How to Build a $53k Digital Business in 1 Year 💸 *NEW 2024* beginner's guide to making money online

Summary

This year, the creator earned $53,000 through a YouTube channel, Etsy Shop, digital products, affiliate programs, and brand deals, fulfilling their dream of becoming a digital nomad. They traveled extensively through Southeast Asia and China. The journey wasn't easy, with a 5-year struggle post-quitting a 9-to-5 job. The creator advises focusing on one or two income streams at a time, testing the market before committing to a product, seeking help when needed, finding a personal work rhythm, and believing in oneself. They share their experience with a pre-sale strategy for digital products and emphasize the importance of self-care and following one's intuition for success.

Takeaways

• 💰 This year, the creator earned $53,000 through a YouTube channel, Etsy Shop, digital products, affiliate programs, and brand deals, fulfilling their dream of becoming a digital nomad.
• 🌍 They spent 7 months traveling in Southeast Asia and China, demonstrating the lifestyle benefits of a successful digital business.
• 🔄 It took more than a year of hard work to achieve this success, emphasizing the importance of perseverance and gradual progress.
• 🚀 The creator recommends focusing on one or two income streams at a time to maintain productivity and avoid spreading oneself too thin.
• 📈 They started by focusing on YouTube and Etsy, then later expanded to brand deals and affiliate programs, showing a strategic approach to business growth.
• 📸 The creator launched a successful 'Etsy listing photos course', highlighting the value of creating digital products that solve specific problems for their audience.
• 🛒 They used a pre-sale strategy to test market demand for their course, which is a smart way to validate ideas before full-scale production.
• 🛠️ The creator used Hostinger's website builder to create a sales page for their course, showcasing the utility of easy-to-use tools for digital entrepreneurs.
• 🤝 They joined a membership program to learn about brand deals and contract negotiations, underscoring the value of mentorship and education in business growth.
• ⏰ The creator found a work rhythm that involves working 4 to 6 hours daily, suggesting the importance of finding a sustainable work-life balance.
• 💪 Lastly, the creator emphasizes the power of self-belief and following one's intuition, attributing their success to persistence and confidence in their abilities.

Q & A

How much income did the speaker generate this year through various online streams?

The speaker generated $53,000 this year through a YouTube channel, Etsy Shop digital products, affiliate programs, and brand deals.

What was the speaker's dream that they achieved this year?

The speaker achieved their dream of becoming a digital nomad this year.

How long did the speaker spend traveling in Southeast Asia and China?

The speaker spent 7 months traveling in Southeast Asia and China.

What was the speaker's first job after university?

The speaker's first job after university was a 9 to 5 job.

How many years ago did the speaker quit their job to pursue a digital nomad lifestyle?

The speaker quit their job about 5 years ago to pursue a digital nomad lifestyle.

What was the speaker's advice on focusing when building a digital business?

The speaker advised to work on only one or two income streams at a time to avoid spreading oneself too thin.

What was the first digital product the speaker created for their audience?

The first digital product the speaker created was a free Canva template for listing photos.

How did the speaker test the market for their Etsy listing photos course?

The speaker tested the market by doing a pre-sale, creating a sales page, and planning out the curriculum without actually making the course yet.

What tool did the speaker use to build their sales page for the Etsy listing photos course?

The speaker used Hostinger's drag and drop website builder to build their sales page.

What membership program did the speaker join to learn about brand deals?

The speaker joined Roberto Blake's membership for creators to learn about brand deals.

What is the speaker's daily work routine to avoid burnout?

The speaker starts work at around 10:00 a.m. and works until 3:00 or 4:00 p.m., totaling about 5 to 6 hours of work per day.

What book does the speaker recommend for improving productivity?

The speaker recommends the book 'Deep Work' by Cal Newport for improving productivity.

How did the speaker overcome a low point in their business journey?

The speaker overcame a low point by believing in themselves, following their intuition, and not giving up.

Outlines

00:00

🌐 Digital Nomad Success and Income Streams

The speaker reflects on a successful year where they earned $53,000 through a YouTube channel, Etsy Shop, digital products, affiliate programs, and brand deals, fulfilling their dream of becoming a digital nomad. They spent 7 months traveling in Southeast Asia and China. The journey to this success was not immediate, involving a 9-to-5 job post-university, a subsequent job quit, and a struggle over five years. The speaker emphasizes focusing on one or two income streams at a time, starting with the YouTube channel and Etsy shop, then moving to brand deals and affiliate programs. They also discuss creating a digital product, specifically an Etsy listing photos course, which includes video tutorials and templates. The importance of market testing before fully committing to a product is highlighted through a case study of their pre-sale strategy for the course, which validated market interest before production.

