Since moving to Australia, I’ve become immersed in the world of online business creation. It all started when I began freelance writing for an entrepreneur just after we arrived, and then before I knew it I was hooked on the idea of building a business online. Over the last couple of years, I’ve spent hours doing paid online courses and free online training. I’ve probably joined hundreds of Facebook groups and added myself to more email lists than I can count. The idea of online learning is so appealing to me as it is something I can do while I’m on the go – it gets so addictive! It’s cheap or free and it can totally change your life because as a busy mum I really want to be able to work from home around my kids. While I’m not a digital millionaire (yet!), I am learning so many skills right now that I know are going to help me get where I want to be with my online businesses.
If you’re just starting to get interested in the idea of setting up a home-based business or earning money online, this is my list of nine entrepreneurs you should check out.
Nine entrepreneurs you need to follow
Pat Flynn from Smart Passive Income
Pat writes the ultimate resource for earning a passive income online. SPI caters for both beginners and seasoned entrepreneurs. Pat’s podcast, blog, book and resources are the best introduction to creating and launching digital products and courses online. There is also a closed Facebook group (search for Smart Passive Income on Facebook) which is a great place to get support from other entrepreneurs.
Darren Rowse from ProBlogger
ProBlogger is the place to go to learn about how to earn money from your blog. Darren organises an annual blogging conference in Australia (I’ve been to three events now and am getting ready for my fourth in a few weeks!) and it is the best conference I’ve ever been to! But even if that is too far to travel, you will still learn a massive amount from Darren’s podcasts, blog and books. I can definitely say that discovering ProBlogger a few years ago was life changing for me and I learn new things from it every day.
Kimra Luna from Kimra Luna
I can’t even remember how I discovered Kimra, but I somehow fell into her closed Facebook group (search for ‘Freedom Hacker’s Mastermind’) and have never looked back. Kimra delivers tonnes of free training via webinars, and the story of her journey to success is really inspiring. She delivers a programme called Be True Brand New which comes very highly recommended in the Facebook groups, but just hanging out with her community on Facebook is a good place to start.
Chandler Bolt from Self Publishing School
I discovered Chandler Bolt when he ran the first hugely successful Self-Publishing Success Summit (which has become an annual event that I now look forward to). The Self-Publishing Summit is an online event with entrepreneurs giving away all of their best tips for free via video interviews with Chandler. I’ve followed his journey, read his books and am a big fan of his blog. I wish the Self-Publishing School had existed when I was starting my book a few years ago as I know it would have made it all a lot easier. He gives away tonnes of tips and advice for free, so is definitely worth a follow even if the course and mastermind community isn’t for you.
Nick Stephenson from Your First 10k Readers
I discovered Nick when he spoke at the Self-Publishing Success Summit last year, and I got loads of value from his talk. He has the most incredible, calm and engaging voice (I think it’s because I now live in Australia and I don’t get to hear that lovely Midland’s accent anymore and it reminds me of home!) and so much of his content is via video, meaning you can listen/watch while cooking dinner, put the washing out etc. while learning (which is how I digest so many podcasts and webinars). His emails are also funny, quirky and thought-provoking and although he is obviously trying to sell you his course, he has a knack of never sounding salesy. He has an awful lot to teach on the subject of audience building, so is well worth checking out.
Jill and Josh Stanton from Screw the Nine to Five
I saw Jill and Josh being recommended in another Facebook group a few years ago and I’m so pleased I found them. Screw is more of a movement than a website. It centres on a mastermind community with a monthly fee, but even without being a member of that I get tonnes of value from their free content as they have a free Facebook group too which is a fantastic place to ask questions and bounce ideas around. If you join their paid community, you get access to an online membership area where you’ll be given exclusive content, endless training courses and tonnes of support from people who get it.
Leonie Dawson from Leonie Dawson
Leonie creates my favourite annual Shining Year Planners. Every year she launches a new batch of resources to help women to have their best year ever both in business and in life. I’ve bought the packs two years in a row now and can see why everyone raves about them. I have a diary (which helps me with setting weekly and monthly tasks), two wall planners, a Shining Year in Life and a Shining Year in Biz workbooks and a to-do list. Having my goals written down and being able to track them is making a huge difference to me. Leonie also runs Academy which gives you access to a huge number of her courses for an annual fee.
Zach Spuckler from Heart, Soul and Hustle
Zach kept popping up in the entrepreneur groups I was part of a few years ago. I started to follow him and then he launched a podcast which made me take notice. He’s really likeable and hugely successful. He’s in his early twenties which show that age doesn’t matter when it comes to online success – all that matters is taking action. I love that he jumps on niches and goes for it (Periscope and Facebook ads are his two main things). I can see him going far and I’m looking forward to following his journey.
Sharon Gourlay from Where’s Sharon and Digital Nomad Wannabe
Sharon has made a huge success with her family travel blog and it was through that that I discovered her Digital Nomad Wannabe site just as she was starting her new career running niche sites. I’ve loved following her journey from starting out and learning the ropes of niche site building to now being hugely successful. Her Digital Nomad Wannabe Facebook group is hands-down the best blogging group I’m a member of as the discussions in there are so practical and actionable. It was a no-brainer for me to buy her book – How to Make Money From Blogging (this is an affiliate link which means I earn a small commission at no cost to you if you buy it) – as soon as it came out. The book is so practical and walks you through everything you need to do in straight and simple language. As a blogger who has been working online since 2008, it was still packed with really useful advice that I haven’t found elsewhere and it was worth way beyond the cost I paid for it. I loved it so much that I’m now on Sharon’s new paid course about creating niche sites. I’m on week three of six and am loving it – she really is very talented to combine her entrepreneurial and tech skills with teaching. (Check back later in the year and I’ll tell you more about how I got on with the course!).
So there you have it – my list of nine must-follow entrepreneurs online that will help you create a home-based business. So whether you’re looking at creating niche sites with Amazon or you want to set up something more specific like move migration website, these guys are a great place to start. I follow way more than this and it was really tough to narrow it down, but these are the ones I think inspire me the most at the moment.
Who inspires you? Do you have any favourite places to go online for inspiration or learning? I’d love for you to share in the comments below.
Thanks for the kind words and including us in this stellar roundup 🙂
No worries, thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment! Your Facebook group is hands down one of the most useful and helpful communities on the internet!