2 Years Online
Recently I celebrated my 2nd anniversary blogging at Ramblings of a WAHM.
I cannot believe how fast time as gone by. It feels like yesterday I wrote my first post, which really sucked, by the way. I had no clue what to write, I just knew I had to start writing.
Since then I have written about many subjects (blogging. SEO. social media) to get to the point I am at today.
It has been 2 years now, yet I still feel like a newbie many days, strange isn’t it? Maybe it is because I am just starting to really understand how to create an income online, which is why I came online in the first place.
I didn’t come here to write about blogging, social media or SEO, I came to write about my journey into becoming an online WAHM. I didn’t know how I was going to do it, honestly. I have tried so many things. Amazon. Hubpages. Swagbucks. Blogfrog. I still have those accounts, I didn’t give up, I just put them on the back burner for now. Because the one thing being online for 2 years has taught me was to control my own destiny.
Controlling My Future
I do not rely on any one company, concept or product to make money here. One should not rely on Amazon or Swagbucks or Hubpages or any other company you do not own for your income. What if these companies folded or changed their policies? (Amazon dropped me at one point because of tax issues in California.) How would you then make your car payment or pay your water bill?
I learned early on to diversify. If I wasn’t creating my own product, then I surely needed not have “all my eggs in one basket.” That is why I have accounts with many companies.
The Next Leg in the WAHM Journey
But now I want, no, need to create my own product. I am writing eBooks. Right now I have two that are in outlined and research stages but they will become concrete eBooks some day. I will have a new free eBook at the end of October.
That, I hope, is just the beginning. I have high hopes for me and my blog. I am constantly learning how to build a business online and what can be done to do this. And I will surely share my experiences with my readers.
The Difficulty of Earning a Living Online
Making money online is hard, especially if you have no business or marketing skills to begin with.
I didn’t know how important it was to be in a business frame of mind. Or what it actually meant to “know your audience.” I feel I am finally getting this because the learning curve is steep when you come in blind, like I did.
When I began, I did hear of people taking years to see an income from their efforts. I thought this was foolish. Who would go into business to wait 2 years for a profit? I didn’t want that, but it has happen. Two long years and I am just starting to see things materialize. WOW! I am fortunate that I came from a place I didn’t feel forced to create an income; my husband earns the vast majority of income in our home. But then sometimes I wonder if I would have taken different routes if I was forced to figure all this out faster. What if the pressure was on?
I Love Being Here
With all that in mind, many people stay. They know there is a future online. And they know that the community here can be ruthless to each other but I believe we stand together more often than we are horrible.
I have learned so much for the online community about myself and business. But you know what I would say is the most important thing I learned is that people ARE kind and giving. At least bloggers are. Or maybe they are forced to be. I don’t know. Maybe those are the bloggers that figured out that if they don’t step it up and give until their fingers hurt, they won’t make it online. Whether forced or genuine, I know I love being a blogger and I know others that do also because it shows in their writing and interactions.
Being online has been a great journey. I am happy to say that this journey is still happening for me.
Thank you to my readers for helping me continue for 2 years. I feel I am on this huge plateau looking out at where I was. If you have even been to or seen the Southwestern United States, you would know that it is full of valleys, cliffs, ridges and plateaus. I feel I have gone through those and have reached the highest plateau I have yet to reach. Around me is more valley and more plateaus, higher ones. I will reach those too.
Latest posts by Allie (see all)
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Welcome! I'm Allie. I help WAHMs get their businesses noticed online. Feel free to look around. New here? Check out 
Your journey is so inspiring. I would love to checkout your ebook when it comes out. You have a full supporter here.
Renae created this awesome post: Freebies and Giveaways Because I ♥ U – September
Renae,
Thanks a bunch!!! I am at this level right now where I am bursting with info from the last 2 years and really want to write it all down in one place. I figured an ebook would be a great start. And I did get a push from Pat Flynn. Here is the post if you want to join in the fun: http://www.smartpassiveincome.com/reader-challenge-round-up-interviews-and-the-next-challenge/
He is challenging his readers to produce something that we give away for free. Video is on there….ha ha! ;-P
~Allie
Allie created this awesome post: Online WAHM Journey, Two Years in the Making
Happy 2 years! Looks like we are almost close when it comes to blogiversary! You’ve come a long way in two years! I am so glad to have met you (through the contest right?)
Good luck! And here’s for years to come!
Hajra created this awesome post: I Scratch Your Blog… You Scratch Mine
Yes Hajra, mostly through the contest. You helped me win some money so I could hire a designer to revamp a few things around here.