05:00

🛠️ Tools and Strategies for Digital Business Growth

The speaker discusses their use of Hostinger, a website builder, to create a landing page for their Etsy listing photos course, praising its ease of use, customization options, and affordability. They mention the benefits of Hostinger's subscription, which allows for the creation of multiple websites. The speaker also talks about seeking help through membership programs and business coaching to navigate brand deals and contracts, which they consider a valuable investment. They share their personal work rhythm, emphasizing a 4-6 hour workday and the importance of self-care and routines for productivity. The speaker concludes with advice on believing in oneself and following one's intuition, sharing a personal anecdote of overcoming business challenges and a belief in the power of manifestation, which they credit for a significant increase in their YouTube channel's success.

Keywords

💡Digital Nomad

A digital nomad is a person who uses digital technology, such as the internet, to earn a living and, more importantly, has the freedom to work from anywhere in the world. In the video, the creator expresses their joy in achieving this lifestyle, which has allowed them to spend seven months traveling in Southeast Asia and China. This concept is central to the video's theme of achieving financial independence and location freedom through online income streams.

💡YouTube Channel

A YouTube channel is a platform where individuals or entities can upload, share, and monetize video content. In the context of the video, the creator's YouTube channel is one of their primary sources of income. They focus on growing their channel and producing content to attract viewers and generate revenue, which is a significant part of their journey to becoming a digital nomad.

💡Etsy Shop

Etsy is an e-commerce website focused on handmade, vintage items, and craft supplies. The creator mentions their Etsy shop as another income stream where they sell digital products. This platform allows them to reach a global audience and contribute to their digital nomad lifestyle by selling items that do not require physical presence to create or ship.

💡Affiliate Programs

Affiliate programs are a type of performance-based marketing where businesses reward affiliates for each customer brought by the affiliate's own marketing efforts. In the video, the creator discusses joining affiliate programs as a way to generate passive income. This involves promoting other companies' products and earning a commission for each sale made through their unique referral links.

💡Brand Deals

Brand deals refer to agreements between a brand and an influencer or content creator where the creator promotes the brand's products or services in exchange for compensation. The video's creator shares their experience in securing brand deals, which has been a significant milestone in their journey to financial success and is a testament to the influence they've gained through their online presence.

💡Digital Products

Digital products are intangible goods that can be distributed electronically, such as e-books, online courses, or digital templates. The creator mentions creating a digital product, an Etsy listing photos course, which includes video tutorials and templates. This product exemplifies the kind of value-added content that can be sold online, contributing to the creator's digital nomad lifestyle.

💡Pre-sale Strategy

A pre-sale strategy is a marketing approach where a product is offered for sale before it is produced, allowing the creator to gauge demand and secure funds or commitments before investing in production. The video describes how the creator used this strategy for their Etsy listing photos course, validating the market's interest before fully developing the product.

💡Landing Page

A landing page is a standalone web page, designed specifically for marketing or advertising purposes. It is where visitors arrive after clicking on a link, often from an email or online ad. In the video, the creator discusses creating a landing page for their pre-sale of the Etsy listing photos course, which is a critical component in their marketing strategy to attract and convert potential customers.

💡Membership Program

A membership program is a type of subscription service that provides members with access to exclusive content, resources, or services. The creator joined a membership program for creators to learn about brand deals, pricing, and contract negotiation. This decision highlights the importance of investing in education and mentorship to enhance one's business acumen and navigate the complexities of the digital marketplace.

💡Productivity

Productivity refers to the efficiency of an individual or system in producing desired outcomes. The video's creator emphasizes finding one's rhythm and establishing a routine to maintain productivity without burning out. They share their personal work schedule and the importance of self-care in supporting their work performance, which is a key takeaway for viewers aspiring to a balanced digital nomad lifestyle.

💡Belief in Self

Belief in self is the confidence and conviction in one's own abilities and potential for success. The creator shares a personal anecdote about a low point in their business journey, where their self-belief and determination to succeed played a crucial role in their eventual achievements. This concept is a recurring theme in the video, underscoring the psychological aspect of entrepreneurship and the power of positive mindset.

Highlights

Achieved $53,000 in revenue through a YouTube channel, Etsy Shop, digital products, affiliate programs, and brand deals.

Realized the dream of becoming a digital nomad, spending 7 months traveling in Southeast Asia and China.

