The Straightforward Guide to Your First Real Online Income

In today's digital world, making money online is a goal for many. Blogging stands out as a tried-and-true method for building a profitable business. Whether you're looking to pay off debt, earn extra income as a student, change careers, or retire early, starting a blog for business profit can be a powerful move.

This guide gives you a clear path to launch and grow a blog that makes money, answering your questions and helping you avoid common mistakes.

Insights

• The blogging market worldwide is expected to reach $44.1 billion by 2024, showing how big and important blogging is in the economy, according to Statista.
• Around 77% of people who use the internet read blogs regularly, proving that blogs are still very popular and reach a lot of people.
• Successful bloggers usually don't just depend on one way to make money; they often use about 4 to 7 different income streams to create a stable and strong business.
• It usually takes a dedicated blogger who works professionally about 12 to 18 months to earn a full-time income from their blog, which shows it takes time and hard work to succeed.
• Starting a blog doesn't have to cost a lot upfront; you can often get started with just $100 to $200 for the essential things you need.

Understanding the Potential: Why Blog for Profit?

Before you jump into creating a blog to make money, it's important to know why this can be a really good idea. Blogging, when you do it right, becomes a valuable tool that can bring in income in many different ways.

Multiple Income Streams: One of the best things about blogging is that it can bring in money from different places. Unlike traditional businesses that often rely on just one source of income, a successful blog can use several income channels.

These include advertising, where you get paid for showing ads on your blog; affiliate marketing, where you recommend products from other companies and earn a commission when someone buys through your link; selling digital products like eBooks, online courses, and templates; offering services such as consulting or coaching based on your blog's topic; and even selling physical products that relate to what you blog about.

Low Startup Costs: Compared to opening a physical store or even many online businesses, blogging has very low startup costs. The main things you'll need to pay for are registering a domain name, which is your blog's address online, and web hosting, which is where your blog's content is stored online.

These costs are quite low, especially when you're just starting, making blogging a great option for entrepreneurs who don't have a lot of money to invest at first.

Flexibility and Location Independence: Blogging offers amazing flexibility and lets you work from anywhere, which is great for people who want a good work-life balance or the freedom to work from any location. As a blogger, you can work wherever you have an internet connection, set your own work hours, and be your own boss.

This kind of freedom is really appealing for those who want to get away from the usual 9-to-5 job or build a business that fits around their life and other commitments.

Building a Brand and Authority: A blog is a powerful way to show yourself as an expert and build a strong brand in your chosen area. By always putting out helpful, high-quality content, you build trust with your readers. This trust not only creates a group of loyal followers but also boosts your brand's reputation, opening up more opportunities like speaking at events, working with other brands, and forming partnerships.

Long-Term Asset: Unlike many things online that can quickly become outdated, a well-maintained blog with content that stays relevant can become a valuable asset for the long run. Evergreen content, which is content that remains useful and interesting over time, keeps attracting visitors and earning passive income for years.

As your blog's content gets better rankings in search engines and your audience grows, your ability to earn money can increase significantly over time.

Step-by-Step Guide to Launching a Profitable Blog

1. Niche Selection and Audience Definition: The Foundation of Profitability

Choosing the right niche is the most important step in starting a blog that makes money. It's about finding the sweet spot where what you love to do meets what people are actually looking for, creating a strong base for your online business.

Identify Your Passion and Expertise: Making money from blogging is closely tied to having real interest and knowledge in what you're writing about. Pick a niche that you're genuinely passionate about, that matches your skills, and that you already know something about.

This passion will fuel your content creation, making it more enjoyable and authentic. Readers can tell when you're truly enthusiastic, and that builds trust and keeps them coming back.

Market Research: Is There Demand?: Just being interested in a topic isn't enough to make a blog profitable; you need to make sure there's actually a demand for it. Do thorough market research to confirm that there's an audience actively searching for information in the niche you're considering. Use tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, and Ahrefs to help you.

These tools let you see how many people are searching for keywords related to your niche, check out what other blogs in your area are doing, and find gaps in the market. Look for niches where there's a dedicated group of people actively looking for answers, information, and resources.

"Don't just chase the money - choose a niche you're genuinely passionate about and can see yourself writing about for years to come."

Darren Rowse, founder of ProBlogger, highlights how crucial passion is when choosing a niche.

