Your first $1000 online feels impossible? Stop following these 9 guru advices
You’ve got one goal right now: Make your first $1,000 online. Not a six-figure empire. Not a viral Reel. Just your first proof-it’s-possible paycheck from something you built.
And if you’re being honest… you thought you’d be there by now. Because you have been trying.
You’ve downloaded more freebies than you can count—most of them still sitting unopened in your inbox.
You’ve watched the webinars.
You’ve spent hours tweaking your freebie, trying to figure out if you need a niche or a “value ladder” or a funnel that doesn’t look like a bowl of spaghetti.
Meanwhile, the sales? Nada.
Your to-do list is full but your bank account’s not.
And that voice in your head keeps whispering: “What am I doing wrong?”
I see you. Because I was you.
And here’s the truth that changed everything for me: trying to follow 6-figure advice at $0 is like skipping Season 1 of your favorite show and expecting Season 5 to make sense.
You’re watching characters you don’t know, chasing plot twists that don’t land, and wondering why everyone else seems obsessed—while you’re just confused and low-key exhausted.
That advice you’re seeing all over your feed? It’s not bad. It’s just not made for this season of your journey.
Your Season 1 is about clarity, confidence, and cash flow—not scale, teams, or evergreen launches.
And that’s why I’m sharing this: these are the 9 lessons that actually helped me make my first $1K online.
Not the shiny version, not the 6-figure hindsight advice—but what really worked when I was in the trenches figuring it out, one messy step at a time.
Let’s break it down.
Key Takeaways (what you’ll learn):
Do you need a website to make your first $1,000 online? → No, but you do need a simple homepage and a domain so people can find you and grab your freebie.
What’s the fastest way to make $1,000 online? → Start offering high-ticket affiliate products, coaching, or done-for-you services—not low-margin offers like dropshipping or $2 affiliate links.
What type of content leads to actual sales? → Long-form content (blog, podcast, YouTube), even better when it’s searchable + Pinterest for traffic. Way better than social posts that disappear from your audience’s feed in 24 hours.
Do you need a complicated funnel to start selling? → Not at all. Use this simple path: Content → Freebie → Welcome Email → Personal Offer.
Can you sell a course before it’s built? → Yes. Pre-sell the idea, build as you go or deliver live. You’ll get paid before you create the lessons.
How do you grow without burning out? → Ditch perfection. Use just-in-time learning, take messy action, and stop trying to “know everything” before you start.
Tempted to just skim the takeaways and dip?
I get it. You’ve read a million “how to make your first $1,000 online” posts. But this one? It’s different. Because it doesn’t just give you strategies—it walks you through the real-life missteps, detours, and unpopular truths that actually got me there.
Like the photo membership I never launched.
The blog that brought sales while I slept.
The $1000 I made before even building my course.
If you’re the kind of person who learns best from honest behind-the-scenes over polished highlight reels—you’re in the right place.
Full disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links that, at no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission from.
Don’t forget to pin this image!
1. Your website isn’t the reason you haven’t made your first $1000 online
→ I spent months making mine perfect—what changed everything was starting to create content.
I wanted it all to feel “real.” So I told myself: I need a professional-looking homepage.
Cue the rabbit hole of fonts, color palettes, copy I rewrote 27 times… and let’s not even talk about the “About” page I never published because it still didn’t “sound like me” And wasn’t even sure what I was all about!
But here’s the truth bomb I learned the hard way: No one was going to magically find my website—because I hadn’t given them a reason to.
It was content—strategic, trust-building, search-friendly content—that finally brought people to my digital doorstep.
And even then, it didn’t happen overnight (I promised I would keep it real, my friend!)
Content is like planting seeds…
…You don’t post once and expect a forest. But start early, stay consistent, and bam—you’ll wake up to your first email subscriber or sale and think, “Wait, did that just work?”
Want to know what changed everything for me? A single blog post.
Here it is: How to Create A Seamless Instagram Carousel in Canva for Free (& get 5 FREE Carousel Templates!)
My email list grew wild with this blog! The secret? I created a dedicated freebie my audience really needed.
Yep. It was raw, imperfect, and had a title I now think is a little cringe—but it solved a problem my audience was actually googling.
It led to a freebie download. My email list started growing and as I promoted offers from time to time, the money started coming!
(So no, you don’t need 10 pages of a custom site to earn your first $1000 online.)
Do you need a website to make your first $1000 online? Honestly… kinda yes, kinda no.
Keep reading and you’ll get what I mean.
Here’s what I tell my clients
You don’t need a fancy, 12-page, scrolling-parallax, bells-and-whistles website to get started. But you do need a domain you own and a simple home page—something clean and clear that tells people who you help, how, and what to do next (book, buy, or download).
