Creating My Own Website

All was going well. My book business brought in a reasonable income to supplement my retirement pensions. And the stamp business was beginning to bear fruit. I'd heard of the new virus plaguing China and thought it would be similar to MERS and SARS. But it turned out to be much worse.

As we in the UK went into lock-down my ability to sell books and stamps direct to the public became ever more difficult. This was my primary sales method. I reverted to eBay to try to mitigate the slow-down in sales, but not with enough success to make it a sustainable alternative.

What to do?

Now, if you are a Hubber or a Wizzer you might know that I have a fair smattering of diverse articles covering a broad spectrum of subjects. My thought processes began with the idea of resurrecting those articles to form a foundation for a new business model.

However, the old online writing business model was somewhat broken. Having built up an income stream which was supposed to bring expanding passive income, it fell apart on the whim of a platform over which I had no control - namely Google SERPs. Any changes to that algorithm could impact my earning capacity once again.

A new business model was required. One which could incorporate my love of writing. One that did not depend on writing sites to both enhance my standings, but also limit my control over circumstances.

So, why plump for building a website of my own?

Control!

If I want to be my own boss, I need to have a business I can call my own. One that I do own! One that I can value and sell if necessary. And it doesn't need to be just one website. Eventually it could be a multitude of websites that generate multiple streams of income.

In this day and age, where traditional businesses need to evolve or perish, where natural selection means the business dinosaurs give way to the more agile new-age online businesses, a web presence is necessary. Selling the old way will be dead and gone, the new way will flourish. 

Traditional jobs are declining, rapidly, and accelerating job losses can be seen due to COVID-19. Everybody should be looking to up-skill to take advantage of the new digital economy. And so should I, I thought!

So much I knew, so much I did not know!

Setting up a website has a big learning curve. I had a good idea what I wanted, but how to get there? When I wrote regularly for Hubpages or Wizzley I had a nice comfortable blanket wrapped around me, keeping me comfy and warm. I was in my comfort zone. My own website, however, would mean being out in the cold, naked and alone. 

So many answers needed to be found, and some for questions I didn't even know I needed to ask.

1. What platform to use?
2. Use a free web-builder or not?
3. How to build a list?
4. Affiliate marketing or e-commerce?
5. How to market my site?
6. Which products to sell?
7. Do I use Google Adsense or an alternaive?
8. Blog or static pages?
9. Do I need a mentor?
10. Can I believe any of the self-styled gurus or online multi-millionaires?
11. Do I pay for assistance?

and so many more!!!!

All these questions needed answers. To get answers there was so much research, notes, dead- ends, more questions. To the extent that throughout the quest to know how to set it up properly I had just got reams of paper with notes that didn't really solve anything.

I was overloaded with information with no way of knowing how to put it all together with the right pieces fitted together. Is it all worthwhile, I thought? Have I wasted my time? Howcan I move forward?

My original intention was to find out for myself. But now my thoughts were "why reinvent the wheel?". Others have achieved it. I'll see how they have done it.

Which brought me to the question of "Who can I believe?".

We've all seen them. Almost every YouTube video has adverts with them spouting off about how they've made millions. Every search for anything to do with jobs or business has ads at the top of the results for the very same people. Those self-styled internet gurus and multi-millionaires almost shouting at you to spend money with them to achieve a solution to one small part of the equation. A 3 or 5 or 122 week course and then you are on your own mate - I've got your money to add to my coffers, goodbye!

And this was information overload too. Do I go with one of them or not?

For weeks the answer was - not!

Then I stumbled upon the one That has led me through the jungle, and is continuing to lead me to the light.

Just a few days short of Christmas 2020, as the full lock-down was becoming inevitable, I entered a search term that led me to my answer. I cannot remember what search term I used, but finally I had found an opportunity to be taught how to build, not just a website, but multiple streams of income, over time.

There were no promises of riches. No promise that I would get rich overnight. Just good plain, believable insights that resonated. The promise was that it was up to me. I had to make the commitment to get this business up-and-running. To put in the hours to achieve what I wanted.

I have now built my first website of my new business. You can find it here. 

Come on over and see me sometime. There is a welcome mat on the doorstep.

My first website has been built using Wordpress. The initial set-up with a powerful theme was instigated using the program I signed up for. This has been integrated with Aweber email autoresponder - the method for list building being included. 

That is only the tip of the iceberg. The program also includes:

1. self-fulfillment guidance,
2. thousands of training courses (all included) covering every conceivable aspect of online business success.
3. guidance as to which business model is right for each student (I chose a website as my model, but that is just one of many that you can decide upon).
4. Your own mentor to get advice from.
5. Regular video conferences
6. A community of like-minded people on the journey to their own fulfillment.
7. Lifelong membership - you aren't just left to your own devices after they've got your money
8. Honest, meaningful advice.

All this is presented by Stuart Ross - who, yes, has a vast e-learning empire. He has been there, done that, and got the T-shirt, and can prove it!

If you are interested in adding another line of income or just starting out I unreservedly recommend the program I am using.

And yes if you eventually sign up through the link below I will get an affiliate commission. However you sign up it will still be the same price.

To get you started there are some FREE introductory videos.

I hope this article sets you on a path you deserve and if you sign up through my link above we can connect and see where our journey takes us. Any question I can answer with enthusiasm for the path I am taking - and you can too!

See you on the other side!