Start Before You’re Ready (or You’ll Regret It Again in 10 Years)
An old friend messaged me the other day with a question I’ve heard a hundred different ways, from a hundred different people:
“I have this idea to make money teaching classes online... but I’m nervous. The internet is so crowded. Is it even worth it?”
Here’s what I told her. And what I’ll tell you, too:
Yes. Do it.
Even if you’re scared.
Even if you’re not tech-savvy.
Even if you think you missed your window, or everyone is fed up with virtual courses.
Because the truth is — the “perfect time” already passed ten years ago. And if you keep waiting until you feel ready, you’re going to be having the same conversation with yourself ten years from now.
You don’t need to be Oprah and appeal to the masses.
You don’t need to have millions of followers or a fancy camera setup or a marketing degree. You just need a few humans who resonate with your energy. That’s it. And you’ll find them — or rather, they’ll find you — if you keep showing up with authenticity and a little consistency.
Start where you are. Use what you have.
Record your first Reel. Make your first awkward post. Fumble through your first class.
You might cringe at how cringe you were the next day — but keep going anyway.
You don’t have to quit your job overnight or go off-grid with a laptop and a dream (unless you want to).
But you do have to begin.
Pick a direction. Pick a platform. Pick a person to talk to — just one — and start building for them.
Because the real difference between those of us who “escaped the matrix” and those still stuck in it?
We started.
We said yes before we had all the answers.
We posted the cringey content.
We trusted the vision even when no one else got it.
But here’s the thing most people don’t realize: the algorithms are working for you. Even if you think you might be shouting into a void:
Google is crawling your blog posts. YouTube is scanning your videos and descriptions.
And yes—even ChatGPT is indexing your content, learning from publicly available material to better answer questions people are asking.
—> Here’s How ChatGPT Found Me My Ideal Client: https://nicolepaulus.com/blog-content/2025/5/9/she-found-me-through-chatgpt-proof-that-nicheing-down-still-works
That recipe you shared?
That website tutorial video you recorded and posted on YouTube on the fly?
That mini-class you created for your students?
It’s all working in the background. Quietly. Faithfully.
So when someone finally searches for what you offer—they find you.
It’s not about going viral, it’s about making yourself findable.
And having the courage to begin.
And no, it’s not all sunshine, hammocks, and palm trees (though there’ll be a good deal of that.)
You’ll still hustle. You’ll still grind.
But you’ll be doing it for yourself.
On your time.
For your vision.
About something that lights your soul on fire.
So if you’ve been sitting on an idea for weeks, months — maybe even years — consider this your sign:
Just start.
Or you’ll be looking back a decade from now wishing you had.
Want help figuring out what your idea could look like? I help conscious creatives and curious misfits find clarity, build freedom, and start walking away from the grind. Book a session with me.
Here's Why I Don't Offer Customizations
A long time website client recently had a request, she’s been slowly revamping her 7.0 site (instead of making the big switch to 7.1) and she wanted to create tables to showcase her offerings. She saw it on another site and liked the way it broke up the information.
I had hesitations and even drafted up a version in Squarespace that didn’t include a table which she promptly rejected. She had her heart set on a table and I wanted her to be happy so I obliged. I began the process of problem-solving, a process I usually enjoy because normally I land on a solution. But for the life of me, I could not find one this time around. Which drove me mad.
My philosophy with website building has always been “less is more”. Too many sites, especially those built DIY style, tend to be bloated, showcasing too much of the unnecessary stuff and making the actual important stuff hard to reach. Stop playing hard to get, will ya?
Anyways. I fought with it for a while and was <this close> to writing the client and telling her I give up when I had an idea, I would purchase a table-making widget, especially for Squarespace but wouldn’t you know, that turned out to be a big DISASTER. And then I had another plan, I would try outsourcing my work to one of those handy freelancer sites.
As a freelancer, I am not a big fan of these sites, you can read more about that here, but I had never tried them as a contractor. I signed up on Freelancer.com and placed the details of my project there. Within a few minutes, I was getting bombarded with offers ranging from 35 euros to 285 euros. I was also getting harassed in my messages by VERY eager people who wanted to work on the project. I quickly blocked them.
The varying offers had a lot to do with the country of origin and ultimately I decided on a woman living in India who had decent reviews and made a mutually beneficial offer. I accepted. Overall the experience was pleasant, she definitely delivered and even helped me tweak certain things with the code after the project was closed.
But…
Ultimately I decided to steer the client away from the customization altogether. Here’s why:
1/ Upon further inspection, the code was going to be cumbersome for the client to manage on her own. Every time she would need to edit the text or tweak the fonts/colors she would need to hire me. Or if I wasn’t sure, we’d have to ask the developer. This would quickly turn costly, something I am thoroughly against.
2/ When you install code or mess with the CSS on Squarespace you run the risk of distortion or misalignments on varying devices. Which is exactly what happened. When I viewed the tables on mobile, the text ran completely off the table. Not cool.
