How to Start an Online Business From Scratch in 2026

I’ve been running an online business for over six years, and I’ve turned it into a 6-figure income working around 20 hours a week.

 

I didn’t go to college.

 

I didn’t get a degree.

 

And I barely got through high school. 

 

In this video, I’m going to show you what I would do if I lost everything and had to start an online business in 2026 with no audience, no courses, no email list — literally from zero.

 

I’m not here to give you a bunch of options to confuse you.

 

I’m just going to walk you through the path I’d personally take if I had to start from scratch knowing what I know now.

 

That way you don’t waste months building the wrong things or overcomplicating this.

 

Step 1: Deciding On My Niche

 

Most people don’t fail because they’re bad at business or the things they do.

 

They fail because they never get clear on who they’re actually helping and what they’re helping them do.

 

When I started my business in 2018, I went from blue-collar construction work to being a spiritual life coach at the ripe age of 22.

 

Yeah… I was that guy.

 

I struggled for years to get clients, not because I was bad at coaching, or the fact that I was 22 — but because I thought a niche was a label or an identity instead of what it actually is.

 

Back then, I was trying to help everyone.

 

One client had relationship problems.

 

Another wanted confidence.

 

Another wanted a career direction.

 

And because I wasn’t specializing in anything specific, I wasn’t really known for anything - which made my business harder to market.

 

Things didn’t change until I moved into the performance and productivity space.

 

Now, the message was simple: I help entrepreneurs and business owners work less and get more done.

 

That was easier to explain, easier to sell, and easier for people to say yes to because it was a clear problem.

 

Instead of getting confused by the word “niche” just replace it with “problem”.

 

A niche is just a specific problem.

 

If you can genuinely solve that problem, and enough people are willing to pay to have it solved — you have a business.

 

So if I were starting over today, I’d pressure-test my niche with the 4 P’s:

 

• Passion - What are you passionate about?
• ​Proficient - What are you actually good at?
• Profit - Can you make money from it?
• ​Perspective - What's your unique perspective?

 

That last one matters more than people think. 

 

Because your perspective is what separates you from everyone else talking about the same thing.

 

Don’t just be a fitness expert — help men over 40 lose weight.

 

Don’t just be a personal finance expert — help UK retirees aged 55–65 plan for retirement.

 

Your profitable niche sits in the middle of all four P’s.

 

If you don’t have your niche dialled in, everything else in your business will be harder.

 

That’s why it’s the first thing I would lock in.

 

Step 2: Setting Up Your Online Business

 

Before you worry about content, branding, or fancy logos, there’s one simple question you need to answer: Can someone easily pay you?

 

When most people start an online business, they spend way too much time trying to “set up a business” instead of setting up a simple way to get paid.

 

They’re worried about logos, websites, business cards, and picking the perfect tools — but that doesn’t matter as much as people think.

 

Early on, the goal isn’t to build the “perfect business” right out of the gate.

 

The goal is to make it stupid-simple for someone to say yes and give you money.

 

So, if I were starting an online business again, I would just focus on these four things:

 

• A business entity (LLC or Sole Proprietorship)
  
  
• A way to accept payments
   
• A calendar booking link
  
  
• And a checkout page (optional, but ideal)
  
  

 

The tool that I would personally use if I started over would be Kajabi.

 

It’s the main tool I use to run my 6-figure online business from my website, courses, email marketing - everything.

 

It’s all-in-one, so you don’t need to duct tape a bunch of tools together.

 

So, I’d just start with that, make a simple checkout page, connect payments, and make it easy for someone to book a call and enroll - that’s it.

 

And btw, if you want an extended 30-day free Kajabi trial + some bonuses to help you get set up faster, I’ll drop a link below this video.

 

Bottom line: Don’t get lost in the weeds with “everything you need” to run a business.

 

Just make it easy to get paid for now, and you can focus on the other stuff later.

 

Step 3: Start Working With People 1-1

 

When I started my online business, I thought I needed to have a course, funnel, and big audience to start making money.

 

But now I know that that’s not true.

 

What you actually need is proof.

 

Proof that you can get people the result that you say you can get, and that people would actually pay you for it.

 

The fastest way to get both is 1-on-1 coaching.

 

Before you ever start thinking about “passive income” you have to get comfortable with “active income”.

 

By working with people 1-1:

 

• You make money way faster
• You learn what people actually want
• You build confidence that you can deliver results fast

 

If I were starting from scratch today, here’s exactly how I’d do it.

 

I’d first make a list of people who already know me - AKA my warm audience. 

 

Think friends, past coworkers, social media followers, phone contacts, emails, etc.

 

And I wouldn’t spam or pitch them; I’d just start conversations and be a real human.

 

After chatting for a bit, I’d say something like:

 

“Hey btw, I’m looking to help 5 people go from (pain) to (desire) in (x amount of time) without (obstacle/challenge).

 

Do you know anyone who might be interested in that?”

 

Here’s the key I learned from a mentor of mine…

 

You don’t pitch THEM, you ask if they know anyone - even if they’re someone you’d love to work with.

 

They’ll either say “no”, “I know someone”, or “that’s me.”

 

One of my clients, Jason, did this exact thing for a new futures trading offer and made $8,000 in a few weeks.

 

And he had zero online business experience when he started. He just knew how to do Futures Trading.

 

Jason got started by simply talking with the people he already knew.

 

And if I could restart, I’d work for free or at a really low price just to get undeniable proof.

 

Because once people are getting results, raising your prices becomes obvious and natural.

 

If you skip this step, everything else in the business becomes harder and slower.

 

Step 4: Create An Online Course

 

Here’s the reason why so many online courses never make money.

 

When people think about starting an online business, they usually jump straight to building a course.