Because here’s what I hear a lot:
“I want to look professional. Should I wait to launch until my website’s finished?”
“Everyone says you don’t need one… but it feels weird not having anything to send people to.”
“I’ve spent 3 months tweaking my copy. Is that… normal?”
And my take? The website isn’t the problem. The overthinking is.
Your website won’t make your first $1K online—but it can support it.
The trick is not getting trapped in it. You want a home base, not a time (or money) sink.
So here’s the real talk:
✨ A single-page website with your message, your freebie, and your offer is enough.
✨ The content you publish and the relationships you build will do the heavy lifting.
✨ Timing matters—save the custom build for when you’re making consistent income, not trying to hit your first milestone.
Build what you need, not what looks impressive
Get your name out there. Publish the blog post. Or the YouTube video. Or your podcast. Send an email about it. Repeat.
That’s where the momentum lives—not in the fourth revision of your “About” page.
Don’t miss this blog: How To Write Website Copy And Landing Pages That Convert
2. I didn’t make my first $1000 online posting daily—I made it when I stopped chasing likes
→ My first $1000 online came from trust-building content that lived LONGER than 24 hours.
There was a time I posted every day on Instagram like my rent depended on it.
You know the drill—reels, carousels, trending audios, daily “value.” I was exhausted… and still hearing nothing but crickets.
Maybe a “yaaas queen” comment from a biz friend. A like from my cousin.
But sales? Not a peep.
And here’s what’s wild—I was working so hard to stay consistent, but it felt like I was building on quicksand. Everything vanished 24 hours later. No momentum. No compounding. Just more content to create tomorrow.
It wasn’t until I shifted to long-form content—my blog—that things changed.
You can also choose to do YouTube or a podcast.
Why? Because that content sticks around. It builds trust. People binge it like a Netflix series. It gives them space to get you. To feel like they know you.
And that’s what creates sales—not likes.
For me, that long-form content lives on my blog.
And I use Pinterest to find me and drive the right people to it.
No daily hustle. Just inspirational-led, feelings-led content that built credibility on autopilot (pssst… keep on reading for my content framework for leads).
Because here’s the thing: Someone might like your Instagram post.
But they bookmark your blog. They come back to it. They trust you because of it.
Those are your buyers, my friend. Not just your likers.
And II want to make simple for you. Here is a slide from one of my live workshops, showing you content platforms and what will bring you leads and sales again and again.
Long-form doesn’t just build trust. It buys you time back
Because it works for you on repeat.
Again and again.
It compounds.
And it’s a big reason I made my first $1000 online without burning out.
Want to swipe my personal content framework for content that brings you leads, not just likes?
Discover it here: Online Lead Generation Feels Broken? 3 Content Creation Shifts to Get Leads Without Creating More
3. I thought a fancy funnel was the key to my first $1000 online… it wasn’t
→ Turns out the simplest setup brought the biggest return.
At one point, I truly believed I needed a 12-email sales sequence, a video launch funnel, three different tripwires, and an abandoned cart strategy… just to make my first $1K.
Spoiler: I didn’t.
I spent so much time Googling “high-converting funnel examples” and building complicated setups that led… nowhere. Because I didn’t yet have what actually makes a funnel work—a HUMAN, trusting connection.
What finally got me over the line?
This: Content → Freebie → Welcome Email → Conversations with my email list
That’s it. No perfectly timed automations. No endless follow-ups. Just simple, intentional communication.
I stopped treating my email list like a tool and started treating them like real people. I’d write to 12 subscribers like they were 1,200.
And I’d only promote something when it actually made sense—not because a funnel said “Day 4 = pitch.”
That shift? Game-changing.
Because when people feel seen and supported—not shoved down a funnel—they trust you. And when they trust you, they buy from you.
Simple sells, my friend. Especially when you’re just getting started.
Here is how simply I drive email sign-ups from my blog. Right after my intro, when my audience has decided that is for them, I invite them to grab one of my freebies, the most relevant for the content subject of the blog. (By the way, you don’t need to have multiple freebies at this stage).
Here is an example from my website:
4. You don’t need to create a product to make your first $1000 online
→ My affiliate marketing brought in sales to save my bank account way before I created my first product.
Let me tell you a story I don’t often share…
I once spent close to a year (ufff, I said it) creating a photo and video membership for female entrepreneurs.
Lifestyle pics. Beautiful backdrops. Tailored for online businesses.
I crafted that thing with LOVE. Shot photos, filmed videos, edited for hours. I poured myself into it.
Truth is… I never even launched that membership.
I got burned out.
The tech felt overwhelming, like a tangled mess I couldn’t unpick.
And by the time I was close to figuring it out, I convinced myself (wrong again!) the moment had passed. Canva had rolled out better, easier templates. The market felt flooded. *Ugh*
And honestly? I was out of steam and out of money.
