When I started to learn about SEO and to work as a digital freelancer, nobody told me everything I would have to learn (or at what rate), or what I would have to face to live from my own online business.
Well, I don’t like to start by talking about the “negative” side of something. In fact, the message I want to convey to you is not negative; You need to learn with every fall, very quickly, but it is gratifying to start a new business and after just a few years, you will be able to look back and see all that you have achieved.
No matter your business branch, if you have someone to help you, or if you are going to do it all by yourself. In fact, it doesn’t even matter what your level of knowledge is: Any idea can be considered crazy until it has been proven.
My friends thought I was crazy, too. “Daniel, why Aren’t you looking for a “normal” job? But what do you do? You work several hours a day, don’t you think it would be better to look for something “safer”?
Something safe? I love the “concept” that many people have about the “labor security.” Do they think I don’t work? If I am a freelancer and they pay me for what I do, I am working. And regarding security, better not to start talking about all the reasons why they are so wrong.
There are hundreds of comments that someone who wants to start a new project should ignore. Sometimes it is better to become “deaf” and ignore certain opinions or tips that don’t help you at all.
I’ve said too much as someone who’s just getting started.
I promise you that we’ll go straight to the point!
And what are we going to talk about in this article? Well, I want to talk about facts (positive and negative, 50%) of the life of an entrepreneur and the challenges of starting an online business. Don’t worry, even if you have a physical business, sure this article will be useful since sooner or later, you’ll have to enter the online world.
If you are one of those people with a taste for adventure, I am sure that the “cons” will only be a decisive point as motivation for you to face new challenges. In fact, I like to be motivated by the difficulties that life imposes me day by day, and something negative becomes the fuel that I can use to boost my efforts.
Why I decided to create an online business, and why should you do the same thing?
As I said before, I always prefer to see the positive side of any situation. I’d instead try to learn from my mistakes and the experience of other people.
You can’t imagine how relevant the opinion of someone who has reached the goals you are trying to achieve could be as a source of information so that you know the steps that you should take to succeed as well.
Of course, you are wondering if I can help you, or if you could create an online business without asking for help.
First of all, I’d like you to know that when I write about something, I like to talk about my experiences. Fortunately, I work as a freelancer and live from my work on the internet. The answer to the other question is that you can, or at least you could try to do it without asking for help, but things will be much more challenging, and if you are lost, you will end up having to search for an expert to help you.
Therefore, it is better to start asking for help now, or at least to read about the experiences of someone who already has an online business.
7 Good Reasons to Start an Online Business
Starting a new company will change your life. There are several reasons why you should do that; we are going to talk about some of them today. Creating a new business is always a challenge, but you will learn a lot. If you don’t give up, with time, you will be able to make money out of your online business.
After explaining this point, I’d talk about the seven reasons for starting an online business:
► 1) Lifestyle change
In many cases, due to lack of work or lack of motivation, many people will give up and try to find other ways to make money at any cost. My case was not one of the most original stories, but at least now I can say that the crisis helped me to find a new alternative for my life, now I work from home and feel very satisfied with every achievement.
► 2) Low launching costs
Opening an establishment or renting an office requires having a good financial capital so that you can afford to pay for all the necessary costs. An online business allows you to start your project with a small investment in resources (you only need a web page, a hosting, some platforms, depending on your industry, etc.).
► 3) Flexible working days
You will work many hours a week. This can be challenging at first, but over time you will get used to this Lifestyle, and start organizing your schedule to reconcile your professional life with the household chores, or to interact with your family and friends. Some say that after starting to work from home, you will never stop working, but if you like what you do, your work will end up becoming a philosophy of life.
► 4) Learning “non-stop.”
If for you this is not a positive thing, then entrepreneurship is not your vocation. To create a business, you will need to learn, to read and research. You will have to be curious and search for information about each new trend, apply and try different techniques to know what will work and what will not. If you love what you do, this will be one of the most rewarding aspects of your work.
► 5) Visibility and online reputation
Who does not like to be recognized on the Internet for their work? Well, Blogs and social networks contribute a lot to this and although creating a personal brand is not an easy task, (it takes a lot of hard work), I have to admit that being recognized and having prominence is very rewarding.
► 6) International interaction with other professionals
When working from home, you will have the possibility of doing business with people from all over the world. If you speak more than one language, you’ll have even more opportunities.
► 7) Select the projects that interest you
Being able to choose what and with whom you will work is essential because you will be able to select the best projects for your skills. You will also have the freedom to choose who your partners will be, for you will be your boss.