Define Your Target Audience: Knowing exactly who you're writing for is essential. Who are these people? Get specific about their age, where they live, what interests them, what problems they face, and what they hope to achieve. Really understanding your audience helps you create content that speaks directly to them, turning occasional visitors into loyal readers and potential customers.

For example, if your blog is aimed at young adults dealing with debt, your content should focus on budgeting strategies, ideas for side hustles, and debt management techniques that are relevant to their age group and financial challenges.

2. Choosing a Blogging Platform: WordPress Reigns Supreme

Selecting the right blogging platform is a critical decision that will affect your blog's capabilities, how flexible it is, and its potential for growth over time. While there are several platforms out there, WordPress.org is widely recognized as the best choice for serious bloggers who are aiming to make a profit.

WordPress.org (Self-Hosted): For bloggers who are serious about earning money, self-hosted WordPress.org is the top platform. It gives you unmatched control, lots of options for customization, and great flexibility. Importantly, you have full ownership of your blog and all its data, which is essential for building a valuable business asset.

WordPress.org offers access to a huge range of themes and plugins, allowing you to tailor your blog's design and functionality to precisely fit your needs. While there might be a slight learning curve when you first start with self-hosting, the vast amount of online resources and a helpful community make it manageable even for beginners.

The freedom to monetize your blog without platform restrictions is a major advantage for bloggers focused on profit.

Other Platforms (Consider with Caution for Profit): Platforms like Blogger, Medium, Wix, and Squarespace are easier to set up initially, which can be appealing when you're just starting out. However, they often come with limitations when it comes to customization, monetization options, and overall control.

These platforms might be okay for hobby blogging or personal projects, but they can really limit your ability to make a profit and grow a business in the long run. Restrictions on advertising, affiliate marketing, and selling your own products can significantly reduce your potential revenue and ability to build a strong brand.

3. Domain Name and Hosting: Your Blog's Address and Home

Your domain name and web hosting are fundamental for establishing your blog's online presence. Your domain name is essentially your blog's address on the internet, while web hosting is the service that stores your blog's files and makes them accessible to everyone online.

Domain Name: Your Online Identity: Choosing the right domain name is crucial for branding and how easily people can find you online. Your domain name should aim to be:

• Relevant to your niche: Ideally, it should include keywords that are closely related to your blog's topic. This can help improve your blog's search engine optimization (SEO), making it easier for people searching for those topics to find you.
• Memorable and easy to spell: Choose a name that is easy for people to remember and type correctly. Avoid using complex words, numbers, or hyphens if possible, as these can lead to errors and lost traffic.
• Available with a .com extension: The .com extension is the most widely recognized and trusted, giving your blog added credibility. While other extensions are available, .com is generally the preferred choice for commercial websites.
• Brandable: Select a domain name that fits your long-term vision for your brand. It should be flexible enough to accommodate future growth and expansion of your blog's content and offerings. Think about how the name will sound and look as your blog grows into a recognizable brand.

Web Hosting: Where Your Blog Lives: Web hosting is the service that provides the server space to store your blog's files and make them accessible on the internet. When choosing a web hosting provider, prioritize providers that offer:

• Reliability and uptime: Ensure your blog is consistently available to visitors with minimal downtime. High uptime is essential for maintaining a good user experience and preventing loss of potential traffic and revenue.
• Speed and performance: Fast loading times are critical for both user experience and SEO. Visitors are more likely to stay on a blog that loads quickly, and search engines favor faster websites in their rankings. Choose a hosting provider known for its speed and optimized server performance.
• Scalability: Select a hosting plan that can accommodate your blog's anticipated growth in traffic and content. As your blog becomes more popular, you'll need hosting resources that can handle increased demands without slowing down performance or causing disruptions.
• Customer support: Reliable and responsive customer support is vital for resolving technical issues and getting assistance when you need it. Choose a hosting provider known for its helpful and quick support team, available ideally 24/7.

Popular and highly-regarded hosting providers, especially for WordPress hosting, include Bluehost, SiteGround, HostGator, and DreamHost. These providers are well-known for their ease of use, reliability, and features specifically designed for WordPress, offering various plans to suit different needs and budgets.

4. Blog Design and Customization: Creating a User-Friendly Experience

Your blog's design plays a crucial role in attracting and retaining visitors. A user-friendly and visually appealing design greatly enhances user experience and strengthens your brand's credibility.

