How to Create Money from Nothing (It's Easier Than You Think)

How I made $30k with a $37 product

I've created money from nothing multiple times over the last 15 years.

No special skills. No tech background. Just a laptop and the willingness to solve problems others ignore.

I've done it with Facebook marketing, coaching, affiliate promotions, and ecommerce. Each time starting from scratch, using pretty much the exact same method (ecommerce was slightly different).

My first breakthrough happened when we were housesitting in Cyprus. I was trying every online business model imaginable, most failing spectacularly.

Then I watched a webinar about Facebook fan pages (showing my age!) and saw an opportunity.

My fellow wannabe online marketers were desperate to grow their audiences using Facebook, but existing trainings and software were wildly overpriced and capitalising on the lack of supply for the growing demand.

I remember asking myself - What if I can solve the same problem more cheaply and with more integrity?

That simple question changed everything.

Here's exactly how I did it.

Step 1: Identify a Simple Problem That Needs Solving

The best business opportunities are rarely complicated. They're usually hiding in plain sight.

Listen for phrases like "I wish this was easier" or "I can't figure out how to..." Those are golden tickets to potential income.

For me, it was chatting with my fellow marketers who wanted to build email lists and an audience on Facebook, without spending thousands on complicated software.

(This was in the years before Click Funnels, Lead Pages and the abundance of cheap lead generation software available to us these days).

It was a classic gap in the market.

I knew if I could make available an easy way to build email lists inside of Facebook pages and show people how to grow their audience I would be onto a winning product.

This didn’t take special qualifications. I just spotted a problem and decided I'd be the one to solve it.

Action step: For one week, note down every time you hear someone express frustration about something they can't figure out. Pay special attention to markets or strategies where things are changing quickly, that's where many opportunities lurk.

Step 2: Combine What You Know With What You'll Learn

Most people get stuck thinking they need to be experts before they can help others.

That’s not the case.

You just need to be a few steps ahead of your audience.

When I started my Facebook page business, I knew the basics of online marketing but I wasn’t actually a Facebook user! I saw it as a place where people shared what they had for breakfast, I didn’t have time for that.

So I started learning everything I could about Facebook and combined those learnings with what I knew about basic online marketing principles.

I became obsessed. I immersed myself completely in that world. I tested theories daily, tracked what worked, and discovered patterns others missed.

As I learned, I shared my discoveries. I took people on my learning journey, teaching as I figured things out myself.

If you look around you, many of the most successful Substack stories are people teaching others how to use Substack. (The platforms may change but the methods remain the same!)

Action step: Make two lists. Things you already know something about AND things you're genuinely interested in learning. Where these lists overlap, you'll find sustainable business opportunities that won't feel like work.

Step 3: Create Valuable Content and Digital Products

The key to location freedom is creating assets that make money while you sleep.

Digital products are perfect for this - create once, sell forever.

My approach was simple:

1. Offer free, valuable content teaching the basics of Facebook fan pages & audience growth

2. Build trust and position myself as the go to expert for FB Pages (a friend labelled me ‘the Facebook queen’)

3. Create a free gift that people wanted to exchange their email address for. In my case, it was free software that helped them build their email list inside their FB page (I had it made for a one time fee of $100 and gave it away for free, generating over 18k subscribers in my first 8 months)

4. Create a small, affordable digital product. My first was "2000 Fans in 27 Days" which sold for $37. I sold over $30k worth.

I sold that course hundreds of times over without doing additional work. No client calls. No deadlines. No time-for-money trap.

That's when I realised the power of this model for funding a location-independent lifestyle.

The beauty is in the scalability. That $37 product eventually led to higher-priced offerings, affiliate partnerships, and completely passive income that funded my travels.

Action step: Start by creating helpful free content about your chosen topic. Then build a simple digital product such as a mini-course, template pack, or detailed guide. Use platforms like Gumroad or Stan.store to host it; they're simple to set up.

Step 4: Choose One Platform and Build Your Audience

For a digital product business to thrive, you need people to sell to. The mistake most people make is trying to be everywhere at once.

Choose ONE platform to focus on.

For me, it was Facebook (naturally). I created a Facebook page about using Facebook pages (meta, I know!) and consistently shared valuable tips. Every post solved a specific problem.

As my page grew, I focused on converting followers into email subscribers, as an email list is an asset you actually own, unlike social media followers who can easily disappear when algorithms change.

Today, I might choose Substack as my main platform, which combines content and email in one place. But the principle remains the same: pick ONE platform and master it completely.

Action step: Select a single platform where your potential customers already spend time. Commit to creating consistent, helpful content there for at least six months before adding another platform. Create a lead magnet and turn followers into subscribers.

Step 5: Create Once, Sell Many Times

The beauty of digital products is that you create them once and sell them indefinitely. The key is building systems that attract new customers automatically.

With my Facebook courses, I eventually created an entire ecosystem:

• Free content led people to a low-cost "starter" product

• This introduced them to more comprehensive courses

• Automated email sequences welcomed new subscribers

• Templates streamlined my content creation

Once this system was in place, sales came in while I slept, travelled, or explored new business ideas.

These systems meant that even when I was backpacking through India or exploring Cambodia, my business continued generating income with minimal input from me.

Action step: Focus on creating "evergreen" products that remain valuable over time. Set up automated systems for marketing and delivery. The goal is to separate your income from your daily time investment.

Ready to Create Your Own Money?

Anyone can do this.

Yes, even you.

You don't need investors. Or complicated business plans. Or even particularly unique ideas.

You just need to:

1. Spot a problem that needs solving

2. Combine what you know with what you'll learn

3. Create valuable content and digital products

4. Choose one platform and build your audience

5. Create once, sell many times

I've used this exact framework to fund adventures across four continents, working from beachside cafés in Thailand, coffee shops in Croatia, and haciendas in Mexico.

The freedom of location-independent income isn't just for twenty-something digital nomads.

It's for anyone willing to spot a problem, learn what's needed to solve it, and package that solution in a way others can benefit from.

What problem will you solve this week?

Which platform will you choose?

The sooner you start, the sooner you can start creating money from nothing.

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