3/ Squarespace offers a lot in terms of design and functionality. You are literally paying an annual fee to use their professionally crafted designs and customer support, might as well get your money’s worth! It’s like people who stay at 5-star hotels and then spend the whole day and night out and about sightseeing. I’m the person who’d rather chill and enjoy the pool and amenities instead and catch a museum on the way to the airport.
My 2 cents: The whole thing was a good reminder of why I don’t typically offer customizations to clients and instead advise them to stick with the robust offerings of the Squarespace platform. And I advise you to do the same, especially if you are a conscious business owner who is just getting their website up and running.
Wanting to Give Your Site a Revamp? Get in Touch.
You Can Have It All, Just Not At The Same Time
In my most recent virtual therapy session, I found myself explaining to my therapist that I wanted to be able to travel freely and also be grounded somewhere. From what it sounded it like, it seemed like she was trying to persuade me otherwise. I think she thinks that my wanderlust is me running away from something she has yet to discover. That’s when I told her matter of factly, “You know, I believe I can have it all.” She didn’t say much more. Our session was nearly done and I don’t think either of us wanted to open up a new can of worms.
A few days later though, I was listening to a cheesily titled self-help book about manifestation on my free library app called “Calling in the One”, when the narrator said these words, “You can have it all, just not at the same time.” I immediately rewound it so that I could jot it down in the notes section of my phone along with all the other million-dollar ideas and quality insights that pop into my mind never to be read again. Except the universe wasn’t ready for me to forget this phrase so hastily.
A few days more passed and I found myself in Loulé, Portugal (where I still am) volunteering at an animal rescue center called Animal Rescue Algarve. Before bed last night I was chatting with my roommate, a 41-year-old Belgian woman who had been volunteering at the organization for a few months already, about traveling and living the life of a wanderer. That’s when she began opening up to me about the inner torment she was feeling about having to return to Belgium in a few months. “The thought of sitting at a desk working a 9 to 5 sounds dreadful,” she moaned. “When I’m home,” she continued, “my need for community is fulfilled, but when I’m traveling, my need for adventure and freedom is fulfilled.” I thought I could sense a twinge of sadness or confusion lingering beneath her words, but that’s when she perked up and said, “I’ve come to realize that I can have it all, just not at the same time.”
A big grin appeared on my face. Though I hadn’t felt an instant connection to her, I suddenly felt like I’d found a kindred spirit. In fact, one of the reasons I chose to come on this adventure was so that I could meet people who shared my mercurial nature, whimsical spirit, and undying wanderlust. My therapist and most of my friends in Berlin (and worldwide) loved to travel but they either had kids, plants, partners, steady jobs, property, (or all of the above) to look after and couldn’t just freely roam around the planet whenever they wanted to as I could. And so I felt like I hadn’t found anyone who could truly relate to this deep desire of mine to be everything, everywhere, all at once. Until now. Here I was in sunny Portugal sharing a trailer with someone who was as thinly tethered to the place she called home as I was, and who was also practicing arranging her life in a way that would satisfy her conflicting needs for stability and for wanderlust.
For the first time in a long time, I am no longer partnered. Though I haven’t quite figured out how to set up my life, I feel that I am getting closer to figuring it out. I’ve pretty much accepted that it won’t be a conventional setup - and that’s ok because I can (and I will) have it all… a dog (or two) nuzzled up next to me, sun on my face, friends who have become family surrounding me, a partner with a kindred wanderlust spirit by my side, the ability to drop everything and volunteer around the world for causes that ignite my soul or visit family in familiar, far off lands just so I can laugh with them under the same roof, and maybe even a cute kid bouncing around on my lap… I just might not be able to have it all at the same time.
Oh, life - how beautiful and strange you truly are.
Can you relate to the phrase, “you can have it all just not at the same time’? If so, I’d love to hear about it :) I am always keen on connecting with other free spirits.
My Cousin Recently Asked Me How to Get Started Freelancing, Here Was My Response
My cousin recently messaged me asking for help with her Upwork profile. She wanted to give freelancing a shot after working in customer service and the food industry for 10+ years.
I have spoken before about how much I dislike these Freelancer sites because I find them exploitative. In my experience, the best way to get started as a freelancer is by tapping into your local community. Below, I go into depth about the actions I would take if I wanted to get started as a freelancer (and was my actual response to her as well.) Hope it helps!
Tbh, I don’t recommend Upwork or any of those freelance sites. The reason is that you’ll be competing with people who have been on the site for ages and have tons of reviews, etc., or people who live in India and can afford to charge nothing.
I think it’s better to start with your inner network first.
First, though you’ll have to establish a product or service
I recommend reading 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferris and 100 Side Hustles. Between the two you should be able to come up with an offering. If you’re still unsure, ask your loved ones what they think you’re good at.
Once you have an offering, you’ll need an online portfolio, this will depend on your offering. Could be as simple as an Instagram or website or Facebook page. You’ll need to put a few case studies on there which means you’ll need to work for free or cheap in the beginning. For example, if your offering is designing meal plans for busy moms, you’ll need to offer your services to 3 or so moms for free or very cheap, in exchange for feedback and reviews.
