Embracing the unknown: My journey to building a thriving online business

Some weeks ago, we moved to our new house. We didn’t know anyone in the area and had to drive 4 hours (one way) to look at the house, so it’s far away from where we lived before.

This was, in many ways, a big shift in my life and it was kind of symbolic that it was a lot of snow and fog during our first visit to this area. Wherever we looked, it was white. Like a blank page with an unwritten story. 📄

Just a couple of months earlier, Svea and I got engaged. Then, we found this amazing big house at the end of the road, with a nice garden and a lake around the corner.

The fact that the house was located in the southern part of Sweden was a big plus, not only giving us longer summers but also the opportunity to easily travel to three big cities within a couple of hours. (A huge benefit for two freelancers like us.)

After these two big decisions (getting engaged and buying a house), I couldn’t help but reflect on the past and the future.

Over the last nine months, I’ve taken significant steps toward building and growing my business. I’ve gained clarity on my direction and niche, created (and sold) my first three digital products, published my website, and started a weekly newsletter.

These milestones have given me a sense of accomplishment, but most of all, a solid foundation for my business.

I have been freelancing for almost four years now, mainly making money from client work (trading my time for money), but that is about to change.

Going sideways to go forward

From the outside, one could assume that I had everything I wanted a year ago. I lived in the Stockholm Archipelago in a newly built house (that we rented), had a stable income, a growing YouTube channel, and the freedom to work whenever and wherever I wanted.

However, the truth is that I am much happier now.

Owning our house, selling my own products, having my own website, and growing my own audience through my newsletter has given me a greater sense of control and independence.

Though my financial situation hasn’t changed much, my business has improved and is better adapted to the challenges of my future plans.

The income I make hasn’t really changed, but what has changed is how I make it.

It’s easy to stay on the flat, straight, and safe road, but sometimes taking risks and venturing into uncharted waters is the best thing we can do for ourselves. You need to get into the water first, in order to learn how to swim.

On the highway, you don’t have many obstacles or challenges and it’s easy to follow the stream of other cars, but you also need to always be active. You can’t just stop in the middle of the road, take a break, and enjoy the view. In order to do that, you need to take that challenging road up the hill first. It’s less crowded there and the view is better (and you won’t have a car honking behind you when you stop.)

As I embark on this journey, I know that I still have much to learn and overcome. But I am excited and optimistic about the future because I know where I want to go and I know that I have the solid base I need in my business to start building from.

For anyone who is considering making changes in their life or business, I encourage you to embrace the unknown and trust the process. It may not always be easy or straightforward, but sometimes you need to stop, reflect and maybe even pivot, to adjust either your vehicle or your direction.

It can lead to unexpected and rewarding results and the alternative is not knowing what could’ve happened if you had taken the leap.

As for me, I am a part-time YouTuber, content creator, and online business owner who is ready for whatever challenges come my way.

My aim is to build my YouTube channel to 100 000 subscribers and to cover all my expenses with the income I get from the content I create. This means videos on YouTube, articles here on Medium, digital products I create, affiliate income I generate, brand deals I do, and probably some other income streams I haven’t discovered yet.

We live in a very exciting time and I can’t wait to see where this journey, trying to become an independent content creator, will take me.

3 of my other stories that might interest you: ⭐️ I think I just figured out life 🤯 ⭐️ 5 tips for making money on YouTube (How to get started today!) ⭐️ 25 things I learned during my first year as a Video Editor

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