Last Updated on January 5, 2022 by Latrice
Have you ever found a “self-improvement” program, a blogging workshop, or a branding e-course that’ll cost you hundreds, even thousands, of dollars? They can give you what you need and sound pretty awesome. Hell, you’ll jump right on it, but there’s just one problem: you don’t have a penny to invest in these helpful tools. Matter of fact, if you had the money, you’ll be well on your way to starting that business/blog/brand these programs promise to help you build. Because you’ve got plans and ideas up the wazoo.
I love a good online course, workshop or program and have taken advantage of plenty of programs within my budget. I’m a geek. I LOVE these resources. But come on now. There was even one women blogging retreat I wanted to go to that cost a grand total of $25,000 to attend. Twenty. Five. THOUSAND. Girl, if I had $25,000 to spend on a retreat that is meant to teach me how to develop a brand, blog posts, and ebooks, I would have started a business and gotten much cheaper help.
I’m lying. I’ll still go on that retreat for the networking and new techniques (I’m a geek), but still. Daaamn, my funds aren’t that “grown” yet.
Here’s the thing. Think about it. Why is it not only do you not have the money to pay for these tools and workshops you know you need, but you also don’t have the money to start a few of your ideas? Well honey, it ain’t the cost, it’s you. Profound “aha” moment I am also coming to terms with.
You don’t have the money because you haven’t seriously decided to have what you say you want. You also don’t have the money because you’re depending upon your situation and you lack creativity.
“But Trice, I’ve hella decided that I want to seriously start my online business. What do you mean? And did this heffa just say I lack creativity?”
Let me explain.
What’s a Decision and How to Make One
The Latin root of the word “decision” means “to cut off” as in you’ve cut off all your other choices. When you truly decide upon something and “choose up,” you’ve decided to go all in and make it happened no matter what. The “cut off” is the “no matter what.”
Lets say you truly decided to go for building that online business. You need to take a few courses on blogging, branding, and marketing, purchase hosting and a domain, and you’re even eyeballing that new book by Amber Rose on How To Be A Bad Bitch. But your budget is so tight not even tiny Tim can get in there. You’re counting pennies as it is.
So what do you do if you’ve really decided to build your online business?
First, get an understanding of where you’re starting from. And no, broke as f**k is not a starting point. A starting point will be figuring out how much you need to do what you’ve got to do. We’ll say you need $900 to get started.
In the whelm where you’ve made a decision, you’ll then start figuring out how to get to $900 by a particular deadline.
This is where not depending upon your situation and employing creativity come in.
Not Depending Upon Your Situation
Look around you. What do you see? You’re budget is stupid tight right? Well why is it so tight? You say it’s because your job only pays you x amount of money a week and your bills gobble that up as you earn it? Or are you in between incomes like I am? Trying to figure out what you can cut out and move around so you can make room for $900 in available funds?
Some… Ok. Many of us look around us and use our current situations to determine our next moves and what we can and cannot do. Big mistake.
Times like these we are being called to become more resourceful. We are being pulled to think beyond the level of thinking that created the “problem” we’re currently in. Ever hear how you can’t solve a problem at the same level of thinking that created it? Well, same applies here. You just can’t.
That’s where we start getting the creativity flowing.
Get creative!
Now that I’ve freed you from the prison of your current situation (doesn’t that feel awesome?), you can start thinking about what direction you’ll like to go in to raise money. For me, this is sometimes the scary part. This is where I have to stop being afraid, start being confident, and step the hell on out there with my ideas and skills. You feel me?
What ideas do you have? It can be anything. Legal and safe of course. Sell your skills on a freelancing website, sell some of your stuff, drive for Uber or Lyft on the weekends and after work, deliver food, do hair and makeup if you’re good at it, help someone develop a website, or even doggy sit.
I freelance, drive for Uber, and help people I know set themselves up online professionally. It’s not enough to get $25,000 for a 12-day retreat, but it’s good enough to make sure I’m able to pay for my online presence and any of the programs I use. I might also start selling my precious purse collection. Hey, when you’re being called to give up something, that means something better is coming.
Do it!
Hopefully I’ve got you pumped to get out there and do what you’ve got to do to get where you want to be. Don’t wait for a better time either. Trust me, it will not come. Not ever. Thinking next week will be better? Ok, wait until next week and see what happens.
Do it, do it, do it now, do it good, make that money just like you should. Right now, do it good. Make that money just like you should. That course, that ebook. Get that domain and that hosting. *sung to the tune of Khia’s “My Neck, My Back”*
