…that would’ve saved me time, stress, and a few biscuits!
When I first set out to build an online business, I had the enthusiasm of a golden retriever and about 15 tabs open on my laptop. I’d read the blogs, watched the YouTube gurus, and convinced myself I’d be earning in my sleep by tea time.
Spoiler: I was not.
Truth is, starting out in this space is doable, but it’s also a bit of a minefield when you’re brand new. Everyone’s got advice, there are “six-figure secrets” flying about, and half the time you don’t even know what you don’t know.
So if you’re just starting — or restarting — I want to share 5 things I really wish someone had told me before I dived in headfirst.
1. You Don’t Need to Have It All Figured Out
You don’t need a website, or a funnel, and you definitely don’t need a 37-point colour-coded plan and a £200-a-month tool you don’t even know how to log into.
You don’t need a fancy logo, expensive software, or to know what the hell a “lead magnet” is — trust me, I Googled it twice and still stared blankly the first time I heard it.
Here’s what you do need:
What you do need is:
✅ One clear step forward
Like deciding what kind of online biz you actually want to start — affiliate marketing, digital products, coaching, or just dipping a toe in. Pick one and explore it — no multitasking. Trying to “do everything” is what keeps most people doing nothing.
✅ A simple system to followAnd by “simple,” I mean something that doesn’t make you want to cry into your coffee. Find a system or program that walks you through things step by step — ideally one that was built for beginners and doesn’t assume you already know what a domain name is or how to set up automations. This is exactly why I stuck with affiliate marketing — I found a system that took away all the noise and just showed me what to do in a normal human voice (not robot-speak).
✅ Permission to start messy
Because perfection is the world’s biggest productivity killer.
You don’t need to have your branding nailed.
You don’t need everything colour-coordinated and hashtag-optimised.
You just need to start. Imperfectly. Publicly, even.
Here’s the bit no one tells you: clarity comes through action.
Not from “researching” for six months, or buying three more courses you won’t finish.
Start.
Learn.
Tweak.
That’s the real formula.
2. Most Online “Success Stories” Are Missing Context
We’ve all seen the posts.
- “I joined this program and made £10K in three weeks!”
- “I quit my job and now I work from a beach with my laptop and a cocktail.”
- “I made £1,300 while walking the dog!”
And maybe your first thought is:
“What the hell am I doing wrong?“
But let me pull back the real curtain for a second…
Here’s what these “overnight success” stories usually don’t tell you:
🚩 They already had a following.
They’ve been showing up for months (or years) on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook — wherever. So when they do promote something, it’s not from scratch. They’ve built up trust, an audience, and maybe even a bit of fame in their niche.
🚩 They’ve failed at five other things before this one worked.
No shame in that at all!….But of course, they’re not shouting about the course they bought last year that flopped. Or the blog that got tumbleweeds. Or the 12 times they nearly gave up. You’re seeing the result of persistence — not a beginner’s instant win.
🚩They spent a chunk of that money on ads, coaching, or software.
That £10K might be revenue, not profit. And half of it might’ve gone straight back out the door. gain — no shame in that if it helped them make things work.
But not very sexy to include that in a headline, is it now?
So here’s the takeaway you need to remember:
Yes, success does happen. Yes, there are people genuinely earning very well online.
But those posts aren’t the full story — they’re the highlight reel.
You, my friend, are reading the script from Day One and comparing it to someone else’s glittery movie trailer.
Give yourself a break.
This isn’t a race.
You’re building something real — and real takes a little longer, but it’s so worth it.
3. Picking One Path (and Ignoring the Rest) Changed Everything
I’ll be honest — I used to think the more I did, the faster I’d succeed.
I dabbled in a bit of this, subscribed to a bit of that, downloaded 72 free PDFs… and still felt stuck.
Sound familiar?
I was so busy “trying everything” that I wasn’t really doing anything properly.
Once I made the decision to stop multitasking my way into confusion and chose one clear path, everything started to feel lighter. Simpler. More doable.
For me, that path was affiliate and digital marketing — and not the shouty, spammy kind you see all over social media.
