How I'm Starting a Brand New Online Business (And How Much It Cost!)
Starting a new business from scratch is always exciting, but it can also be overwhelming. There are so many decisions to make, from choosing the right business model to setting up the technical side of things and figuring out the costs involved.
Over the past few months, I’ve been working behind the scenes to launch a brand-new online business, and today, I’m pulling back the curtain to show you exactly what’s gone into it, how I decided what to create, and how much it has all cost so far.
The Business Model: A Shopify Store (But NOT Drop shipping)
After considering many different types of online businesses, I ultimately decided to launch a Shopify store. But here’s the twist: this isn’t a dropshipping business.
Dropshipping is something I’ve considered many times before, but I never felt fully aligned with it. The idea of selling products that so many other people were already selling didn’t feel authentic or unique to me. Plus, quality control issues made me hesitant to go down that route.
So instead of dropshipping, I decided to sell my own digital products in a convenient, new “a la carte” way. This approach allows me to offer something truly valuable and unique while also maintaining full control over quality and customer experience.
Why Digital Products?
The inspiration for my new business came from an interview I did on my podcast a few months ago. I spoke with a guest who runs a successful digital product shop, and she explained how she structures her business using Shopify. (You can listen to our conversation HERE.)
Instead of selling educational content (which is what I’ve primarily focused on in the past), she sells done-for-you resources—things like templates, swipe files, and tools that her customers can take and instantly put to use. This idea really resonated with me.
I love creating educational content, but one of the biggest challenges I’ve faced is that not everyone who learns from me follows through and takes action. With done-for-you products, people get immediate value—they can use these resources right away to get results in their businesses.
The products we’re going to be selling in the new shop are tools and templates that have already been tested and proven in my own businesses and with my coaching clients. That gives me confidence that they’ll deliver real value to customers.
Choosing the Right Business Idea
One of the biggest struggles I’ve had in the past is committing to a new business idea. Many of my previous ideas felt too disconnected from my current business, which meant they would require a big effort to build from scratch.
This time, I took a different approach. I decided to create a sister business to my existing company. That meant:
Lower startup costs – I could leverage the resources I already have, including my team, branding, and marketing channels.
Faster product creation – Many of the products are based on tools I’ve already developed.
An existing audience – Instead of starting from zero, I can promote these products to people who already follow my content and trust my expertise.
This approach significantly reduced the risk and made the whole process much more efficient. #worklessearnmore
How Much It Cost to Start This Business
I was pleasantly surprised at how affordable it was to get this business off the ground. Here’s a breakdown of the main expenses:
1. Shopify Subscription - $29/month
I chose Shopify as my e-commerce platform because of its robust features and ease of use. While I could have used Squarespace (which I already use for my main website), Shopify offered better functionality for digital product sales.
2. Premium Shopify Theme - $360 (one-time fee)
While Shopify offers free themes, I opted for a paid theme to ensure my store looks polished and professional. This was one of the biggest unexpected costs, but I think it was worth the investment.
3. Apps for Shopify - ~$20/month
I installed a few essential apps to improve functionality, including:
A reviews app so customers can leave feedback on products.
A digital product delivery app to automate sending downloads to customers.
4. Design & Branding - $0 extra
Thanks to my amazing designer, Emily Banks (who is already on retainer for my business), I didn’t have to pay extra for branding, product design, or graphics. If I had outsourced this, it probably would have cost a couple of thousand dollars.
5. Product Creation - $0 extra
Many of the products were adapted from resources I had already created for my coaching programs. Others were developed from scratch but required no additional expenses beyond my existing team’s time. Since they’re all on retainer, that meant no additional cash-out-of-pocket for me, though we did face the “opportunity cost” of using our time to work on this project rather than other things we might have done instead.
Total Startup Costs: Roughly $400 upfront + $59/month in recurring costs.
Compared to starting a physical product business or a more complex service-based company, this was incredibly affordable.
Launch Plan & Promotions
The shop is set to launch on February 24th at 12pm PT / 3pm ET, and we’re running a six-day launch promotion to celebrate!
Here’s what we have planned:
Launch Week Deals
30% off all products for the first week.
Daily free gifts with every purchase (e.g., a free business plan template, a set of product mockups, and a free month of my membership program, Startup Society).
How I’m Promoting the Launch
Email marketing to my existing subscribers.
YouTube & podcast announcements to spread the word.
If you want to be the first to access the shop (and get all the launch deals), sign up for the waitlist at gillianperkins.com/shop.
Final Thoughts on Starting a New Business
Starting a new business doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. By choosing a business model that aligns with your existing skills, audience, and resources, you can significantly reduce costs and make the process much smoother.
I’m so excited about this new venture, and I can’t wait to share these digital products with you. If you’re looking for done-for-you templates and tools to help grow your business, be sure to check out the shop when we launch!