LMK when you are in the next contest and I will share the heck out of it.
~Allie
Allie created this awesome post: Online WAHM Journey, Two Years in the Making
Happy two years! I am glad I found your blog. That is so great you are writing an ebook! That is on my to-do list but haven’t even gotten started yet.
Julie created this awesome post: Iphone vs Droid
Thanks Julie,
I am nervous about the ebook but it won’t be one of those fancy ones you see, just an informational one to get my feet wet in the industry. Testing the waters.
Pat Flynn prompted me to do it. Well, not me directly, his readers. See my response above to Renae for the link. Maybe you too can write something.
~Allie
Allie created this awesome post: Online WAHM Journey, Two Years in the Making
Allie!! Already two years – congratulations at keeping on it! I remember the early months and how we ‘met’ through SITS. You have come a long way – I applaud you and I am sure you will reach higher plateaus in future!!!
Fenny created this awesome post: {31 Days of Passion} Day 3: What Is Passion?
Hey Fenny!!
Looks like you have a new blog!! I checked it out and really like it. I didn’t know about it. We have been communicating thru Facebook a bit but I don’t get on my profile much, so I better start cuz I see you posted your new blog there.
I’ll be sure to stop by more often.
~Allie
Allie created this awesome post: Online WAHM Journey, Two Years in the Making
Hi Allie
Came accross you through Sonia’s 26 women blogger post and wanted to swing by and say hi.
I agree the learning curve can be steep, and I think that it takes time to find your voice and feel like you’re making some headway.
But one foot in front of the other every day, and we get there in the end.
Congrats on your two year anniversary, and good luck with the upcoming e-book, look forward to checking it out.
Jackie created this awesome post: Don’t Underestimate Your Customer
Hey Jackie,
Thanks for coming by!! And I thank Sonia for mentioning me AND with such great women!
I almost feel like this online journey is all uphill until you get “it”, like you said “find your voice”, and then it is this plateau where you can look down and think “what the heck was I doing down there? How is it I didn’t get “it” before?” At least that is how I feel right now.
Have an awesome day!
~Allie
Allie created this awesome post: Online WAHM Journey, Two Years in the Making
Happy two years in your blog and hoping that you will be able to spend another year in blogging.
TracyAnn0312 created this awesome post: alternative treatments for adhd
Holly cow Allie,
2 whole years. I hear you when you said “it’s silly to wait two years to earn money”. But it’s really not that silly at all when you think about all the start ups in silicon valley that go years without making a cent and then start making money years later. It’s an investment.
And if you think about it, when people go to college or even high school, it’s years before you start making a cent. Or you start off with a really low income. So i think your journey is going as expected.
I’m in the same boat as you and have been workign on my own product. It’s such a joy to be in control of our own destiny and create something that could potentially sustain us both financially and emotionally. I think you’re going to have a great product. I just love your voice and your writing style. It’s very relatable.
p.s.
have you thought about doing a free giveway for signups to your email. It’s made a huge difference and my email signups have gone up because of it.
Maybeyou can give away a free chapter of your future book..:)
Annie Andre created this awesome post: Would You Move To China For Your Children? The Isom Family Did!
Two years? That’s pretty long in tooth in the social realm. Congrats though, that means you are a survivor.
The other challenge you have starting out from scratch is determining what advice is real and what is just hucksters using it as a platform to make ‘their’ money.
You’ve done well, you should be proud.
Now that my Rays are out, I will be pulling for the O’s; I was a big Oriole fan before Tampa. Maybe we can meet up in the World Series….although you might be pulling for a Bay series, huh?
Buster Posey rules……….:)
Bill Dorman created this awesome post: If you were so good, why did you quit?
Congrats, Allie
It takes a lot of survive 2 years (Well, 2 years in cyberspace is like 20 years, right?)
eBooks, huh? So, are you planning to sell them? If so, have you thought about selling them as Kindle Books?
Glad you have learned a lot of things, Allie (we have learned a lot from you too
).
Good luck, anyways!
I agree with you Allie, you just should not reply on one company. You never know what they will roll out and throw the baby out of the shower. Diversification is the key and the new mantra.
Ebooks are are great ideas, your own product and your destiny.
Shalu Sharma created this awesome post: State of Bihar – Places of interest and tourist attractions
Congratulations Allie! Two years is long enough. I can say that you’re there already otherwise you have stopped months after you started blogging. Goodluck on your journey!!!
Congratulations on 2 years Allie! Looking forward to reading your eBooks when they come out. It must be exciting to work on them.
Lisa created this awesome post: The Slowing Down Blogging and Social Media Experiment