Is This Online Business Thing Really So Easy?
February 1st, 2010 | Author: Melissa Ingold
Right this minute, hundreds of thousands of people are desperately searching for their “pot of gold” on the Internet. Certain that all they have to do is click the right link, and poof, they’ll uncover the rainbow that takes them right to their big payday.
And why wouldn’t they think that?
You’ve likely been told, “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” but you do. After all, the cover is the first thing you see, and it’s almost impossible not to form an impression at that moment.
When it comes to online business, the successful make it look easy. You see their success from the outside; the recognition, the obvious lifestyle, and their ability to make things happen with seemingly no effort at all.
Is it so shocking then that 99% of online business ventures go bust?
I believe that it takes a certain kind of person to learn Internet marketing and make it online. Just like life in the outside world, the virtual one can be complicated, judgmental, and even a little lonely. You have to put yourself out there and take risks, not hide behind your computer waiting for someone to tell you what to do to succeed.
Successful entrepreneurs make it look easy because they’ve been in business for a long time. They didn’t just hop online yesterday, click their mouse and today they’ve got it made.
Still, even though we know better and all the hype of the early days has fallen to the wayside, this belief that it will happen overnight continues to thrive. And this ingrained belief could very well come from the way we tend to associate “work at home” with “easy” for no other reason than what the term “home” signifies.
Just take a look at the way strangers react to the mention of “work at home”, or why a spouse can’t understand why the house looks like a disaster zone and there’s nothing for dinner when work is done at home on the computer.
It’s a common assumption that working at home is effortless, unlike a real world job. And so it really surprises a lot of people who start a business, to realize how difficult it is to build it, manage it, make money from it, AND effectively merge it with daily life.
I’ve heard from countless people who say they’re giving up this whole “making money online thing”, that it’s not working, that they’re spending too much, etc., and it’s sad really, but I also know that they’re right to quit.
A little harsh…maybe, but I’m just telling the truth as I see it. Only the strong survive and prosper within this complex world we call the Internet. Quitting is never an option when you have a burning determination to achieve your dreams. You don’t back down when times get tough, when people get tougher, it just makes you even more dogged in your pursuit to have exactly what you want.
You never think you can’t do it, because you’re too busy finding ways that you can.
I think at some point every entrepreneur reaches that crucial breaking point in business, where you finally understand just how hard it really is and you’ve got to make a choice.
99% of online businesses will fold and call it a day, while the other 1% will take the leap and do whatever it takes to make it.
“So I have to wonder, when faced with statistics like that, are we using the phrase “easy” too loosely online when it’s anything but?”
Posted in Beginners Get Started, Blog, Melissa Ingold | 
Tags: learn internet marketing, Working at Home
22 Responses to “Is This Online Business Thing Really So Easy?”
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Twitter: francivile
:
Great Post Melissa!
You said it all, I just wrote a post a few days ago: ‘Working
from Home, can it be hazardous to your health’ that kind
of relates to your: ‘Just take a look at the way strangers react to the mention of “work at home”, or why a spouse can’t understand why the house looks like a disaster zone and there’s nothing for dinner when work is done at home on the computer.’
Being one’s own boss requires a lot of self-discipline and determination!
Fran
Twitter: imsweetie
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Thanks Fran! I agree, self-discipline is a biggie, otherwise you can waste a lot of time doing nothing…like Twittering. I use Twitter in the morning and during breaks from work time, otherwise it can be a real time sucker that one, lol!
Twitter: leangreenmama
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I couldn’t agree more, Melissa. I had an online business a few years ago myself, lured in by the promise of how “easy” it would be. I struggled with it from the start because I wasn’t ready for the reality of getting organized and becoming my own biggest cheerleader as I figured out the ins and outs of how to run a business (and let’s face it — an online business may not seem like a “real” business to folks who only think of bricks-and-mortar shops, but it most certainly is, and it’s hard, especially at first and when making big changes).
Since that time much has changed in my life, and I’ve switched gears and careers entirely — and I’m back in business, this time for keeps. And as you said, quitting is never an option if you keep yourself busy finding ways to make sure you succeed. But it takes drive and determination — and a little spunkiness
thrown in for good measure.
Nothing worth having is ever absolutely “easy,” particularly not something that impacts how you live your life. That’s true for business, true for the moms I help to lose weight after years of struggling, true for pretty much any dream we have in life that requires staying at it even when it gets tough or we’re not sure how to get to the next step.
Thanks for the article once again, Melissa. I’ve become a big fan of yours this past year, and I’m looking forward to future posts.
Cheers,
Jennifer
Twitter: imsweetie
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I’m looking forward to getting to know you more Jennifer!
It’s true, there’s no one to tell you what you have to do or push you to do it. You’re on your own when it comes to an online business. You can get help, coaching, etc., but in the end, the results you achieve are based on YOUR decisions and actions. I agree, nothing worth having is easy at all
I agree with your post also, it takes a lot of hard work.