That’s when I stumbled on a post about affiliate marketing—and it hit me
*Wait… I don’t need to create my own product to start making money online?*(Yup, you heard that right)
That was my AHA MOMENT. And it changed everything.
I unveil the power of affiliate marketing. What is it?
In plain terms, you promote someone else’s product and get paid a commission when someone buys after clicking one of your affiliate links. *Ka-ching*
I’ve put together a simple graph for you so you see at once how affiliate marketing works below.
Here’s the thing: Affiliate marketing isn’t about dumping links all over the internet and hoping someone randomly buys something.
It’s not passive income from day one. (Yup, you heard that right)
It’s not “just post 12 Amazon links and get rich by Thursday.”
You’ve probably seen the advice:
“Start small! Promote $7 products! Just recommend what you love and watch the money roll in!”
A promise is a promise, here is your simple visual of the 5 steps into affiliate marketing revenue (this pin is ho on Pinterest!):
Except… no one tells you this math
Let’s say you promote a $9 product with a 30% commission.
You earn $2.70 per sale.
If your conversion rate is 2% , you need 1,850 people to click that link to make your first $1000 online.
That’s a lot of eyeballs.
And if you’re starting out? You probably don’t have that kind of traffic yet. Just keeping it real, my friend.
Side note (because no jargon around here!), conversion rate is how many people out of a 100 clicking your link will buy. So 2% conversion rate is 2 people out of 100 buys.
So what do you do instead?
You go HIGHER ticket.
You look for affiliate programs where one sale = $100+ in commission.
My personal favorite way to do that?
Online courses.
And here’s the beauty of it: You don’t need a huge audience. You just need alignment.
A product you actually believe in. A message that resonates.
(And yep—you can start creating content before you’ve got anything of your own to sell.)
That’s what gets clicks. That’s what builds trust.
That’s what sells.
That’s how you make your first $1000 online without waiting months to build something of your own.
And get ready to see notifications with affiliate sales like mine. Have a look! 👀
Now, don’t get me wrong—creating your own offer can be powerful.
I’ve done it since, and it’s become a core part of my business.
But the truth is, timing matters.
If you’re in a season where you need quick cash flow, confidence, and clarity?
Trying to build from scratch might just slow you down.
There’s no shame in starting with something simpler while you build up to the big stuff.
Promote someone else’s product and get an affiliate commission when someone buys!
Want to know more about affiliate marketing?
Discover it in my blog: Pinterest Affiliate Marketing: The Ultimate Guide | Affiliate Marketing For Beginners
5. My first $1000 online didn’t come from low-ticket sales (even though I celebrated each one)
→ Every $9 sale felt like a win, but bigger offers moved the needle.
Ohhh I remember that buzz
The “you’ve made a sale!” notification would pop up and I’d do a little happy dance like I’d just won a round on The Price is Right. (Amirite?)
It didn’t matter that it was $9. Or $19.
It was proof.
Someone—a real person!—had chosen to buy something I’d made.
Yeap, my friend, I’ve sold digital templates, done drop shipping, even sold stickers!
And if you’re here, chances are you’re hoping for that you-ve-made-a-sale feeling too.
You’re thinking: Just a few of those a day and I’m on my way, right?
Except… here’s what no one tells you
Low-ticket offers often take the same amount of energy to sell as higher-ticket ones—but you need 10x the volume to see a result that actually matters to your bank account.
Let’s do a quick back-of-the-envelope example, my friend:
If you’re selling a $9 digital product, you’ll need to make over 110 sales (after fees) just to reach your first $1000 online.
That’s 110 people clicking, buying, and going through your process—at a time when you might still be building your audience from scratch.
Now, compare that to 2 people buying a $500 course.
Same $1000. Way less hustle. (Can I get a hell yeah!)
And yep—I’ve been on both sides.
I’ve sold low-ticket digital templates, and mini offers. I’ve made every sale count, emotionally and practically.
But I also knew I wasn’t going to scale fast enough to $5K or $10K months on $9 mugs.
Yeah, I know—it’s not passive.
But it’ll teach you more about your audience in one call than any analytics dashboard ever could.
The beauty too is that you don’t need to spend months creating before selling. It’s you, and those golden insights that will transform someone path.
Yeah, yeah… you’re thinking you aren’t expert enough. Think again! You, my friend, have a ton you can market for one-on-one or group coaching.
All subjects are possible. Designing toys, web-design, social media marketing, parenting, wedding planner, book writing, voice coaching, ….
You can.
I promised to keeep it real in this blog, my friend. Here are screenshots of my own journey from low-ticket items to selling online courses.
Or better yet—launch your online course before you’ve even built it.