Choose a Theme: A WordPress theme dictates your blog's visual appearance and layout. When selecting a theme, look for one that is:

• Professionally designed and visually appealing: First impressions are lasting. A professionally designed theme immediately boosts your blog's credibility and attracts visitors. It should look modern, clean, and aligned with your brand.
• Mobile-responsive: Ensure your blog looks and functions flawlessly on all devices, including desktops, tablets, and smartphones. Mobile responsiveness is no longer optional; it's essential because a significant portion of web traffic comes from mobile devices.
• SEO-friendly: Choose themes that are optimized for search engines. SEO-friendly themes have clean code, fast loading times, and a structure that search engines can easily crawl and index, helping improve your blog's search engine rankings.
• Customizable: Select a theme that allows you to easily customize various design elements to match your brand and personal preferences. Customization options ensure your blog stands out and reflects your unique identity, without needing to write code.
• Fast-loading: Heavy, poorly coded themes can significantly slow down your website, negatively impacting user experience and SEO. Opt for lightweight themes that prioritize speed and performance, ensuring quick loading times for your blog pages.

Essential Plugins: WordPress plugins extend your blog's functionality, adding features and capabilities without requiring any coding knowledge. Install essential plugins for:

• SEO (Yoast SEO, Rank Math): Optimize your content and website structure for search engines. These plugins provide tools for keyword optimization, meta descriptions, sitemaps, and SEO analysis, helping you improve your search engine rankings.
• Security (Wordfence, Sucuri): Protect your blog from security threats, malware, and hacking attempts. Security plugins offer firewalls, malware scanning, security monitoring, and intrusion prevention to keep your blog safe and secure.
• Caching (WP Rocket, W3 Total Cache): Improve website loading speed by implementing caching, which stores static versions of your pages. Caching plugins reduce server load and speed up page delivery, enhancing user experience and SEO.
• Contact forms (Contact Form 7, WPForms): Enable visitors to easily contact you through user-friendly forms. Contact forms facilitate communication, feedback, and lead generation, making it easy for your audience to reach out to you.
• Email marketing (OptinMonster, ConvertKit): Build your email list and manage your email marketing campaigns directly from your blog. Email marketing is crucial for building relationships with your audience, promoting content, and driving traffic back to your blog.
• Social sharing (Social Warfare, ShareASale): Make it easy for readers to share your content on social media platforms, increasing your blog's visibility and reach. Social sharing plugins add social media buttons to your blog posts, encouraging readers to share your content with their networks.

5. Creating High-Quality Content: The Heart of Your Blog's Success

High-quality content is the cornerstone of a successful and profitable blog. It's what attracts visitors, keeps them engaged, and ultimately drives your blog's growth and revenue.

Content Pillars: Identify the core topics within your niche that will form the foundation of your blog. These content pillars should address the primary needs, interests, and questions of your target audience. Content pillars provide structure and focus to your content strategy, ensuring comprehensive coverage of your niche and establishing your blog as an authority.

Content Formats: Diversify your content formats to keep your audience engaged and cater to different learning preferences. Effective content formats include:

• Blog posts (articles, guides, tutorials, listicles): The backbone of most blogs, providing in-depth information, practical advice, and engaging stories. Blog posts are versatile and can cover a wide range of topics within your niche.
• Long-form content (pillar pages, eBooks, whitepapers): Comprehensive, in-depth resources that establish your authority and provide significant value to your audience. Long-form content is excellent for SEO and for positioning yourself as an expert.
• Videos (tutorials, vlogs, interviews): Visually engaging content that can expand your reach on platforms like YouTube and appeal to visual learners. Videos can be embedded in your blog posts and shared across social media for broader reach.
• Infographics: Visually appealing and easily shareable ways to present data, statistics, and complex information in an easy-to-understand format. Infographics are highly shareable and can attract backlinks to your blog.
• Podcasts: Audio content that can reach a different segment of your audience, appealing to those who prefer listening to content while multitasking. Podcasts can be embedded on your blog and distributed through podcast platforms like Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Content Calendar: Plan your content creation in advance using a content calendar. This helps you stay organized, maintain consistency in your publishing schedule, and strategically cover a range of topics over time. A content calendar ensures a steady stream of new content, keeping your audience engaged and coming back for more.