I have been online for about 4 years now with lots of hard work and my 2 websites are just now showing a lot of traffic and sales. I had my best year in 09 and it is still getting better!!!
So no working at home is not EASY!!! It took endless hours of work on the computer to get the traffic and sales I am getting.
Rosalie
Twitter: imsweetie
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Exactly! For most of us, it does take years to start seeing success. Perhaps once in a blue moon someone comes along and does it in no time flat, but that’s really rare. In most cases, it’s going to take you years to start making the kind of money you want to be.
It can take a year or more just to figure out what the heck you’re doing online, lol! Then once you’ve done that, you can move on and start making some real progress.
It’s funny, family and friends want me to tell them what to do. I can’t. They have to get on the Internet and figure it out for themselves. That’s the only way they’re going to learn. If they don’t want to take the time to do that, then I guess they don’t want it bad enough. I can’t give you a shortcut. I can help and point you in the right direction, but I can’t do the work for you.
That’s what I did. I got online and figured it out on my own. I wasted a lot of time and money, made a lot of mistakes, got frustrated, angry, you name it. But I stuck it out because I knew what I wanted, and I kept telling myself that I would get there, that I’m not going to give up. So thank goodness for that, lol!
My husband and I have run our own computer consulting business for nearly 20 years. It isn’t an online business but is based out of our home office. When people learn we are self-employed, they often jump to conclusions about how wonderful that must be and how much spare time we must have. Yeah, right! With raising and homeschooling two children (who are now both teenagers, running the business, and taking care of the home and property, who has spare anything? Still, we wouldn’t trade it for a 9 to 5 job.
Thanks for a great article Melissa. You are doing a fine job with IM Sweetie by the way.
Twitter: imsweetie
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Working at home is the hardest way to work. Sometimes I wish I had an office to go to for 8 hours a day…imagine the work I would get done, lol!
Sometimes I have to remind my hubs that just because I don’t leave the house to work, doesn’t mean I’m not working. He knows, but sometimes he’ll wonder why I didn’t clean today…so I tell him to bring all his work to our house. He can spend the day doing his work, taking care of 3 kids, doing all the housework, making meals, etc., and see how much he gets done in a day. That usually zips him up, lol!
But nope, I wouldn’t trade it for anything
Twitter: patrysha
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A lot of the problem comes from the mistranslation of “easy” into somehow meaning “no effort involved”.
In the scheme of things the tasks we complete to run our online business are easy. It’s physically easier than digging trenches, but psychologically not so much…it’s still work!
Once people come to the realization that online business is still business and requires no less of the blood, sweat and tears that go into a traditional business, that the real progress begins.
The fact is there are only a certain percentage of people who will fight back against the odds to develop the will and desire to overcome the obstacles and frustrations of building a business. For the rest, there will always be excuses.
Twitter: imsweetie
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You’re right Patrysha, there will always be those with excuses. And those people tend to be the ones who point fingers and shift the blame elsewhere for their failures. Unfortunately, because of that, they’ll just keep spinning their wheels forever. You’ve got to be responsible for yourself if you’re gonna make it in this business.
Thanks for your input
Twitter: reviyve
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Amen to this post! Online marketing is NOT easy. It’s much easier to reach prospects offline. If your website doesn’t sell, click goes the little red x in the right corner and your potential sale is gone!
At least offline, you can talk to people face to face (which I don’t love either!) and do real demonstrations of your products, etc. You can even capture people’s email addresses easier in person.
Melissa, thank you so much for all you provide and the service you offer. Your business is not just all about products. You offer a true service. It’s taken me 2 years to weed through all the so called “experts” but I truly feel I have a gem in you and I’m glad to whip out my credit card when you offer a new product! LOL that is when I can afford it.
Michelle
Twitter: imsweetie
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You’re right Michelle, it is much easier to get the sale customers can talk with you, see your products physically, etc. It’s far from easy to make sales online because, so much more goes into it then a brick & mortar store when people can walk in and the products sell themselves.
Thank you so much for your kind words, they mean a lot to me. I’m looking forward to getting to know you more Michelle!
Twitter: DiYMCoach
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Melissa,
Congratulations on your 9th year in business. The cream always rises to the top!
Getting into Internet marketing is the “easy” part because there are few if any barriers to entry. The “hard” part is succeeding.
Professional athletes, musicians and actors make their performances look easy but it does not take away the fact that they put in countless hours practicing and perfecting their craft.
It doesn’t matter whether you run your online business from a home, a neighborhood Starbucks or rent office space, it is still a business. Just like a brick-and-mortar enterprise, you need to be dedicated, organized, focused and be willing to pick yourself up when inevitable setbacks knock you down.
If you happen to discover a profitable niche, you have to be on your toes constantly and stay ahead of the competition if you want to build a sustainable business.
I understand newbies wanting to get their feet wet by starting an online business part-time but don’t expect to make money in 30-60-90 days. If you are at a job and give 100% of yourself to it, believe me, you’ll need to give 200% when you are on your own. And no one has more than 24 hours in their day.
