3 Steps to Start an Online Business That Actually Supports Your Life

If you’re thinking about starting an online business, I’m so excited for you.

But before you start designing logos, building websites, or writing your first Instagram post… I need to tell you something important (that I wish I had known when I started):

Hold your horses.

The biggest mistake I see new entrepreneurs make is jumping straight into doing — creating products, building the website, writing the content — without first getting crystal clear on who they’re doing it for.

And the hard truth?
When you skip this step, you often end up guessing what your audience wants.
That leads to second-guessing yourself, redoing your website three times, and wondering why no one is buying.

But there’s a better way — one that gives you clarity from the start, makes your decisions easier, and helps you build a business that actually connects.

Today, I’m walking you through the three things to do before you dive in.
These are the same first steps I recommend to every mom I work with who wants to build a profitable, flexible online business — one that supports your life (instead of running it).

Why Your Online Business Should Start With Your Audience, Not You

I know, I know — this might sound strange to hear from a coach who’s all about following your passions.

But here’s the thing:
A successful business is built at the intersection of what you love and what your audience needs.

It’s not about guessing.
It’s not about creating what you think people want.
It’s about listening, learning, and then offering the right solution at the right time.

When you start here, everything else — your message, your content, your offer — flows so much easier.

The 3 First Steps to Start a Profitable Online Business

Step 1: How to Choose Your Online Business Niche

This first step? It is about you.

Start by asking yourself:

• What could I talk about for hours without needing to Google it?
• What lights me up?
• What problems do I know how to solve?

Your niche is the focused area where your passion and experience meet. But don’t stop at “health coach” or “graphic designer”... go deeper.

Think about:

• What kind of coach or designer are you?

• Who are you passionate about helping?

• What specific piece of your area of expertise do you love most?

Niche down enough that when you describe what you do, people can immediately picture who you help and how.

Step 2: How to Choose the Right Audience for Your Online Business

Here’s the part that surprises most people:

You get to decide who you want to work with.

If you’re going to pour your heart into this business, let’s make sure you’re working with people who light you up, not the ones who drain you.

Think about:

• Who do you enjoy helping most?

• What makes working with them fun or meaningful?

• What kinds of people do you not want to work with?

This isn’t about excluding people just for the sake of it.

It’s about being honest with yourself so you want to get up very day and run your business.

Step 3: How to Understand Your Ideal Customer’s Needs

Once you know who you want to work with, your next job is to understand them deeply.

Not just their demographics (age, gender, location, profession), but also their goals, challenges, frustrations, hopes, and dreams.
Because the key to creating an offer that sells isn’t about being clever. It’s about being helpful.

Spend time where they spend time:

• Facebook groups

• Online communities

• Comment sections of books, blogs, podcasts, or YouTube videos in your niche

Ask questions like:

• What’s the biggest challenge you face when it comes to ____?

• What are your goals when it comes to ____?

• What’s holding you back?

• What have you already tried?

• What would success look like for you?

Listen closely to the words they use, because those words are gold when it comes time to write your content, create your offer, and connect with them.

Why Knowing Your Audience Makes Everything Easier (Products, Content, and Marketing)

When you start by getting clear on your niche and your ideal customer:

• Your product or service becomes obvious (because it solves the problem you know they have (because they told you)).

• Your content feels easier to write (because you know what they need).

• Your marketing feels natural (because you're joining the conversation already happening in their mind).

This is your foundation.
And it’s how you set yourself up for a business that’s profitable and sustainable, before you ever worry about logos, websites, or social media.

The best part? You’ll never feel like you’re “out of ideas.”
When you listen first, your audience tells you exactly what they need.

Need Help Choosing What Kind of Business to Start?
Take the Free Quiz!

If you’re still not sure where to start or how to match your strengths with what your audience needs, I’ve got something to help.

Take my free quiz: What Kind of Online Business Is Right for You?

Take the quiz here

It only takes a few minutes, and it will help you get clarity on the kind of business that fits your life and your goals.

Want to learn more? Here are some other helpful posts that you may be interested in:

• What is a Digital Product?
• Recurring Income vs. One-Time Sales: How Digital Products Actually Make Money
• 7 Common Mistakes New Entrepreneurs Make (and How to Build Smarter)