SEO Optimization: Optimize each piece of content for search engines to improve your blog's visibility and attract organic traffic. Key SEO optimization elements include:

• Keyword research: Identify relevant keywords that your target audience is actively searching for. Use keyword research tools to find keywords with good search volume and low competition, ensuring your content targets topics people are actually interested in.
• On-page SEO: Incorporate keywords naturally within your content, including in your title, headings, subheadings, body text, image alt tags, and meta descriptions. Optimize these on-page SEO elements to improve search engine rankings for your target keywords.
• Readability: Write clear, concise, and easy-to-understand content. Use headings, subheadings, bullet points, and visuals to break up text, improve readability, and enhance user engagement. Well-structured, readable content keeps visitors on your page longer and reduces bounce rates.

Value and Originality: Focus on creating content that provides genuine value to your readers. Offer unique insights, practical advice, and well-researched information. Avoid simply regurgitating information found elsewhere. Aim to create original, high-quality content that stands out from the competition and establishes you as a trusted expert in your niche.

6. Promoting Your Blog: Driving Traffic and Building an Audience

Creating great content is only half the battle; you also need to actively promote your blog to drive traffic and build a loyal audience. Effective blog promotion is essential for reaching your target readers and increasing your blog's visibility in the crowded online space.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO): SEO is crucial for attracting organic traffic from search engines like Google. A comprehensive SEO strategy includes:

• On-page SEO: (As detailed in the previous section) Optimizing individual pieces of content for specific keywords to improve their ranking in search results.
• Off-page SEO: Building backlinks from other reputable websites to increase your blog's authority and improve search engine rankings. Backlinks act as "votes of confidence" from other websites, signaling to search engines that your blog is a valuable and trustworthy resource.
• Technical SEO: Optimizing your website's technical aspects, such as site speed, mobile-friendliness, site structure, and XML sitemaps, to make it easier for search engines to crawl and index your content. Technical SEO ensures your blog is easily accessible and understandable to search engines.

Social Media Marketing: Promote your blog content on relevant social media platforms where your target audience spends time. Engage with your followers, build a community around your blog, and drive traffic back to your site. Social media marketing is effective for increasing brand awareness, driving traffic, and fostering audience engagement.

Email Marketing: Build an email list from day one. Offer valuable free resources, known as lead magnets (e.g., eBooks, checklists, templates), in exchange for email sign-ups. Email marketing allows you to nurture relationships with your audience, promote new content directly to their inboxes, and drive sales of your products or services. An email list is a direct line of communication with your most engaged audience members.

Guest Blogging: Write guest posts for other blogs in your niche to reach a new audience and build backlinks. Guest blogging exposes your blog to a wider readership, establishes you as an expert in your niche, and improves your blog's SEO through valuable backlinks from other websites.

Networking and Collaboration: Connect with other bloggers and influencers in your niche. Collaborate on projects, cross-promote each other's content, and expand your reach through mutual support. Networking and collaborations can significantly increase your blog's visibility and audience growth, leveraging the established audiences of others in your field.

Paid Advertising (Later Stage): Once your blog is established and generating some revenue, you can consider paid advertising, such as Google Ads or social media ads, to accelerate traffic growth. Paid advertising can provide a faster way to drive targeted traffic to your blog, but it's generally more effective once you have a solid foundation of content and a clear monetization strategy.

7. Monetizing Your Blog: Turning Content into Cash

Monetization is the process of converting your blog's content and traffic into revenue. There are several effective monetization strategies, each with its own advantages and suitability for different types of blogs and audiences.

Advertising: Displaying ads on your blog is a common and relatively straightforward way to monetize, particularly for blogs with substantial traffic.

• Google AdSense: A popular platform for beginners that is easy to set up. Google AdSense allows you to display targeted ads on your blog and earn revenue based on ad clicks or impressions, providing a simple entry into online advertising.
• Mediavine, AdThrive: Premium ad networks that require higher traffic levels but offer significantly higher payouts compared to AdSense. These networks provide better ad placements, higher revenue shares, and often better support for established blogs with significant traffic volume.

Affiliate Marketing: Promote other companies' products or services within your blog content and earn a commission for each sale generated through your unique affiliate links. Choose products that are genuinely relevant to your niche and valuable to your audience to maintain trust and credibility.

