’t as easy as the others listed above. You need to market yourself well, but you can also start on freelancing sites like Fiverr or Guru or even 99Designs. It depends on what you want to do. You calculate your worth. You can earn anything from 6 to 7 figures doing this. They are people who became millionaires on Fiverr. So, the options are there, but it depends on how good you are.

When I was starting I did this and earned quite a bit of money from it as a result.

Which is better passive income or active income?

This depends on where you are in life. If you want to start a business, but are unsure how to do so you can start with freelancing or even the other active income opportunities. If you have time on your hand and even have more money, you can do try your hand at passive income. Each of these income types is worth it. It is worthy, but it all comes to you and your experience level.

I will say this though passive income is better than active income. For a lot of reasons. You make more money in the long run. You can also free up your time when you build the right systems. Even though it does take time it is worth it. So, even though it depends on where you are, you should be focusing on getting yourself ready to build passive income streams.

The great thing about passive income is that you can have numerous streams of income. With active income you have to pick one of two jobs depending on which active income stream you picked. If you have a salary than that will be challenging. The amount of money you make is limited by your hours. Passive income doesn’t have that. You can have seven to twenty-one different ways to make money.

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What is your major takeaway from this blog post? Comment below

KEEP PUSHING

VANESSA

The 10 Best Business Models for 2021

by vanessa | Dec 16, 2020 | Entrepreneurs, Side-Hustles, Success

the 10 best business models for 2021

These are 10 ways you can improve your life in less than 30 minutes.

If you asked me when I graduated college, I would start my company. I would have laughed at you. The strange thing is that the world has forever changed and so has entrepreneurship. Back in the early 2010s, it was something people did in their spare time. And very little was known about blogging or how to be successful at it.

Flash forward to 2016 and there was a tremendous surge in people who started their companies. Many bloggers became instant sensations and started their blogging empire. There were also other entrepreneurs who became influencers. Hard to believe that was four, nearly five years ago. This year has hit many of us hard. And another boom is about to going to emerge. Many people who lost their jobs will start a company or two.

And maybe you want to be part of that. And you have no idea how to start or what business models will intrigue you. I wanted to talk about the ten best business models because many business models might be outdated or hard to start in this climate. For instance, starting a brick-and-mortar business won’t be as easy to start as it was. So, that option is out of the window.

Who doesn’t know about franchises? But unless you have a rich uncle or aunt who will give you money, then it will be tricky getting a bank to give you the money. And with what has happened this year, there’s no guarantee that next year this business model will be as profitable. A lot has changed for the way the world looks and functions, so when you are choosing a business model, you need one that will work for you.

What this means is you need to pick a business model that won’t cause you a financial hassle. You want a business model that you can start with less than $500. Yes, that is possible. But it all starts with understanding business models and being cautious. So, without further ado, let’s get into the meat of this article.

What the heck is a business model?

If you learned business in high school, you might have captured the basics of a business model. What you learned is still relevant today. A business model is the structure of your business.

What are you selling?
How are you selling it?

That sounds too simple. But this is exactly what a business model is. The reason you need one is you need to know the direction you are going into. Most businesses started from one business model and then as they grew, they added more. So, if you are mulitpassionate or you are worried you won’t be satisfied with one, that’s alright, you can pick one then pick more when your business grows.

This is for simplicity. We want to make your life as easy as it can be. These business models range from easy to hard, but it all comes to what your experience is. We will get into that with every business model, so you aren’t stuck with options.

Also Related: How to Start A Business in Just 3 Months

1. Services

Yup, you guessed it. Services are one of the 10 best business models for 2021. It will always be relevant regardless of technological advancements. We are always looking for people to help us with a problem. You trade your time for your client’s money. This is simple to set-up because you don’t need to be technological. However, it requires a lot of time to do this one. Because you are trading your time for money, you won’t make as much money as you want to. Writers, coaches, yoga teachers, make-up artists, graphic designers, virtual assistants, wedding co-coordinators etc fit well into this category.

