Quick Takeaways
- What this post is about: How to start an online business with no experience — and why the two biggest things holding moms back are both 100% overcomeable
- The problem it solves: You feel stuck before you’ve even started — not enough knowledge, not enough confidence, not enough time
- What you’ll walk away with:
- Honest answers to the four questions most moms are too afraid to ask
- A realistic picture of what slow, imperfect progress actually looks like
- Permission to start before you feel ready
- Written by: Sam Salfarlie, founder of The Complete Business
There were two big themes that kept coming up in recent feedback from our community — and I want to speak directly to both of them today.
The reasons most moms feel stuck or can’t get started:
- Lack of business knowledge
- Lack of confidence in themselves
If either of those hit close to home, this one’s for you.
I Started With Zero Business Knowledge. Zero.
I knew nothing. Zilch. Nada.
And on top of that, I was 7 months pregnant with two toddlers at home. Time and energy were not exactly abundant.
All I had was determination and a willingness to learn.
So I did what any determined mom with borrowed moments and a Wi-Fi connection does — I found people further down the road than me. People doing what I wanted to do. People I felt I could trust. I connected with them, learned from them, and became a full-on learning machine.
- I devoured books during nap time
- I subscribed to email lists — from businesses I liked and ones I didn’t (you learn just as much from what not to do)
- I listened to podcasts while loading the dishwasher
- I watched YouTube videos while folding laundry
- I joined online communities and memberships — free and paid
- I found mentors who were ahead of me and heading where I wanted to go
Fun fact: my Christmas list this year is full of business books I can’t wait to read.
You don’t need a business degree to start an online business with no experience. You need curiosity, a willingness to keep going, and access to people who are already doing what you want to do. That’s it. The knowledge gap is closeable — one nap time, one podcast, one borrowed moment at a time.
Imperfect action beats doing nothing. Every time.
Once I knew enough to take a step, I took it — even knowing it wasn’t going to be perfect. Don’t let the idea of perfection get in your way. Imperfect action is a million times better than standing still.
Let’s Get to the Real Questions.
💭 Do you need to spend as much as I did to get started? No. Absolutely not. I’ve invested thousands in courses and memberships over the years — but there are so many free and low-cost ways to learn. Start where you are, with what you have.
💭 What if I try, but fail? You only truly fail if you quit learning. Every stumble is just feedback — information telling you what to adjust next time. Trust me, I’ve had my share of complete fails. They didn’t stop me. They taught me.
You only truly fail if you stop. Every stumble, every wrong turn, every campaign that flopped is data — it tells you exactly what to adjust next time. Failure isn’t the opposite of success in building an online business. Quitting is.
💭 I have so little time — it’s going to take forever. I feel this in my soul. Yes, it can take a while. I build this business on a very part-time basis, around my family and my full-time work. It’s slow growing. But it’s growing. Every small action moves you closer. That’s the whole point of borrowed moments — they add up.
💭 How do I stay motivated? Research the path you want to take, then commit to it. Find your people — your Business Besties — who will learn alongside you and cheer you on when it’s hard. Community changes everything for a mom entrepreneur trying to build something real.
Motivation isn’t something you find once and keep forever. It’s something you rebuild — through community, through small wins, through recommitting to your why on the hard days. The moms who stick with it aren’t the ones who never doubt themselves. They’re the ones who have people in their corner when the doubt shows up.
The Long Game Is Still Worth Playing.
It is 100% possible to overcome a lack of knowledge. It’s also 100% possible to get the right tools and support in place to pick you up when your confidence is low.
Even if it takes me another few years to reach my financial goals, it will be worth it. I’m playing the long game — and I already look back proud of how far I’ve come.
The last thing I want is my future self regretting that I didn’t start when I knew I should. I hope you’ll join me in making that dream a reality.
If you’re ready to take that first step as a mom entrepreneur — even a small, imperfect one — I’d love to have you alongside me.
Ready to stop waiting and start building?
You don’t have to figure this out alone. The Growth Collective is a community of moms building flexible, family-first online income — together. We’re all learning, growing, and cheering each other on, one borrowed moment at a time. Come find your people.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you start an online business with no business experience? Yes — and more moms are doing it than you’d think. You don’t need a degree, a background in marketing, or years of industry knowledge. What you need is a willingness to learn, access to the right people, and the courage to take imperfect action. The knowledge gap is real, but it’s closeable.
How do moms find time to build a business? Most moms who build online businesses don’t have extra time — they use borrowed moments. Nap times, early mornings, the fifteen minutes while dinner is in the oven. It’s slow, and that’s okay. Small, consistent action compounds over time in a way that waiting for the “right moment” never will.
What if I start an online business and fail? Failure in business almost always means feedback, not finality. Every misstep tells you something useful about what to adjust, what to stop, and what to double down on. The only true failure is quitting. If you keep learning and keep going, you’re still in the game.
About the Author
Sam Salfarlie started building her online business at 7 months pregnant, with two toddlers at home, zero business background, and nothing but determination and a Wi-Fi connection. She didn’t wait until she felt ready — because that moment never came. Today she runs The Complete Business and The Growth Collective while working full-time, and she’s proof that slow, imperfect progress in the margins of a full life still moves you forward. If you’re reading this thinking I could never do that — that’s exactly what she thought too. You’re more ready than you think.
Sam Salfarlie is the founder of The Complete Business and The Growth Collective — a community for moms building flexible, family-first online income one borrowed moment at a time.