• Amazon Associates: A widely used affiliate program that allows you to promote millions of products on Amazon and earn commissions on qualifying sales. Amazon Associates is a popular starting point due to Amazon's vast product catalog and brand recognition.
• CJ Affiliate, ShareASale, Awin: Major affiliate networks that host a wide range of merchants and products across diverse niches, providing numerous affiliate marketing opportunities and tools for bloggers to find relevant products to promote.

Selling Digital Products: Create and sell your own digital products directly to your audience. Digital products offer high profit margins and can include:

• eBooks: In-depth guides, tutorials, or resources on specific topics within your niche. eBooks are a great way to package your expertise and offer valuable information to your audience in a downloadable format.
• Online courses: Comprehensive video or text-based courses that teach valuable skills, knowledge, or processes related to your niche. Online courses can provide a significant revenue stream and establish you as a leading expert in your field.
• Templates, checklists, workbooks: Practical resources that help your audience achieve specific goals or solve problems more efficiently. Templates, checklists, and workbooks offer immediate value and can be sold at various price points.
• Software, plugins, apps: If you have technical skills, you can develop and sell software, plugins, or apps that cater to the needs of your niche audience. Software and apps can provide recurring revenue and address specific problems within your niche.

Offering Services: Leverage your blog's authority and audience to attract clients for your professional services. Service offerings can include:

• Consulting: Provide expert advice, guidance, and strategic solutions to clients in your niche. Consulting services allow you to directly apply your expertise and generate high hourly rates.
• Coaching: Offer personalized coaching programs to help clients achieve specific goals, overcome challenges, or develop skills in your area of expertise. Coaching programs can provide recurring revenue and build strong client relationships.
• Freelance writing, design, marketing, etc.: Showcase your skills and attract clients seeking freelance services related to your blog's niche. Freelancing can diversify your income and leverage your blog as a portfolio and lead generation tool.

Selling Physical Products: If relevant to your niche, you can sell physical products through your blog. Options for selling physical products include:

• Creating your own products: Manufacturing or creating unique physical products that align with your blog's niche and audience interests. This option allows for higher profit margins but requires product development, manufacturing, and inventory management.
• Dropshipping: Partnering with suppliers who handle inventory, order fulfillment, and shipping, allowing you to sell physical products without managing inventory yourself. Dropshipping reduces upfront investment and logistical challenges.
• Print-on-demand: Selling customized merchandise, such as t-shirts, mugs, and posters, through print-on-demand services that handle production and shipping. Print-on-demand is ideal for merchandise and branded products with no inventory risk.

Membership Sites: Create a membership site where users pay a recurring fee to access exclusive content, courses, community forums, or other premium resources. Membership sites provide a predictable, recurring revenue stream and foster a strong community around your blog.

Common Challenges and Solutions

Building a profitable blog inevitably comes with its set of challenges. Being aware of these common hurdles and knowing effective solutions is crucial for long-term success and sustainability.

Lack of Traffic: Building consistent blog traffic takes time and sustained effort. It's a gradual process, not an overnight success. To overcome the initial lack of traffic, focus on creating high-quality, SEO-optimized content, actively promoting your blog on social media platforms, and building valuable backlinks through guest blogging and outreach. Patience and persistence are key virtues in overcoming the initial traffic challenge.

Writer's Block: Every blogger, regardless of experience, encounters writer's block at some point. To effectively manage and overcome it:

• Brainstorm content ideas well in advance and maintain a running list of potential topics. Having a backlog of ideas ensures you always have something to write about when inspiration wanes.
• Create an editorial calendar to plan your content schedule and ensure a steady flow of ideas. A structured content calendar helps you stay organized and proactive in your content creation efforts.
• Read other blogs and resources within your niche for inspiration and to spark new ideas. Engaging with content from your field can often trigger fresh perspectives and topics to write about.
• Take breaks when you feel stuck and return to your writing with fresh eyes and a renewed perspective. Sometimes, stepping away briefly can clear your mind and help you approach your writing with more creativity.

Monetization Takes Time: Generating substantial income from blogging typically requires several months, or even a year or more, of consistent effort. Don't be discouraged if you don't see immediate financial returns. Focus on building a strong foundation of high-quality content, fostering audience engagement, and developing a sustainable monetization strategy. Long-term success in blogging is built on consistent effort and patience.