That’s exactly what I did.
Sounds complicated? I get it. I felt the same way.
But here’s the truth: you don’t need to spend months recording lessons before you make your first sale.
Nope. No all-nighter editing marathons.
That’s why I proudly recommend Louise Henry’s Passive Profit Accelerator program.
She’ll walk you through a lazy launch—yes, really—and show you how to get your course out into the world without the tech headaches and burnout.
👉 Watch her free training here —and see how simple starting can actually be.
6. I couldn’t earn my first $1000 online while hiding in self-doubt
→ Being coached helped me break through fear and finally believe I was capable.
Let’s be honest—when you’re just starting out, it’s not just about figuring out what content to post or which strategy to try.
It’s about trying to show up when you’re not even sure your voice matters yet.
It’s about writing post after post and thinking, “Who’s even reading this?”
It’s about wondering if you’re even cut out for this—especially when no one seems to be clapping yet.
And that deep-down fear?
That maybe you’re not expert enough, confident enough, or clear enough to be seen, let alone sell?
Yeah. Been there. Fully cried-through-the-keyboard level of been there.
Don’t miss these two blogs to build your confidence to the next level:
➜ How To Face Your Fears As An Online Entrepreneur & Turn Them Into A Positive Mindset
Here’s what shifted it for me
Coaching. Not a course, not another freebie, not a checklist.
A real conversation with someone who could see what I couldn’t.
Who helped me clear the fog of “what if it’s not good enough” and get back to the work that actually moves the needle.
When you’re swirling in strategy, self-doubt, and so many ideas you don’t know where to start—what you need is CLARITY and CONFIDENCE, not another to-do list.
Let’s be real for a sec…
Creating lead-generating content that actually sounds like you—that reflects your lived experience, your off-the-beaten-path way of thinking, your not-quite-mainstream take—isn’t just a copy challenge.
It’s an identity one.
Because how do you find your voice when you’ve spent years second-guessing it?
How do you write content that sells when your brain is stuck on “who am I to say this?”
And sure, you’ve got a Notion doc full of ideas, an Asana board of half-finished hooks, and maybe even 6 different content templates in your downloads folder.
But nothing’s clicking.
Nothing feels like you.
And the longer it takes, the louder the doubts get.
“Maybe I’m just not cut out for this…”
“I sound like everyone else.”
“I want to stand out—but I don’t want to be judged.”
“What if they disagree? What if no one cares?”
Here is an overview of my GASP content framework for leads from youur content.
That’s the part they don’t tell you
Finding your voice means facing some stuff most people run from.
Like:
The deep fear of being visible.
The anxiety of saying the “wrong” thing.
The swirl of comparison when you see someone else grow faster (and you think, ugh, they’re not even that good—but they’re consistent).
When you there, it feels totally impossible to act like IDGAF.
And if you’ve ever found yourself up late Googling:
“How to write content that gets clients”
“How to sell when you have no audience”
“How to find your niche without boxing yourself in”
…you’re not lazy or late or lacking.
You’re just stuck in that murky middle between your vision and your voice.
What's the big takeaway?
And that’s exactly where coaching comes in.
Because no PDF or pre-recorded lesson can meet you where you’re at right now—not like a real, human conversation can.
In our one-on-one session, we’ll cut through the noise and:
Name the mindset blocks that are sabotaging your content.
Clarify the message that feels like home (not like you’re trying on someone else’s jacket).
Map a simple, do-it-now strategy that turns that message into content that connects and converts.
Whether you’re still figuring out what your brand is, or you’ve been at this for a while and you’re tired of posting with nothing to show for it—this is your space for clarity and confidence.
➜ Book a one-on-one coaching call with me here.
Because you don’t need another content calendar. (thank you, next)
You need a way to show up that feels like you—and works.
Let’s do that together, my friend.
7. I thought I had to know everything before I could sell anything
→ But my first $1000 online came when I took messy action and learned as I went.
I was the binge-every-free-masterclass-first type
Tabs open all night.
Notebooks full. Mind fried. Zero sales.
I told myself it was “research.”
Truth bomb? It was fear in a productivity costume.
Because what if someone asked me a question I couldn’t answer?
What if I launched… and flopped?
What if I said something “wrong” and they figured out I was new?
So I kept learning. And learning. And learning.
But that kind of learning? It doesn’t build a business.
It builds self-doubt.
I thought confidence would come after I knew how to do everything
Turns out, confidence comes after you DO something—even if it’s messy and half-baked.
Now, I follow 3 simple principles that changed everything:
Daily small improvements – One new thing learned per day. One tweak. One brave thing per day.
Progress over polish, my friend. That’s where the growth lives.Just-in-time learning – I only learn when I need the knowledge.
