Tell me if this sounds familiar—you’re sitting at your desk, scrolling through your phone, and thinking, ‘There’s got to be more than this.’ You’ve probably even Googled ‘how to start an online business’ a few times, right? Well, you’re in the right place because if you’re dreaming of saying goodbye to the 9-to-5 grind and hello to something that gives you freedom and flexibility, I’ve got something really exciting for you today. We’re breaking down 8 online businesses that can help you quit your job and create the life you’ve been craving.
In this episode…
Well, here’s what we’re going to do: I’m going to walk you through 8 different types of online businesses that you can start right away and give you the opportunity to finally take control of your time and your income. By the end of this episode, you’ll have a solid idea of which business could be the best fit for you, along with actionable next steps to help you get started. Ready to make that dream a reality? Let’s dive in!
Today, I talked about:
[3:23] Coaching
[4:58] Consulting
[6:56] Membership Community
[10:15] Workshops
[12:32] Services
[14:05] Digital Products
[15:29] Digital Course
[17:21] Content Creator
Links mentioned in this episode:
- Take the Entrepreneurial Matchmaker Quiz
- Become an Extraordinary Entrepreneur Member
- Gumroad
- Etsy
- Shopify
- Teachable
- Kajabi
- Thinkific
Podcast Transcript
You may have heard me mention this before, but I’ve had the entrepreneurial bug since I was in the first grade. While other kids were racing to the playground, I was that kid sitting under a tree, sketching drawings and creating lick-and-stick tattoos to sell at the next recess. Yep, I was running my first business before I even knew what that meant!
But here’s the thing—entrepreneurship didn’t become real for me until I had kids. It wasn’t just about bringing in money, although, let’s be honest, that was pretty important too. It was about something much bigger—freedom. I wanted the freedom to be there for every school field trip, to never have to ask for vacation days when one of my kids had a dentist appointment or have to drop everything if my job needed me. Sound familiar? Maybe you’ve been there, or maybe you’re feeling that pull right now.
I know so many people are in a similar boat. Maybe you’re thinking about starting a family or already have a little one at home. Maybe you’ve spent 20 years climbing the ladder in a career that now feels like it’s keeping you stuck, and you want to make sure these next 10 to 15 years really count—maybe even give you a retirement that feels possible. Or maybe, like me, you just want more control over your life, your time, and your choices.
Whatever the reason, I totally get it. Today, I want to help you see what’s possible if you were to take your knowledge, unique experiences, and passion and turn it into an online business. So, if you’ve ever thought, ‘Could I really do this?’—the answer is yes, you absolutely can. And I’m going to show you how.
Coaching
Now, let’s start with one of the easiest online businesses you can dive into—coaching. And when I say easy, I mean you could literally start today. Here’s why: Coaching doesn’t require any overhead—no big office, no fancy equipment. You can work from home, on your own schedule, and get started with just your laptop and some Wi-Fi. It’s incredibly low-cost to begin, which means you don’t have to make a huge financial commitment upfront, and the best part? You can start part-time while you’re still in your 9-to-5. That gives you the flexibility to test the waters and build your business at your own pace.
But here’s what makes coaching so powerful—it’s a direct way to take your expertise, your passion, and your experience, and help someone else achieve their goals. You get to make an immediate impact. Not only that, but you learn so much in the process of working with clients—what they need, how to structure your offers, and how to deliver results. This is why I always recommend starting here. Coaching gives you real-world experience and insights that will help you build and grow your business in the future.
So, if you’re looking for a simple, low-cost, and flexible way to start your online business, coaching could be exactly what you’re looking for. And trust me, once you see the transformation in the people you help, you’ll understand why this is such a rewarding path to take.
Consulting
Now, let’s talk about consulting—which shares many of the same benefits as coaching, but with a few key differences. Like coaching, consulting is a business you can start with little to no overhead, and you can dive in part-time while still working your 9-to-5. It’s flexible, low-cost, and doesn’t require a huge financial commitment to get started. All you need is your expertise and a willingness to help others succeed.
So, what’s the difference between coaching and consulting? Coaching is more about guiding someone through their own journey, helping them uncover answers and solutions themselves. Consulting, on the other hand, is where you step in as the expert and give clear, actionable advice. You’re there to provide a solution and help businesses or individuals execute on that solution based on your experience.
Now, here’s the exciting part—if you’ve been in your industry for years, you’ve likely already built relationships with companies or people who would hire you as a consultant. You’ve got the knowledge, the experience, and the network in place. Consulting is simply packaging all of that up and offering it to those who need your expertise. And often, companies are willing to pay top dollar for a consultant who can help them save time, solve problems, and increase efficiency.
