Length: 1,531 words

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When I first tried to make money online I had no idea what I was doing.

I tried a lot of different things and thought it was straightforward:

• Freelancing → I just needed to find people and businesses to provide my Excel skills

• Physical product → I just needed to find moms to sell them kitchen tools

• Affiliate marketing → I just needed to create clickbait images and videos to get people to buy

• Digital product → I just needed to show people they need this in their life so they will buy it

It sounded simple in my head but I didn’t find much success. I was scouring the internet for what I had to do and it all boiled down to:

Niche down.

I had to identify a trending market (like fashion and apparel)

Break that down into a sub-market (like modest fashion)

Identify a niche base (like stylish and contemporary islamic wear for muslim women)

Then I just had to research the market and collect data on them. That way I could hit their pain points and become a millionaire.

It made sense! I could do it!

Everything I saw online was telling me to niche down! Identify your target person! Touch on all their pain points!

It’s the most common advice that you will hear in the online space.

And this confuses beginners so much. I hopped from niche to niche (probably 8 of them) in my first 3 months of trying to be an entrepreneur.

And what happens is you get caught in this cycle of:

• hopping from one niche to another (waste of time)

• picking up new niche skills along the way (not always the worst)

• spending money without any gains (a real sting)

After a few years of experience in the digital space I can say one thing:

Most of the things you will find online are outdated and not the best way to do things in the creator economy.

The digital space is evolving fast and you need to keep up.

I’m going to challenge some old-outdated thoughts and recommend what you can do instead.

I wished I knew this when I first started.

You are the niche.

Challenging What Most People Think Is Common Sense: The Smarter Way To Grow

If I could go back in time, this is what I would do instead of following the boring bland advice I found online:

1) Vision Mapping: Defining Your Core

Common belief: To succeed, you must find a narrow niche and stick to it.

Alternative Perspective: Your niche is the unique blend of your skills, interests, and vision for the future. It's not about limiting yourself to one topic but about finding the intersection where your passions meet purpose.

Saufiyah’s Framework: Reality Metabolism

Identify 2-3 topics that resonate with you and your vision. Absorb a wide range of inputs (skills, knowledge, experiences), metabolize them through your own lens, and produce something new and valuable.

Becoming a digital polymath. Synthesize your interests into content, products, and services that reflect the entirety of who you are.

2) Growth from the Ground Up: Content Expansion

Common belief: Growth on social media requires following trends and catering to popular demand.

Alternative Perspective: True growth stems from authentic engagement and sharing content that align with your interests. It's about attracting an audience that values your perspective, not just what's trending.

I was once a victim of only creating content that was trending.

What I found: it took a huge tax on my mental headspace. I was exhausted because I wasn’t really doing what was me.

Saufiyah’s Framework: Authentic Engagement Expansion

No matter what you decide on doing, you need to first focus on growing your brand on social media.

Start with platforms that are easier to get big on: Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and other short-form platforms.

Build an audience that will crowd your stall in the digital souk over time. If you don’t know what the digital souk is read my previous letter here.

Once your following grows, then you could pretty much talk about whatever you want.

• Follow social media accounts that talk about your interests and topics

• Buy top books in your space

• Binge-watch educational videos on your topics

• Pay attention to what kind of writing and ideas perform the best

Immerse yourself in the environment.

Your content will be bad at first.

Get it out the way while no one is watching.

3) Insights Incubator: Creating Deeper Connections

Common belief: Newsletters are an outdated method of communication, overshadowed by social media and instant messaging platforms.

Alternative Perspective: A newsletter is a powerful tool for building deeper connections with your audience, offering a space for more thoughtful exploration and personalized content.

Saufiyah’s Framework: Depth Development Dialogue 

While the instant growth of social media is undeniable, newsletters allow for a different kind of engagement.

I started mine this year and wish I did this when I first started.

They provide a platform for developing depth behind your ideas, where you can share insights, stories, and lessons learned in a more intimate setting.

Starting a newsletter is like inviting your audience into a private conversation, one that nurtures original thoughts and a stronger bond with your readers.

A lot of people slack on this because they don’t see immediate growth.

It’s a long-term game.

4) Authority Anchors: Crafting Lead Magnets

Common belief: A lead magnet needs to be directly related to the product or service you're trying to sell.

Alternative Perspective: Your first lead magnet should be in the topic you want to monetize, or that you think you want to monetize. It will serve as an entry point for your audience to engage with your broader brand.

Saufiyah’s Framework: Gateway Creation Catalyst

The lead magnet acts as a gateway.

If your lead magnet has your best thoughts and ideas, then you can plug this in anywhere in your content.

It's an introduction to your way of thinking and your approach to problem-solving.

By focusing on delivering real value through your lead magnet, you're establishing trust and authority in your field, paving the way for deeper engagement with your audience.

Lead magnet ideas:

• habit trackers or notion templates

• beginner level e-book that introduces people the the fundamentals of your topics

• schedules or checklists to get from point a → point b

Don’t get too caught up into the perfect lead magnet. You can always create another one.

5) Prototype to Product: Launching Your Services

Common belief: To start selling, you need a comprehensive suite of services or products.

Alternative Perspective: Starting with a single, focused offering allows you to refine your skills, understand your audience's needs better, and build credibility.

Saufiyah’s Framework: Focused Value Proposition

What’s next after your lead magnet?

Hopefully, something you can generate an income from.

For people just starting out, I recommend a minimal offer like a freelance service (social media management or graphic design) or coaching service (productivity or fitness)

Begin by identifying a specific problem you can solve or a need you can meet with your current skills and knowledge.

This will be your entry into the digital souk.

It's an opportunity to gain life experience, receive feedback, and build a portfolio of success stories.

You can charge anywhere from $200-$1000 until you understand what it is that works.

Then automate it.

Charge more.

With just a few clients, this can replace your income and allow you to go full-time online.

6) Broaden and Build: Diversifying Your Domain

Common belief: Once you've established a niche, you should stick to it to avoid confusing your audience.

Alternative Perspective: Growth involves evolution. As you gain authority in one area, it's natural—and beneficial—to explore and incorporate new interests and skills into your brand.

Saufiyah’s Framework: Creative Catalyst Spiral

Your growth potential is infinite, much like the universe.

Each new skill or interest you develop adds another layer to your brand.

To deepen your expertise:

• If you have a freelance of consulting service, turn it into an educational based cohort-course. Get results with multiple people instead of just one.

• Turn that course into a digital product. Get results without having the need to be there.

• Repeat the process. Start from a lead-magnet to services to digital products. This will allow you to deepen your understanding in one area and then give you the room to branch into new ones.

The spiral model not only keeps your brand novel and engaging but also attracts a more diverse audience.

The Organic Synthesis of Yourself

Imagine in a year or two, you could be doing anything you feel pulled towards.

The key is to combine all your skills and interests to make an organic synthesis of yourself.

The worlds needs people who can think beyond a box.

And you might not realize it yet but you’re helping shape society.

“Indeed, Allāh will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves.” [Qur’an 13:11]

Start to think of yourself as a connector. You see how different things fit together like pieces of a puzzle and you bring them to life in your work.

In doing so you will see the creative income flow naturally.

And as always:

مع حبي (with love)

— Saufiyah ♡