No more collecting info just to soothe the nerves. Need a sales page? That’s when I learn copy.Invest to learn – When I pay, I pay attention.
Buying a course or hiring a coach? That’s when I take it seriously—and get results faster. No more tiptoeing around my potential.
Confidence isn’t a pre-requisite. It’s a result.
And remember: Google can’t give you experience. Only action can.
Let’s stop hoarding knowledge and start stacking wins. Even tiny ones.
That’s how my first $1000 online happened—and how your first $1000 will, too. Ahem, *mic drop*
Here is a graphic reminder to my 3 daily principles:
8. I spent more time polishing than publishing
→ The moment I embraced “good enough,” I made my first $1000 online faster than I thought possible.
You know when you write a text, delete it, rewrite it… then decide meh, maybe I’ll just say it in person?
That was me with my content.
I’d spend hours tinkering with a headline like it was a wedding speech
Open Canva for “one last tweak” and somehow lose another hour deciding between two shades of soft beige.
Rewrite an Instagram caption 17 times.
I told myself I was being intentional. But really? I was just stalling.
Because if I was still “working on it,” I didn’t have to show it yet.
Didn’t have to risk being ignored… or worse, judged. (IYKYK)
That kind of perfectionism feels productive—but it’s a sneaky trap.
My first $1000 online didn’t come from polished content.
It came from content that actually GOT SEEN.
Not my best. Not my fanciest.
Just… finished. (hallelujah!)
Done is a win. Done is momentum.
You can always improve it later—but not if it’s still sitting in your drafts.
Done gets you paid. Perfect keeps you parked.
9. My first $1000 online didn’t follow my original plan—and that’s what made it possible
→ Letting go of linear thinking made space for the pivots that actually paid off.
I used to think I needed a 12-month plan with color-coded sticky notes and a crystal-clear roadmap before I could make money online.
Like…
First I build the audience.
Then I create the perfect offer.
Then I launch with all the right emails.
Then… then… then…
But life doesn’t work like a Gantt chart, my friend. It throws curveballs.
It reroutes you mid-sentence.
And when you’re trying to make your first $1000 online?
Being flexible isn’t a detour—it’s your superpower
I didn’t follow THE plan.
I couldn’t follow the plan.
Because when Plan A flopped, Plan B didn’t even exist yet.
But then something unexpected happened. (Didn’t I told you about curveballs?)
I saw a post from Louise Henry—someone I’d quietly admired for a while—inviting people to apply for her program to learn how to create and launch their own online course.
Now, launching a course?
That wasn’t in my plan.
Not for now anyway.
In my head, that was a “maybe someday” thing. Like… years down the line, once I’d built a name, grown a huge audience, proved myself, checked all the boxes.
Sound familiar?
But the truth? I really wanted to work with Louise.
So I applied.
And I got in.
Within 3 months—three!—I was making money from my online course.
And here’s the kicker: I hadn’t even built it yet.
Yup.
No endless lesson recording before selling.
No overthinking module names.
No fancy tech that took months to fight with.
Just a strong idea, a supportive mentor, and a simple plan to PRE-SELL.
(A plan that actually worked.)
Here is my online course sales page for you, The Profitable Pinterest Secrets. Oh yes, I had no idea how to write one of these when I started! Yeap, Louise Passive Profit Accelerator taught me how to get a highly converting one done!
Looking back, that moment—saying yes to something I hadn’t planned for—changed everything
And before I knew it, I’d made that first $1000—not from the strategy I spent months mapping out, but from the small brave yeses I said along the way.
Here’s what I learned, my friend ->
It’s smart to have a clear 90-day plan but not enough.
It’s wise to think long-term, even 12–24 months out.
But it’s also powerful to know when to pivot.
Being able to shift gears when a golden opportunity appears?
That’s not a lack of discipline. That’s strategy.
Now… does that mean you should U-turn every 5 minutes because something shinier shows up? Nah. That’s not a business. That’s a burnout recipe.
But if you’re sensing something’s aligned—something that might stretch you, challenge you, grow you?
That detour might be the best move you’ll ever make.
Two more things…
You’ve gotta stick with it.
Whatever “it” is for you right now.
Because results come from gritty action, not perfect plans.
You can’t think your way into your first $1000 online.
You’ve gotta move.
Want help figuring out what that next move could be?
We can map it out together. I’ve got you. ❤️
The good news? You don’t need to apply anymore to join Louise’s program. 🙌
Her course, Passive Profit Accelerator helped me secured me $3k in sales even before I created my online course, The Profitable Pinterest Secrets—and it’s hands-down one of the simplest, most doable paths to launching an online course before you’ve built it (and yes, still getting paid for it!).
If you’re even course-curious, watch her free training.
It’ll shift your perspective in the best way.