Whether you’re helping businesses streamline operations, improve marketing, or implement new systems, consulting allows you to make an impact right away, often with companies or people you already know. Plus, like coaching, it’s a great way to learn more about the needs of your industry while growing your confidence and refining your offers.
So, if you’re looking for a business model that allows you to leverage the years of experience and connections you already have, consulting might just be the perfect fit for you.
Membership Community
Now, let’s talk about creating a membership community—one of the most versatile and impactful online business models out there. There are so many ways you can set up a membership, and what I love most is how customizable it is based on your expertise and audience. Let me give you a few examples:
First, there’s the educational membership. This is where you offer ongoing training or courses, and your members get access to new content on a regular basis. Think step-by-step guides, tutorials, or workshops that help people build their skills over time.
Next, there’s the community-driven membership. This model focuses more on connection—members join for the support and networking opportunities. They might gain access to live group calls, Q&A sessions, or a private online forum where they can interact with each other and learn from your expertise.
And finally, there’s the resource library model. This is where you provide your members with valuable resources like templates, checklists, swipe files, or tools they can use in their own businesses. It’s a way to give them quick wins while helping them grow faster with the materials you’ve already developed.
Now, I’ve personally spent the last decade working behind the scenes as an agency, implementing marketing strategies for other entrepreneurs. But recently, I decided to take my business in a new direction because I realized I wanted to serve even more people—especially those who are just getting started or who are in the early stages of building their business. That’s why I created the Extraordinary Entrepreneurs community.
My membership is what I refer to as a hybrid model—offering step-by-step trainings designed to walk entrepreneurs through the process of starting, marketing, and selling their online businesses. Alongside the trainings, members get access to valuable resources like templates, checklists, and swipe files to make implementing strategies even easier. And—it’s also a place for networking and connection. Members can join live group calls, participate in Q&As, and tap into a community of like-minded entrepreneurs for support and collaboration.
It’s not about being hands-off—this community is for people who are ready to roll up their sleeves, get hands-on, and dive into the work. It’s a space for entrepreneurs looking for guidance, practical tools, and a supportive network to get their business off the ground and thriving.
Sorry, I went off on a tangent for a minute—but I’m just so excited about this new membership! That said, if you’re thinking about building a membership, know that there are so many ways to structure it to meet the needs of your audience, while also creating a meaningful impact.
Workshops
Another fantastic way to build an online business—and create impact—is by hosting workshops. And the beauty of this is that they can be online or even in-person, depending on what works best for you and your audience. Workshops are a powerful way to share your expertise in a focused, hands-on setting, and they allow you to dive deep into a specific topic over a short period of time.
One of the biggest benefits of hosting workshops is how interactive they can be. Whether it’s online or offline, you’re able to engage with your audience in real-time, answer their questions, and help them implement what they’ve learned right away. This level of connection helps build trust with your audience and positions you as a go-to expert in your niche.
Another great benefit? Workshops can be super flexible. You can run a one-time event or a series of workshops over time. You can make them short and focused, or create more in-depth, multi-day sessions depending on the topic you’re teaching. And because you can host them online, there’s no need for a physical location—making it much easier to reach a wider audience.
Whether you’re just starting out or looking to add an additional revenue stream to your business, workshops are an easy, low-cost way to get started while delivering tons of value to your audience.
Need Help Deciding On The Best Business Model?
Before we dive into the last four business models, I want to help you figure out which one might be the best fit for you. If you’re feeling stuck on where to start and which business model is best for you, I’ve got you covered—head over to https://mistykortes.com/matchmaker-quiz and take the Entrepreneurial Matchmaker Quiz. In just a few minutes, you’ll discover which business model aligns best with your personality, experience, and goals. It’s a super fun way to get clarity and take the first step toward building your own online business.
Services
Ok, let’s keep going and dive into the next business model—offering services. I actually started my business with coaching, but it didn’t take long to realize that my clients didn’t just need the strategy. They needed someone to roll up their sleeves and help them implement it. That’s when I started offering services—helping my clients with everything from setting up their marketing funnels to running their social media.
The beauty of offering services is that it’s incredibly easy to get started. You don’t need a ton of overhead or fancy tools—you just need your expertise and a willingness to jump in and help solve your clients’ problems. Whether it’s graphic design, copywriting, virtual assistance, or tech setup, there are so many ways you can offer your skills as a service. And the demand for implementation is huge because so many business owners don’t have the time or the know-how to execute on their own.
One of the biggest benefits of offering services is that it allows you to start generating income quickly. You can offer your services on a project basis, as an ongoing retainer, or even package them into done-for-you solutions that provide massive value to your clients. And the best part? You can start small and grow as you go—there’s flexibility in how much time you dedicate and how you price your offers.
