Starting an Online Business? This Checklist Will Set You Up for Success

Last Updated on October 27, 2022

Launching a business is tough, but my 5-step Starting an Online Business checklist will guide you through the process and set you up for success.

You want to launch your own business to make money from home, but not knowing how to do it can stop you from ever starting at all! I get it — starting an online business is scary. But I’ve done it (multiple times over!) and so can you. I’ve taken my years of experience to create this Starting an Online Business checklist that you can follow to set yourself up for success. 

Why I Started My Online Business

When I first started out as a freelance journalist, I just wanted to travel the world, eat amazing food, and write about things I love outside a cubicle. But after getting diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and hypothyroidism in 2015, my writing focus shifted to helping others find a true sense of well-being in their mind, body, and soul with my old blog, Root + Revel. 

I started my blog as a business, grew to it to multiple six-figures and then started selling digital courses because people wanted to know learn how I did what I did. I ended up selling the blog for six-figures and created a whole other coaching business separately. My biggest takeaway I can share with you is that selling your own offer is the way to go and that’s what I recommend. I run my business from a place of abundance, peace and alignment — and I want to help others do the same. And honestly, who doesn’t love working from home? Blogging and selling digital offers online changed my life by giving me the freedom and flexibility I had always wanted.

Your Starting an Online Business Checklist 

Starting an online business comes with questions and uncertainty. It’s just part of the process! There are a lot of important decisions you have to make right off the bat. 

Here’s my five-step Starting an Online Business checklist to help guide you all the way to your launch date.

#1: Decide What You Will Sell Online 

We’re starting off with the basics here. First up on the Starting an Online Business checklist is to decide what you want to sell. But this is harder than you think! 

There are so many options to choose from, so go with what feels right to you. You could become a service provider, sell your own digital products, or start a blog. You could start an agency, become a coach, open up a consulting business…you name it, you can do it! 

Take time to reflect on all of your options and determine what’s truly aligned with your values and goals. Remember: this is your business. You should build it to support and express who you are. 

#2: Choose a Niche 

Next up on your checklist for starting an online business is choosing a niche. Your niche is a specific industry and focus area you’ll cater to in your business. It’ll determine your target audience, how you market to them, and how you set up your business. 

Hone in on your niche by considering the possible problems that your business can solve through your products or services. 

What is your why? What topic(s) do you want to teach? What problem are you trying to solve? What solution can you provide?  Who do you want to serve?

Use these questions to find and refine your niche. We go through this process step by step in my Narrow Your Niche resource so you can start your new venture off on the right foot. This is your starting point — you might refine your niche even further once you get your business off the ground and can learn from your audience. 

#3: Craft Your Mission Statement 

Step three is to put together your business’s mission statement — you can also think of it as your Value Proposition or elevator pitch. Your mission statement should explain what you’re doing and why you’re doing it. This is your chance to communicate what you’re about with just a sentence or two.

Before crafting your mission statement, reflect on what your goals are with your business. How do you want to change people’s lives? What is the value of the products or services you provide? Where do you want to take your business in the future?

Make sure your message aligns with your personal values, too. Your mission statement is the foundation of your business and should be your guide and focus when making decisions down the line. It’s crucial that your business’s core values match your own to keep you on the best path forward. 

This is what we help people do inside the incubator. Creating your mission and vision is one of the six pillars that we recommend. To get the five other pillars, check out this free masterclass.

#4: Set Up Your Website 

Since you’re starting an online business, next up on the checklist is to set up your website. This is one of the most fun and creative parts of the process. You’ll start to create your company’s unique brand voice, messaging, and aesthetic, and bring your vision to life online. Your website will help form your audience’s impression of you, so make sure it reflects your authentic self! 

There are a bunch of platforms out there that you can use to host your business’s website. Lots of people go with Squarespace or Wix, but IMO, that’s a big mistake. WordPress is the best platform for launching your business and is the one I use. We actually show you inside the Incubator, how to set up your WordPress website!

WordPress is a super robust DIY website platform with tons of customization options, like themes, plug-ins, and patterns, and you can use a custom domain name, too. It has amazing blogging and SEO capabilities so you can take advantage of organic search and analytics right away. And it’s FREE!

Note: You will need to be pay for hosting. We recommend Blue Host and (theme) Restored 31 6 to ensure that your self hosted and can secure a custom domain name 

Related: Comparison: Squarespace vs Wix vs WordPress: What’s Best in 2022?

#5: Start Selling! 

You’re at the final step of your Starting an Online Business checklist! It’s finally time to fully launch your online business and start selling. 

I recommend using evergreen funnels to sell your products or services online and generate passive income. We’ll teach you the ins and outs of evergreen funnels in this free master class and how to use it in your business. 

We’ve also had amazing guests on the podcast talking all about evergreen funnels and I’ve linked some of those conversations below.

Podcast: How to earn passive income with online courses with Jacques Hopkins and How to market and sell online courses like a pro with Amy Porterfield

The first month of your business can be tough. It’s easy to get discouraged or lose the motivation to continue. That’s why I created the 30-Day Roadmap to lead you through your first month of selling and set you up for major success and HUGE revenue months down the road. 

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And there you have it! You reached the end of my Starting an Online Business checklist. By following these five steps, you’ve put yourself in a prime position to achieve your goals and bring your business dreams to life. And be sure to join my Launch It With Soul Mini-Course to learn exactly how to launch an offer that serves the life you want to start living.