👉 Watch the FREE training here: 3 Steps to Turn Your Expertise into an Online Course that Sells on Autopilot
You don’t need everything figured out.
You just need to be willing to take the next aligned step.
Maybe right now you’re stuck in “I just need to figure it all out first.”
Spoiler: You don’t.
Clarity doesn’t always come from more planning.
It comes from doing the thing.
Even if it’s half-baked.
Even if it’s a total experiment.
Even if you’re not sure where it’ll lead.
Momentum loves movement.
And your first $1000 online might just be waiting on the other side of your not-so-perfect plan.
Here is a simple infographic I’ve created for you so you have these principles to make your first $1000 online top-of-your-mind, my friend .
FAQ about making your first $1000 online
Okay, rapid-fire mode: 💥
Because if I had a pound for every time I asked myself one of these questions back when I was trying to make my first $1K online… well, I would’ve made that £1K a lot faster. *Haha!*
Truth is, when you’re just starting out, everything feels like a trick question.
Do I need a website? Do I post every day? Should I launch a course, a coaching package, a candle business—or just cry into Canva and start over?
So, my friend, let’s cut through the noise.
These are the most common, Google-searched, late-night-headache-level questions I hear from aspiring entrepreneurs. Answered simply. Honestly. With a side of: “you’re not doing it all wrong.”
Let’s go. 👇
Do I need a website to make my first $1,000 online?
Nope—not the full-blown, pixel-perfect kind you’re imagining.
You need a domain and a simple one-page site people can land on, trust you, and download your freebie. That’s it.
Truth bomb: The website isn’t the business. What you do to make money is.
✅ What to do:
Buy a domain name. Set up one super simple homepage (think: who you help, how you help, how to get in touch or grab your freebie).
What platform should I be on to make my first $1000 online?
The one your content can outlive you on.
Reels and stories disappear.
Pinterest, blogs, YouTube? They keep showing up even when you’re on holiday, dealing with your toddler’s meltdown, or just tired.
Why? Because they are SEARCHABLE. That means your content gets found again and again and again! (Yup, you heard that right)
✅ What to do:
Choose one long-form platform (like a blog, podcast, or YouTube) and one traffic driver (Pinterest is my fave for beginners). Then commit to consistency on your worst day, not just your most motivated one.
Bonus tip?
After 3 months, once you are used to it, you can think of repurposing your long-form into short-form later—not the other way around.
Want the 7 Essential Steps to Kickstart Your Pinterest for Traffic and Leads? Grab my FREE guide here.
Is selling to make my first $1000 online going to feel sleazy?
Only if you’re selling something you don’t believe in—or pretending to be someone you’re not.
Good selling is just helping someone make a decision that helps them.
✅ What to do:
Write like your audience talks. Recommend things you’d tell your best friend to buy. And instead of obsessing over sales copy, tell a story about why this thing helped you. That kind of content converts—because it connects.
What’s the fastest way to make $1,000 online without feeling salesy or sleazy?
Focus on helping over hyping.
Offer a real solution (coaching, service, affiliate product you believe in) and talk to your tiny audience like you do with your best friend.
Fastest path? One human conversation > 10 perfectly crafted posts.
✅ What to do:
Pick one offer idea—something simple you could deliver this week. It could be a 1:1 session, a 30-minute audit, or a mini service you’re testing.
Then offer it for free to 2–3 people in your existing audience (people who’ve been engaging, replying, or lurking with interest).
Tell them you’re testing something new and you’d love to offer it in exchange for honest feedback and a testimonial if it helps.
After that? Take what you learn, package it up (even if messily), and launch it with a special intro offer—something that feels generous but still pays you.
No sugarcoating it—the point isn’t to make your first $1000 overnight. It’s to build belief, gather proof, and start selling something that’s been validated by real humans.
No cold DMs. No awkward pitches. Just generosity with strategy.
How do I make money online if I don’t have a product yet?
Let’s cut to the chase: You sell something that isn’t yours—yet still solves a problem your audience has. That’s not being sneaky. That’s being smart and scrappy.
Affiliate marketing was how I got paid before I had anything to launch.
✅ What to do:
Ask yourself: what have you used, learned, or experienced that your audience would love?
Find affiliate programs for those tools or trainings.
Or offer 1:1 sessions where you teach what you already know. You don’t need to be 10 steps ahead—just 2.
How do I know what to sell if I don’t have an audience yet?
Ah, the online chicken and egg Q! I get you, my friend.
The straight answer: it’s all about you taking action. Everyone starts with zero audience.
You start with what you already know solves a problem.
Then you test the waters with a freebie, a 1:1 offer, or affiliate product you love.
Don’t overthink it. Start small, learn big.
