online business

Selling THIS Helped Me Quit My 9-5 & Travel the World

 

Tired of the daily grind of a 9-5 job? Dreaming of a life filled with adventure and flexibility? Or maybe just a slower life filled with freedom and time?

Many of us have been there, longing for a change but unsure of how to make it happen. In today's blog post + podcast, I want to share my personal journey from 9-5 life to the freedom of entrepreneurship (and traveling the world.)

In today’s podcast + article, you’ll learn:

  • How I started my first business (in web & graphic design)

  • How I got my first web design clients & quit my 9-5 jobs in waitressing and retail.

  • Why you DON’T need a degree to start a creative business.

  • Why web design comes with job security, regardless of the increase in website templates and AI.

  • How to know if web design is a good fit for you!

  • Why social media is not the only place to get clients (and alternatives to try!)

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google or Spotify.

ARTICLE

Take a little trip back in time with me to 2012.

I was working as a Pizza Hut waitress and retail worker, paid about £6.59 per hour at the time, and I had a toxic boss who was super nice to my face but talked about me when I wasn’t around.

I’m neurodivergent so I already felt a bit different, despite not being diagnosed yet. I was also a pretty shy teen and I didn’t fit in well with some of the more extroverted staff members. It was at these jobs that I first remember FEELING different and being TREATED differently.

I wanted OUT.

I wanted to be my own boss.

I wanted the freedom to live and work from ANYWHERE in the world.

I wanted to do creative work I loved, NOT mop the floors of the restaurant or straighten coat hangers to pass the time.

I had a blog at the time - it was my side hustle. And one day, someone offered to pay me £150 to design a blog for them. (Very underpriced but at the time it felt like a lot!)

I told my coworker (who was studying graphic design at university) and here’s what she said:

“You can’t charge someone money for that, you’re not qualified.”

And she was right… I didn’t have any kind of degree. I was just a waitress and retail worker. I started thinking… “I’m not experienced enough for this. I don’t have enough money to start a business anyway. How will I even fund this?”

So what did I do?

I accepted the client anyway. I taught myself web and graphic design. I used my savings to buy a better laptop + Adobe programs. I used my credit card for a couple of business tools. I raised my prices over time as I gained more experience.

And guess what?

In time, I was earning enough from web design to quit my 9-5 and get on a flight to Thailand.

(If you want to do the same, sign up for The Profitable & Productive Web Designer Bootcamp before April 15th!)

Web design changed the trajectory of my life.

WHY WEB DESIGN?

I was always a creative - I loved art, drawing, photography, and writing.

I would redesign my blog for fun, just because.

If you’re a creative person and you have a good eye for design, even if it’s not necessarily WEB design, you just really enjoy interior design and choosing color palettes etc… If you haven’t started a business yet, I’d really recommend considering web design.

Even though people can buy website templates nowadays, there are lots of businesses worldwide that:

  • don’t have the technical skills to do that

  • don’t have the desire or time to

  • want a custom designed website that isn’t gonna look the same as 50 others

Because the world is all online now, businesses often lose tens of thousands if they don’t have a website. So web designers are needed and always will be. Did someone say… job security? ;)

HOW I LANDED MY FIRST CLIENTS

  • Don’t be afraid to ask for referrals - my first client came from a fellow designer.

  • I used social media - I ran a limited-time offer on logo designs.

  • My friend Paige didn’t use social media, she used SEO to rank no.1 on google for Squarespace web designer.

There are so many ways to land clients. Choose one, two at most, and give it your all.

COULD WEB DESIGN BE THE THING THAT GIVES YOU THE FREEDOM IT GIVES ME?

You might want to start a web design business so you can be your own boss, work from home (or anywhere in the world), and have full control of your time.

Or maybe you already sell brand design, virtual assistant services, copywriting, etc, and want to add web design to your services. One web project could be about $2500. Imagine if you just take 2 each month? That’s $5K/month. Or one each month is an extra $2.5k. $30k a year in total.

If you’re curious about web design, sign up to my good friend Paige’s FREE Profitable & Productive Web Designer Bootcamp!

