Thanks to the Internet, setting up your own business has never been easier. The rapid expansion of the ‘gig economy’ is evidence of this, with millions of people worldwide swapping the security of a 9 to 5 job for freelancing.While this change is often attributed to the rise of ride-sharing and other service-oriented platforms, statistics show that it’s actually consultants and creatives who are driving the move to independent work. This means that there is a growing group of people building businesses based on their existing experience and expertise – and a market for these skills and services.

So… how do you start turning your passion and into a profitable online business?

Step 1: Define your offering

The first thing you need to do is work out what your strengths are and how you can use them to help others. Every person has a unique set of skills and experiences that others could benefit and learn from – you just need to work out what yours are. One way to do this is to think about the challenges you’ve overcome and the advice you wish you had been given to help you deal with the situation.

Step 2: Find your market

Once you’ve worked out what you can offer, you need to find an audience and build your reputation. This has never been easier, with a wide range of online channels available to anyone with a computer. Whether it’s via social media (e.g. Twitter), on your own website, or as a contributor to other well-known platforms (like Medium), there are many ways for you to share your message. While the aim should be building your brand, these interactions can also help you refine your idea and begin building a network.

Step 3: Monetize your expertise

Once you’ve cultivated a reputation as an expert in your chosen field, you can start charging for your services. The structure of this will depend on he expertise you’re offering but could be packaged as:

• Online coaching services
• Digital courses / online training programs
• Consulting services

Your initial focus should be your established network – as they already know and respect you – and you can use your regular messaging to begin introducing your paid services.

Want more information?

If you’re looking to strike out on your own but would like some more advice on how to go about it, I recommend reading Expert Secrets by Russell Brunson. It has already helped thousands of online entrepreneurs and provides clear, practical advice on how to turn your expertise into a highly profitable business. Best of all, you can currently get the book for free – you just need to pay postage and handling!

https://expertsecrets.com/freebook
https://hbr.org/2018/03/thriving-in-the-gig-economy