Week 1

This week really got me thinking about what it takes to start a successful online business. One of the biggest things that stood out to me was the debate between choosing a product first or a business model first. After reviewing the readings and class discussions, I’m leaning toward picking the business model first. It just makes more sense to start with a structure that fits your budget, skills, and time before jumping into product ideas that might not even be doable. If we don’t have the money or space to hold inventory, why waste time brainstorming physical products?


The chess vs. snowboard example also made that clearer. Snowboards sound cool, but let’s be real—there’s a lot of competition, and it’s expensive to get started. Chess, on the other hand, has low startup costs and way more flexibility. It’s just a smarter option if you’re working with limited resources. Overall, this week helped me see that it’s not just about what you want to sell—it’s about building something that actually works with what you’ve got.

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