The success was not immediate, involving years of hard work and gradual development of digital income streams.

Started with a 9-to-5 job and quit five years ago to pursue digital business opportunities.

Focused on one or two income streams at a time, starting with YouTube channel and Etsy shop.

Transitioned to brand deals and affiliate programs after establishing the initial income streams.

Created a digital product, an Etsy listing photos course, which includes 3 hours of video and over 50 pages of templates.

Emphasized the importance of testing the market before fully committing to a product.

Used a pre-sale strategy to validate market interest in the Etsy listing photos course.

Recommended having an audience and a landing page for pre-sale strategies.

Highlighted the ease of use of Hostinger's drag and drop website builder for creating a landing page.

Shared a coupon code for Hostinger to get a discount on their services.

Discussed the value of getting help and learning from experts in the field, such as joining membership programs.

Described the process of learning about brand deals and contract negotiations through a membership program.

Stressed the importance of finding a personal work rhythm to avoid burnout and maintain productivity.

Recommended routines and self-care, such as exercise and journaling, for maintaining energy and focus.

Encouraged belief in oneself and following one's intuition for business success.

Shared a personal story of overcoming business challenges and the importance of perseverance.

Highlighted the success of a YouTube video that led to a significant increase in subscribers.

Advocated for not just following trends but finding what makes one happy and successful in their business endeavors.

