Hey
I still remember the notification sound.
Ding.
PayPal: "You've received $1.00"
My first online sale.
A simple Notion template for note-taking.
One dollar. But it felt like I'd cracked the matrix.
I was 17, still in high school, and no one I knew—not friends, not family—made money online.
But I just did.
From $1 to $1,000 in One School Year
That $1 template sale happened in my final year of high school.
By the time graduation rolled around, I'd made over $1,000 online.
After expenses, I netted around $800.
For a teenager with zero business experience, it felt incredible.
But here's what I learned:
making money as a student isn't about the amount. It's about proving to yourself that it's possible.
The Simple Business Formula
Every successful student business I've seen follows the same pattern:
Pick One Platform → Serve One Person → Solve One Problem
Let me break this down:
Step 1 — Choose One Path
This is where most people mess up — including me.
I tried to do everything at once:
YouTube. Twitter. Instagram. TikTok. Articles.
It didn’t work.
Now, I’d pick one content type and one platform.
If I choose short-form content → I’d focus only on Instagram Reels and TikTok.
If I choose long-form → I’d go all-in on YouTube.
If I want to write → I’d stick to Twitter only.
Don’t chase every trend.
Don’t compare your path to someone else’s content style.
Some people have teams. You probably don’t.
Start small. Own one thing. Build consistency.
Step 2 — Serve One Person
Next, think about the one person you’re helping — not everyone.
Pick one niche, or at least one world. You can try many topics, but they should live in the same space.
Bad example:
Productivity, fitness, fashion, and football.
Good example:
Productivity, Notion, study tips, motivation for students.
You’re not building a business yet.
You’re building trust.
That starts by showing up with useful content that solves small, clear problems for one type of person.
Step 3 — Decide What to Sell
This part is simple in theory, but takes time.
Ask:
“What problem do I solve? And how can I deliver that solution?”
Examples:
Are you offering 1:1 help? → You’re freelancing or coaching.
Are you creating a digital product? → You’re selling a scalable offer.
Are you helping people get results from your experience? → Maybe you build a Notion template, a PDF, or a video course.
Don’t overthink it at the start.
Just build something real and useful.
And no — it doesn’t need to be perfect. But it shouldn’t be trash either.
The Real Keys to Success
After three years of building online, here's what actually matters:
Don't Chase Money First
The students who fail are the ones obsessed with "$10K months" from day one.
Focus on creating something genuinely helpful.
The money follows quality, not the other way around.
Enjoy the Learning Process
This journey is long and everyone's path is different.
You and a friend could start identical businesses with identical strategies and get completely different results.
That's normal.
Stay Consistent Through the Ups and Downs
Some days you'll feel unstoppable. Other days you'll want to quit.
Force yourself to show up anyway. Consistency beats intensity.
Learn Something New Every Day
Read books. Watch tutorials. Test new strategies.
The students who succeed are the ones who treat learning like a daily habit, not a one-time event.
Your Next Step
If you're a student making little to nothing online, start here:
Choose your platform (one only)
Define your person (be specific)
Identify your solution (what problem can you solve?)
Create your first piece of content (don't overthink it)
Build your system (organize your ideas and track progress)
Speaking of systems,
The same Second Brain 6.0 system I use to manage my business & life will help you too.
Whether you make $1 or $1,000 in your first year doesn't matter.
What matters is starting.
That first dollar proves it's possible. Everything else is just scaling what works.
Osama (Ols)
P.S. I'm still learning too. Every month I'll share what's working and what isn't. The journey never really ends—it just gets more interesting.
