How I got started with online marketing

Now I'm going to tell you a little bit about myself and how I got into online marketing.

I have been in the hospitality industry for over 25 years and have done everything from dishwasher to F&B manager. I have always had a dream for my own business but that was financially not feasible with the costs I had and the salary I earned so at some point I let go of that dream.

I still think the hospitality industry is a great profession but I never saw myself doing it until I retired. I tried other office jobs but I always ended up back in the hospitality industry.

I have always had an interest in design so I started with a course in web design. That led to a HBO study in communication and multimedia design. Unfortunately, applying for jobs in this sector led to nothing so I stayed in the hospitality industry again.

The Opportunity

Then in September 2023 we got the opportunity to start our own restaurant with a group of hospitality investors.

A very busy and cool period because there is a lot involved in getting a business ready to start. After a long renovation, the doors could finally open in January.

Already in the second month we had won 2nd place in the local Golden Ladle election. Rave reviews on Google and our reservation system and returning guests but not enough.

Instead of growing, it completely collapsed.

By July there was really no saving it anymore and we had to decide to close the door behind us to prevent the debts we already had from growing any further.

Fortunately, I had a new job within a week through my network and that gave me peace and new energy. I finally had a normal income again because during the period of my own business we paid ourselves minimally.

Then the debt restructuring process with the municipality began, which also cost a lot of energy. Again we were confronted with arranging things for a company we had parted ways with. And that led to our bankruptcy, where we had to go through the whole process again.

And to make matters worse, I was also forced to sell my house for the benefit of our creditors.

The Big Dip

By February I couldn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. Finding a new rental home in this market, all the stress of the bankruptcy and a busy job in a start-up restaurant, it all became too much for me. I was negative, constantly tired and never felt like doing anything.

Fortunately, I quickly found a nice rental house in a nice neighborhood through my network. This gave me the much-needed peace and new energy.

After a night of work I was sitting on my balcony enjoying a beer and it inspired me to post something on Facebook. And right at that moment my life changed.

That moment made me think about blogging to write it off and help other people by sharing experiences.

Earn money online

I started doing research on blogging and found out that there are multiple ways to make money online. You can make money with affiliate marketing, designing digital products, selling other people's products, ad revenue and so on.

I did some more research and came across the concept of digital nomads, people who practice their profession remotely anywhere in the world, whether as an employee or for themselves.

How nice is that!! Traveling and earning money at the same time.

By reading e-books from digital nomads I also found out that they read a lot of books about self-development. And I started reading those books too.

Those books changed my view on making money but also my view on myself.

If you had told me six months ago that I should meditate or do yoga I would have brushed you off. Not my cup of tea. Now I am open to it because I have read those books and see the importance of a strong mind and body to be able to break your old habits and choose a different path.

One last thought:

Hoping for change without doing anything for it is like waiting at a train station for a boat.

So if there is a little voice inside you saying 'yes, online business is for me', take action!

Only you can change yourself. Only you can be at the beginning of a change.

And sometime in the near future you will be glad you took the plunge.

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