 
Schedule of Paige Brunton's Profitable + Productive Web Designer Bootcamp
 
 
Meet Paige Brunton image
 

About Nesha

Hey there! I’m Nesha, 11-year traveling entrepreneur and host of The Simple Business Show. I teach women how to build a $5-10K/month online service business working just 3 days a week, so they can have the financial and time freedom to live the life they dream of.

Looking for more ways I can help you? Here they are:

1:1 Coaching: Work with me on an intimate level to take your business from where it is to where you want it to go.

Group Coaching Program: The Simple Business Builder: Learn to build a $5-10K/month online business working 3 days a week.

Organize & Automate - Join 1200+ students and learn how to organize your entire online service-based business in just two weeks (on the side of your regular routine!) so you can stop stressing and fall back in love with your business.

Simple Sales School - Learn how to get a consistent flow of clients so you can build the income & financial freedom you desire.

Subscribe & Leave A Review! 

If you enjoyed this episode, you can show your support by leaving a review, subscribing, or sharing your biggest takeaways on your Instagram story! Just remember to tag me @neshawoolery so I can see it.

Here’s how to subscribe and review the show:

Subscribe on your favourite podcast platform: Apple Podcasts, Google or Spotify.

To leave a review on Spotify: Open my podcast and click the “rating” button under my podcast name.

To leave a review on Apple Podcasts: Open my podcast, scroll to the bottom of the page and you’ll find the rating/review button.

More Episodes

 

How to Start a Successful Web Design Business & Scale It to $10K Months with Paige Brunton

 

Pre-PS: Paige is kicking off the FREE Profitable + Productive Web Designer Bootcamp on April 15 @ 3pm ET! If you want to hear from real and very successful web designers about how to find clients, be productive, or start the business… sign up now before you forget. 

If you clicked on this article, I’m guessing you’re either:

  1. Interested in learning about how to start a successful web design business.

  2. Already a web designer. You’re booking some clients, but ready to scale!

  3. Not a web designer at all! You’re a VA, photographer, copywriter etc… but you want those elusive $10K months too.

In today's competitive online market, building a successful web design business requires more than just technical skills—it requires strategy, determination, and a solid plan for growth.

And there’s no one more qualified to provide you with that plan than my amazing friend, Paige Brunton. 

 
 

Paige went from teaching kindergarten, to starting a Squarespace web design business and ranking #1 on Google for “Squarespace web designer” within 6 months. She went from struggling, to getting a client inquiry every single day.

Now, Paige teaches aspiring web designers about the two most essential ingredients to create a life of their own design:

✓ The skills to build fabulous Squarespace websites 

✓ The knowledge to build a successful web design business

She and I both believe that everyone deserves to have the skills necessary to be self-reliant and live the freedom-filled lifestyle they desire. And running a web design business can give you that.

So hit “play” on the podcast player below to listen to the interview! The value Paige drops is INVALUABLE! Oh, and her whole thing is “how to get clients WITHOUT Instagram” so if you’re not into social media, you need to give this one a listen. 

You’ll learn:

  • How to start a successful web design business & scale it to $10K months (even without a degree) (10:50)

  • How to get clients WITHOUT Instagram or social media (15:30)

  • The No. 1 reason you’re not succeeding as a web designer (+ How to fix it!) (16:00)

  • 5 tips to grow your web design business to $10k/month (21:19)

  • How to overcome imposter syndrome, especially if you’re self-taught (24:15)

  • Why you should consider adding web design to your list of services (32:23)

  • SO much more!

FREE Web Designer Bootcamp - April 15th

 
 

Because Paige believes in helping aspiring female entrepreneurs learn how to build life-giving, profit generating businesses, she is kicking off the FREE Profitable + Productive Web Designer Bootcamp on April 15 @ 3pm ET!

I don’t normally recommend other people’s free stuff or courses but I 1000% recommend Paige’s so make sure you sign up. I’ve seen the value she’s gonna drop and it’s honestly worth charging $ for but she isn’t. Even if you don’t join the course she’ll pitch at the end, you’ll walk away with a LOT of actionable tips for building a profitable web design business.

About Paige

 
 
 
 

Whether you’re a web designer, an aspiring web designer, or you have another business (VA, copywriter, photographer etc) and you’re looking to expand your list of services… this bootcamp is for you.

Paige went from starting 2 failed businesses and teaching kindergarten, to starting a Squarespace web design business and ranking #1 on Google for “Squarespace web designer” within 6 months.