✅ What to do:
Start with your story. What problem have you solved that others are still Googling at 2am? Talk about that. Create long-form content about that.
Clarity will come from creating content and seeing what resonates—not from navel-gazing or niche quizzes.
What type of content actually leads to sales (not just likes)?
Long‑form, search‑friendly, binge‑worthy stuff—blog posts, podcasts, YouTube.
Because when you go deep, your audience isn’t just doomscrolling, it is HANGING OUT with you.
This content sticks around, builds trust while you sleep, and lets people hear your real voice (not just your highlight reel). One juicy how‑to > ten pretty quotes over-crafted in Canva.
✅ What to do:
Choose one long-form platform that fits you—not just what’s trending.
Hate being on camera? Go with a blog.
Love to talk? Podcast it.
Prefer visuals? YouTube’s your lane.
Then map out 3 content ideas that solve a real problem your ideal audience is already Googling or asking about. Think: “how to get your first 100 email subscribers” or “what to post if you’re starting from zero.”
Use your real voice.
Say what others aren’t saying.
Show your actual process, not just your polished result.
And bonus tip? Pin those blog posts to Pinterest. You’re not creating more, you’re making your one piece of content work harder—for longer.
Why struggle? I’ve done the heavy lifting for you. Grab your FREE Pinterest guide.
Is affiliate marketing still worth it for beginners in 2025?
Yes—if you skip the $7 trinkets and back high‑value offers.
One $149 commission beats forty‑seven $3 clicks. Pick products you’d rave about for free, share the story through your content, add your link, and track the wins.
How do I make sales online without using complicated funnels or automations?
Keep it café‑chat simple: Content → Freebie → Welcome email → “Hey, I can help—want in?”
Real humans respond to real humans, not 14‑email soap operas.
✅ What to do:
Start by creating one freebie that solves a small-but-real problem your audience cares about. Set up a simple opt-in (think: Kartra, Kit, Flodesk, or even a Google Form).
Then, send one genuine welcome email that tells them who you are, how you help, and invites them to reply if they want support. That’s it.
No funnel forest. Just a path to a real conversation.
Can I really sell a course before I’ve built it? How does that work?
You might be thinking it will take you mooooonths before your online course is ready to sell.
Lemme explain this plot twist the only way I know how: Pre-sell the promise, deliver live, record as you go.
Founding students get first access (and a deal), you get proof + cash flow, everyone wins. No endless filming in a vacuum.
✅ What to do:
Start with something simple you can deliver live—like a workshop, a short challenge, or even a mini coaching container. You’ll get real-time feedback, learn what lands, and build confidence before locking yourself into a course.
Camera shy? Totally fine. You can pre-record low-pressure lessons once a week and drop them to your founding students via email or a Google Drive folder. No fancy platform, no tech drama. Just teach what you know, one week at a time.
The goal? Validate your idea while getting paid to create it. Not sit in a bubble perfecting something no one asked for.
Liking these rapid-fired FAQs about how to make your first $1000 online? Wait there's more...
Why isn’t my content converting into paying clients?
Chances are it’s talking at people, not chatting with them.
Swap generic tips for specific stories + clear next steps backed with proof of results: “Want the template? Grab it here.” Clarity sells; vagueness scrolls on by.
✅ What to do:
Check out my blog: Online Lead Generation Feels Broken? 3 Content Creation Shifts to Get Leads Without Creating More
What’s a simple online business strategy that actually works if you have zero tech skills?
Serve 1:1 first, then scale and develop online passive income with your online course.
✅ What to do:
Offer a paid brainstorm call via Zoom + Stripe link. Learn your audience’s language, bank your first $1K, then turn those calls into a course. Tech need: copy‑paste and “send.”
Ah, and don’t forget to watch Louise Henry’s free training. She is the most inspiring person to make tech a breeze.
➜ 3 Steps to Turn Your Expertise into an Online Course that Sells on Autopilot (without the overwhelm or spending hundreds of hours on course creation before getting your first sale)
Should I be on all platforms?
Only if you want to water yourself down so much that nobody remembers you.
Consistency in the right place beats being mediocre everywhere.
✅ What to do:
Choose one platform to show up with depth (email or long-form content), and one for visibility (Pinterest).
Treat the rest like dessert, not the main meal. You’re not late—you’re just distracted.
How do I know if I’m doing it right?
If you’re exhausted, posting nonstop, and still hearing crickets… then something’s off.
Working hard and making progress are not the same thing, my friend.
✅ What to do:
Audit what you’ve been doing. Ask: is this building trust? Leading to conversations? Are you clear about what makes you different?
If not, simplify. Focus on your voice, one content channel, one offer, and one CTA at a time.
Do I need to wait until I feel ready?
No. You feel ready after you act, not before.