I’m talking about a step-by-step system that:
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Didn’t expect me to build a website from scratch (though I did once I felt comfortable — always with guidance)
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Didn’t assume I was a tech whiz (and honestly, asking for help is easy when you know you’re in good hands)
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And didn’t talk to me like I’d already been in business for five years (it was beginner-friendly and gave a helping hand when I needed it most)
Just clear, structured guidance that helped me focus, learn, and actually move forward — without waking up at 3am panicking because I forgot to “build my funnel.” 🙃
The program I finally felt gave me the perfect amount of support and everything I needed to see results — whatever those results looked like for me.
Whether it was building my first email automation (to actually start my list — that was exciting!), setting up my blog, or learning how to write blog posts that made sense…
It’s all inside this system.👉 Take a peek here if you like.
No pressure at all — but if you’ve been DIY-ing your way through YouTube tutorials and 47 browser tabs and still feel stuck… this might just be the thing that calms the chaos.
Because here’s the truth:
📌 Clarity comes when you commit to a direction — not when you chase five at once.
And bonus?
It’s much easier to show up consistently (and confidently) when you’re not second-guessing yourself every five minutes.
4. You Can Be Quiet, Real, and Still Make it Work
You don’t need to be a hype machine or a “sales closer” to succeed online.
In fact, people are done with all that.
You can show up as you — quietly, consistently, and with heart — and people will notice.
That’s how trust is built. And that’s what turns into sales later.
Let me just say this loud (ironically) for the introverts at the back:
You don’t need to be a hype machine.
You don’t need to be pushy.
And you definitely don’t need to turn into a walking sales script to build an online business.
In fact, people are done with that.
The flashy, fake-it-‘til-you-make-it energy? It’s wearing thin.
What people are looking for now is real.
Honesty. Humanness (if that’s even a word LOL). Someone they can trust. Someone who isn’t just shouting “Buy now!” like a market stall on speed.
So if you’re the type who prefers to sit with a cuppa, write from the heart, and quietly share what’s worked for you — good news: you’re exactly what the online world needs more of.
And yes, you can absolutely succeed that way.
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By being relatable, not rehearsed.
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By showing up, even if your hair’s a mess.
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By sharing your process, not pretending to be perfect.
That’s how trust is built.
And trust is what turns into sales — not flash, not pressure, not pretending.
So please don’t think you have to morph into a full-time influencer or learn how to “handle objections” like a telesales rep.
Just be Real. Be Kind. Be Consistent. And most of all BE YOU.
That’s the secret most people miss.
5. Progress > Perfection (Every Single Time)
This is the one that took me the longest to learn — and honestly, it’s still the one I have to remind myself of the most.
Because here’s the unfiltered truth:
👉 The people who succeed online?
They’re not always the smartest.
They’re not the flashiest.
They’re not the ones with the fanciest tools or the sleekest branding.
They’re the ones who keep showing up.
They write the post even if it’s not perfect.
They send the email even if the formatting’s a bit wonky.
They launch the idea before the logo’s finished.
They start — and then they learn as they go.
That’s it.
That’s the big secret no one’s putting on a shiny sales page:
Done beats perfect. Every single time!
So if you’re waiting until you have everything sorted — until your website is “ready,” your plan is perfect, your confidence is sky-high — please hear me:
You’ll be waiting forever.
Start now. Start small. Start slightly messy, slightly unsure, slightly winging it. Because starting is what creates momentum — and that’s what separates people who dream from people who do.
Bonus: If You’re Feeling a Bit Stuck…
You might also like this post I wrote: 1 Thing I Wish I Knew Before I Started Digital Marketing
It’s a bit more personal — and goes into the one mindset shift that helped me stop feeling like a fraud and actually start moving forward.
Final Thoughts
If you’re just getting started, don’t panic.
- You don’t need to know it all.
- You don’t need to have everything perfect.
- You just need to begin — wherever you are, with whatever you’ve got.
And if you’d like someone in your corner who shares the real stuff (with a strong coffee☕in hand and a healthy amount of sarcasm), I’d love to share what’s helped me.
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Just honest advice, beginner-friendly tools, and the occasional cheeky nudge when you need it most.
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f this post gave you a lightbulb moment or a sigh of relief, you’re not alone — that’s exactly why I started sharing what I’ve learned.
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💬 Over to You:
What’s one thing you wish someone had told you before starting your online business?
Drop it in the comments — I’d love to hear it.