2. Products

This is one of the best business models to set up for 2021. There are hundreds of articles on how to set up a profitable product-based business. When you sell jewelry, Ebooks, courses, printable, wine or cupcakes, you have a product-based business. As you can see from the list above, you can sell either physical or digital products. The reason this business model is easy is that it is clearly defined. You need to sell a physical or digital product to become profitable. I suggest selling digital products if you are starting out because you won’t require a lot of money to start your business. However, if you want to sell physical products just remember you need to have saved enough money for equipment, fulfillment and other incurred expenses.

3. B2B (business to business)

This is one of the best business models for 2021 because companies will always buy from other business. This is what B2B is. One company sells to another company instead of an individual. Take for example Apple buying phone chips from Samsung or any other company that buys from another company. This is how they stay afloat. Another simpler example are event companies. They might not buy a product, but could rent it. They rent space, chairs, equipment and buy food from catering companies. They are a lot of examples of B2B.

4. B2C (business to consumer)

This is one of the best business models for 2021. B2B and B2C business models will continue to exist because they will always be businesses that need to buy from other companies and they will always be businesses that sell to consumers. This is what B2C is. Businesses create a product to meet an individual’s goal, and then they sell it. Think grocery stores, bookstores, or any other store or company that you walk into. Maybe it’s your Netflix subscription or the furniture store or even the hardware store. Just like B2B, there are several examples of B2C.

5. SaaS (software as a service)

In the last decade or so, this has become increasingly popular and will continue to increase in popularity with technological advancement. Therefore, this is one of the best business models for 2021. They are a lot of software as a service business model out there, you just have to look at the apps you have paid for. The calendar apps you already use. On a broader spectrum, it’s the website builder you use or the email marketing service that you pay for sending emails to your audience. SaaS comprises all the work and home-related tools that you use in order to increase productivity or get work done.

6. P2P (peer to peer)

If you have never heard of this business model, you aren’t the only one. In recent years it has become overwhelmingly popular and it is one of the best business models in 2021. Two individuals create value by coming together to create a service or experience that can both profit from. Uber, Airbnb, HouseTrip, Craigslist, Freelancer and Etsy. They are several other companies that fit under the bracket of peer-to-peer. Whenever a transaction happens between the people connect, that’s when they make a commission. These people can be guests, drivers, hosts, job sites, marketplaces, etc.

7. Content

Content based business models are one of the earliest business model. It’s been there since people understood the importance of entertainment and news. Of course, the delivery has changed, but it has stopped content-based business models from being popular. That’s why it’s one of the best business models for 2021 because more people are going online. They are dozens of examples of content-based business models. YouTube channels are one example, but so are podcasts, blogs, news channels and magazines. As long as you are delivering content to your audience on a weekly basis, then it fits under this category.

8. Ecommerce

This list wouldn’t be complete without including Ecommerce as one of the best business models for 2021. They’re many people who have become millionaires from ecommerce and it continues to expand as more websites help people sell their products. There are several ways you can do ecommerce. You can create t-shirts and sell it on Amazon Merch. You could do accessories, outdoor gear, jewelry, cell phone cases, home equipment and other stuff. You can sell it on one of the largest ecommerce websites, and that is Amazon.

Ecommerce that they are other business models that fall under it. One of them is POD also known as print on demand. This allows anyone to customise a product, but it is only shipped when a transaction is made. Think of selling t-shirts, sweaters or pants that are POD. Drop shipping is another method of ecommerce. This where an online store sells a product to a consumer, but the product moves from the wholesaler to the consumer without being handled by the seller.

9. Subscription business

You pay weekly for a particular service. That can be Blacksocks, Birchbox, GeekGearbox and Justfab. There are more examples of subscription businesses. This is another old business model. It’s been there since the 17th century. The model was pioneered by book publishers who sort to deliver periodicals of books. People would pay a monthly fee to get to read the periodicals. Next year subscription businesses will continue to grow exponentially, and that is why it’s one of the best business models for 2021. If you want to start a subscription business but have no idea on how to start from. There are a lot of ideas you can try out. Here are a few art supplies store, cleaning supplies, community delivery service, courier service, gift baskets, fashion and grooming service, candy and snacks box, deodorant and perfume subscription, grocery store and online magazine.

