The easiest way to start your own business and get paid to do your own thing (and why you still haven’t)

You’ve thought about starting your own thing. A business, maybe a side hustle—a way to get paid doing work on your terms. A way to make money doing something you actually care about, work you love doing.

Not just to make money (that too, though)—but to prove to yourself (and maybe a few people around you) that you can do it.

You’ve saved some posts. Bookmarked some courses. Hit follow on a few accounts. Daydreamed about what it would feel like to work on your own terms and have the income you really want. You scroll through IG and see women doing it—and some part of you always says, “I could do that too.”

But, ummmm… it's not happening. Still.

Why?

Let’s cross a few things off the list right now—reasons that aren’t true. These are the ones your inner critic comes up with when you’re frustrated and feeling like “too much” time has passed and you still haven’t gone for it or figured it out:

• It’s not because you’re lazy.
• It’s not because you’re unqualified or incapable. 
• It’s not because you don’t want it badly enough.
• And it’s definitely not because you want too much.

And just so you know, friend—I’m not saying those aren’t the reasons just to make you feel better. Yeah, it does feel better to stop beating yourself up, but I’m telling you those aren’t the reasons because... they’re not.

So what’s the deal, then? Let’s talk about the reasons your logical brain throws out when you’re frustrated and it’s looking for the strategic answer:

• You think it’s because it’s too complicated.
• You don’t have the right idea.
• Or you’re not sure where to begin.

Also not true. Or at least, not what’s actually keeping you stuck.

Starting a business that can grow to 6+ figures is actually pretty simple. (Chill, Karen—I didn’t say easy. I said simple.) You don’t need a big brand, a perfect business plan, or a fully built-out, super-complex funnel to get started.

So let’s walk through what you do need.

Below are the four simplest steps to start your own thing so you can start making money on your terms. You can follow this process one time or a hundred—but if you follow these four steps (and you absolutely can), you’ll start earning real money doing your own thing with a biz of your own.

If you want a deeper dive, I broke this down in more detail in this blog: How to Escape Your 9-to-5 and Get Paid to Work for Yourself. That post lays it all out—including how I left my 9-to-5 corporate job and built my first 6-figure business. It’s there for you if you want it. But for today, let’s keep it simple. Finish this post, then jump back to that one if you want more.

Here’s the basic game plan (the 4 simplest steps)

Step one: Pick a problem people will pay to have solved.
Pick one real-life problem that people are struggling with, and would pay to have solved. One you already know how to help with. You don’t need a never-heard-of-before idea or an industry-disrupting concept. You just need to know how to do something that helps people so much they’d pay to get it back if it was gone.

If a problem doesn’t come to mind right away, start by looking at your best skills—what you’re good at and what you really enjoy. Write them down. Then come up with 10 problems you can solve with each skillset, or 10 types of people who would benefit from it.

Example: I used basic admin skills to handle one type of administrative work for one specific type of professional—so they didn’t have to waste time on something they didn’t want to do (or didn’t know how to do), and could focus on earning more clients instead.

Step two: Create a clear, simple offer.

What's an offer? No sales page needed. No complicated tech required. Just one (or a couple) clear sentence(s) that explain what you do, who it’s for, and what result it gets them.

“I help busy moms meal plan so they can stop stressing about making kid-approved healthy dinners and feed their families well—without the daily dinner chaos.”

“I help small business owners get social media off their to-do list so they can focus on doing the work they’re great at and make more money.”

That’s all it takes. Then add what’s included, how it works, and what it costs. One simple concept, in one simple document. Done.

Step three: Tell people about it.

This is the part that feels scary—but it’s also the only part that creates clients. You don’t need a giant audience. You just need one person to say yes so you can get started. One yes creates momentum—and momentum creates more yeses. It’s exponential value.

Think about who you know that already has the problem you solve. Post about it. Text a few people. Mention it in a conversation. Ask around. 

You don’t need to “launch it.” You just need to offer it. Talk about it. Every day.

Step four: Deliver, get paid, and repeat.

Once someone says yes—do a great job. Help them. Serve well. Get paid. And then keep going.

Every time you do the work, you build confidence, momentum, and income. That’s how this starts. Not by figuring out a 25-year business plan. By solving one problem, for one person, and getting paid.

Side note: Over time, it’ll get fancier. You’ll expand. You’ll grow, shift, evolve—you’ll level up. Not just how well you serve, but how you serve. Your tech, your systems, all of it.

No matter how big you want to go—or how elaborate you want to get—the root is always still these four things.

So if it’s that simple… why haven’t you done it yet?

Ahhhh yes, I’m so glad you asked! This is the real question. This is where the real work begins. (And where the real wins come!)

You don’t need another strategy. You don’t need a better plan. You don’t need a new idea.

You aren’t stuck because you don’t know how. You’re gonna try to tell me you can’t get access to enough how-to info? The volume of info available—for FREE—sometimes makes me wish I could move to a remote island with just a volleyball. 😅 You absolutely cannot sell me the idea that you don’t have access to the “how.”