If you’ve got a skillset that people are willing to pay for, starting a service-based business is one of the simplest ways to turn your knowledge into income.
Digital Products
Now, let’s talk about the rise of digital products, and I’m not talking about digital courses—we’ll get into those in a minute. I’m talking about products like eBooks, templates, planners, printables, stock photos, and design assets. These are the types of digital products that people are selling every day, and the beauty is that once you create them, they’re easy to sell over and over again without any extra work. Digital products are really taking off right now because they provide quick, tangible solutions that people can buy and start using instantly.
What’s even better is how easy it’s become to sell these types of products online with tools like Gumroad, Etsy, and Shopify. These platforms are super user-friendly, allowing you to create a digital storefront, upload your products, and start selling in no time. You don’t need to be a tech expert or spend a fortune to get started. Plus, with the flexibility of digital products, you can create items that align perfectly with your audience’s needs—whether that’s a beautifully designed digital planner, social media templates, or even workbooks.
The other huge benefit? Digital products allow you to scale without trading more of your time for money. Once the product is created, it’s all about getting it in front of the right people and watching the sales come in. It’s a great way to start generating passive income and can be a fantastic complement to other business models, like services or coaching.
Digital Course
Now, let’s dive into digital courses—one of the fastest-growing industries out there. The online course market is absolutely massive and is expected to reach over $350 billion globally in the next few years. People are hungry for knowledge, and they’re turning to online courses to learn everything from business skills to personal development and hobbies. This creates an incredible opportunity for anyone looking to share their expertise and build a scalable business.
Now, I’m not going to sugarcoat it—creating a digital course does take work upfront. You’ll need to outline your content, record videos, and put everything together. But here’s the best part: Once your course is built, you can sell it over and over again. That means you create it once, and then it becomes a revenue stream that keeps working for you without constantly trading your time for money. And the beauty of a digital course is that you only need to update it occasionally to keep it fresh, rather than having to recreate it entirely.
Another major benefit? Digital courses give you the chance to reach a global audience. You’re not limited to working with clients one-on-one or in a specific geographic area—you can help people all over the world by packaging up your knowledge and delivering it in an accessible, easy-to-digest format. Plus, with platforms like Teachable, Kajabi, or Thinkific, setting up your course is easier than ever, with built-in tools to help you manage everything from content delivery to payment processing.
So, if you’ve got specialized knowledge and want to create something that works for you around the clock, a digital course is a powerful way to do just that.
Content Creator
The last online business I want to mention—and one that’s booming right now—is stepping into the role of a content creator. Content creation has opened up huge opportunities for people to get paid for sharing their voice, expertise, and creativity. So, what exactly is a content creator? It’s someone who produces valuable, engaging content in various formats—whether that’s podcasts, videos, blogs, or even social media posts—that educate, entertain, or inspire an audience.
Right now, content creators are getting paid in so many ways. For example, if you’re passionate about podcasting, you can generate revenue through sponsorships, listener donations on platforms like Patreon, or even through ads on your episodes. Another example is YouTube, where creators earn money from ads, brand partnerships, or affiliate marketing. And let’s not forget about influencers on Instagram or TikTok, who get paid by brands to promote products or services to their followers.
The rise of content creation means there’s a growing demand for authentic voices, and you don’t need to be a celebrity or have millions of followers to start earning. People are making a living by simply being themselves, sharing their unique perspective, and connecting with audiences who resonate with them. Plus, with more platforms offering ways for creators to monetize their work, whether it’s through ad revenue, memberships, or exclusive content, the opportunities are endless.
So, if you love creating content and want to get paid for it, stepping into the world of content creation might be the perfect path for you.
Wrapping Up
And there you have it—8 online business models that can help you break free from the 9-to-5 grind and start creating the life you’ve been dreaming of. Whether you’re drawn to coaching, consulting, creating digital products, launching a membership, or stepping into the world of content creation, the key is to find something that not only aligns with your skills but also with the kind of lifestyle you want to build. Remember, you don’t have to figure it all out at once—just take the first step.
If one of these models resonated with you, or if you’re ready to dive deeper, I encourage you to keep exploring and take action. There’s never been a better time to start an online business, and the opportunities are endless.
Become An Extraordinary Entrepreneur Member Today!
If you’re ready to take the next step and want guidance, support, and a roadmap to help you start, market, and grow your online business, I’d love to invite you to join my Extraordinary Entrepreneur community. It’s where I help entrepreneurs like you turn their ideas into thriving online businesses, all while building the freedom and flexibility they’ve been dreaming of. Head over to https://mistykortes.com/community to learn more about becoming a member today.