10. Influencer

The world has changed that now being an influencer is a business model. Thanks to the rise of content-based platforms such as TIK Tök, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube becoming an influencer has grown in popularity. There was a time when only famous people could be influencers, but now anyone who will step out of their comfort zone and deliver one can become an influencer. Brands pay influencers a fee for promoting a product. Often these influencers then create their products. The significant thing about this business model is that you can combine any of the other business models as your popularity increases.

Which business model do you want to try out for 2021 and why? Please comment below.

Keep Pushing

Vanessa

Should I Start A Blog In 2020? Is Blogging dead?

by vanessa | Sep 2, 2020 | Blog, blogging, Entrepreneurs, Side-Hustles

BLOGGING ISN’T DEAD. STARTING A BLOG IN 2020

Blogging isn’t dead, find out how you can start a blog the right way in 2020.

Blogging isn’t dead in 2020. It has just changed. The other day I thought about this and I thought I would write a blog post. Nowadays, it seems as if blogging is dead with the rise of YouTube. YouTube has taken over as the number one platform, and it has increasingly turned people into entrepreneurs and millionaires. Ever since the 2000’s, blogging is the number one medium to put yourself out there and since then they have been 600 million blogs.

Let that sink in for a minute. There are 600 million blogs. How is it possible that blogging isn’t dead? How is possible that anyone can make money from blogging? These are significant questions, but blogging isn’t how it was in the 2000’s. Over the last few years, it has developed. Dramatically.

Blogs still make money

It seems impossible that they are blogs that still make money. After all, with the increase in popularity with podcasts, YouTube, and Social media. It seems as if the era for money making blogs has passed us. This isn’t true. It is just that blogging has transformed in the last couple of years. Niches have either become broad or narrow. Video blogs have also become popular. But blogs still make a lot of money. The successful blogs listed below are examples of why blogging isn’t dead. All it takes are a few examples for inspiration to understand you have what it takes to have a successful blog.

Here are a few examples

1. Kate Kordsmeier

Kate’s first blog was so successful, that she decided she wanted to start another blog on how to start making money blogging. Her first blog was a wellness blog called Root + Revel. Her second blog, Kate Kordsmeier brought in a whooping $117, 497 in January 2020.

2. The Gentleman Racer

This is a popular blog in the automotive blogging niche. Michael Satterfield doesn’t show what his monthly income is. However, this blog is also a magazine that covers topics such as automotive, men’s apparel and travel. The blog’s popularity has allowed Michael to write for several publications and co-found different apparel companies. The Gentleman Racer has shaped the automotive blogging niche and has proven what is possible with blogging.

3. Simple Programmer

The best ideas come from people trying to solve problems. Simple Programmer started like that. John Sonmez noticed that people were offering complicated programming courses and wanted to change that. As a programmer, he was frustrated that other programmers were making the topics too complicated. He makes $400k per year. The overhead cost is relatively small. It took him 4 years for him to become a full-time blogger and he quit his job. He spent that time building the business up.

4. Practical Wanderlust

Despite the travel niche’s reputation for being saturated, Lia and Jeremy Garcia managed to make money in one year and a half of blogging. They make between $250k and half a million per year. Lia and Jeremy had been traveling for sometime, they had saved money. When they moved back to the pricey Bay Area, they were ready to get back to their old life. Jeremy went back to being a high school teacher, but Lia was dragging her feet. She didn’t want to go back to her corporate job. Lia decided to change her job, she interviewed for an incredible company. They flew her out for the interview, but when they ghosted her, she saw it as a sign. It was then that she decided to go into blogging full-time. That it was when Practical Wanderlust was born.

5. French Together

Benjamin Houy started this blog after he was a teacher in Korea for seven months. It wasn’t his passion, but he saw it is as the logical next step and thus began the journey. Benjamin has always been passionate about languages. He has always loved the idea of language connecting people. He has learned several languages including German, Portuguese, Korean and Spanish. In 2019, he earned six figures from his blog. French Together is one of the most popular French learning blogs out there.