 

They disappear for months, record a bunch of videos, and hope someone buys.

 

The problem is, they’re building it alone with no proof that what they’re teaching actually works or that people even want it in that format. 

 

They’re just guessing.

 

What I’ve learned over time is that a course works best after you’ve already helped real people get real results from the frameworks.

 

So instead of building a course first, I’d use a course to enhance my coaching.

 

I’d build it inside Kajabi and prescribe lessons between calls so I’m not repeating myself or spending half the session teaching when we could be working.

 

The course would have the same frameworks and transformation as my coaching, just in a DIY format.

 

Once clients are getting good results from the course itself, selling it as a standalone course becomes way easier, because it’s already proven to work.

 

This way the course isn’t a gamble, it’s an asset.

 

Later on, you can sell this on its own as a DIY program, or couple it with a paid community to create more scalability.

 

When you build your course alongside your coaching, you end up building a better program, faster - and you’ll know it actually works on its own.

 

And while I’m coaching clients and building that course, there’s one other thing I’d be doing at the same time…

 

Step 5: Build An Email List

 

Most people confuse “getting attention” with actually building a business.

 

But if attention were enough, there wouldn’t be broke content creators with millions of followers.

 

Social media can get you seen, but it doesn’t guarantee you’re going to make money.

 

If I were starting from zero, I wouldn’t be concerned with going viral or posting everywhere. 

 

I’d be focused on building something I actually own.

 

That’s why I’d start building an email list right away.

 

An email list gives you a direct line to people who care about what you’re building. 

 

And as it grows, it gives you more warm traffic to reach out to and help through coaching or offers.

 

Here’s how I’d approach building an email list from scratch:

 

First, I’d pick one platform and create content that answers real questions in my niche.

 

Personally, I would focus on YouTube because it’s free, searchable, evergreen, and keeps working long after you publish. 

 

I still get leads and sales today from videos I posted over a year ago.

 

Each week, I’d focus on one solid long-form video.

 

Then I’d use a tool like Opus Clip to turn that into short-form content so I’m not on a content hamsterwheel every day.

 

Pro Tip: I’d batch 4 videos at a time so I stay ahead and don’t burn out.

 

The content really has one job:

 

Get me discovered by the right people and move them onto an email list.

 

To do that, I’d create a simple lead magnet that solves one small, specific problem related to my main offer — not everything.

 

For example, if my core offer helps people create and sell online courses, the lead magnet would just help them figure out a profitable course idea.

 

This FULLY solves one persistent problem and naturally opens the door to the next problems my core offer helps with.

 

From there, I’d promote that lead magnet in every piece of content and email my list 1-3 times per week, focusing on building real trust until I hit around 500 subscribers.

 

At that point, my course is already proven with coaching clients, and I have a warm list of people who want more — which is exactly what you want before you launch anything.

 

Step 6: Launch The Online Course To The List

 

Back in the day, when I would create a course, I would just… publish it.

 

There was no build-up.

 

No context.

 

No real promotion around it.

 

Unsurprisingly, nothing happened.

 

The wild part is this is what most people do.

 

It’s like Marvel dropping Avengers: Endgame in theatres with no trailers, no teasers, and no hype and then being confused when no one bought a ticket.

 

If you’re launching a new product, it’s a big deal.

 

And if you don’t treat it like one, your audience won’t either. 

 

So instead of quietly publishing a course, here’s what I would do if I were starting over.

 

I’d plan an actual launch with a clear week where the course is the focus.

 

I’d pick some kind of urgency or scarcity element, like:

 

• The doors closing
  
  
• A special bonus during launch week
  
  
• The price going up afterward
  
  

 

The week before the launch, I’d warm people up with a few pieces of content that hint something new is coming. 

 

Just enough to create awareness and anticipation.

 

During launch week, I’d send 7 emails: 

 

• 1 email per day Monday-Thursday
• 3 emails on Friday (morning, afternoon, evening)

 

Each one reinforcing the same message and reminding them of the urgency/scarcity element so they have a reason to act.

 

And once the launch is over, I’d go right back to my normal rhythm.

 

You’re not spamming your audience by doing this, you’re just giving the launch an actual change to work.

 

Step 7: Turn Your Online Course  Evergreen

 

There’s a big difference between making a bunch of money during a big launch and building something that makes sales every day for years.

 

Launches are great because you can make a lot of money in a short time, but they’re temporary.

 

What actually changed my business was turning those launches into automated systems.

 

Every course I create eventually gets turned into something that sells on its own.

 

That way I’m not getting stuck “launching” over and over again.

 

I let the system do the work.

 

This is how I was able to go to Sweden for 2 weeks and still make ten grand without working while I was away.

 

And here’s the part most people overcomplicate.

 

Turning something evergreen doesn’t require a massive funnel or crazy tech skills.

 

All you really need are 3 core things:

 

• A lead magnet
  
  
• A short email sequence
  
  
• Sales page

 

That’s it.

 

After my launch, I’d use Kajabi’s automation tools to connect those pieces so new people can come in, get value, and buy without me having to be involved every time.

 

This is the moment where your business stops depending entirely on your time and starts giving you some of that time back.

 

Building an online business doesn’t require a massive audience, perfect timing, or some hidden secret.

 

It requires clarity, proof, and the willingness to start simple and take action before you feel “ready.”

 

Every step you just read is designed to remove friction, shorten the learning curve, and get you moving forward with confidence instead of overwhelm.

 

If you’re done overthinking and ready to build something real—something that actually pays you and gives you your time back—this is where you start.

 

Pick the first step, commit to it, and execute. Momentum comes from action, not planning.

 

And if you want support putting this into motion faster, I’ve got you.

 

Check out the resource below and take the next step toward building an online business that works for your life, not the other way around.