If you work with products, by creating a virtual store you can increase your sales, as you will have more potential customers. However, if you don’t have experience and don’t understand how to work in the online world, you can suffer some disappointments.
The central difference is that if you want to offer your product on the internet, you need to think about many details, that although they seem insignificant, can impact on your sales. For example, when describing the product you are selling, every word counts, because the correct use of keywords will help to rank your site.
In short, what would happen to an online venture without SEO?
The challenging side of an online business
To know if online entrepreneurship is something you would like to try to do for a living, you also need to be aware of the negative aspects. Every beginning is complicated and especially during the first year; you will have to invest a lot of time in learning before you could see any results.
Although I don’t consider the “cons” of creating an online business as an impediment, you will have to fight a lot, and this type of life is not for everyone.
Be prepared to work hard, to row against the tide and fight for your dreams.
7 Disadvantages of becoming an online entrepreneur
When you work as a consultant, you need to become almost a psychologist, or a motivator, to be able to advise your customers and help them to overcome their fears. You already have to be a skilled person to face your own problems, but when you work for another person, you will have to know how to manage their issues as well.
I found many situations where an online business didn’t work because the person who started it wasn’t prepared for all the challenges and could not keep running the project. In many situations, we could find people influenced by drawbacks, for instance:
► 1) Social incomprehension
I talked about this at the beginning of this article, knowing how to face your fears will be the key to your success.
Some people, when confronted with a challenging situation give up trying and don’t fight for their dreams.
Working as a Freelancer or engaging digitally is difficult, but not impossible. And, as I always say those who aren’t willing to take risks won’t win.
► 2) High doses of self-motivation
Only the most persevering people can start and manage an internet business, as most of us will have to spend many hours a day practically alone in front of the screen. So having a positive attitude and understanding your limits is imperative for producing results.
► 3) Financial management
Here you have no other alternative; you can spend money and hire a manager, or you will have to try to learn how to manage your accounting.
► 4) Turbulent learning curve
As I said before, I don’t consider the fact that I have to learn new skills as something negative in my professional career, but I recognize that it is an aspect that forces us to leave our comfort zone regularly, and that is not an option for many people.
► 5) You will have to work hard for all the steps you take
Before you start a new business, many people will tell you that you are crazy. The same people, once they see that you are doing well, will say that you were lucky. It is not a question of being lucky, but of working like a dog. If you don’t work, you can’t achieve your goals. Your professional career is not a lottery; it is a road full of bumps and obstacles that you must overcome.
► 6) Disadvantages of remote work
While being able to contact people from anywhere is a definite advantage, for specific projects, sometimes telecommunication can become a problem. Sometimes, due to connection issues, time zones or even cultural differences, some projects could take longer than initially planned. Therefore, you should always act with caution and anticipate this type of inconvenience.
► 7) Uncertainty
I left this point to the end since it reinforces the philosophy of the defenders of the “security in work.” However, we need to recognize that it is not possible to predict your situation in six months, if you work with an online business, as every day will bring new challenges that can change the direction of your company.
Do you think these disadvantages are too relevant and that you aren’t ready to start your online business? My mission here is not to motivate you but to guide you so that you understand your situation, your options and the steps you should take to start your project.
These are not the only drawbacks with which you will stumble along the road. I suggest you try to leave your comfort zone and start planning your online business by trying to get to know your market, without forgetting to share your experiences with others.
We should be generous and help other people; our experiences are a valuable source of information for future entrepreneurs.
Conclusions
In this article, we saw from a very personal perspective, and according to my own experience, some of the determining factors for the creation of an online business. If you want to venture out on the internet, knowledge will be your best weapon.
Keep in mind that if you are considering or are already in the process of launching your business, you should read as much as possible, talk to as many people as possible, to see what you can do to improve, because the more you know about the steps you’re going to take, the better the chances of being successful.
You will have to be persistent, have very clear ideas and, above all, not be carried away by the pessimism of those who never dared to venture, for fear of making mistakes. The fact that something is complicated doesn’t mean that it is impossible.
In my case, I offer services as an SEO consultant; I can say that my personal brand and referrals of other customers are my best friends when I have to search for new customers.
If you choose to launch an online store or e-commerce, ranking your website in the major search engines (especially Google) will be even more imperative. (it always is, but to sell products, you will have to work with SEO.)
What do you think of starting an online business? Are you ready to work hard? Share your experience with us.