(That Would’ve Saved Me Time, Stress, and a Few Biscuits)
When I first set out to start an online business, I had the enthusiasm of a golden retriever and about 15 tabs open. 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 an online business 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.
These are the exact things I wish I knew before starting an online business — not just surface tips, but the stuff that actually makes or breaks your momentum.
Here’s what you do need:
✅ 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 follow
And by “simple,” I mean something that doesn’t make you want to cry into your coffee. Find a program that walks you through things step by step — one built for beginners that doesn’t assume you already know what a domain 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:
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“I joined this program and made £10K in three weeks!”
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“I quit my job and now I work from a beach with my laptop and a cocktail.”
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“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. Again — 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 bit to remember:
Yes, success does happen. Yes, people really are earning 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 worth it.
3. Picking One Path (and Ignoring the Rest) Changed Everything
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 doing anything properly.
Once I 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 online. 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 eventually — with guidance)
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Didn’t assume I was a tech whiz
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Didn’t talk to me like I’d been in business for 5 years
Just structured help I could actually follow.
The program I finally trusted gave me what I needed to see results — whatever “results” looked like for me.
Whether it was building my first email automation, setting up my blog, or learning to write a decent blog post…
It’s all inside this system. 👉 Take a peek here if you like.
No pressure — but if you’ve been drowning in browser tabs and YouTube tutorials, this might be what 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 way easier to show up consistently when you’re not second-guessing everything.
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.
You can show up as you — quietly, consistently, and with heart — and people will notice.
Let me just say this for the introverts at the back:
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You don’t need to be pushy.
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You don’t need to turn into a walking sales pitch.
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You don’t need to morph into a full-time influencer.
What people want is real.
Not flash.
Not pressure.
Not pretending.
If you’re the type to sit with a cuppa, write from the heart, and share what’s actually worked — you’re exactly what this space needs more of.
By being relatable, not rehearsed.
By showing up, even if your hair’s a mess.
By sharing your process, not pretending to be perfect.
That’s what builds trust.
And trust is what turns into sales — not tactics.
5. Progress > Perfection (Every Single Time)
This is the one that took me the longest to learn.
Because here’s the unfiltered truth:
👉 The people who succeed online?
They’re not the smartest.
They’re not the flashiest.
They’re not the ones with the fanciest tools.
They’re the ones who keep. showing. up.
They post even when it’s messy.
They send emails even if the formatting’s off.
They launch before the logo’s ready.
They start — and learn as they go.
Done beats perfect. Every single time.
If you’re waiting until you have it all figured out — you’ll be waiting forever.
Start now.
Start small.
Start messy, unsure, and slightly winging it.
Because starting is what builds momentum — and that’s what separates dreamers from doers.
Bonus: If You’re Feeling a Bit Stuck…
You might like this:
👉 1 Thing I Wish I Knew Before I Started Digital Marketing
It’s a bit more personal — and explains the one mindset shift that helped me stop feeling like a fraud.
Final Thoughts
If you’re starting an online business and feel totally out of your depth — don’t panic, you’re not alone.
You don’t need to know it all to start an online business.
You don’t need to have everything perfect.
You just need to begin — wherever you are, with whatever you’ve got.
And if you want no-fluff advice from someone who’s in the trenches with you (strong coffee in hand ☕, sarcasm on standby), you’re in the right place.
👉 Join my no-fluff biz tips newsletter here
No spam. No fluff. Just honest advice, beginner-friendly tools, and the occasional cheeky nudge.
💬 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.
And if this helped you, give it a share. Someone else might need to read this too.