Transcripts

this year with my YouTube channel my

Etsy Shop digital products affiliate

programs and brand deals I've made

$53,000 and it has been the best year of

my life I was finally able to achieve my

dream of being a digital Nomad so I

spent 7 months in Southeast Asia and

China I'm really happy about how this

year went building these online digital

income streams and I want to give you

some tips for how you can do this as

well to put things into perspective this

didn't just take one year there was a

lot of work involved actually

leading up to this year 99 years ago

when I was 20 that's when I first had

this dream to be a digital Nomad I

worked in a 9 to5 job after University

and I quit my job about 5 years ago and

Co was so hard like I struggled so hard

throughout the last 5 years and I would

say just the past year things have

really been just feeling easy the first

thing that I want you to know when it

comes to building a digital business is

try to work on only one or two income

streams at a time I'm guilty of wanting

to do everything and like at the

beginning of the year I knew I wanted to

do brand deals I wanted to make my own

digital products but I knew that I

couldn't just focus on everything so

this is how I did it at the beginning of

this year I focused on my YouTube

channel and my Etsy shop I did that for

many many months and then in the summer

that's when I started to take some brand

deals and that's when I also join some

affiliate programs so now this quarter

so I would say September until now I've

been focusing a little bit more on brand

deals and also creating a digital

product to sell if you watch my other

videos you know that I just created a

Etsy listing photos course it has about

3 hours of video it has 50 plus pages of

templates and it's basically like a mini

course that teaches you how to do your

marketing on Etsy with a focus on the

listing photos and videos my next tip

for you is to test the market before you

commit to making a product and before

you commit so much time in energy to

selling a thing that might not even be

wanted by your customer so I'll tell you

a little case study of what happened

with my Etsy listing photos course I had

the idea to make this in I would say

early October I really wanted to just

make some kind of digital product for my

audience that was useful because a lot

of you follow me for Etsy advice and I

think I have a lot to share but I think

where I really stood out with my own

Etsy Shop is I knew how to make really

good listing photos so at the beginning

of this year I made kind of a crappy

freebie product it was this canva

template with listing photos yes you can

still download this but basically

throughout this whole Year 3,000 people

downloaded this kind of ugly listing

photo template that I made and I was

thinking wow like a lot of people just

don't want to start from scratch when

they're making their listing photos and

maybe I can offer a product where I

actually teach them how to make listing

photos because I think a lot of people

are struggling with this so I thought

okay maybe I'll make you know a course

on how to make listing photos and you

know I could just have made the course

and recorded all the video lessons and

then just sold it but what I wanted to

do was actually to do a pre-sale so

basically what this is is I make a sales

page or a landing page I don't actually

make the course yet I just plan out the

curriculum I plan out all the lessons

and everything that I'm going to include

in the course I make a detail page with

what's included and I basically get

people to pre-order the course now if I

get people to pre-order the course then

I make the course if nobody pre-orders

the course then I wouldn't make it so my

thinking was yeah I'm going to use this

strategy to actually validate the market

and see if people actually are going to

pay money and I'm actually so glad I did

this pre-sale because I had 6 weeks of

promoting it and in the first first 5

weeks nobody bought it it was only in

the last what week that nine people

bought it if you're also wanting to use

this pre-sale strategy for selling

digital products you basically have to

do two things the first thing is you

need some kind of an audience either on

social media or an email list and the

second thing you need to do is to create

a landing page or also called a sales

page for this Etsy listing photos course

I used hostinger drag and drop website

builder and let me tell you it was so

easy to use I've actually tried a lot of

website Builders before in the past and

I would say hostinger website builder is

one of the easiest to use and the course

platform that I'm using which is

teachable they do actually have a sales

page builder but I really really wanted

to customize this landing page because I

wanted to make it more aesthetic and

hostinger really let me customize

everything with hostinger it is $3 month

and if you use my coupon code Dena Lou

you can get an extra 10% off and by the

way if you take a look at what's

included with hostinger subscription yes

you can make a 100 freaking websites

with hostinger that is such a good deal

with just one website subscription that

you're paying for so you can create a

fully custom WordPress website or you

can use what I used which is the drag

and drop website builder and this was

perfect because I was looking for a way

to build this landing page that was fast

and simple I got a free domain dao.

store and I built this sales page in 3

days one thing I love is that hostinger

has so many templates that you can

choose from and if you don't want to

build your website from scratch you can

use their AI website builder check out

hostinger and you can use my coupon code

Dina L for 10% off and all the details

are in the video description the next St

I have for you is to get help when you

have no idea what you're doing this year

a huge goal of mine was to do brand

deals and at the beginning like

companies were reaching out to me I had

no idea how to price myself

I didn't really know how they worked I

didn't know what to look out for in

contracts so what I actually did was I

joined a membership program the one I

joined is Roberto Blake's membership for

creators and I learned so much from him

about how to do brand deals how to price

myself how to negotiate contracts so

basically I would join a live call with

him twice a week and I would ask all the

questions in the past I also spent

thousands and thousands on business

coaching courses and like all this money

that I spent I know it is a lot it seems

like a lot especially business coaching

but it was the best money I've ever

spent like I can truly truly be honest

and say that getting coaching getting

courses getting help for the things that

I need this has been the best money that

I have spent on my business the next tip

I have for you is to find your Rhythm

when it comes to working and being

productive so you don't burn out this

actually took me a long time to figure

out because when I quit my job five

years ago I was working so much uh with

the new kind of income streams that I

have this year which like mostly the

digital kinds of income streams and

because I was traveling for 7 months

this year I found it just so hard to

balance everything but I do think that

now I figured out how I work best and

what time I work best so every day I'll

usually start work at around 10:00 a.m.

I'll work until 3:00 or 4:00 p.m. so

I'll work around 4 to 6 hours every day

and maybe in the evening I'll work 1

hour if I'm not going out so every day I

would say I spend about 5 to 6 hours

working that has worked really well for

me I actually did keep track of my hours

when I was traveling in China just cuz I

wanted to actually test out like if I

could work four to five hours I would

say yeah it made me a lot more

productive because I was working smarter

and not harder and not longer routines

has also been a huge thing for me like

making sure I exercise regularly I love

running I've been loving yoga like

reading journaling and just being able

to take care of my my own mind and my

own energy has really helped me become a

better worker and I would say you work

best when you take care of yourself

outside of all the work activities you

do and I've been really trying to be

productive when I have my deep work

sessions totally recommend this book

deep work by Cal Newport it is just so

insightful next tip that I have for you

is is okay I know this might sound a

little bit cheesy but you really have to

believe in yourself 1 and 1 half years

ago when I was at my lowest in business

and when I was just I just wanted to

give up on everything because I feel

like things were just not working out

for me I wrote in my journal like I am

not going to give up I'm going to keep

going like I really know that this

content creation like digital business

thing like I'm meant for this and I

really think that by the end of the year

20 uh 22 like I really believe that

something will happen in my business

something's going to get big and you can

call it manifestation or whatever you

want to call it but it actually happened

so on like December 28th that's when my

99th YouTube video blew up that was the

one month on Etsy video and that's how I

went from 4,000 subscribers to the

50,000 subscribers that I have now just

in one year less than a year so follow

your intuition don't follow what other

YouTubers are saying or if you're trying

to search business ideas or how to make

money online don't just follow the

trends don't just follow what's hot and

what people are talking about on YouTube

really figure out what is it that is

going to make you happy and believe that

you can be successful doing that with

the right resources if you put in the

work if you believe in yourself you are

going to get there like I really believe

that anybody who really wants to do

something like you can do

it