Your first digital product could be the beginning of your way out of the hamster wheel.
Not overnight, and not by magic — but it can be the first real step toward more freedom, more options, and less dependence on a single paycheck.
Maybe you’re tired of living month to month.
Maybe your job drains more energy than it gives back.
Maybe you dream about changing careers, moving somewhere else, or simply having more control over your time and your future.
A small digital product won’t fix everything overnight.
But it can become your first income stream that isn’t tied to your boss, your schedule, or your location. And over time, even a small product can make a real difference.
For many people, that’s where real change begins.
In this post, we’ll look at how you can turn what you already know into your first digital product.
Step 1: Start With What You Already Know
Most people think they need a brilliant business idea before they can create something to sell, or get stuck overthinking instead of starting.
But your first digital product usually doesn’t come from a big idea.
It comes from something you already know how to do.
Look at things like:
• skills you use at work
• hobbies or interests you’ve spent years on
• problems you’ve solved in your own life
• things friends or colleagues ask you for help with
• things people often compliment you on or say you’re good at
Maybe people ask how you fixed your finances.
How you learned a skill.
How you got organized.
Or they tell you you’re good at explaining things, planning projects, cooking, training, or solving practical problems.
If people already come to you for help — or regularly compliment something you do — there’s probably value there.
You don’t need to be an expert.
You just need to be a few steps ahead of someone else.
And that’s often enough to help them save months of trial and error.
Step 2: Turn Knowledge Into a Shortcut
People don’t buy information.
They buy shortcuts.
They pay for something that helps them solve a problem faster, avoid mistakes, or skip frustration.
So the next step is simple:
Turn what you know into something that makes life easier for someone else.
Instead of saying:
“I know a lot about budgeting.”
You package it as:
“A simple budgeting system for busy parents.”
“A weekly planning system for entrepreneurs building a new business.”
Instead of:
“I’m good at organizing work.”
You create:
“A weekly planning system for busy professionals.”
Instead of selling knowledge, you’re offering clarity and direction.
A good question to ask yourself is:
What problem can I help someone solve more easily?
Or:
What could save someone months of trial and error?
If your knowledge helps someone move forward faster, there’s value there.
And value is what people are willing to pay for.
Step 3: Choose the Simplest Format and Create a Small First Version
At this point, many people get stuck again.
They start thinking about recording courses, building websites, or creating something huge.
But your first digital product doesn’t need to be impressive.
It needs to be useful.
And it needs to exist.
Start with the simplest format you can create:
• a short PDF guide
• a checklist or template
• a planner or worksheet
• step-by-step instructions
• a beginner roadmap
• a short video tutorial
If your long-term idea is a course, don’t build the whole thing yet.
Start with one small part of it.
Step 4: Put Your Product Where People Can Find It
A product on your laptop isn’t an income yet.
It needs to live somewhere people can access it.
The good news is you don’t need a complicated setup to start. Many platforms already exist where people search for solutions and digital products.
For example:
• marketplaces like Etsy or Gumroad
• course platforms like Udemy or Skillshare can also be a starting point for certain types of products.
• your own simple website or blog
• platforms where you already share content, like YouTube or social media
And you don’t need to be everywhere.
Trying to show up on every social platform at once usually leads to burnout.
Instead, focus on the places where people are already looking for the kind of help or knowledge you’re offering.
If your product solves a practical problem, platforms where people actively search for solutions usually work better than places where people mostly scroll for entertainment.
The goal isn’t to be active everywhere — it’s to show up where your product actually makes sense.
You can always expand later.
A quick note on pricing
Pricing your product is a skill in itself, and you’ll get better at it over time.
A simple starting point is to look at similar products on the platform you’re using and see what people charge.
Avoid setting the price too low just to get sales, but don’t go unrealistically high either. Aim somewhere reasonable based on how useful and how extensive your product is.
You can always adjust the price later once you see how people respond.
Step 5: Listen, Learn, and Improve
So, you’ve published your product on a couple of platforms and started talking about it on social media. Now what?
Now you start learning from reality.
Some people may ignore it.
Some might buy it.
Some may give feedback.
And all of that is useful.
If people buy your product, ask them what actually helped:
• What solved their problem?
• What felt unclear or missing?
• What would make it more useful?
• What problem are they still struggling with?
The people who buy your first version are your best teachers. Their feedback shows you what to improve next.
And if sales are slow — or don’t happen at all — it doesn’t necessarily mean the idea was bad.
Sometimes the problem your product promises to solve isn’t clearly defined or communicated, or your message and copy miss the mark and fail to attract customers.
Sometimes the product solves the wrong part of the problem people actually want help with.
Small adjustments can make a big difference.
The goal isn’t to get everything right the first time.
The goal is to improve with each version.
Because every iteration teaches you something — and makes the next product easier and better.
Start Checklist:
• Write down one problem you can help someone solve.
• Turn that problem into a simple, practical solution.
• Choose the easiest format to create your product.
• Build a small first version — not a perfect one.
• Set a deadline and finish it within a week or two.
• Research similar products and set a reasonable starting price.
• Publish your product on a platform where people can find it.
• Share it where people interested in your topic already spend time.
• Ask early users what helped and what was missing.
• Improve the product based on real feedback.
• Repeat the process with a better version or a clearer offer.
The checklist above is all you need to get started.
And once you begin, something important happens.
Each version you create teaches you what works, what doesn’t, and what people actually need.
Because every iteration teaches you something — and makes the next product easier and better.
Your first digital product doesn’t have to change your life.
It just has to get you started.
In next Monday’s post, we’ll look at how to market your digital product or service and help the right people discover it.