7 Common Myths to Dispel about – Starting an Online Business

I often hear that you have to spend money to make money. This Is Not True! Take for example the person that starts a YouTube channel. There are zero start-up costs, just answering a few questions and linking the email to create an account. Voila! There’s the online business underway!

It may not start out as a primary source of income and can be considered as an additional source of income to begin with. It takes time to grow, and one must work hard and consistently deliver quality content. Yet there are absolutely zero startup costs. For the first set of videos, I’ve known people to literally plop down on the floor in their living room, prop the phone against a vase on the coffee table or something, and chatted away. If you are convinced that the story you want to share or a product you want to talk about is interesting enough that telling it alone would attract viewers – go ahead! You don’t need to invest in fancy equipment or a studio if you truly believe in your product.

As you begin to gain traction, you will automatically begin to invest in yourself. Of course, this is optional, but that could be purchasing a ring light, microphone, backdrop, and editing software to make any such videos the absolute best they could be because you know that's what your audience deserves. A special treat or a splurge is okay, even awesome if you can afford to do so-- but  investing in making the business better and credible is extremely important.

Truth be told, all you need to start a business is a smart phone or a computer.
These magical devices allow you to correspond with people, make photos of your goods, build websites, and even handle financial transactions. Use what you have before you start making purchases-- and when additional needs arise, prioritize them.

Finally, consider some of the following opportunities if you need some zero-cost inspiration which can potentially be built up around affiliate marketing, blogging, YouTube videos.

What's something that people always compliment you on?
A friend of a friend was always getting compliments on her wardrobe. She was also in the process of moving to a smaller apartment, so she needed to downsize her wardrobe. Selling her extra stuff online put money in her pocket while freeing up space in her apartment-- talk about killing two birds with one stone. Also, because of her strong stylistic/fashionista skills, she started a personal styling business on the side e.g Giving tips on YouTube and Instagram. She didn't have to use any space for inventory or have any up-front costs because she was essentially going with customers to act as their stylist upon request. She'd make the recommendations and people would purchase their own clothes.

Another friend of a friend loves animals but has no veterinary training. She volunteered at her local centre and began walking dogs on the side. Eventually this evolved into an entire pet sitting operation which she began to share on YouTube and she was eventually able to quit the job that she hated.
I think you can see where I am going with this. These are only a few of many, many examples.