Nope. You need to take an honest look at what’s actually been holding you back.

What I’ve seen—over and over—is that most women aren’t stuck because of what they don’t know. They’re stuck because of what they can’t see. They’re carrying hidden blocks and invisible patterns that are running the show behind the scenes—and those blocks are the real reason they haven’t started.

Let’s just call them success blocks. There are seven core patterns (AKA success blocks), and they show up in all kinds of subtle ways. Let’s look at each of them so you can see which one is blocking you—and start shifting the pattern.

The Hustler → The Hard Work Trap

“I don’t get it—I’m doing everything, but I’m not making any progress! Why isn’t anything working?”

You’re constantly in motion—always busy, hyper-productive. You’re putting in the hours, crossing off the tasks, doing “all the right things.” But you’re still spinning your wheels because even though you’re doing a lot of work, it’s not the kind that actually moves things forward. Because that kind feels too risky, or too vulnerable.

What would it look like to pause the busy work and take one bold step (outside your comfort zone) that actually gets you closer to being paid?

The Strategist → The “One More Course” Loop

“I just need to learn more before I can really go for it.”

You love a good plan, and you’re probably great at learning. You probably thrive in learning settings. But every time you start to move forward, you convince yourself there’s still something missing—something more you have to know before you can go for it. Another freebie. Another training. Another strategy. Another certification or degree. You’re so focused on getting it “right” that you’re stuck on step one, even though you could write the book, 1–100+.

What’s one thing you already know you could do—but haven’t done yet, because you’re waiting to feel confident you can do every step that (you think) will come after?

The Critic → The Inner Bully

“I can’t do that… what will everyone say? They’re going to think I’m not legit. I’m not an expert. I’m not the best. I know 10 people who are better than me at that.”

You second-guess yourself constantly—even though you do know your stuff. You downplay your skills, tweak everything to death, and are generally waiting to go for it until you feel more confident. Because deep down, you’re terrified of looking foolish or failing in public. So instead, you play small. You keep hiding.

What’s one thing you could move forward on if you gave yourself permission to totally fail at it? (You probably won’t though. 😉)

The Juggler → The Multi-Passionate One

“I have so many ideas—I can’t pick just one.”

You’re full of potential and ideas. But every time you try to focus on just one, you start second-guessing yourself. What if there’s a better one? What if you choose wrong? So instead of starting anything fully, you keep pivoting. Planning. Starting over.

What’s one idea you could commit to—just for the next 90 days—to give yourself real traction?

The Lone Wolf → The “I Can Do It Myself” Mentality

“If I’m actually meant to do this, I should be able to figure it out on my own.”

You’re independent, smart, and totally capable. You’ve always been the one people rely on. So asking for help—or even wanting help, just so things could feel a little easier—feels… weak. You tell yourself if this dream is really yours, you should be able to carry it alone. But you’re carrying everything alone—and that gets heavy.

What if the reason you still feel stuck isn’t a lack of ability—but that you’re just making slow progress because you’ve been trying to do everything alone? Where or how would getting support change the game for you?

The Dreamer → Always Planning, Never Launching

“I’m going to launch this, and write that, and create those… soon.”

You’re full of big ideas. You’ve made the Canva graphics, outlined the content, dreamed about your ideal schedule… but nothing’s actually launched. Nothing’s out there. You’re always about to do something—but never quite press “go.”

What’s one small piece of your big idea you could put out into the world this week?

The Distractor → The “I'm Too Busy, I’ll Think About It Later” Pattern

“I don’t even have time to figure out what I want right now.”

You’re in motion from the second your eyes open. School drop-offs, errands, laundry, dinner, repeat. There’s never a quiet moment to pause—because if there was, you might have to admit something’s missing. But you don’t have time for something to be missing, because then you might have to do something about it. So (ironically) you stay busy. You tell yourself you’ll figure it out later. But “later” never comes.

If you gave yourself one protected, quiet hour this week… what might you finally admit you want? What could you accomplish if you gave yourself one hour every week to work toward it?

Now what?

If you saw yourself in one—or maybe more—of those blocks, good. Seriously—that’s good news! That means you’re getting honest and expanding your awareness. And that means you can start shifting. And tthhaatt means you don’t have to be stuck anymore.

Because the real reason you haven’t moved forward isn’t a lack of time or ideas or strategy. (And it’s definitely not a lack of how-to or info. 😂) It’s a core pattern that’s been running beneath the surface, impacting everything you do—or don’t—see, feel, think, or know to do.

The second you name it, you take your power back.

And that’s exactly what I'm here to help you do.

I’ve got a brand-new quiz dropping soon that’s going to help you identify your core success block—the hidden pattern that’s been holding you back. Once you name it, you can start rewiring it—and finally move forward with the clarity and momentum you’ve been craving. Yessss, please.

If you want to be the first to know when it’s available, drop your info below and subscribe so we can stay in touch.

Your next chapter is waiting for you to write it—and you get to entirely change the plot if you’re ready.