Many of us dream of having an online business where we are able to enjoy the flexibility and freedom that the “laptop lifestyle” brings. Thinking of the possibilities can be very exciting and ideas are sometimes limitless.
However when people become more serious about their entrepreneurial paths there is often a sense of fear that sets in when they realize that they are leaving the safe and secure nest of a stable paycheck to step out into an unknown world.
Below are 3 common fears that most people have when they decide to start or even think seriously about starting an online business as well as ways to overcome these fears so that you can be more confident in going out on your own.
- Every market on the Internet is saturated, how could I possibly come up with an idea to compete against so many other people?
- I have been doing the same thing for last 10 or 20 or even 30 years. Am I going to be able to switch to something completely new?
- I don’t have the tech skills needed to start an online business
– Often it does seems like there is nothing new that could possibly be created or sold online. We see the same products over and over through Amazon and what our friends share with us on Facebook.
What we don’t realize is that the reason we rarely see new ideas or products online is because of the circle of influence that we have surrounding us. If you and your friends are mostly into the same thing and are generally in the same age range, then your view into what is available and what people are buying is going to be quite limited.
One way to overcome this fear is to start exploring online markets that show what the latest and greatest products are that can expand your view of what true possibilities exist.
One of my favorite places for getting awesome ideas on which new products are on the market is a Facebook page called GI Gadgets.
The page is constantly updated with videos of new products that are being developed (mostly out of China) that are slowly making their ways into online as well as brick and mortar stores around the world.
Two other great product sources for discovering new and exciting things to sell are Ali Express and DH Gate.
Both of these websites are essentially “trusted mediators” between factories in China and people like you and me who are trying to find interesting items to sell. Once you purchase items from their website, they hold your money in an escrow account until the China source ships the items out.
This is a great way to protect yourself from dishonest vendors!
There is also a rating system on both sites from previous buyers to help in making sure you are dealing a reputable company.
DH Gate even has a “Now Trending” section on the first page to give you an insight as to which products are in higher demand right now. This can be a huge advantage in finding the perfect niche product.
After combing through all three of the sites that I have provided links to above you should be no problem in getting new ideas and inspiration as to what you can sell through Amazon, Ebay or even your own branded website.
The only issue you might have (because the same thing happened to me) is that you are going to be overwhelmed with all the possibilities.
– I have heard this time and time again from people who are unhappy with their job or career choice in life, especially people like me who are over 40. When the idea of taking a new direction in their employment path comes up then it is immediately met with the same response of “I am getting too old to learn something new”.
While to some people that might seem like a realistic view of most people’s situation, the reality is that with the right focus and desire, you (at 40, 50 or even 70) can actually have an advantage over someone who is younger.
According to an article published by the NY Times, How to Train the Aging Brain new research shows that:
The brain, as it traverses middle age, gets better at recognizing the central idea, the big picture. If kept in good shape, the brain can continue to build pathways that help its owner recognize patterns and, as a consequence, see significance and even solutions much faster than a young person can.
No matter how old you are or how long you have been working in a particular field, you have the ability to learn something new and might even surprise yourself with how quick you pick it up.
In addition, taking on a new journey in life is not only going to be invigorating to you physically but also extremely helpful to you mentally. It can honestly make you a better you!
In a separate article published by Ashford University regarding the “Top Strategies and Benefits of Adult Learning”, it states that:
Even outside of formal adult education settings, learning has the ability to confer invaluable intangibles, like improved confidence, discipline, and motivation. Whether applied toward your current work, the job market, or your personal relationships and passions, these intangibles can enhance your ability to achieve your goals – plus, they never depreciate. In this sense, adult learning is one of the best investments you can make.
If anything, the last sentence in the quote above should stand out to you and truly make you realize how powerful changing your course in life and learning something new actually is.
By investing in yourself now through learning, you are opening up an entirely new path to possibilities and desires that you never would have realized are within your grasp otherwise.
– 15 to 20 years ago I would have completely agreed with you but with the explosion of website content management systems like WordPress and Shopify, there are tons of possibilities for even very novice online business entrepreneurs to have a quality looking website at a reasonable price.
These platforms are super easy to use and are designed for people who have a little to no technical skills at all. They also provide a great support system where you can get the help you need quickly in case you get stuck.
It is also important to understand principles like Email Marketing, PPC (pay per click) marketing and general SEO (search engine optimization) before stepping out into your online business adventure.
It is also important to understand the basics behind Affiliate Marketing as well as selling products on platforms like Amazon and Ebay
If you choose to dig through large amounts of videos, YouTube is a great source to find out more about each of these things mentioned above so that you can have greater clarity as to what they are and how they can benefit you.
I myself prefer working with The Six Figure Mentor program because it combines most everything that is needed to launch yourself into the online entrepreneurial world including quality educational materials, an awesome support community, free access to Lynda.com, 1:1 mentoring and live webinars that are usually available Monday – Friday year around.
With these types of tools at your disposal, the fear of not having the tech knowledge necessary will no longer be an issue I promise.
Fears are often like a house of cards. Once you pull one or two cards out then the others will quickly collapse as well. The same thing goes with fears of starting an online business.
The truth is that people every day just like you are making the shift to a laptop entrepreneurial lifestyle and most of them shared similar fear and doubts in the beginning.
Once the realization sets in that there are realistic opportunities out there for practically anyone and fear is pushed aside then all that remains is your determination and focus.
To Your Success!