What I Learned in My First Year of Running a Digital Product Business
A year ago, I hit publish on my business for the first time.
And by “hit publish,” I mean… I nervously posted on Instagram with zero plan, no real strategy, and a strong “we’ll see how this goes” energy 😅
I didn’t feel ready. I just had the Etsy shop I had recently put together and a feeling that I needed to start.
And somehow… here we are.
A year later with real products, real customers, and a business that actually feels like mine.
It still kind of surprises me, honestly.
This year wasn’t perfect or linear or super strategic (at all)… but I kept coming back to it.
And these are the things that came up again and again along the way…
a year of figuring it out as I went…
1. When it felt awkward to post or sell… I did it anyway.
There were so many moments where I didn’t want to show up. Posting felt awkward, selling felt even more awkward, and I could very easily convince myself to just… not. But at some point I had to be honest with myself—this is a business. Not showing up wasn’t me being “chill,” it was me avoiding it.
So I did it anyway. And over time, it became way less of a thing in my head.
2. Google is your best friend.
I didn’t know how to do most of the tech side when I started. Like… truly. But every time I hit a wall, I’d Google it, watch a tutorial, click around, try again. There is a step-by-step for everything.
I just decided early on that “I don’t know how” wasn’t going to be the reason I stopped.
3. You don’t need a full plan to start.
I really thought I needed to have everything figured out before I began. A full plan, clear direction, all of it. But almost none of that came before starting—it came from being in it.
Things only started making sense once I actually started moving.
4. Momentum matters more than perfection.
The things that moved my business forward were rarely the most polished or perfect. They were just done and out there. Meanwhile, the things I overthought and tried to make perfect are probably still sitting in Canva somewhere.
Done creates momentum. Perfect just delays it.
5. There are so many moments where it feels quiet.
Not just in the beginning—throughout the whole process. Moments where nothing is really happening, engagement is low, and you start wondering if any of it is working. That part caught me off guard.
But I’ve learned that quiet doesn’t mean it’s not working. It just means you’re in it.
6. You will question yourself… a lot.
I wish I could say this goes away, but it doesn’t. There were (and still are) so many moments of “Should I be doing this?” or “Is this actually working?” The difference now is I don’t let those thoughts mean something about my direction. They’re just part of the process.
7. Simple sells.
Some of my simplest ideas—the ones I almost second-guessed because they felt too obvious—ended up being my best products. The more complicated or “impressive” ideas didn’t always land the same way. People want things that are clear, usable, and actually helpful.
8. You don’t need to be everywhere.
I didn’t show up on every platform or have some perfectly coordinated content strategy. I kept things pretty small and focused, mostly because that’s what I had the capacity for. And it still worked.
You don’t need to do everything—you just need to do something consistently enough.
9. Balance wasn’t really the goal (for a season).
I was pretty all in this year. Like… me, myself, and my laptop most days. Could I have been more balanced? Probably. But I also built something I’m really proud of because I gave it my full attention.
I don’t think that has to be forever, but I do think there are seasons where it makes sense.
10. It’s way more possible than you think.
But only if you stay in it long enough to see it work. That’s the part no one really talks about. It’s not always about doing more—it’s about not disappearing when it gets quiet, uncomfortable, or slow.
And I can’t leave this without saying… always, always bet on yourself.
No one else is going to see the full vision the way you do. You just have to start and let it unfold from there.
If you’re a health or nutrition coach and you’ve been wanting simple, done-for-you tools to make this whole process easier… that’s exactly what I’ve been building inside my shop.
Things I originally made for myself, that turned into something bigger.
