How to start your own business online

No, don’t quit your job just yet

Author

Jordan Parker
April 02, 2023

Hello there, Jordan here 👋

You, the entrepreneur.

Your online business is doing great. You work on it for just a few hours a week. Living the dream.

A fat check from a customer just landed in your email.

Slowly, you move the mouse to open it.

Your hand is shaking.

*click*

Oh, it has a thank you note!

“Thank you for your work on project X! This will enable our company X to grow, and we’re excited to…”

Boring.

Let’s see the money!

*crack… crack… crack… crack…*

You scroll to the bottom of the page.

And there’s the number…

You’ve been sent: $20

Oh, that’s a lot of mo–

"Just $20 bucks?! What kind of an imaginary entrepreneur do you take me for?”

Well, the last few emails were for $5, so–

“That’s even worse!”

I mean… that’s the idea!

(you can feel me being slightly annoyed by the interruption)

That moment when you 4X your typical paycheck.

It can be from $5 to $20.

Or it can be from $200 to $1000.

Most jobs don’t have that. Entrepreneurs get to have that.

And let me share a secret:

You don’t have to go All-In

Entrepreneurship is portrayed as riding into the distance.

No regrets. Not looking back. No safety net.

Ridiculous.

It takes years to build the skills required to succeed in business.

If you’re 20 with no family or obligations – quit everything and just be an entrepreneur for a few years. I sure did.
(I also failed miserably because I had a lot to learn)

For everyone else:

Start building while working full-time

It’s not sexy, but it will:

  • Give you and your family safety

  • Let you build the skills you need

  • Either make your career better or give you a better career (win-win)

It’s the ultimate form of digital leverage.

Here’s what you need:

  • 1 skill – one thing that you do at a better-than-average level.

  • 1 avatar – one type of person you can help.

  • 1 market – one platform in which you can find your avatar.

You have the skill.

Find someone you can help and hang out where they hang out.

(or run ads; that’s a viable market as well – if you have enough cash to invest to learn running them profitably)

Talk to that someone long enough, and you’ll know what product to build.

After that, you’ll be unstoppable.

Your biggest fan,
Jordan

💡 Idea of the Week

❝

“I was talking aloud to myself. A habit of the old: they choose the wisest person present to speak to.”

— Gandalf

⚙️ Tools, Apps, 'n' Gadgets

Here are today's picks:

  • Nreal Air AR Glasses — Just ordered those – they’re supposed to let me have 3 external monitors on my MacBook anywhere. I’m excited by the possibility.

  • Captions — The best captions app on the market. It’s paid and iOS only (and I hate phone editing), but it’s too convenient not to use.

  • Learn Prompting — Learn how to write AI prompts. Fantastic resource, which is also 100% free.

🔦 Creator Spotlight

One of the best examples of how to build a bulletproof network is Parker.

He has a simple secret (one of them, hehe):

Be everyone’s biggest supporter.

Build your business with Storytelling

Every week you get an engaging mix of expert tips, proven strategies, and captivating case studies right to your inbox, empowering you to unlock the full potential of storytelling for your personal brand

📰 Last Week with Jordan

Another busy week, cooking some great things I can’t wait to share with you.

I wrote a thread on sending warm DMs to grow on Twitter👇️
(way easier than cold DMs and just as effective if not more)

That was it for today. Have a great week and I'll see you next Sunday!

— Jordan

PS: Help me out by sharing this with a friend who'll find it useful 🫶