How to build your digital business from scratch in 2025

Introduction

Starting an online business isn't easy, and most end up failing. The reasons vary, but it usually comes down to one primary cause: lack of patience—which often stems from other issues, such as choosing:

The wrong audience
The wrong pricing
The wrong product
The wrong marketing

There are countless pitfalls, and many first-time entrepreneurs struggle to gain traction. However, with the right approach, you can avoid common mistakes and increase your chances of success.

Here’s a step-by-step guide I wish I had when starting out. It will help you go from zero to one, building a profitable digital online business from scratch. Why digital? Because it's a better business: you build once and can sell an infinite number of times—with pure margin!

Step 1: Identify one problem for one specific audience

The biggest mistake new entrepreneurs make is trying to solve too many problems for too many people. Instead, start with a single, well-defined problem that a specific audience is struggling with.

How do you know if they are struggling with it?

Think about challenges you’ve personally overcome.
Identify recurring questions or frustrations in a niche you understand.
Talk to potential customers to understand their struggles.

Make sure the problem you’re addressing is significant and that you know how to reach people experiencing the same issue. I recommend building a small online community on social media (such as X or Instagram) before deciding whether to go all in.

Example: If you've founded a startup and struggled with bureaucracy, startup costs, and accounting, that’s a common pain point for many entrepreneurs. (I know I went through it! If you steal this idea, let me know—I’d gladly recommend it to others.)

Step 2: Craft a solution that does the job

People don’t want to learn everything—they want results. In short, they’re not looking for a drill; they want a hole in their wall!

As a creator, you must build something that solves a specific problem for your audience—nothing more, nothing less.

Crafting your offer

Keep it simple: a clear roadmap, checklist, or system.
Focus on the fastest, most effective solution.
Make it easy to understand—your audience should immediately grasp how it helps them.

Example: A “14-Day Roadmap” for finance students looking to break into investment banking.

Step 3: Choose your format

Your expertise can be packaged in different ways. Pick a format that suits your skills, is easy to complete, and—most importantly—that you enjoy creating.

Options include:

eBook or blog – if you like writing
Video course – if you enjoy teaching
Templates & checklists – if you prefer system-building
Coaching services – if you prefer 1-on-1 interaction

Pro Tip: Set a deadline

Work expands to fill the available time (Parkinson’s Law). Give yourself a clear deadline—such as 30 days—to create your product and get it to market quickly.

Step 4: Pick a simple hosting platform

In 2025, there are countless platforms where you can upload your content and start monetizing immediately.

Where to host your product

Sherpo stands out as the most cost-effective and feature-rich platform. With its free Sherpo Flex plan, you only pay a 1% to 5% platform fee (or 0% with Sherpo Ultra), depending on the product you sell.

Sherpo gives you full control over your pricing, offers advanced white-labeling and affiliate features for free, and allows you to build more than just courses.

Step 5: Set a simple initial price

Set your pricing between $50 and $150—affordable enough to sell without years of audience-building but high enough to signal value.

You can always increase the price later after receiving customer feedback and gathering reviews to boost social proof!

Step 6: Find your first customers

It’s 2025—there are no excuses for not finding customers with all the social media platforms and advertising tools available.

(And it's always better to avoid marketplaces like Udemy, which turn you into a commodity in a Red Ocean of cutthroat competition!)

How to get your first sales

Leverage social media – Post valuable content for free on Instagram, LinkedIn, X, YouTube, or TikTok.
Use forums & communities – Engage in Reddit, Facebook groups, and Discord channels.
Write blog posts – Publish SEO-friendly content (you can do this easily with Sherpo!).

Experiment with multiple channels and double down on what brings in sales. Personally, I recommend Instagram—but it depends on where your audience is!

Once you have your first customers, turn them into success stories. Social proof builds trust and increases conversions.

Ways to collect testimonials

Ask customers for feedback or reviews.
Partner with credible creators in your niche as affiliates.
Feature positive reviews on your landing pages, website, and social media.

The more social proof you have, the easier it is to sell!

Step 8: Build a repeatable selling system

Selling online is about consistency. You need a process for attracting customers every day.

Steps to create a system

Identify a content strategy that works (e.g., Instagram carousels, YouTube videos, LinkedIn posts, or blog articles).
Post consistently and engage with your audience.
Track your results—double down on what drives traffic and sales.

Let’s look at the numbers

If your goal is to sell 10 courses at $500/month, that’s $60,000 per year in high-margin revenue.

To achieve that, if 2% of website visitors buy, you need 500 new visitors per month.

Your job? Identify the best marketing channel, get 500 people to your site every month, and convert them into buyers. Test different methods, promotions, and strategies to optimize results.

Summary

Starting an online business isn’t easy, but it’s 100% possible with the right strategy. The key is to:

Solve one specific problem for one audience.
Create a clear and valuable offer.
Choose a simple format and host it quickly.
Set a straightforward initial price—not too low or too high.
Find your first customers using social media and communities.
Build trust with testimonials.
Create a repeatable selling system.

And most importantly: Success comes from consistent execution.

💡 Want to start selling your digital products effortlessly? Try out Sherpo for the easiest way to launch your online business in minutes.