Now, she’s the no.1 teacher of all things Squarespace and web design business, and in the bootcamp her most successful students are sharing their top tips so you can run a successful web design biz too!

Click here to sign up. Bootcamp is live and running April 15th-17th. 

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google or Spotify.

About Nesha

Hey there! I’m Nesha, 11-year traveling entrepreneur and host of The Simple Business Show. I teach women how to build a $5-10K/month online service business working just 3 days a week, so they can have the financial and time freedom to live the life they dream of.

Looking for more ways I can help you? Here they are:

1:1 Coaching: Work with me on an intimate level to take your business from where it is to where you want it to go.

Group Coaching Program: The Simple Business Builder: Learn to build a $5-10K/month online business working 3 days a week.

Organize & Automate - Join 1200+ students and learn how to organize your entire online service-based business in just two weeks (on the side of your regular routine!) so you can stop stressing and fall back in love with your business.

Simple Sales School - Learn how to get a consistent flow of clients so you can build the income & financial freedom you desire.

Subscribe & Leave A Review! 

If you enjoyed this episode, you can show your support by leaving a review, subscribing, or sharing your biggest takeaways on your Instagram story! Just remember to tag me @neshawoolery so I can see it.

Here’s how to subscribe and review the show:

Subscribe on your favourite podcast platform: Apple Podcasts, Google or Spotify.

To leave a review on Spotify: Open my podcast and click the “rating” button under my podcast name.

To leave a review on Apple Podcasts: Open my podcast, scroll to the bottom of the page and you’ll find the rating/review button.

More Episodes

 
,

What You Can Learn From My Biggest Online Business Mistake

,
 

Not-so-fun fact about me:

It took me 2 years to make more than £10K per year from my online business. (Fortunately I was able to live at home and that helped tremendously while I built the business..)

I went on to make six figures a year, but I was by FAR not an overnight success.

I’m glad now because as an online business coach and educator, I get to help my clients and students avoid all the common mistakes I made back then.

Hit “play” on the podcast player to learn the no.1 reason for my slow business growth, and the mindset that would have saved me tens of thousands of £££.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google or Spotify.

Article

Not-so-fun fact about me:

It took me 2 years to make more than £10K per year from my online business. (Fortunately I was able to live at home and that helped tremendously while I built the business.)

I went on to make six figures, but I was by FAR not an overnight success.

I’m glad now because as an online business coach and educator, I get to help my clients and students avoid all the common mistakes I made back then.

But if I could go back in time, I would jump on the opportunity to learn from someone who had already built the business I wanted; someone who could lay out all the steps for me. I 100% believe I would have started making a full-time income YEARS earlier if I had.

Instead, I taught myself everything. It saved me money but it cost me time. 2 years of it. If I had invested in business courses and learned from people who were ahead of me, I could have made a full time income in year 1, not year 3. That means I could have quit my job and left my toxic boss sooner. I could have saved myself a year of bad mental health. And I could have spent an extra year traveling.

This mindset of “I’ll teach myself” has raised its head here and there in different aspects of my life over the years.

First it was in starting my business.

Spending $500-$2K on learning HOW to run a business could have helped me stop charging pennies for my services. Imagine… if I’d charged $2500 for my web designs in those first years and booked 2 clients a month (I went on to charge $4K in the future btw so this isn’t crazy), I’d have made $60K those first two years, or at least in the second.

The mindset of “teaching myself will save me $2K” potentially cost me $50K- $100K.

The next time that mindset came up was 2 years ago when I bought a houseboat that needed a total restoration. As in, this boat was in SUCH awful condition that a production company asked to film the restoration for TV. Yes - it was that bad.

“I’ll do it myself, it’ll be fun to learn to renovate! Plus, it’ll save me so much money!”

… It’s been 2 years and I still haven’t finished renovations.

If I had hired help OR bought a more expensive boat that needed minimal restorations, I’d have enjoyed 1-2 years of boating by now.

The lesson here?

Sometimes you think you’re saving time and money, but in reality you’re costing yourself time and MUCH more money.

Don't reinvent the wheel when you can benefit from others' experiences.