Competition: Many blogging niches are highly competitive. To differentiate yourself and stand out in a crowded market:

• Find a unique angle or perspective within your niche to offer something different and fresh compared to competitors. Originality can attract readers looking for unique insights.
• Focus on a specific sub-niche to target a more specialized audience and reduce direct competition. Narrowing your focus can make it easier to become a leading voice in a smaller segment of the market.
• Create exceptionally high-quality content that surpasses competitors in terms of depth, value, and presentation. Superior content is a powerful differentiator and can attract and retain a loyal audience.
• Build a strong personal brand and connect with your audience on a personal level to foster loyalty and engagement. Personal connections can create a community around your blog and set you apart from more generic content sources.

Technical Challenges: Setting up and managing a blog can involve technical aspects that may seem daunting, especially for beginners. Don't hesitate to:

• Utilize online tutorials, guides, and resources readily available for WordPress and blogging. The internet is full of helpful resources that can walk you through most technical tasks step-by-step.
• Join blogging communities and forums to ask questions, seek advice, and gain support from more experienced bloggers. Community support can be invaluable for troubleshooting issues and learning best practices.
• Consider hiring a freelancer for specific technical tasks, such as website design, plugin setup, or troubleshooting complex issues, if needed. Outsourcing technical tasks can save you time and ensure professional execution.

Analysis

Starting a blog for business profit is a strategic endeavor that blends creativity, technical know-how, and business acumen. This journey, while demanding, presents a significant opportunity to establish a sustainable online business with substantial income potential and personal fulfillment.

The linchpin of success lies in the strategic selection of a niche that balances personal passion with market demand, consistently producing high-caliber content that resonates with the target audience, effectively promoting the blog to expand its reach, and diligently implementing monetization strategies to convert traffic into revenue.

Aspiring entrepreneurs who embark on blogging with a long-term perspective, a steadfast commitment to delivering value, and a willingness to adapt to the ever-evolving digital landscape are well-positioned to thrive in the dynamic realm of online publishing.

The interconnectedness of these elements—niche selection, content quality, promotion, and monetization—forms a synergistic ecosystem where each component amplifies the others' effectiveness. For instance, a well-defined niche allows for more targeted content creation, which in turn enhances SEO and attracts a more engaged audience, making monetization efforts more fruitful.

Conversely, neglecting any of these components can undermine the entire venture. For example, exceptional content without effective promotion will struggle to reach its intended audience, while a blog with high traffic but weak monetization strategies will fail to capitalize on its potential.

The challenges, such as lack of initial traffic or writer's block, are inherent but surmountable with the right strategies and mindset. Overcoming these hurdles often requires a blend of technical skills, marketing savvy, and creative problem-solving. Moreover, the competitive nature of many blogging niches necessitates continuous learning and adaptation.

Bloggers must stay abreast of the latest trends in SEO, social media marketing, and content creation to maintain and grow their online presence. In essence, building a profitable blog is not merely about setting up a website and writing posts; it's about constructing a robust, adaptable, and value-driven online business that can weather the storms of the digital marketplace and yield sustainable financial rewards.

Final Thoughts

Blogging for business profit is best viewed as a marathon, not a sprint. It requires dedication, consistency, and a well-thought-out approach. It's not a get-rich-quick scheme, but rather a legitimate and enduring path to building a valuable online asset and generating multiple income streams over time.

By meticulously following the steps outlined in this guide, prioritizing the creation of high-quality content that truly serves your audience, and persistently promoting your blog, you can significantly increase your chances of achieving long-term success and reaching your financial objectives.

Whether your goals are to eliminate debt, supplement your current income, transition to a new career, or achieve financial independence earlier than you thought possible, blogging offers a tangible and rewarding pathway.

The journey of building a profitable blog is an investment in your future, yielding not only potential financial gains but also the profound satisfaction of establishing a meaningful and influential online presence.

Are you ready to take the first step on this exciting and potentially life-changing journey?

Did You Know?

According to a recent survey by ConvertKit, the average full-time blogger earns $70,000 per year, while the median income is $50,000. However, it's important to remember that only 33% of bloggers achieve earnings exceeding $50,000 annually, highlighting that while high income is possible, it takes dedication and a good plan.