Waiting to feel confident is like waiting for your inbox to reach zero—it never fully happens.
✅ What to do:
Pick a micro-action you’d do even if you didn’t feel 100% ready. That might be publishing your homepage, offering 1:1 calls, or posting a real opinion online.
Clarity and confidence come after the leap, not before.
Need help turning any of these answers into action?
Book a one-on-one coaching call with me—let’s ditch the overwhelm and plot your first $1K, step by doable step.
What next?
Let’s land this plane, my friend.
If there’s one thing I want you to take from this—it’s that your first $1000 online isn’t some faraway dream or giant mystery.
It’s a series of small, intentional moves you can absolutely make.
Here’s what really gets you there.
🚫 Let’s start with what to stop doing (even if the internet told you it was a “must”)
Stop making your website the main event.
That homepage isn’t going to magically turn into sales just because you obsessed over the font for three days. Most people won’t even click on it. You need content that earns their trust first—that’s what converts.Stop spending your energy on short-form content that disappears faster than your morning coffee.
Reels are cute. But your content should work harder than that—like while you’re out living your life, not glued to your phone chasing likes.Stop waiting until you’ve read one more book, taken one more course, or “feel ready.”
Spoiler: readiness doesn’t arrive—it’s built while you move. Every week you spend “getting your ducks in a row” is a week you could’ve been learning by doing.Stop editing your content to death behind the scenes.
Perfect-but-never-published is just procrastination in a pretty outfit. Nobody can buy from a draft on your laptop.
✅ Now here’s what to start doing—even if it goes against what you’ve been told
Start with long-form content that builds trust while you sleep.
A blog, podcast, or YouTube channel paired with Pinterest = the long game that snowballs. Because viral is nice, but visibility with a shelf life? That’s strategy.Start with a messy-but-smart sales setup.
Think: content → freebie → welcome email → occasional promo. Not a 42-email funnel with a countdown timer and fake urgency. Keep it light, honest, and human.Start earning before you’ve built your thing.
Affiliate links. Coaching hours. Selling a course before you’ve filmed a thing (yep, I did it). This isn’t “shortcut culture”—it’s smart cash flow that gives you runway.Start hitting publish at 80%.
Because “done and discoverable” is a thousand times better than “perfect and invisible.” You’ll get better by doing—not stalling.Start planning for the long haul—but stay nimble enough to zig when a golden opportunity shows up.
You’re not flakey for pivoting. You’re wise for adjusting the plan when something aligned and lucrative lands in your lap.
Here is an infographic summarising it!
And maybe most importantly?
→ You stop trying to think your way to clarity—and get support instead.
Because truth bomb: what’s slowing you down isn’t your skills. It’s the swirl. The noise. The overthinking. The second-guessing. The not knowing which strategy fits you best, and trying to duct-tape together advice that’s not made for your stage or goals.
You don’t need a new to-do list.
You need space to think, guidance that feels aligned, and someone in your corner who gets it.
And that’s exactly what coaching gives you.
Whether you’re stuck at the starting line or halfway through a pivot, I’d love to help you get there faster—with more clarity, more confidence, and content that actually converts.
👉 Book your one-on-one clarity coaching call here.
Let’s make this the season you finally cross that $1k line—without burning out or selling your soul in the process.
You in?
The truth is, if the mainstream advice was enough, you’d already be hitting your income goals.
What you need now isn’t more steps—it’s more discernment, more clarity, and someone who can help you cut through the noise.
That’s where coaching comes in.
So if your brain feels like a browser with 57 tabs open, let’s close some together.
📅 Book a one-on-one coaching call with me here and let’s get laser-focused on what actually moves the needle for you.
It is a real privilege to know that you read and find value in my blog!
A BIG thank you for being here with me until the end.
Don’t forget to grab your FREE Pinterest Kickstart guide.
Hi! I’m Isabel
Visual content creation is my passion
The sea is my happy place!
For years and years I have created and produced content, in particular visual content. You can find me very often with my cameras and tripod out and about!
My passion is to help solopreneurs and small business owners like you grow your online audience and biz using Pinterest. Yes, I’ll show you hacks and tools, but I believe that you need more than that to be successful. That’s why I combined my Pinterest expertise with powerful content marketing, business and mindset strategies to get your online presence to the next level! 🥳
Ah, I have also worked for 24+ in the corporate world, leading quite a mix: transformation, marketing, coaching, sales, productivity, programme management, investments and product management.
I love sharing all these skills with you in my blog.
I am also founder of Agavea Properties, our family holiday rental business. My husband and I lead it with the passion with one goal in mind: serving our customers to create a memorable holiday experience for them.
So there you have it, that’s me! Ah... I almost forgot, my happy place is by the sea.
Thanks for being here with me!
