If you haven’t been paying attention for these past few years, online businesses are booming.

It seems like everyone knows someone who is making money online, in a variety of different ways. Maybe they are blogging, drop shipping, online marketing, even making YouTube videos about slime (you know those people are out there). Whether it’s full-time work or a side hustle, an online business can offer you a sustainable revenue stream.

The reality is that there has never been a better time to start an online business.

And you probably know this already, but at Laptop Empires, we are big believers that starting an online business is one of the best ways to grow your income, bottom line. Not only has it never been easier, you get to be your own boss, it allows you the flexibility to live the life you want, and start-up costs are minimal.

The internet is this huge place full of resources for budding entrepreneurs with unlimited growth potential, and it’s also FULL of potential customers. You get to build a business right in front of your potential customers without the massive costs of building a brick and mortar business.

The low, low cost of starting an online business lets you see if you are actually cut out for it, because while everyone should start an online business, not everyone should be a business owner.

Find that you aren’t cut out for it? That’s no fault to you, at all. The same goes for many professions – not everyone can be a teacher or doctor. Fortunately, building an online business means you can see if you actually enjoy it and whether or not there is a market for your services or products. This is testing the waters virtually risk-free before diving in head first.

Why you should start an online business:

Pursuing your passions

We want to speak directly to all of you that loathe your traditional 9-5 jobs. The commute might be ridiculous, you might hate your boss, or there might be no room for growth. These are all 100% legitimate reasons to do something else.

We’re also talking to those of you with an easy commute, a decent boss and plenty of growth potential, but who aren’t in love with what you do.

There is no passion in either of those options. That’s just work.

Starting an online business is a different kind of job – it’s one you love to do because it is built from what you are passionate about doing. Love cooking? Start an online meal planning service. Love traveling? Start a travel blog. Love opening packages? Start an unboxing channel on YouTube. The options are limitless.

We have a great list of side hustle ideas to get you started.

You might just be passionate about paying down your debt and retiring early, no shame in that. For some online business owners, their motivation comes from loving the flexibility an online business offers. Whatever you’re passionate about, that’s where you’ll find inspiration and motivation to fuel an online business.

Low start-up costs

We think the biggest thing, hands down, that prevent people from starting a business is the cost. That financial leap of faith you are making is HUGE, especially if it comes from draining your 401(k), cashing out investments, or taking out a loan for tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars.

That last sentence though, that’s for brick and mortar businesses – not at all the case with an online business.

All you really need to start are a computer and an internet connection, and if you’re reading this, you probably have that covered.

We’re not trying to sound hyperbolic, but blogs, online storefronts, YouTube channels, and social media accounts require zero to minimal costs to make and/or monetize. Eventually, once your business starts to grow, you will want to invest some more to really see your business flourish, but that only comes after seeing if running an online business is something you really want to do.

Huge ROI potential

This goes hand in hand with the last point, but if you look at your online business as an investment, WHICH YOU SHOULD, this is about as low risk as it gets, but the returns can be huge. Here’s an example: Millenial Money Man has seen a 40,000% ROI since starting three years ago. That’s bananas, and just one example of what’s possible with an online business. We even have students making over $5,000 per month just a few months after joining our Facebook Side Hustle Course, and some are landing clients in week one.

Because you haven’t had to borrow any money to start an online business and you aren’t replenishing your savings, your returns are pure profit (well, besides taxes). This also means you are able to easily invest in your business when you need to, likely growing your ROI even more.

Most online business owners aren’t going to see huge gains in the first few months, but the potential is there because you aren’t weighed down by high start-up or even day-to-day costs that come along with a brick and mortar.

Return on your effort

Want another return you can feel good about? The success of your online business is directly related to the amount of energy and quality of work you put forth.

One of the most frustrating things about working a typical 9-5 job is watching an apathetic and/or lazy coworker make the same amount of money that you do. The likelihood of that happening with an online business is extremely low, unless someone has insanely good luck, but yeah, still not likely.

You know what else sucks? Being a high performer at your company but getting passed over by an outside hire for a promotion that you deserved. That will never happen when you have your own business. If you put in the work and deserve to earn more and be more successful, then you will, without anyone else getting to decide whether you get that promotion or not.

Running an online business is especially fulfilling for driven individuals who want to see a direct return on their efforts. It isn’t for everyone, but for those who dig in and use their passion as a driving force, their effort will grow their business.

Millennial advantage, or not

Millennials get a lot of flack these days, for a variety of reasons, but one thing everyone knows is that we GET the internet. This gives millennials wanting to start an online business a sort of baked in skillset.

We know the importance of social media, we easily adapt to changes in technology, and we just generally know how to utilize and manipulate a variety of online platforms.

But, but… if you’re not a millennial, no worries. You don’t have to be a twenty to thirty-something to understand how to build and run an online business. It’s okay if you didn’t grow up with Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or any of the hundreds of other apps and social media platforms that have tried to make it big (Friendster, anyone?).

Finding tools, crowdsourcing knowledge, and networking is more accessible than ever before. This means that it is easier for anyone, at any age, to learn how to start and sustain an online business.

Accessibility

Coming directly off of that last point, we live in a time when technology has placed everything in front of us. It’s like a buffet for online businesses.

This isn’t just finding the tools that will help you grow your business – it’s also easy access to customers. You will need high-quality products, services, and content to actually capture and keep their attention, but your customers are already on the internet. You aren’t waiting for them to walk by your storefront, you are setting up shop where they spend the majority of their time – on their computers and mobile devices.

This one is our favorite – FREEDOM

Before we go on, starting an online business isn’t going to lead to an overnight, million-dollar success. And, we know you already know that. It does, however, allow you the freedom to make the types of decisions you need for your business, which is going to be as individual as you are.

Because of all of the reasons we cited above, your success won’t be hampered by the whims of others, and your effort and energy directly correlate with your success. You can put as much or as little time into your online business as you want, you get to choose when and how to spend money on your business, and you can create and implement long-term growth strategies.

You are the boss, and success is having the freedom to make your own decisions.

But, freedom isn’t just appealing because you get to run your business the way you want – it’s also the freedom to make money anywhere, anytime. Your online business can generate revenue while you’re on vacation, while sleeping, or while working another side hustle. You aren’t just building an online business, you are building a lifestyle.

There is really no greater feeling than spending time with your friends and family and later checking on your business to find that you made money while you were just living in the moment. It can take a while to get to that point, but man does it feel good.

Are you ready to start yet?

We are seriously passionate about the benefits of starting an online business, which is why Laptop Empires was started. For those who are successful online business owners, and we’re not just talking about the sliver of one-percenters who make a living online, we’re also talking about normal folks who side hustle online to make their financial goals a reality – you will be hard pressed to find one that regrets starting their online business.

If you are ready to get started on your path to freedom but aren’t sure where to begin, check out this list of our favorite side hustles. We discuss our favorite side hustles and how we turned our side hustles into booming businesses.

Our absolute favorite way to get started is by running Facebook ads for local businesses, which can earn you $1,000-$2,000 per month. Want in? Check out our Facebook Side Hustle Course.

FB Ads Manager is one of the most in-demand services for business owners, and with our Facebook Side Hustle Course, we break down the basics, from landing your first customer to creating highly-targeted ad campaigns. We have over 1200 happy customers, with some earning between $3,000-$5,000 per month just a few months after starting our course.

Click here for more information on Laptop Empire’s Facebook Side Hustle Course.

By starting an online business, you are actively taking steps that will propel you towards financial freedom. Alright, we know you’re ready. Take that leap, dive in, know that we’re here to help you along the way.