Are You SureYou Want To Run An Online Business?

As unemployment rates spike, more and more people are turning to the web to create their own opportunities for income. The internet may not be perfect, but there are some real benefits available for those who have the right ambition.

Now there are a number of ways to make money working from home—or the coffee shop. But it is not going to be the piece of cake described in a sales letter promoting an affiliate get-rich-while-you-sleep scheme. There is nothing out there that will make it that easy for you.

Because it takes work to build a business.

It doesn’t matter what path you choose. You could offer a service online, or you could decide to launch an ecommerce website for some cash on the side. Whatever you do… it will take work. The so called experts who tell you otherwise are only working to scam you.

Because it takes an investment.

Yes, it costs money to build a website. (Even as a service provider, you can’t work online without having a website.) It’s also a waste of money to take the cheap shortcuts. First impressions are everything, so make it count.

There are always ways to invest on a budget, but it’s not free to start a business. Especially when you consider that “time is money”… because you will be investing a lot of time—without compensation—during the startup phase.

The hardest truth to learn is that ROI (return on investment) is a form of you-get-what-you-put-in. That’s not to say that you should go all out and pay the most expensive SEO company to get you on Google right away so you can start making money. On the contrary, you do need to invest wisely and prioritize properly or all your hard earned dollars could be wasted in vain.

Because it might not be what you expected.

The grass is always greener on the other side, because you were too busy looking over the fence to tend your own lawn.

Running an online business = making your own hours = awesomesauce. Right?

Well as long as you understand that making your own hours isn’t what you thought it would be. You have to be really passionate about something to willingly give up the security of a nine to five for a position that has you working from the time you wake up until the time you go to bed, but you still aren’t making money yet.

If you’re thinking about starting an online business for the money, don’t bother.

Because it could take 10 years before you’re successful.

Whether or not that statement is true remains to be seen. As I said before, it doesn’t happen overnight. You’ve accepted that and continued reading, so now let’s assume it will take 10 years before your hard work pays off.

If it’s really not worth the effort then you just aren’t prepared for the reality of running a business. It’s easier to just get paid for following instructions, so don’t quit your day job.

Yet if you are cool with that, then you are truly passionate about your business idea and it may (or may not) pay off much quicker.