Blogging isn’t dead, it just is evolving

Blogging has been around since the 90s. It became popular in 2003 when WordPress was released. Mathew Charles Mullenweg wanted to create a way people could share their thoughts and thus, an idea was born. In the last few years, it has drastically changed. When it first started, it was words on a screen and that was enough. There were no videos or photos, just words. Over the years it changed.

It isn’t enough for a blog to just have words. It has to be engaging. People need to be interested in reading more when they open a blog. A blog has to be more than a blog. A blog is now a small part of a business. When you look at some of the most successful blogs, they have YouTube Channels or podcasts.

Here’s a look at some things successful blogs do.

Produce multimedia content

Blogging isn’t dead, it has developed. One way it has done this is through multimedia content. Nowadays, it isn’t enough to have a blog and not have different multimedia content. This is one way new blogs can differentiate themselves by showing different aspects of their brand.

Pat Flynn of Smart Passive Income is an outstanding example, He has a Blog, Podcast, and YouTube channel. Each of these covers similar content, but the approach is different. In his blogs, he goes into more detail, on his Podcast he’s more direct, and on his YouTube channel, he shows his skills and gives people tutorials. Therefore, Pat Flynn has become a millionaire with his business.

The more variety of content there’s on your blog, the more people will stick around.

Also Related: Should you start a YouTube channel?

Build a email list

This is a crucial part of your business. The earlier you start, the better. Building an email list will help you remain connected with your audience, and that is important. Your audience needs to trust you, and the best way to do this is through an email list. This is how they will like, know, and trust you. To make money from blogging your audience needs to like who you are, know who you are, and trust you. Just like you wouldn’t buy a car from a sleazy salesman, the concept is the same here.

Often, we forget that. We don’t want to be the sleazy car salesman or the annoying door-to-door salesman. If we don’t like those kinds of people, our audience feels the same way. That’s why it’s important to build an email list because if someone is comfortable enough giving you their email address then they will open your emails. Not all the time, but this direct approach can help you in the long run. They will get an in-depth look at who you are as a person and why what you say matters.

Create and Sell products

There are a lot of ways bloggers earn money from sponsorship to commission from affiliate marketing. However, they earn most of their money from selling their products. You need to create products and sell them. You can create Ebooks, courses, templates, coaching programs, or sell services. However, the key to making more money without spending too much time is courses.

That is how gurus like Lewis Howes, Marie Forleo, and Pat Flynn make their money. By creating and selling your products, you turn your blog into an online store. Remember, blogging isn’t dead and this a demonstration of how it isn’t. Bloggers create their products and sell them to make their blog profitable.

Start your blog the right way

Blogging doesn’t cost a lot of money nowadays. You can start using a free platform, but unfortunately, it will be difficult to make money from it. You don’t need lots of money. Blogging is one of the most affordable ways to start a business. That is why blogging isn’t dead. Over the years, it has become more affordable to start a blog. You need to use WordPress.org and Bluehost so you start a blog the right way.

One way to make sure you stand out is by making your blog look different from your competitors. You need to figure out what your brand story will become. For example, Smart Passive Income is all about making smart decisions when making money online. Lewis Howes’s blog is all about success strategies that work. Marie Forleo is about approach-ability. Melyssa Griffin is youthful and fun. The colors you choose, your logo, your blog design, and your voice will show your customers who you are.

Start a blog the right way

Driving traffic

The reason many people believe blogging is dead is that they discontinue blogs in the first year. Many people give up in the second year. Blogging like anything takes time, and it requires traffic. YouTube is a search engine, so it’s easier for your content to be found as long as you take the necessary steps to ensure it does. But what about blogs? The same applies, but you have to do two things to make sure they find your blog.

Some strategies still work, others don’t work. As a first time blogger, guest blogging might be tricky because a lot of those blogs are particular. The best strategies that work are Facebook groups, SEO, Pinterest, and giveaways. Giveaways are one of the quickest and easiest ways to grow your blog. They are also fun to do if you know what you are doing. The best giveaway plugin is RafflePress. They also offer a free plugin if you don’t have money.

