A question I get asked surprisingly often is this:
“If you had to start over from scratch today, what would you do?”
Yep, today. Or at a pinch, this week.
The answer might surprise you.
First, I wouldn’t spend six months trying to choose the perfect business model.
One of the biggest mistakes I see is getting stuck in research mode.
People spend weeks comparing affiliate marketing to Kindle publishing, then Kindle to courses, then courses to Etsy. Then they discover printables. Then AI products. Then faceless YouTube channels. Then newsletters.
Six months later, they’re still comparing.
The truth is that most of these models work. The people making money aren’t the ones who found the perfect opportunity – they’re the ones who picked one and got moving.
If I had to do it all again, I’d choose one path and commit to it for at least 90 days.
Where to look for what’s already selling:
- Google Trends – spot rising and falling interest in any topic
- Amazon Best Sellers – see what people are already buying
- Etsy Best Sellers – great for spotting trending digital and physical products
- WarriorPlus Marketplace – popular digital products and launches
- ClickBank Marketplace – affiliate offers across dozens of niches
Second, I’d choose a market before I chose a product.
This sounds obvious but most people do the opposite. They create something they think is clever and then go searching for buyers. That’s hard.
I’d rather find a crowd of buyers first, then give them what they’re already asking for.
People will tell you exactly what they want – in reviews, in forum posts and in the questions they ask on Amazon listings. You just have to be willing to listen.
Where to listen:
- Amazon Reviews – sort by most recent and look at 3-star reviews for unmet needs
- Reddit – search any niche and read what people are struggling with
- Facebook Groups – join communities in your target niche and observe
- AnswerThePublic – see the exact questions people are typing into search engines
- Exploding Topics – spot trends before they go mainstream
Third, I’d start building an email list immediately.
Not because everyone says you should but because I’ve watched platform after platform change over the years.
Algorithms change, rules change and traffic sources dry up.
Your list is still yours.
If I had to start again this week, I wouldn’t wait until I had a website, a funnel or a perfect lead magnet. I’d start collecting email addresses from day one.
Tools worth looking at:
- AWeber – reliable, beginner-friendly, good deliverability
- Kit – popular with creators, generous free tier
- Substack – built-in audience discovery, free to start
- Beehiiv – growing fast, strong monetisation features
- MailerLite – clean interface, affordable as you scale
Fourth, I’d use AI aggressively but not the way most people do.
I wouldn’t ask ChatGPT to build my business for me. I’d use it to move faster.
Research faster, write faster, brainstorm faster and learn faster.
The people getting the best results from AI aren’t replacing their brains with it. They’re amplifying them.
Tools worth using:
- ChatGPT – strong all-rounder for research, writing and brainstorming
- Claude – particularly good for longer documents and nuanced writing
- NotebookLM – brilliant for summarising and interrogating source material
- Perplexity – AI-powered search, great for quick research
- Gamma – creates presentations and landing pages in minutes
- Canva Magic Studio – AI design tools built into Canva
Fifth, I’d focus on making my first sale.
Not building my dream business, designing the perfect logo, tweaking colours on a website or (guilty!) organising folders into folders.
The first sale changes everything because suddenly you’re no longer guessing. You have proof and the feedback you need to believe this could actually work.
If I had to start again, my entire goal for the first month would be one thing: get paid. Even if it’s only a small amount.
Places to make that first sale:
- WarriorPlus – digital products, particularly in the internet marketing space
- Gumroad – simple storefront for any digital product
- Payhip – similar to Gumroad, no monthly fees
- Etsy – good for digital downloads, templates and printables
- Amazon KDP – self-publish ebooks and paperbacks
Finally, I’d remember something that took me far too long to learn.
Momentum beats intelligence.
I’ve seen brilliant people spend years planning. I’ve seen ordinary people succeed simply because they kept moving.
The internet rewards action, not perfection. That means not waiting until you’re ready. Spoiler alert: you will never be completely ready. Start anyway.
If I had to begin again this week, that’s exactly what I’d do. Pick something. Start small. Move quickly. Learn as I went.
And trust that clarity comes from action, not from thinking about action.
Worth Watching
One of my favourite TED Talks is Tim Ferriss:
Ferriss introduces a concept he calls “fear-setting” – the opposite of goal-setting.
Instead of visualising what you want, you write down every specific thing you’re afraid will happen if you take the leap, then work out what you’d do to prevent or recover from each one. It’s grounded in Stoic philosophy and it’s surprisingly practical.
If you’ve been sitting on the sidelines waiting for certainty, this is worth 13 minutes of your time.