If I Could Start Over: The 5 Secrets to Online Business Success
If I could turn back time and whisper sweet wisdom into my younger self’s ear, here are the 5 GEMS I’d share:
1. Know what you want and relentlessly pursue it:
Being clear and ambitious about your goal is essential.
Vague goals scatter your focus, but bold ones narrow your path like a piercing laser beam.
Be the laser beam!
This quote sums it up nicely:
“We are kept from our goal not by obstacles but by a clear path to a lesser goal.” — Robert Brault
I never had a coach, I was green and had no concept of the value a great coach can add to one’s business journey. Heck, I had no idea what a “motivational speaker” was, as many of my clients would ask if I did motivational speaking!!
Yeah, I had to look it up and this was pre-Google!!
Action step & summary:
- Find a mentor who’s achieved what you want in life, be a sponge and learn all you can from them. Asks great questions and you’ll get great answers.
- Mentors can also be in the form of books — highly recommend learning from the wise whom have left their timeless teachings and wisdom in books.
“The quality of your questions determine the quality of your life.” — Tony Robbins
2. You’re NOT here to invent a new mouse trap:
A lotta people get caught up trying to come up with the next brilliant idea, and still many feel that all the great ideas were taken — truth is, we’re not here to invent anything new, rather, we borrow what is working well and add our own little twist; then we call it our own “secret sauce.”
Sir Isaac Newton and many other great minds knew the secret of success was NOT inventing something new, rather, learn from your predecessors and borrow (aka “steal like an artist”) what worked, then add a little pixie dust to make it magical.
“If I have seen further than others, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” — Sir Isaac Newton
We’re here to learn from others and when you see a successful product or service, it means there’s demand.
If you create something new, you have no idea about the demand.
I’ve been down this road before by introducing a new product in the kitchen niche. Our company was the first to market this cool little invention, and let me tell you, the amount of money we had to burn by educating people on our new product, cost us dearly. However, we were lucky that the market loved it and months later we were profiting mid-to-high 4-figures daily until competition stepped on our toes — OUCH!! — later the company was sold mid 2024.
Action step & summary:
- Find a product/service that’s in demand, one that you are passionate about or at least, willing to spend time creating.
- Buy their product/service and learn from them, then add your own little secret sauce to differentiate yourself.
3. Give away your knowledge, YES!! Give and Ye Shall Receive
Trust is the foundation of business.
And what’s the quickest way to earn TRUST?
Generosity!!
Share your expertise freely — it builds authority and attracts your audience.
Luke 6:38 sums it up nicely: “Give, and you will receive…”
When I finally started learning from coaches, about ~ 80% of the material was familiar because they’d shared so much upfront in their FREE videos, articles, books, podcasts or blog posts, however, it’s the 20% which was transformative.
Gotta say that having someone in my corner, having someone I was accountable to and someone who can guide and share their advice, helped tremendously.
It’s as though having an “Observer” in my business life made the world of difference. (Stay tuned in, I will be writing an article on the “Observer Effect to Success” one day.)
Action step & summary:
- Teach your audience the “what” for free; they’ll pay for the “how.”
- Put another way, “Give your knowledge away for FREE, then charge for Implementation.”
- Know that ~ 3% will be able to run with your FREE information, and ~ 97% will need help.
- Focus on the 97% and the 3% will leave you testimonials which you can use in your marketing campaigns.
4. Community is key
Building a business solo?
Proudly wearing the “Solopreneur” badge of honour?
Don’t, coz . . .
Success loves company.
A supportive community accelerates growth and keeps you inspired.
Having a business partner or having a coach walk by your side will make the world of difference, which was aptly said by Helen Keller:
“Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much.” — Helen Keller
My most valuable coaching experience came with a vibrant community of founders sharing wins, losses and strategies.
Action step & summary:
- Join or build a group of like-minded people to share ideas and support each other.
- Accountability is crucial when building your online business — entrepreneurship can be a lonely road to walk down especially when it gets cold and dark.
5. Don’t reinvent the wheel
Guessing and tweaking wastes time.
Don’t do it!
Proven systems exist for a reason.
Most ideas have already been achieved by someone else, so follow their lead.
Remember, you’re not here to invent a new mouse trap!!
You’re here to build on proven ideas — you just gotta add your special sauce!
Action step & summary:
- Find products and services, and reverse engineer why you like it.
- Yes, borrow successful business ideas to shortcut your learning curve.
- Add your special sauce and make the product/service unique to your company.
BONUS: The Secret Sauce to Success is simplicity and consistency
Consistency isn’t a buzzword — it’s the secret sauce.
Simplicity isn’t being lazy — it’s actually what everyone wants.
Yeah, our brains default to simple things, as complexity uses about 20% brain power — and who wants to waste brain power??
SoOoo, show up daily with a simple plan and align your actions with your goals.
Success lies in being consistent and following a simple roadmap, and over time these two secrets will have enormous compounding effects with hockey stick growth.
Many great YouTubers will tell you that when they started their online business, their mother and friends were the first few people who watch their videos. For many, it took years for their success to take off (compound effect: daily actions done consistently).
Action step & summary:
- Set daily non-negotiables which will move toward your success, and stick to them.
- If you find you are not focusing on your daily non-negotiables, get an accountability partner who’s also building their online business, or find a mentor who will help keep you on track
- If you still feel distracted, create a distraction-free workspace
- If you’re still not focusing, well, let’s get real . . . you’re not interested in the online business you’re pursuing — go back to #1 and begin again, this time, be honest!!”
Final Thoughts . . .
Building an online business isn’t rocket science, but it takes focus, patience and consistency.
Ready to level up?
- Start with clear goals, know your ideal clients and what you will offer
- Get a mentor, someone who’s been there and done that — find your tribe to share and learn from
- Have a blueprint and follow it until you get so good that you can add your own little twist to make it your own
- Give value, yeah, give away all your secrets! Information is FREE online, and people will pay to work closely with you. Give away your knowledge . Charge for implementation
- Show up every day with a simple plan — that’s right, be consistent, do the things daily which will move you toward success
Let’s make 2025 your breakthrough year!
If you’re looking for a simple, proven online business framework without the heavy tech, join us at Blank Napkin and do our 5-Day Online Business Challenge, 100% Free!
✧ Full Stack Digital Marketing Services
✧ Business, Life & Mindset Coach . Author
✧Helping Digital Entrepreneurs Build 6–7 Figure Online Businesses without the high tech @ Blank Napkin
