Day 7: One Week In — Lessons, Realizations & Next Steps

This first week of launching my online business experiment has felt like a mix of baby steps, lightbulb moments, and gentle chaos. It’s only been seven days, but it already feels like I’ve cracked open a whole new world. Here's a quick overview of what I’ve learned so far — from setting up platforms to finding my voice and redefining what “progress” actually means.

1. Getting Started Takes Time (and Patience)

Setting up accounts and tools took longer than expected — not just technically, but mentally. Shopify, YouTube, Canva, InVideo, Google Drive, ChatGPT, Amazon KDP… each one had a learning curve. I’m still figuring out how to use them well — not just to exist, but to actually attract views, generate traffic, and eventually, make sales.

So far:

• ~200 visits on my Shopify store
• A basic site with a diary-style homepage, an ebook link, a YouTube subscribe button, an email form, and a short survey
• 2 long YouTube videos and 3 shorts — with around 1.2k views in total (almost all from the shorts)

My conclusion? Just showing up isn’t enough. People need a reason to stay, click, and buy. Right now, the site looks “fine” (I’ve seen worse!), but it lacks clear value. That’s what I’ll be focusing on next.

2. Nothing Is Truly Free

Even though I tried to keep costs low, the little things add up — subscriptions, tools, paid features. And what’s more dangerous than money? Losing track of it. I highly recommend keeping a log of every payment date and service — I already nearly forgot a few.

But honestly? It’s worth it. This is an investment phase — of time, of money, and of identity. I’m shifting from the mindset of a stable paycheck to the uncertainty of entrepreneurship. It’s uncomfortable... and kind of exciting.

3. AI Is My New Favorite Co-Worker

I’ve started treating ChatGPT like a friendly teammate — helping with tasks outside my zone of genius, offering second opinions, and giving structure to my scattered thoughts. I still rewrite and fine-tune a lot of the outputs, but that’s part of the learning curve. The real magic is realizing I don’t have to build this alone.

Can AI actually help me build a one-person business? We’ll see. But so far, it’s helped me move faster, think clearer, and feel a little less alone.

Looking Ahead

Now it’s time to move from “setup mode” to “build mode.” What’s next?

🎯 My goal for next week: Start testing actual business models and get my first sale — even if it's small. I’ll also keep creating content, but now with a sharper focus: creating things people actually need now, not someday.

Because let’s be honest — I can’t call myself a “successful mompreneur” without businesses that actually work. So next week? We test, we build, we sell. And I’ll bring you along for the ride.

See you tomorrow with my detailed plan for the week.