YOUR ONLINE TUTORIAL TIPS

12/4/20244 min read

Hey there, do you also want to start your own (side) business? If so, join the club!

Pretty much all my friends want to start a business. And recently, several of them actually started.

But the majority still struggle with finding a good idea.

So in this email, I’ll share 8 ideas for online businesses that have the potential to generate consistent revenue.

And one thing before we start: These ideas have worked for the last decade, and I believe they will continue working in the age of AI.

AI will only make it easier for you to execute these ideas.

1. Self-publish books

I've self-published 7 books, and I've worked with Penguin Random House on one of my books. But the truth is no one cares who publishes your book.

The quality of your book is what matters. One of the most successful books in recent years is Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins. He received some offers from publishers but decided to publish the book by himself. That way he owns all the rights.

And today, everyone can do that too. You can do the whole process yourself, including the design and editing. There are enough AI tools that can help you with that.

The key is to publish multiple books, not just one. Any one of my books won’t make me rich, but by now, it’s a stable income stream for me because I have a bunch of them.

2. Create an app

Every other day I read about small apps that are making solid profits. Just go to X and search for #buildinpublic. You'll see a lot of apps that are built and run by one or two people.

And they make good money too.

Look, you don't have to create the next Airbnb or Uber. Even without knowing how to code, anyone can build a simple app. The best apps are simply good rip-offs of other existing apps but done better.

The good thing about this strategy is that you don't need to validate your idea. If you see other people paying for an app, and you think you can make a better app, it could be a profitable strategy.

3. Sell other people’s products

Don’t want to build your own products? Then sell existing products, also known as affiliate marketing. It sometimes gets a bad rep but it’s a solid business model.

The best platform for this strategy is a website (or multiple sites). Here’s my guide for building a website without knowing how to code. For most people, a WordPress site would be sufficient.

Once you have a website, you can start creating content that attracts people who are interested in the products you’re offering.

4. Create an online course

This one is about leveraging your knowledge, experience, and expertise for the benefit of other people.

We always want to learn. The popularity of online courses shows that there is great demand. And it’s easier than ever to sell a course.

I’ve created 7 courses using Kajabi. With the right tools, I’m able to save time, maximize my efforts, and create courses that students can easily consume.

5. Start a paid newsletter

If you can generate a small but loyal following that’s willing to pay, you can make a good living with a newsletter.

In terms of technology, there are many solutions you can use. A lot of folks are using Substack now.

If you can share valuable content on a weekly basis, look into starting a paid newsletter.

6. Build an online community

In the past, I ran a community called The Sounding Board. It was a facilitated community where like-minded people could join, share their goals, and insights, and even test their business ideas before implementing them.

I merged the community into my online courses later. You can create a community around any topic, from fitness, health, writing, and gardening, to entrepreneurship.

I simply used Slack for the community and I’ve combined it with a member-only newsletter. So it’s a combination of community and private newsletters.

7. Start a coaching program

This isn’t limited to life coaches. You can do nearly every type of 1-on-1 coaching over Zoom or Skype.

Again, it’s all about what you’re good at. People want to pay for expertise. With enough experience, you can gradually expand to group coaching and booking multiple sessions.

8. Build a freelance practice

Can you still do freelance work today, or will AI eat up all the work?

Well, AI is eating up a lot of design, editing, and virtual assistant type of tasks. However, freelance experts are still in demand. I just don't think you should go to freelancing platforms.

The problem with freelance sites is that they lock you into a cycle of looking for clients and pitching to them. Plus, you don't own the platforms.

Building your own site, publishing your own content, and attracting high-quality, well-paying clients takes much more time. But the payoff is so much more rewarding and sustainable.

Build something for the long-term

As you can see, all these ideas are not about making a few bucks or trying to become popular on social media. Those are not sustainable business strategies.

Focus on building digital assets like products, memberships, and email lists.

Those things will help you to become sustainable. You don’t want to rely on third parties who own the relationship with your customers.

You want to build a product/service that is yours and generates income for the long term.

That will give you more freedom and peace of mind. Isn’t that what digital entrepreneurship is about?

All the best.

-Darius