The Single Most Important Thing You Need To Know When Starting An Online Business

What’s the difference between someone who has an idea of a business, and someone who has a business?

In 2015, after two years of consulting with other doctors on the side of my own clinical practice, I had the idea of creating an online course. The goal was to help more doctors without having to cut into my clinical hours or time with my family. An online course seemed like the perfect solution.

The problem was that I had never created one before.

Google is your friend…?

After many weeks (yes, weeks!) lost going down the rabbit hole of Google searches, subreddits, Facebook groups, and at least 3 webinars per week, I was nowhere near launching my course.

In fact, the more I read, the farther away I felt. Instead of gaining clarity, researching all of those options had created confusion. And a confused brain cannot make decisions.

So I asked myself, “what is the difference between me, and those who already have an online course?”

Uhm… They got started.

“yeah but… what should I start with?” I heard a whiny inner voice asking.

It does not matter.

When you’re standing still, the first step is the hardest to take.

But once you start moving, the next step is easier. Even if the next step means turning around because you started going in the wrong direction!

Since then I’ve helped dozens of doctors bring their business ideas to life and these are a few of the most common things that paralyze them but in fact, don’t really matter:

• The platform you choose to build it in.
• The email address you choose.
• The domain name you buy.
• Your social media handles.
• What your logo looks like.
• Your brand colors.

All of these are what Jeff Bezos calls “reversible decisions”. And as such, should be made swiftly, without much deliberation. After all, they’re reversible.