Related: How to run a blog giveaway?

Monetizing blog

The purpose of doing a blog is for you to make extra income on the side. Therefore, you need to monetize the blog. Another reason people believe blogging is dead is that they aren’t making money from it. The old ways of making money from blogging don’t make sense anymore. Years ago, Ad-sense was how people made money. This doesn’t even work for YouTube, and people assume it does. You would have to have lots of subscribers. Even then it doesn’t bring in a significant amount of money. I still want to prove to you that blogging isn’t dead and here are a few ways you can make money from your blog.

Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is one of the most popular ways to make money on a blog. It is when you promote another person’s product and when someone purchases the product using your link; you get a commission. This is an extremely beginner-friendly technique as you don’t have to create a product to sell. There are a lot of affiliate marketing sites you can join. ShareASale, Amazon Associates, and Commission Junkie. Another thing you could do is check if the people you follow have affiliate programs. Often, they will have an affiliate program you can join.

Sell digital products

Every successful blogger makes money from creating and selling digital products. This is another reason blogging isn’t dead. It takes more work and time than the method listed above. But it isn’t as hard as it may seem. You can use a free tool like Canva to create workbooks, journals, planners, and Ebooks. After you create the product you save it as a PDF. You have two options to use Easy Digital Downloads or Cartflows. Both are free. You can use them to sell your product. But if you want to make more money, than creating courses is your next move. The significant thing about courses is you create them once and you keep selling them until you decide to shelf the product.

If you don’t want to sell individual products, you can use membership plugins such as MemberPress or Membermouse. A membership site is where users pay a monthly fee to access the content. Think subscription sites such as Netflix. The same thing applies here. I would recommend starting small because membership sites require a steep learning curve if you are an absolute beginner.

As you can see blogging is far from being dead. These are the ways you start a profitable blog in 2020. If you start a blog the right way and you keep pushing yourself, you can make a considerable amount of money from your efforts and change people’s lives.

Want to start a side-hustle: How to start a side-hustle at home?

What is your main takeaway? Let me known in the comments section.

KEEP PUSHING

VANESSA

Beginner’s Guide To Starting A Side Hustles In 2021

by vanessa | Apr 8, 2020 | Blog, Entrepreneurs, Side-Hustles

Beginner’s Guide to Starting a Side Hustle in 2021

How do you crush 2021, these strategies will show you how you can do that.

The economy isn’t the same as it used to be and with all that has happened in 2020 side hustles will grow in popularity. If you want to make an extra $1000 to $5000, a side hustle is the best to do it. This is a beginner’s guide to starting side hustles in 2020. The reason why many people are skeptical about side hustles is because they often are attached to stories that seem fake. You know the story of the man who made $50,000 from playing Twitch in the basement of his parent’s house. That screams scam a mile away.

Side hustles aren’t scams. The internet is full of stories about people overcoming debt, but you will also find stories that make you want to run away. Unless you are the type to look something straight in the eye. What most people don’t realize is that we all have to start from somewhere and successful people first started with a side-hustle. Why? Because they don’t require as much effort and capital.

The benefits of a side hustle

There are a lot of benefits of a starting side hustles. The main one is that it protects you financially just in case the economy crashes, you lose your job or your health is compromised. Side hustle enable you not to be stranded and the more money you can make, the more you can do.

If you want to travel then you have extra money to help you do that. If you want to buy a house, you can save enough money to do that. You can also invest money because you will be making extra income. One of the reasons why people start a side hustle is to help them save enough money.

In the beginner’s guide to starting side hustles, I want to make sure you understand that they are more pros than cons to starting a side hustle. That is why it is so important that you do. If you want to take care of your family more than a side hustle is the best way to do it. In the next coming years, a side hustle will be one of the best ways to starting a business.

Another benefit is that less risk is involved in starting side hustles. All you have to do is put in one to two hours per day on your side hustle. This will put you ahead of the pack and give you a consistency edge that will help you out in the long run.

