Under Construction: My House vs. My Online Business

bymckventure

1.4K followers

12 years ago

This sign says it all for many of us here at the WA. We are working on building an online business of some sort. For me, the sign is a reminder of how difficult construction can be.

A Crew of Two

I spent 2 years helping my brother build his house. There were no construction crews to help us as we staked out the site. Ditches were dug for the water and sewer lines. We dug a major portion of the foundation by hand. The cement foundation was poured by a crew of two.

Next came the floor joists and the subflooring. No power tools could be used as there was no electricity to the site until most of the framing had been completed. Oh how nice it was to have power for the tools we would need to finish the house.

The House Began to Take Shape

Exterior walls were erected, followed by load bearing walls and a roof overhead. Rooms could be envisioned as interior walls and doorways were framed. The construction site began to look like there was a house being built.

Plumbing and electrical wiring were routed to the proper places. Flooring, sheet rock for the walls and doors and windows were installed. Don't forget the hours and hours of sanding and painting.
The outside was fitted with wrap and aluminum siding. Gutters were installed. I'm sure I am missing a few items.

I hope by now you get the picture of what it takes to build a house. I couldn't imagine doing it alone. My brother had the planning and engineering skills while I brought my carpentry and finish skills to the table. The task of building a house is not a simple one. It took us the better part of two years to build his house.

Building a House vs Online Business

Looking back on that experience has me thinking about how building an online business is quite similar in nature.

An online business has many, many components in order to be a success. Planning is a key part to any business. What service or product will you sell. This has a lot to do with your niche.

Once your niche has been chosen it's onto searching for keywords that will be used to put together you internet campaign. You will need to know about how to build a website. There will be html and CSS coding to learn. Relevant content will need to be placed on your website. Banners and links will need to be researched and installed. The website is under construction sign will probably be used during this time.

Oh I am not even close to being done! There's things like Meta tags, Search Engine Optimization, article marketing and the list continues.

A Shack or a Mansion?

I hope by now you get what I am saying. Construction is hard work! It does not matter if you are talking houses or internet businesses. If my brother wanted to live in a cardboard box, planning and construction would have been as easy as going to the local furniture store and finding a box big enough to sleep in. No work involved.

But who wants to live in a cardboard box? No one I know. Most people want to live in a nice house, but are you willing to put in the work required to build such a house?

The same goes for building your online business. Who wants to build a shack of a business? No one I know! Everyone has the desire to succeed and build a thriving online business.

The cool thing about WA? You are not alone as you build your online 'house'! There are successful people waiting in the wings ready to help and direct you in your efforts. Kyle and Carson have already put the training in place for anyone, as long as they are willing to put forth the effort, to be a successful online business owner.

Overwhelmed and Stuck

I hear newcomers say they are overwhelmed and don't know what to do! I felt it when I first stepped though WA's front door! In fact, that feeling of being overwhelmed happened to me when my brother came to me and said "Will you help me build my house?"

The only way I know how to get past that feeling of being overwhelmed is to roll up your sleeves and get to work. Reading and planning have it's place, but action is where you will find power.

Oh, remember it took my brother and I two whole years to build his house. I can tell you I don't expect to have my online business built in a month or two! I have visions of making decent money within the next year, though.

I can't even imagine how long it would take me without the WA university to train and guide me! Thanks to all you skilled professionals that have helped this ole cowboy to become a builder of a successful online business!