“She Told Me Starting an Online Business Was Impossible”
“Starting an online business in an industry you have no expertise in is suicide. It’s impossible. Silly, Just get a normal job like most people.”
That’s what a well-meaning friend told me when I said I was going to start an online skincare and beauty company.
She wasn’t being cruel. She was being logical.
And by conventional standards, she was right.
I had no background in beauty. No industry experience. No insider network. No prior success story I could refer to. Just a crazy idea, a stubborn belief, and a refusal to accept that permission was required.
Those words didn’t stop me. They did the opposite. They clarified the challenge.
Because starting an online business has never been about following the rules. It’s about recognizing which rules were never written for you in the first place.
That decision — to ignore the safe advice — is what eventually led to me starting an online business called Forbidden Beauty. I did it, not because I was qualified. But because I was committed and up for the challenge.
The Real Problem With Starting an Online Business
Before Forbidden Beauty existed, I had one persistent frustration.
I wanted to be starting an online business, but I couldn’t see a clear path forward.
Most ideas I came up with had problems :
They weren’t scalable
They were tied to a location
They relied on being physically present
Or the margins disappeared once shipping and logistics were factored in
This is where many online businesses quietly die — long before they launch.
The truth is, not all online business ideas are created equal. High-value products that travel well, scale efficiently, and don’t punish you with logistics are the foundation. Ignore this, and even the best marketing won’t save you.
Once I locked onto a product category that worked online, the real journey began.
And that journey was anything but smooth.
Starting an Online Business Is Not Easy (And That’s the Point)
Let’s be clear. This wasn’t easy. It wasn’t quick. And it definitely wasn’t glamorous.
There were moments I questioned the entire idea. Times I considered walking away. Phases where progress felt invisible and effort felt wasted.
That’s normal.
Starting an online business compresses years of learning into months. You are forced to :
Make decisions without certainty
Learn things you didn’t expect to need
Solve problems you didn’t know existed
And pushing through stages where nothing seems to be working as planned
Most people interpret these discomfort as failure. It isn’t. It’s the filter. The mountains and troughs don’t disappear with experience. They simply change shape. Every competitor you admire has crossed the same terrain — Many just don’t talk about it.
Mindset Beats Experience Every Time
Experience is useful. But mindset is decisive.
What mattered most wasn’t my lack of beauty industry knowledge. It was the willingness to stay focused when things got uncomfortable. To keep the vision intact when distractions appeared. To treat obstacles as part of the process, not signs to stop.
A few principles became non-negotiable :
Stay focused on the long game
Don’t confuse noise with progress
Build resilience before expecting results
Share the journey with people who do. Not just talk
The irony is this : The very barriers you face are the same ones that stop others. Which means every hurdle you clear reduces competition.
That’s the upside few mention.
There Is No Single “Right Way” to Start
This is where NoRuleBook thinking matters.
Most advice on starting an online business pushes templates :
Follow this exact funnel
Use this platform
Copy this strategy
Buy this tool
But businesses don’t fail because of missing tools. They fail because people outsource thinking.
Your path will look different … and it should.
The only rule that matters is this : Build something that works for your life, not one that traps you in it.
The No Rules Start-Up eBook
Everything I learned while starting an online business — the good decisions, the mistakes, and the lessons I wish I’d known earlier — is documented in the No Rules Start-Up eBook.
This isn’t a hype manual. And it’s not a motivational rant.
It’s a practical, honest breakdown of:
How an idea can become a real online business
The decisions that matter (and the ones that don’t)
What to focus on early, and what to ignore
How to avoid common traps that slow people down
How to build something scalable without burning out
At 137 pages, it’s comprehensive without being overwhelming. Written in an easy-to-read / non-techie format, for people who want to understand how to execute, or start developing their dream … Not just consume content.
If you’ve been thinking about starting an online business — or telling yourself it’s “not the right time” — this book shortens the learning curve dramatically.
For little more than the price of your next coffee, you get clarity that most people never reach because they stay stuck at the thinking stage.
You don’t need permission.
You don’t need experience.
You need momentum.
Get the book. Start your journey, and write your own No Rules Start-Up.