6 more reasons my business growth was slow in year 1 & 2

  1. I rebranded a million times. But I didn’t need to keep updating my logo, colour palette or website. I was just delaying the real work of showing up & selling.

  2. I cobbled together bits and pieces of people’s free strategies and it slowed my growth. Why? Free content shows you the tip of the iceberg, not what’s below the surface.

  3. I created content that attracted my competitors, not my ideal clients. (I’ll show you what kind of content to create + how to batch 1 month of content in 1 day inside The Content Batching Blueprint >>)

  4. I made too much “how to” content and it attracted DIYers, not people who wanted to hire me.

  5. I focused too much on going viral when as a business owner, your no.1 priority should be sales and clients. If you can build a business that can convert sales even when you aren’t going viral, then virality becomes the icing on the cake 🧁

  6. Camera off on sales calls. I know faceless marketing is trendy right now but my sales calls went from around a 30% conversion rate to 80% when I showed my face. 🤷🏽‍♀️ The facts are the facts: people trust people more when they show their face.

About Nesha

Hey there! I’m Nesha, 11-year traveling entrepreneur and host of The Simple Business Show. I teach women how to build a $5-10K/month online service business working just 3 days a week, so they can have the financial and time freedom to live the life they dream of.

Looking for more ways I can help you? Here they are:

1:1 Coaching: Work with me on an intimate level to take your business from where it is to where you want it to go.

Group Coaching Program: The Simple Business Builder: Learn to build a $5-10K/month online business working 3 days a week.

Organize & Automate - Join 1200+ students and learn how to organize your entire online service-based business in just two weeks (on the side of your regular routine!) so you can stop stressing and fall back in love with your business.

Simple Sales School - Learn how to get a consistent flow of clients so you can build the income & financial freedom you desire.

Subscribe & Leave A Review! 

If you enjoyed this episode, you can show your support by leaving a review, subscribing, or sharing your biggest takeaways on your Instagram story! Just remember to tag me @neshawoolery so I can see it.

Here’s how to subscribe and review the show:

Subscribe on your favourite podcast platform: Apple Podcasts, Google or Spotify.

To leave a review on Spotify: Open my podcast and click the “rating” button under my podcast name.

To leave a review on Apple Podcasts: Open my podcast, scroll to the bottom of the page and you’ll find the rating/review button.

More Episodes

 

How to scale your business to $5K months when you have a full-time job (or busy schedule)

 

Sometimes it’s hard to find time to work on your business. You might have big goals and dreams for 2024, or have courses or programs you’re itching to go through, but struggle to find time.

Some entrepreneurs have big responsibilities, like being a parent, a caregiver, or having a 9-5 full-time job.

Others are in busy/hard seasons of their life. For example, planning a wedding, doing a renovation (like me!) or going through divorce.

Does this mean we should just give up on growing our business?

Tune in to today’s episode to learn:

  • How to grow your business in 15-30 minutes a day

  • 7 ways to free up time and mental space to work on your business

  • Why micro steps are the key to sustainable progress

  • 5 time-saving, stress-reducing projects to set up in your project management tool

  • My favourite time management + client management tools

  • Tips on batching content to save time and still grow on Instagram

  • Tips on creating a One Page Business Plan

Click “play” on the player below to listen to the episode! Or keep scrolling to read the article.

Disclaimer: If you suffer from an illness or mental illness then some of the tips may not apply to you. Please seek the help of a medical professional instead.

PS -

  1. You can now buy my Content Batching Blueprint and One Page Business Plan Template. And guess what? They’re both under £20! (I’ve priced them in GBP because I’m experimenting with a change in currency.)

  2. If you want to feel more organized and less overwhelmed by your business in 2024, check out my online course, Organize & Automate. It’ll help you walk into 2024 with more time and less stress.

  3. Click here to join the waitlist for my mastermind, The Simple Business Builder. You’ll be the first to hear when doors open again in Spring 2024 and you’ll get a special bonus when joining!

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google or Spotify.

Article

Rise and Shine: Early Mornings Matter

Start your day 15-30 minutes earlier. It sounds simple, but this small window of extra time can be your golden hour. Use it to focus on high-impact tasks that move the needle for your business. Whether it's engaging with potential clients, refining your offerings, or planning content, these minutes add up to significant progress.

