How to Make Your First $1,000 Online (The Honest Answer)

I recently got an email from someone asking what the best way is to make their first one thousand dollars online.

And I wanted to turn my response into a video because I think this question applies to a LOT of people watching this right now.

Not just them.

Probably you too.

Here’s the important context though.

Most people who ask this question are usually desperate for money right now.

They don’t have a job.

They don’t have savings.

They need something to work immediately.

But that’s not always the case.

This person actually has a job.

They’ve saved some money.

And they’re not handcuffed by needing cash tomorrow.

And that changes the answer completely.

So the first thing I want you to understand is this:

There is no single “best” online business model.

Most business models can work if they’re done right.

What matters way more than the model is how you approach it.

If you don’t know exactly what you want to start yet, my advice is simple.

Pick something that genuinely seems interesting to you.

Not what’s trendy.

Not what someone on Twitter says is easy.

Something you’d actually enjoy learning more about.

Then find someone who’s already successful at it.

And I don’t mean someone at the very top.

Not the billionaire.

Not the person flexing Lambos.

I mean someone who’s just a few steps ahead of you.

Because their problems are the problems you’re about to run into.

And their solutions will help you climb the fastest.

That’s how you shortcut the learning curve.

You learn from someone a little ahead of you…

Then once you catch up, you find someone a little higher…

And you repeat the process.

That’s how you climb any business ladder.

Now, if I had to recommend a few models that work really well right now, especially for beginners, there are three I’d focus on.

Dropshipping.

Content.

And service-based businesses.

Dropshipping is powerful because you can do it from anywhere in the world.

You can sell on platforms like Amazon or Etsy.

You can do wholesale.

You can do online arbitrage with a prep center.

You can even dropship products directly to customers.

On Etsy specifically, you can dropship vintage or antique items, or do print-on-demand.

All of that can be done remotely.

The key is choosing the right approach and doing it clean.

Content is another underrated path.

You can start a YouTube channel, TikTok, or other social platforms talking about something you’re interested in or already know a lot about.

And here’s the mistake most people make.

They obsess over monetization too early.

Don’t do that.

Your only job at the beginning is to get better at making content.

That’s it.

If you build even a small niche audience, monetization opportunities start showing up naturally.

Affiliate offers.

Brand deals.

Your own products.

Services.

It does not take millions of views to get paid.

And the best part is you can repurpose everything.

Turn videos into blog posts.

Add affiliate links.

Turn scripts into tweets or LinkedIn posts.

AI makes this insanely easy now.

The third option is a service-based business.

This is still one of the fastest ways to make money online.

There’s no upfront cost.

You can land clients quickly with outreach.

And it’s very realistic to scale this to five figures a month.

Things like video editing, short-form editing, email marketing, ghostwriting, social media management, SEO, graphic design, or ad creative.

If you’re not sure what service to pick, here’s a simple exercise.

Ask AI to list the top one hundred or even five hundred service-based businesses that are thriving right now.

Pick one you can already do…

Or one you’re confident you can learn.

That list alone can spark ideas you’d never think of on your own.

So if you’re trying to make your first one thousand dollars online, here’s the honest truth.

You don’t need a secret strategy.

You don’t need a perfect plan.

And you definitely don’t need to rush into something out of panic.

You need patience.

You need consistency.

And you need to pick a path you can actually stick with.

That’s how this works.

There are tons of ways to make money online.

The people who win are the ones who commit to one, learn from the right people, and keep climbing one step at a time.

Hope it helps!

And if you'd like a crash course to get you started dropshipping today, you can enroll in my Free Dropshipping Course here