Best types of side hustles

There are over 101 ways to make money online. As unbelievable as that seems, side hustles have become increasingly popular in recent years. However, some aren’t worth your time. There’s a lot of information about side hustles, often at times, though the information is misleading. For example, people who tell you that you can become rich from surveys. Hmm, unless you spend years taking surveys then maybe, but even then the people who get rich from that is rare. This guide to starting side hustles wouldn’t be complete without looking at types of side hustles.

There are two types of side hustles you should be aware of;

Type one: This is the type that you can spend months or years doing and it will never replace your 9-5 job. You are likely to earn a few dollars from this, but that is about it. (Examples are mystery shopper, food delivery, surveys, small tasks etc)

Type two: This can easily change your life. The barrier of entry is also not as wide as people believe. In time this can easily surpass your income from your job as long as you are consistent with it. The sky is literally the limit.

In this blog post, we will discuss the second type.

What works for you?

I want to make this easy for you. Since this is a beginner’s guide to side hustles, we need to go to the start. Not every side hustle is equal and therefore you must find something that works for you. This is guide to starting side hustles will help you understand which direction you should go in.

For example, for many people, the idea of starting blogging seems too taxing. Therefore, if you are one of the people who have the same belief a blog isn’t right for you. What you need to consider is how much time do you have? You should also consider what you enjoy doing. If you love talking more than a podcast would be better for you or maybe you love being in front of the camera then YouTube would work for you.

Here are the two businesses you can make from a side hustle:

Service Business: You offer a service to someone. This means turning your skill set or someone else’s skills into service. For example, if you trained as a lawyer you can provide legal services. This can be anything from web design services to coaching. I would say this might be the easier one to get into for beginners. As part of the beginner’s guide to side hustles, I want to give you the best option to start. Most people start with this one.

Knowledge Business: Many influencers get into this one. This one is more advanced because you need to know how to use software and have money to invest in platforms to help you sell your product. It still isn’t as hard as you might think it might be. You take your expertise and package it as a course, template, software or coaching program.

Also Related: Start a Service Business

What’s next?

To create the best side hustle, you need to find out what works for you and use your skills as a way to package the side hustle. Once you realize, what works you can figure out how to go about this the right way. A side hustle shouldn’t exhaust you. It is there to take away the stress of not having enough money. Once you start making money from your side hustle then you can replace it as a job.

Method one: Selling services

What skills do you have? When I first started, I knew a little about web design and so I started a service where I built people’s websites for them. I made a bit of money from that. I didn’t charge a lot of money because I wanted the reviews and also to build my skills. If you think you don’t have any skills you could start a business from think again. Many of us underestimate our ability to push forward. In the beginner’s guide to side hustles blog post, you have to understand how possible it is to change your life.

Look at the books you read, the websites you visit and your general interests. You would be shocked at all the things that you like and the skills you have. Here’s an overview;

Legal services
Accounting services
SEO
Website design
Graphic design
Social media
PR
Tax
Copywriting
Event planning/promotion
Video editing
Digital advertising
Project Management
Travel planning
Pet services
SAT prep/ school prep
Music lessons
Wedding planning
Private chefThe list above is by no means exhaustive, but I do hope you get it. When I started this blog post, I needed to make sure that as a beginner’s guide to side hustles you understood how you can make money from anything. If you thought you couldn’t I hope the list above helps you realize how possible it is.
Method two: selling knowledge

Things take a different turn here. This is where you take something you have a skill in, for example, cooking and package it. It can take different forms depending on the level you are at. Beginners should take it slow. Don’t rush the process. It can take time to get to the point where you charge $500 for your program. Most people start at less than $100 and move up.

What most people forget is that when you are selling your knowledge you need to have somewhere to reach your audience. You need to also have a website where you can house your programs or at least showcases it. Below I will list the best knowledge-based products you can sell. This is, after all, a beginner’s guide to starting side hustles, so nothing too complicated.

Create and sell an eBook
Launch an online course
Webinars/workshops
Coaching or consulting

Hope you have a few ideas buzzing around. As I keep saying I wanted to write a beginner’s guide to starting side hustles to help you know that creating a side hustle is easier than you think. When I was starting I was clueless about the direction I should take and I struggled finding my footing. What is the side hustle that stood out to you the most?

