A Note From Colleen

Hi, friend.

My goal, always, is to help you make launching your first online business easier.

When you’re just starting out every task is a learning curve and every learning curve begets news tasks, which mean more learning curves… You get my drift.

The key to easy is to start SIMPLY - in a way that you can learn and build your business at the same time. This means you can work towards making money online WHILE you build your business (rather than spending loads of time learning and then implementing).

Who has time for that? 😍

While your ultimate goal might be to have a membership or group coaching program, for the love of all dachshunds, please don’t start with complicated products and models.

It’s the equivalent of wanting to join the pro team, but having never played little league. It’s okay to pay T-Ball for a bit. Figure it all out at your own pace.

Let’s get you making money the smart (and simple) way, with confidence and enthusiasm (not wanting to pull your hair out).

Thanks for being here.

Cheers,

Colleen Kochannek, Publisher

*This publication may include affiliate links and links to products I sell. If you click and buy, I may earn revenue and/or commission. 

BUSINESS BASICS

Simple Digital Products For Beginners

The TWO easiest products to start with for beginners?

1. A digital product: Anything that can be saved as a file and delivered as a file counts. Think digital resource guide, cheat sheet, checklist, brief eBook, templates or swipe (where you create a digital asset a customer can customize and use as their own).

Here are a few digital product examples:

• Downloadable recipe cards

• 3 Basic Needlepoint Stitches for Beginners: A Digital Guide

• Getting Started With Composting eBook

• Travel Hacks for Solo Travelers - A Digital Guide

• Social Media Graphic Templates

2. A digital service: An easy-to-sell 1:1 coaching or consulting session. Think 1:1 consulting session.

Here are a few digital service examples:

• Online Music Lessons

• Zoom Pet Training Consultation

• Raising Backyard Chickens - Ask Me Anything Zoom Workshop

I love both digital products and services because they’re easy to create. You can get going quickly, with little risk or startup time. (Start making money more quickly).

If you want a whole bunch of ideas to inspire you check out the (free): 109 Simple and Inspiring Ideas You Can Make Money With

Keep in mind these ‘simple’ products can be considered ‘starter’ products, which can launch you to a bigger business model; or, they can be your entire business. Complicated and bigger doesn’t always translate to more money.

Next week, I’m going to dive into business models - those that I think are easiest for beginners (and those that are NOT user friendly, but are often touted as such).

LIFE REIMAGINED

What have you done that felt like a big step outside of your comfort zone… and turned out to be totally worth it?

I like a challenge! I think being ‘too comfortable’ all the time isn’t good for us. It’s easy to get complacent; or, simply no longer recognize comfort when it’s happening.

Of course, I’m not a fan of suffering either, but this notion of wanting to stay in our comfort zone rather than grow outside of it is a topic that comes up frequently with my audience.

Sure, once we’re past 50 it’s not unreasonable to want life to be easier. We’ve done our time, right?

But, pushing ourselves outside of our comfort zone can lead to some pretty awesome things, too.

I’m a fan of new adventures and saying ‘yes’ to things that scare me a bit. The thrill of succeeding or learning something new leaves me with a sense of accomplishment and pride.

I think building an online business venture is part of this. Being forced into unfamiliar tasks and spaces and ‘figuring it out’ is exhilarating.

QUICK WINS

Last week we talked about going old-school with my pen and paper Notebook System. But, I love to brainstorm by talking, too, usually during my 3am insomnia session. I want to capture the idea, without having to turn the lights on.

I use a phone voice recorder app that converts talk to text (most voice recording apps do this!).

It’s simple: Push record, talk your ideas into your phone and let the app convert what you say into a written message.

The, copy and paste these converted messages into an idea list (a Google Doc or spreadsheet or project management system like Trello or Notion).

Voila, no lost ideas.

POLL - Vote please!

I’m trying this new polling feature in Beehiiv…

ASK-ME-ANYTHING

A question I received via email from a woman who has launched an online store and wants to replace her full-time income. I LOVE her question:

The answer:

To give yourself the best chance at success I like to keep it real. A therapist once told me that 'expectations are nothing more than premeditated resentments'. 

This stuck with me and it applies to starting a business. We have to get beyond what the 'marketers' and 'gurus' tell us about making money online, what they want us to believe (that we then allow to become an expectation).

The truth is having a successful online venture:

1. It absolutely can be done.

2. It absolutely cannot be done while you sleep or sip pina coladas on the beach. There's nothing 'passive' about it (at least not in the beginning).

3. It will take longer than you expect, so plan for that.

4. Consistency, consistency, consistency.

5. Give each project/product a fair shake (vs moving from one to the next).

6. It will be learning curves upon learning curves. Of course, you CAN learn all the things, but be prepared to learn... a lot. You will move more slowly than you hope for, but when you look back you’ll be amazed at how much you’ve done.

7. You will never be comfortable, or not a little nervous about what you're doing. This is good. It means you're on the right track.

8. Consistency - did I mention this? Show up for your audience as much as you can. You can't be in front of them enough or too much.

From a practical standpoint: choose one product, one customer, one message and one social media platform. 

Go all in on your one product. Get to know your customer inside and out. Practice and re-practice your messaging and marketing. Tweak and keep tweaking until you get it right (you'll know by customer engagement).

Show up consistently - every day or (as much as you can), but consistently.

Gradually, you’ll see success and you can scale and grow from there.

But, start small and with ONE until you’ve mastered it. Then add more.

Does this resonate? Hit REPLY and share your thoughts or ask more questions.

WTHWW - WHATEVER THE HECK WE WANT

What fiction are you reading these days? I’m helping to organize a Book Club in my apartment building and could use some ideas. My typical reading list is limited to marketing and self help books.

Got any great fiction suggestions? Hit REPLY and give me your favorites.

BEHIND THE SCENES (Bonus Content)

This is the section where I pull back the curtains and share how I am creating The Gumption Gazette. As I’ve mentioned, I am figuring it out as I go (and you can, too!).

• I am using a software called BeeHiiv that is made explicitly for newsletters.

• I am currently focused on:

  • Developing a general layout template, will save me time each week. I can start with a template and simply update each week’s content. The consistent structure also makes it easier to capture ideas because I know which sections need attention.

  • Learning about Beehiiv’s polling feature. Polling is a great way to encourage reader engagement and makes the newsletter feel more like a conversation.

The SUGGESTION BOX

Questions and suggestions for admin or the Ask-Me-Anything section. Simple Hit REPLY to this email or email us at: [email protected]

COMING NEXT WEEK

• You’re A Digital Immigrant - What This Means And What To Do About It

• Business Models I Recommend (And Don’t) For Beginners

COMING SOON - AN ALL NEW PROGRAM

I’m building a new program called Pilot to Profit Startup School. 

What if you could learn how to make money online while making money online?

The Pilot to Profit Startup School is the program I wish had when I started.

Together we'll move you from finding your idea to creating your first product to getting your first sale - while you're learning the ins and outs of marketing and selling your digital product.

Launching at the end of February. Waitlisters will have a special price.

Get on the WAITLIST here.