A long time ago when I was an employee, someone once said to me, “If you think your job is hard, try working for yourself for a month.” That stuck with me over the years. Being in business is serious business and there’s nothing easy about it.
That’s my 2 cents worth. A bit pessimistic may be but borne out of the reality of being in business, both off and online for over 20 years.
Achinta
Twitter: imsweetie
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Thanks Archie!
Yes, getting into it easy, but doing it successfully really is hard work. A regular job is one you show up to and do what you’re told, owning your own business means there isn’t anyone to tell you what you have to do every day. You’re on your own there.
Maybe we should all start saying this, “If you think your job is hard, try working for yourself for a month.”
Gotta love it
Twitter: stephaniewatson
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One thing I know for sure is that running a business is hard work. I would never say it is “easy” but I too see a lot of people thinking that and I agree it is probably a bit of a problem with the word easy and the definition. Recently I realized that for every billable client hour, I work another 20 minutes that is not billable. (I’m currently trying to organize in a way that eliminates this to a degree)
Easy doesn’t mean “do nothing” it means that the process is simple if you follow it. A lot o people forget about the process.
I sometimes have a hard time convincing clients that nothing is going to happen “over night” they have read too many of the claims of fame and fortune that happen with no work.
Sometimes looking back at success can make it seem simple, but the doing, the doing is hard, the doing takes dedication, the doing takes ACTION, the doing takes long hours with no sleep and acceptance that the house might not always be clean and dinner might not be done on time as you mentioned in your article.
I struggle with keeping a balance between work and family to the point that work (business) can suffer. My client work does not suffer but the activities (my business outside of being a VA) I do on my own sometimes suffer, but that is something I am willing to do right now. My children are almost grown and out of the house, and at that time I will switch gears again, and get to “do” more of “my thing”.
The point is, you cannot have success if you don’t “do something”. For some people that is just too difficult, they need the structure of a job and nothing is wrong with that.
In spite of how it seems at times, living in Huntsville Alabama, the saying everyone can’t be an entrepreneur just like everyone can’t be a rocket scientist.
Twitter: imsweetie
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Yes Stephanie, the doing really is hard work. I too struggle at times keeping a balance between work and family, and sometimes one or the other get out of whack. But I take things as they come and work through it the best that I can. In the end, it works out just fine
All jobs are work there is no “easy” and just like any job or hobby you can’t be a success unless you “work” at it.
I haven’t started a website yet have studied a long time trying to make sure of my sources and get it close to right the first time.
You are some of the best helpers, you and the others like Alice and Mila, that I have come across on the web so I will stay with you for all my needs. Thanks and looking forward to working with you!
Twitter: imsweetie
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Thanks Jack! I look forward to getting to know you better
Melissa
I totally agree with you on this Melissa. I think you truly have to have that burning desire that keeps you moving forward and keeps you trying and learning online in order to help you reach actual success. There are alot of times, even still that I get frustrated if something doesnt work but … instead of quitting I put that into my learning experiece, I pick myself up, dust myself off and dig into new ideas that I have.
So many times there are people that want to work from home but do not really have the passion or desire about anything online. THey simple want to find something to help them make money. I just believe there truly needs to be some type of passion for what you are doing to keep you strong enough to keep picking yourself up until you do reach a successful point in your business.
Just because one thing your business may not work the way you had hoped, doesnt mean the next thing wont. You just truly have to have that desire, passion and determination to put yourself out there again to make an attempt to a different approach for your business.
In alot of cases when someone says that they work from home, they feel that they arent taken seriously. I know in the beginning of me working from home I would just get that look from people when I said I worked from home. But it was after people seeing me actually make money online they began to stop being so judgemental of me “working from home”.
Its all about being strong enough to survive, taking in learning experiences, and not being afraid to just simply go out there and take action!
Your business will never grow if you are afraid to put yourself in front of others and you wait for someone else to take action for you!
Twitter: imsweetie
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Right Rhonda, passion is a biggie when it comes to working for yourself. Because passion is what gives you that much needed drive to keep forging ahead when times get tough!
Thanks for the comment
Twitter: aliceseba
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I agree as well and don’t think this gig is for everyone. However, I do think people often make it harder than they need to be.
They micro-focus, try to do all the work themselves. If they’d just work towards focusing on the money-making activities and leverage the resources/skills of others – it actually can become quite easy.
Twitter: AngelaWills
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Excellent post!
You know I think the hardest part might be just what Alice mentioned – understanding the whole process and cutting out the distractions to just focus on the return. Getting the ‘shiny object syndrome’ and ‘kid in a candy store’ thing out of the way, lol. I know I spent way too much time ‘playing’ at first.
I know in my early years I spent way too much time just floating around from one business to another, waiting for the money to just start coming in without really testing or understanding where my biggest profits would or could come from.
Now I test everything I do, I cut out sites, projects or tasks that don’t make me money and I’m always on the lookout for super smart marketers to partner with somehow that’s a win-win for us both.
Love what you’re doing here with Internet Marketing Sweetie too!