Also Related: Quick Side-Hustle Ideas To Start At Home

What is the main takeaway from this and what do you like most about side hustles? Let me known in the comments section.

KEEP P USHING

VANESSA

7 Blogging Myths That Need to be Debunked

by vanessa | Dec 5, 2019 | blogging, Entrepreneurs, Side-Hustles

7 blogging myths that need to be debunked

There are a lot of blogging myths out there, but these are the seven most common ones.

When I first started blogging, I read every article I could on blogging. I came across a lot of blogging myths. To say, I was obsessed doesn’t tell the whole story, but it is fine for now.

I wanted to cover all my areas so that I was prepared. Have you ever gone to a race without practicing? Of course not, the same was for me. It was going

to be a marathon. I knew that, but I wanted to know what kind of marathon it would be.

Boy, the articles didn’t give me much time and resources to prepare me. Blogging is something else. Over the years, it has evolved as a new medium. Not only changing with time but presenting it as a way for people to make money. Over the past ten years, blogging has made average people into millionaires.

Changed people who were struggling into financial gurus and yes, it has been ten years since popular became popular. It all started becoming the new normal in 2010 and now with a few days left into 2020, I just want to debunk a couple of blogging myths.

As you go through this list I want you to know this isn’t to discourage you or tell you that you shouldn’t do blogging. Blogging is great for many reasons. One of the reasons is it will give you a taste of freedom. Nowadays, YouTube is on the rise and so is Instagram, but sometimes all you need to do is start small and blogging can help you with that.

Myth #1 – It is easy to make money from blogging

I started making money from blogging in my fourth month into it and it was only $45. Sure, that $45 gave me a sense of hope that I could make money from

blogging. However, for most people they only make money from blogging after one to two to even three years. So, it all depends on a lot of factors. For example, it depends on your brand and the services you provide to clients.

I won’t say it is the easiest way to make money, but if I were to compare it to YouTube, I’d say that the learning curve is easier. With YouTube, there’s a learning curve. You need to know not only about SEO, traffic and lead magnets, but how to edit videos and take good videos. At least with blogging, there’s not a lot of things you need to learn in the beginning.

Another thing with blogging is you need to learn about marketing and funnels. In case, you have no idea what funnels are, you are not the only one. When I first started, I had to read whatever I could about funnels and even now it gives me anxiety thinking about it. Not as much as it used to. A funnel is a path that you need to take people down from your lead magnet to your paid offers.

Every business has a funnel from iTunes to McDonald’s to even Netflix. It depends on how big or small the business is. If all this is giving you a migraine, I understand. Blogging isn’t easy, but it definitely is worth it.

Myth #2 – You need to post every day

If you know more about blogging than you have heard the myth that you need to post every day. Unless you are doing a publication then yes, you need to

post every day. A run of the mill blog doesn’t need 30 posts per month to make it a blog. Not only is that difficult to do, but you will also run out of steam on day ten.

Publications are different because they tend to have dozens or more guest bloggers who want to put their name out there. They don’t mind doing that. Publications these days can look like blogs because in many ways they are. The difference is they are run differently and all have a different goal. Normal blogs are created to share usually one person’s perspective in the hope that will stir interest or discussion. Publications are created to share multiple perspectives about a specific topic.

Here are a few examples of publications that are also like blogs; Foundr, Addicted 2 Success, and Success Magazine. This blogging myth needs to be debunked because this prevents bloggers from becoming successful and giving up too quickly.

Myth #3 – You should know everything

This myth isn’t just a blogging one. Most people who are venturing out on their own have this belief that you need to know everything and can’t make mistakes.

The problem is that you are making it harder for you. Every successful person when they were first started out made a lot of mistakes despite what they thought they knew.

The first year is usually the hardest because you are trying to attract people to your website. It is easy to pay for products you don’t need only to realize you spent money on it and haven’t received anything back. This is the learning process. I am now into my second year of blogging and I can tell you that I made so many mistakes along the way.