Reviews are VERY important!! Best is to register as a business on Google Business. And then you can send the Google link to your clients and ask for a review.
Once you have a few case studies/online portfolio ad reviews, you can start marketing. I would start marketing to groups you already belong to. Like if you go to a particular yoga studio you can ask to leave some flyers there. You can also offer to co-host events to further establish your credibility.
There are other Bootstrappy ways you can promote your biz but TBH the things that work for me are
1. Google reviews, cannot stress this enough.
2. Website where I update at least twice a month with industry-related blog posts.
3. Light LinkedIn posting (1-2 times a week)
I’ve never had to spend money on advertising or promoting myself. People find me organically through Google searches and/or word of mouth. But that takes time to build…content marketing is not an instant gratification method haha there are other ways to grow faster though (ex. such as hosting community events, and having an ad budget)
The last thing I will say is to use ChatGPT to help you write content for your site or promo materials. No need to reinvent the wheel ❤️
Anything else you’d like to know about getting started freelancing and/or bootstrapping a business? Get in touch!
How to Find Clients
Whether you are trying to start a side hustle, you’re opening your own small business, or you are freelancing full-time, finding reliable clients that respect you (aka pay you on time) can sometimes be so elusive. I’m willing to bet that not knowing where to find clients probably prevents a lot of people from taking the plunge and becoming their own boss.
That’s why I felt compelled to share my tips on how to find clients. When I first started freelancing I made a lot of mistakes in this regard so hopefully, this blog post can save you some time so you can start making 👏 that 👏 money👏. But first…I want to tell you where not to find clients.
Where NOT to Find Clients
Whatever you do, please refrain from making a profile on one of those freelancer stockyard sites (Freelancer.com, Upwork.com, Content.de, etc.) Why? Because you aren’t going to like the results you desire. Not only will you spend valuable time trying to build a reputation and credibility on the site, instead of in real life, but you’ll be competing against site veterans and people who have a lower cost of living (like folks living in India).
Because you’ll be competing with people who have been on the site for YEARS and already have a ton of ratings, it’s likely you’ll have to undervalue yourself from the beginning just to get any worthy attention. Also, the kind of clients you are going to attract by undervaluing yourself won’t likely be the kind of clients you want to work with long-term. Business owners typically use these sites when they are in a pinch (either under a time crunch or have budget constraints) - and need a cheap + fast solution. They likely aren’t going to choose someone (like you) with no credibility on the site. It’s not likely that client will be reoccurring income either. And if they do, do you really want a third party managing your invoicing/taking fees?
A lot of freelancers think Freelance-sites are where they should spend their time and effort when they first start out - but it’s a big-time waster and will likely just leave you frustrated and burned out. You have been warned!
Here’s Where To Find Clients
Before you attempt to find clients you’ll first need to make sure you have a beautiful online portfolio/ website. The reason is simple - you’ll need it to "prove” your abilities to your potential clients. Without it, you're essentially asking them to take a big gamble on you. And unless you have an award-winning sales pitch, this approach will likely leave you empty-handed (and empty-pocketed.) If you already have an online portfolio (with at least one project example), however, you may proceed.
The first ( and best) way to find a client is……drumroll, please…. through direct referrals. Ok maybe this wasn’t the climax you were hoping for but it’s absolutely the BEST way for you to grow your business. But how do you get direct referrals when you don’t have any clients to begin with? Easy. You either offer your services or products to your ideal customers for free or for a reduced rate or you do a skill swap with an ideal customer, and then….YOU ASK! Eventually, you won’t have to ask for referrals, they will just roll in, but in the beginning, you might have to send out some personal emails to those you have either already done business with or those you want to do business with in the future and you say something like, “Hey, I just launched my new online portfolio and am currently opening my books to some new clients. If you know anyone who needs this XYZ service, please think of me!”
Through immediate contacts - this includes friends, family, co-workers, friends of friends. Follow the same protocol as in the first example. Send your immediate contacts a personal email (DO NOT SEND A MASS EMAIL AND BCC EVERYONE) - letting them know that you have this new website and want to start offering your skills to the world. You can even include a family/friend discount offer in the initial outreach.
Through a mentor (or someone in the industry who has more experience). This option is a little tricky if you don’t already have a mentor because I wouldn’t advise you to waste precious time looking for a mentor (this kind of relationship can take years to build) BUT on the off chance that you already have one, this can be a great place for you to find potential clients. You can open the request by 1. serving them up a compliment and 2. asking them to provide feedback on your new portfolio site (see how important having a website is in this process - it’s the best ice breaker!!) Once you have established a relationship with them you can tell them to keep you in mind if they ever need someone to help lighten their workload. Say that you are eager to learn the ins and outs of the business and admire the way they do things.
Last but not least, head to your local community. First try hitting up physical (or virtual) brick-and-mortar stores that you already love and support (ex. if you are a graphic designer, you could call up the pizza joint you order from every week and ask them if they want you to redesign their menu for them). Some other things that have worked for me are mingling on Facebook groups in my city or joining virtual meetups/workshops where your ideal clients frequent.