After a decade in the world of online business, I’ve learned more than I ever expected—about business, people, and myself. If I could go back and give “10 years ago me” a cheat sheet, these are the lessons I’d pass on.

1. Earning Money While You Sleep Is a Great Feeling!

Last night I earned $131.82 (£103.99) from a business I don’t actively promote or run anymore. It just quietly ticks over in the background selling products I made a few years ago. Waking up to that in the morning never gets old. Do everything you can to work towards it.

2. You Can Scale Enormously—But You’ve Got to Plan for It

One of my first big successes was a five-figure eBay business. But I hit a wall. Scaling further meant hiring staff—something I knew that I didn’t want. The lesson? Think about how your business scales early on and whether that model fits the lifestyle you want.

3. There’s No Single Route That Suits Everyone

I’ve tried at least four very different business models—online physical products, self-publishing, coaching, software as a service, and dabbled with many more. Each had its ups and downs and pros and cons. Success isn’t about following someone else’s blueprint; it’s about finding the model that works for you. I love online courses and coaching because it fits so well with my desire to impact people’s lives AND make money rather than just one of those things. But I didn’t think this through very well early on and could’ve skipped a few steps if I’d really spent time considering it carefully. Check out more on this here.

4. The Flexibility Is Unlike Anything Else

Online business gave me the freedom to work around family life in an unprecedented way. Consistency pays off but you can fit the time in whenever you want to—rather than being driven by someone else’s schedule. You can also involve your family if you want to. My three kids have all been involved with different aspects of my businesses. From listing, packaging, and shipping stuff on eBay, creating PowerPoints for courses, or proofreading and commenting on site design, the variety of small tasks you can delegate is huge. Building a business that blends with your personal life is one of the greatest perks of this journey.

5. The Longer You Spend in It, the More Entrepreneurial You Become

Stepping into this world has been a crash course in creativity and resilience. Being around other entrepreneurs has lit a fire in me to think bigger and bolder. The best part? This mindset grows stronger the longer you’re in it.

My parents modeled for me that work = time-for-money is the only way to make an income in the world. The usual 9-5 was what was expected and predicted. But the world is very different now, and the space is wide open for entrepreneurs to break away from the usual ways of making income where you’re locked into time-for-money forever.

6. You Can Achieve a Lot If You Stay Consistent

I often tell people to commit just 4 hours a week to their online business. That’s enough to create and sustain momentum. The magic isn’t in doing huge amounts all at once; it’s in showing up consistently.

What I’ve noticed is that lots of people commit big at the beginning but can’t sustain the pace and so drop away. Finding something that you love to do is key to consistency and having a mindset that you’re working towards something that will become increasingly passive in another. You’ve got to be building to the right model though for this to work.

7. One Door Leads to Another

Every step in my journey has been a stepping stone to the next. My software as a service course platform helped me realize I didn’t want just a service business as it was just like another job. I wanted increasingly passive. My eBay business taught me that I didn’t want something that could only scale with staff. My self-publishing business opened doors to coaching and course creation with a growing affiliate marketing income. Each piece is a step forward—if you’re willing to learn from it.

8. The Landscape Is Always Changing

Online business is never static. What worked in 2023 might not work today. Check the date on that YouTube video you’re learning from! Staying adaptable is key to staying successful and staying up to date with what’s working now is absolutely critical. Join my FREE Facebook community if you want to be part of a group of people who are actively learning what’s working today!

9. Finding Your Niche Is Fundamental to Success

The online market is enormous—typically around 1.2 billion online English speakers. The size of the market is both the opportunity and the problem! The issue is finding the people who you can help with whatever you do. This is called your Niche, and the better you understand this, the easier it is to find those people and draw them into your world.

10. Success Isn’t About Hustle—It’s About Clarity and Focus

It’s easy to think working harder will get you there faster, but the real key is working smarter. Knowing what you want, who you’re serving, and the problem you’re solving is what truly moves the needle. Hustle fades; clarity sustains.

I hope these lessons inspire you, challenge you, and maybe even save you a little time as you build your own online business. Remember: success isn’t a straight line, but it’s absolutely worth the journey.

How I Can Help

If you’re ready to learn more about creating a successful online course, coaching or mentoring program, here are some ways we can work together to bring your vision to life:

1. Subscribe to The Raw News

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2. Join My FREE Facebook Group

Become part of a community of aspiring coaches, mentors and course creators in the Online Course & Coach Accelerator group. Here we share resources, answer questions, and provide feedback to help you grow. Join us here.

3. Sign Up for my Impact & Income Accelerator Program

If you’re ready to level up, my Impact & Income Accelerator Workshop shows you how I built a profitable, scalable online course business in my spare time. Sign up here.