I gave up too easily, I wasn’t consistent enough and made products no one wanted. Regardless of the pain, I wouldn’t go back because I learned more from making mistakes than I would have if I hadn’t made any.

If you want to be successful then you need to be alright with making mistakes. People who make mistakes are far more relatable than those who are perfect. So be okay with making a few mistakes along the way. You will be better for it. This blogging myth needs to be debunked so that people can realize that mistakes are what make us human.

Also Related: 12 Blogging Mistakes to Avoid

Myth #4 – You need to a lot of traffic to make money

I thought this as well, but then I had made money without even having any subscribers so this depends on a lot of factors. It isn’t luck. There’s no such thing as luck when it comes to business. We all enter into starting our own business for a reason. I did it because I wanted to define my own path, I wanted to be my own boss and that was the pull I need to go for it.

Some people choose to do it for other reasons. Financial freedom or wanting to spread a message. Whatever it is, that reason can help you attract the right clients.

Sometimes, all you need to do is look for clients within your group. I am not talking about offering a product and not delivering it. Your blog is real estate and you can use that to attract clients on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter.

When you have a blog you will be seen as a guru, even if you don’t feel like you are one, this gives you the ability to show people what you have to offer. You don’t need any traffic to do that. All you need is an idea of what you want to present and you go for it. Most believe this blogging myth, but my hope is that you realize that if I can do it then you can as well.

Myth #5 – Blogging is a competition

Blogging isn’t a competition. Successful people in any industry don’t see things the way everyone else does. To them it is all about a community, helping each other out rather than undermining each other. This is so important that you understand because often we can forget how important it is to have a community to support you.

This blogging myth has been around the block for some time. Not sure how it came about, because we all know that successful people don’t puff their chests out and try competing with other people who are successful. In fact, often, they promote each other. Here’s the thing with success, when you are willing to step out of your comfort zone and realize that you aren’t on an island, you’d be shocked at how genuine most bloggers are.

I interviewed a few bloggers who helped me understand what it takes to be a successful blogger. I learned a lot along the way, but it gave me a deeper understanding about blogging and how it can change your life when you allow it to.

Myth #6 – Blogging is expensive

Don’t know who you have been talking to, but that is so untrue. In fact, blogging is cheaper to start than most side-hustles. Unless you want to be an Instagram influencer, but even still unless you have great editing skills or good at taking photos you need to spend money.

Here’s a breakdown;

Instagram – camera, photo editing app, photographer (can spend anything from $100 to $250)

YouTube – camera, camera apps, tripod, microphone, videographer, web camera, video editor (it depends on what you want to spend on it, but can be anything from

$100 to $500)

Blogging – $10 per month to less than $100 a year (depends on the hosting company)

When I first started, I paid $10 for the month. That was it. Some companies can be $12 for the year when you are first starting out and then go up. All you need with blogging is a domain name, hosting and a theme. Most times, you can find a great free theme and most hosting companies give you a domain name for free. That is why blogging is so great, you don’t need a lot to start and you can learn so much about business when you do a blog.

Myth #7 – You need to be on all social media accounts

Many people when they first start out blogging, believe this myth because it is easy to believe it. After all, most established businesses are on all social media

platforms. What we don’t realize is that they are established so it makes sense for them to be on everything. After all, why would they stab themselves in the

foot by only being on one platform?

However, when you are first starting out, you will need to know a lot of things such as email marketing, networking, SEO and marketing tactics. You will be stabbing yourself in the foot by trying to be on everything all at once. Sometimes, we need to pace ourselves when first starting out. Rushing isn’t getting there and sure, it would be great having millions of fans, but if you are starting from scratch then you are wearing yourself thin.

This blogging myth needs to be nipped in the bud. Take your time. If you are more of a Facebook person then do that. If you prefer Instagram do that or if you love Pinterest then you can figure out how to use the darn thing. But just take your time to learn. The first and second year is all about figuring things out, you also need to be okay with doing that.

What blogging myths have you heard about? And is that what is preventing you from starting a blog? Comment below.

Keep Pushing

Vanessa

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