You don’t need $1M in the bank to start a business. You can start a...
Tim Denning@Tim_Denning
81 views
Jul 07, 2025
~3 min read
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You don’t need $1M in the bank to start a business.
You can start a digital business for $0 using one funnel, social media and email, without being a marketer, and make 90% profit margins.
Here’s how:
You can start a digital business for $0 using one funnel, social media and email, without being a marketer, and make 90% profit margins.
Here’s how:
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First off, there are many businesses to avoid.
• Affiliate marketing
• Paid newsletters
• Sponsored podcasts
• Youtube ad revenue
These income streams are unlikely to ever make you real money. Fine as a side income though.
The best business gives you:
• Control
• Leverage
• Personal freedom
• 6,7, or 8 figures a year
Everything else is a dog & pony show
• Affiliate marketing
• Paid newsletters
• Sponsored podcasts
• Youtube ad revenue
These income streams are unlikely to ever make you real money. Fine as a side income though.
The best business gives you:
• Control
• Leverage
• Personal freedom
• 6,7, or 8 figures a year
Everything else is a dog & pony show
3
Use the easiest social media to start with
Not Youtube. Not Threads. Use X.
• Text-based
• Low barrier to entry
• Viral loop algorithm
The "For You" feed makes this child's play. Even if you have no followers, if the content is good enough it can still go viral.
Not Youtube. Not Threads. Use X.
• Text-based
• Low barrier to entry
• Viral loop algorithm
The "For You" feed makes this child's play. Even if you have no followers, if the content is good enough it can still go viral.
4
Aim for 5000 followers on one platform, not 1M
• Start small.
• Comment a lot.
• Network with other creators
• Post 3-4 times a day to test content
Remember: long-form content is where 90% of growth is. One-sentence posts aren't enough.
• Start small.
• Comment a lot.
• Network with other creators
• Post 3-4 times a day to test content
Remember: long-form content is where 90% of growth is. One-sentence posts aren't enough.
5
Focus on email subscribers, not followers
An owned audience you can make offers to is the most valuable asset.
The key is to balance value with making offers. If all you do is sell, you'll have no audience.
Value =
• Essays
• Summaries
• Weekly round-ups
An owned audience you can make offers to is the most valuable asset.
The key is to balance value with making offers. If all you do is sell, you'll have no audience.
Value =
• Essays
• Summaries
• Weekly round-ups
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Qualify leads with low ticket products
You want to know if a lead has a problem. If they won't spend $100 on it they 100% won't spend $10K
Your warmest leads don't come from free webinars or lead magnets.
They come from low-ticket purchases. Buying shows intent. Paying hurts more than casually showing up for free.
You want to know if a lead has a problem. If they won't spend $100 on it they 100% won't spend $10K
Your warmest leads don't come from free webinars or lead magnets.
They come from low-ticket purchases. Buying shows intent. Paying hurts more than casually showing up for free.
7
Jump on Zoom calls and talk to people
Selling to humans takes practice. People aren't just going to come to your inbox & give you money
Humans are naturally skeptical. They won't trust you based on one sales email.
Doing sales calls lets you learn. It tells you what the market wants.
Selling to humans takes practice. People aren't just going to come to your inbox & give you money
Humans are naturally skeptical. They won't trust you based on one sales email.
Doing sales calls lets you learn. It tells you what the market wants.
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Have one core offer that's high ticket
It takes the same effort to sell a $500 thing as a $10K thing.
Then, what you learn from the customers of the high ticket purchases can be repurposed as:
• Books
• Self-paced products
• Live experiences
• Workshops
Most people take their core skill & sell it for peanuts. Don't. Get paid for giving real help.
It takes the same effort to sell a $500 thing as a $10K thing.
Then, what you learn from the customers of the high ticket purchases can be repurposed as:
• Books
• Self-paced products
• Live experiences
• Workshops
Most people take their core skill & sell it for peanuts. Don't. Get paid for giving real help.
9
Make your business a daily habit
Business is just self-improvement in disguise. To be successful online there are 2 variables:
• Number of reps
• Quality of reps
Often quality requires help from someone else to figure out where to improve.
Business is just self-improvement in disguise. To be successful online there are 2 variables:
• Number of reps
• Quality of reps
Often quality requires help from someone else to figure out where to improve.
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The digital businesses that go from 6 to 7-8 figures have one thing in common:
Obsession.
The creators didn't choose some piss weak passion or hobby. Nope.
They chose something they think about 24/7 that they're already doing for free.
Motivation is automated when you're obsessed. The outcome becomes inevitable.
Obsession.
The creators didn't choose some piss weak passion or hobby. Nope.
They chose something they think about 24/7 that they're already doing for free.
Motivation is automated when you're obsessed. The outcome becomes inevitable.
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Why a digital business may NOT work for you?
• Too skeptical
• Won't take calculated risks
• Refuse to use social media
• Hate sales/marketing
• Comfortable in a job
• Listen to passive income gurus
Solution: upgrade your mindset. Then revisit.
• Too skeptical
• Won't take calculated risks
• Refuse to use social media
• Hate sales/marketing
• Comfortable in a job
• Listen to passive income gurus
Solution: upgrade your mindset. Then revisit.
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Final Thought
Building a digital business is simple but not easy.
Most people nail it in their first year if they choose a monetizable skill & the right niche.
Why not you?
Building a digital business is simple but not easy.
Most people nail it in their first year if they choose a monetizable skill & the right niche.
Why not you?
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FYI — A lot of people talk about this digital business stuff. I’ve actually done it.
My story + receipts: timdenning.com/100k-xc/
My story + receipts: timdenning.com/100k-xc/