Cut the Fluff: Prioritize Needle-Moving Activities

In a busy schedule, it's crucial to identify tasks that truly drive your business forward. Focus on activities that directly contribute to your growth. Ditch the distractions and prioritize what truly matters.

Harness the Power of Project Management Tools

Tools like Notion or Asana can be your lifeline. Set up a streamlined system:

  • Content Batching: Create a process to batch content creation efficiently.

  • Content Calendar: Plan ahead to maintain consistency.

  • Meal Planning: Keep your nutrition in check without sacrificing time.

  • Client Package Processes: Streamline your offerings for smoother client interactions.

  • One-Page Business Plan: Condense your vision and strategies into an actionable document. (You can purchase my template here.)

Streamline Communication: Email Scripts and DM Replies

Save time and maintain professionalism by crafting email scripts for various client stages and common inquiries. For Instagram, consider using pre-written direct message replies to swiftly engage with your audience.

Simplify Client Management with Tools like Dubsado

Efficient client management is key. Tools like Dubsado* help you streamline workflows, manage projects, and handle client interactions seamlessly.

Scaling your business while juggling a full plate is about working smarter, not harder. Implementing these strategies allows you to carve out space for your business to thrive, even within a busy schedule. Remember, consistency and smart systems are your allies on this journey.

Take charge of your time, prioritize effectively, and watch your business flourish, despite having a busy schedule or season.

Offers to help you:

Content Batching Blueprint - Plan, create and batch content in as little as 1 day a month

One Page Business Plan Template - Condense your vision and strategies into one simple, actionable document.

The Simple Business Builder - A group mastermind teaching you a simple framework for attracting clients & building a $5k/months online business working 3 days a week

Simple Sales School - A self-study course to help you book clients consistently and start scaling to $5k months

Organize & Automate - Organize your client process & online service business in 14 days (on the side of your regular routine)

25% off Dubsado using my affiliate link

About Nesha

Hey there! I’m Nesha, 11-year traveling entrepreneur and host of The Simple Business Show. I teach women how to build a $5-10K/month online service business working just 3 days a week, so they can have the financial and time freedom to live the life they dream of.

Looking for more ways I can help you? Here they are:

1:1 Coaching: Work with me on an intimate level to take your business from where it is to where you want it to go.

Group Coaching Program: The Simple Business Builder: Learn to build a $5-10K/month online business working 3 days a week.

Organize & Automate - Join 1200+ students and learn how to organize your entire online service-based business in just two weeks (on the side of your regular routine!) so you can stop stressing and fall back in love with your business.

Simple Sales School - Learn how to get a consistent flow of clients so you can build the income & financial freedom you desire.

Subscribe & Leave A Review! 

If you enjoyed this episode, you can show your support by leaving a review, subscribing, or sharing your biggest takeaways on your Instagram story! Just remember to tag me @neshawoolery so I can see it.

Here’s how to subscribe and review the show:

Subscribe on your favourite podcast platform: Apple Podcasts, Google or Spotify.

To leave a review on Spotify: Open my podcast and click the “rating” button under my podcast name.

To leave a review on Apple Podcasts: Open my podcast, scroll to the bottom of the page and you’ll find the rating/review button.

More Episodes

 

3 systems you need to run a $5-10k/month business working 3 DAYS A WEEK

3 systems you need to run a $5-10k/month business working 3 DAYS A WEEK

In this episode, we’ll dive into 3 systems you need to run a $5-10K/month online business working just 3 days a week.

1. Client Ops System: Learn how to streamline your client onboarding process, offboarding process, and project management to save a huge 10 hours a week. Imagine what you could do with all that extra time!

2. Time Management Mastery: I'll reveal my top four time management tools that keep me productive, banish procrastination, and help me accomplish everything I need to in just three days. Say goodbye to time-wasting and hello to efficiency.

3. Simple Business Plans That Work: Discover the only business plans you need to effectively run a $5-10k/month business. Simplify your strategy and watch your business thrive.

And, we'll debunk the myth that "structure and systems kill creativity." In fact, you'll learn how these systems can supercharge your creative flow and take your business to new heights.

Get ready to level up your online business game and start achieving those $5-10k/month goals with ease. Tune in and unlock the power of systems and automation for your online service business success!

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