I had always dreamed of working for myself and making passive income from home, but it took years of toiling until I finally figured it out.
Then, on a whim, I decided to learn how to sell digital products on Etsy.
Now, I’ve made over $500,000 in passive income from home.
Here are my 5 tips for getting started making passive income from home with very little money.
1. Start with one passive income source and focus
The most important tip I can give anyone is to start with one thing and focus on it. I was a constant dabbler for years. But it wasn’t until I picked one thing that I started to see real progress.
Remember that exploring is not bad. If you try something and quickly decide you don’t like it, it’s ok to move on. However, you cannot do that forever and expect to get real results. Eventually, once you’ve explored enough, you’ll need to pick something. When you do, dig your heels in, learn as much as you can, and become an expert. Once you go from novice to expert, that’s when the results start to kick in.
2. Learn how to make passive income and get help
Another important step is learning as much as possible and getting help. I was a DIYer for years and I was stubborn and excessively frugal. I thought I could figure it all out myself by reading blog posts and listening to podcasts. Eventually, I got frustrated and decided to invest a small amount in my education. I bought a course on how to sell digital products on Etsy. While I may have been able to figure stuff out on my own eventually, who knows how long it would have taken. And I may have gotten too frustrated and given up before I achieved anything.
Investing in yourself gives you access to tools, knowledge, and mentors. These can guide you on your journey and can also be an accountability tool. You may not be truly committed when you dabble and explore free content. However, when you put your money where your mouth is, you signal to yourself that you’re serious. If money is important to you, you may push harder to make sure your investment in yourself yields a return.
Learn more:
Review of the Etsy Course I Took
3. Follow Trends
I have always rebelled against trends. Annoyed with the thought of “keeping up with the Joneses’’ and excessive consumerism, I always fought against trends and preferred to ignore them. However, one of the biggest a-ha moments related to business is the importance of following trends and consumer demands. It may have taken years, but eventually, I learned that just because I don’t like or follow trends doesn’t mean the rest of the world doesn’t.
Leaning into trends is a great way to find profitable niches in any industry. You may be too late if you create products that people demanded last month or last year. You need to make the products when, if not before, people are searching for them. The best way to do this is to keep your finger on the pulse using tools like Google Trends and Pinterest Trends. It’s also important to pay attention to shifts in the seasons, shifts in consumer behavior, and even what you observe while in the world.
There are clues all around you as to what a profitable business idea could be if you take the time to pay attention.
4. Diversify your passive income streams
My initial success online came from selling digital products related to COVID-19 (hint: this was a trend I saw in 2020). However, as the seasons change, so do people’s wants, needs, and interests. I learned that to continue making money online you need not rely on only a handful of products. So I diversify my products on Etsy, and I also diversify how I make money by leveraging other platforms.
For example, in addition to selling digital products on Etsy, I also sell my own courses and make money doing freelance and online writing. I’ve also seen people diversify with various platforms by products on Shopify and selling on platforms like Teachers Pay Teachers.
5. Develop a Growth Mindset, and Don’t Quit
I owe much of my success to what I learned while studying positive psychology in grad school. One of the biggest mindset shifts my program embedded in me was that of a growth mindset.
A growth mindset, coined by psychologist Carol Dweck in her book Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, emphasizes the belief that one’s abilities and intelligence can be developed through dedication and hard work. It is the opposite of a fixed mindset, where abilities are seen as static and unchangeable.
Studies show that individuals with a growth mindset are more likely to embrace challenges and persist in the face of setbacks.
With a growth mindset, I achieved more than I ever had because I saw “failures” as opportunities to learn. Challenges lost their negative power because they were no longer proof of my unintelligence or lack of ability.
With a growth mindset, I persisted through challenges, didn’t give up, and with time and consistent work, I succeeded.
So, if you, too, want to make passive income from home, remember, the only way to 100% guarantee your goals will not happen is to quit trying to achieve them all together.
Still here? Check out this Blueprint for Passive Income
There are a ton of ways to quit your 9-5 job and make money from home, but if you’re interested in learning more about how to do it with Etsy, check out The Shockingly Simple Guide to Selling Passive Income Products on Etsy. This free, in-depth guide is a deeper blueprint for passive income that will help you learn exactly how to create digital products on Etsy!
LEARN MORE:
- How to Start Etsy Business: Insane Tips from a 6-Figure Etsy Seller
- Etsy E-Printables Side Hustle Course: Gold City Ventures Course Review
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