I’m sharing the exact steps I went through after launching my service in September last year, because I genuinely think this path is repeatable if someone wants to move from zero to something relatively fast.
This is not a success story.
I don’t feel secure yet.
But it might help as a realistic zero-to-something example.
Background (Why I Left)
I left my job at the end of 2024.
I was working as an ads / marketing consultant at a large professional network. I quit as soon as I hit my savings target. No overlap. No safety net beyond cash.
I was done with big corp, internal politics, and logging nonsense in CRM tools.
I didn’t really have a master plan.
Just three loose goals:
- Build things solo
- Learn new tech
- Eventually sell something
Step 1: Find the Fastest Route to Cash
I didn’t try to reinvent myself.
I asked:
“What can I already do better than most people?”
For me, that was B2B ads.
That’s where my background and credibility were, so I kept it simple.
Step 2: Look for Differentiation (And Fail)
I first tried to differentiate the service itself.
That didn’t work.
There are endless ads agencies. Nothing special there.
So I flipped the thinking.
Step 3: Differentiate on Distribution
On LinkedIn, the biggest distribution advantage is personal video.
So I started:
- Talking directly to camera
- Posting opinions on ads and marketing
- Turning those opinions into a small “micro-brand” with basic visuals
Side note
I had never turned the camera on myself before. Ever.
I hated it.
I saw someone talk about “climbing Cringe Mountain” and posted about how uncomfortable it felt. That post got attention.
That’s when it clicked:
Almost nobody is willing to do selfie video consistently.
Step 4: The Lightbulb Moment
This wasn’t just about consulting anymore.
This could be a scalable service:
- Helping founders/leaders show up on LinkedIn with non-cringe video
- Without them having to figure it out themselves
Step 5: Learn the Tools (Fast)
I researched remote podcasting and recording tools.
Found a couple, played around for a few hours, and got “good enough”.
No perfection. Just usable.
Step 6: Free Work (On Purpose)
I invited a few ex-colleagues to chat for 30 minutes.
In return, I:
- Recorded them
- Edited clips
- Created LinkedIn-ready video content
I also posted publicly offering the same thing to my wider network.
Important: this was all free.
The only goal was momentum and proof.
Step 7: Turn Free Work Into Case Studies
I interviewed about half a dozen people.
From that:
- Built content packs
- Ran small LinkedIn ads
- Created early case studies
At the same time, I:
- Built a simple website
- Made the whole thing feel more legit
Step 8: Launch a Paid Offer
I packaged a launch offer:
- £1k/month
- 3-month commitment
- Limited to 5 spots
I announced it on LinkedIn.
Results:
- 2 people said yes immediately
- I DM’d people who engaged with the post
- Closed 2 more via video calls and voice notes
Interestingly, none of the free beta users converted (yet).
I’m keeping them warm.
Step 9: Network Without Selling
At the same time, I was:
- Adding people on LinkedIn in my target demographic
- CMOs, CROs, business line leaders
I wasn’t pitching them.
Just building reach and credibility over time.
Step 10: Momentum Compounds
By the end of month 2:
- 4 paying clients
- £1k/month each
I also became my own “5th spot” and used my own service on myself.
That worked surprisingly well and brought in:
- Old colleagues
- Warm intros
- An old uni friend now running a startup
Step 11: Raise Prices + Expand Services
Once the initial 3-month packages ended:
- Pricing increased to £1.5k/month
I also layered in related services:
- Podcast facilitation & editing
- Social page management
- Ad campaign setup & management
- Email newsletters
- Content strategy
Where This Landed
By January:
- 5 clients
- ~£12k/month
- Different packages depending on needs
- One £4k full-service social management client
Next Steps (The Real Bottleneck)
Right now, everything is produced by me.
That’s the problem.
Next priorities:
- Bring in systems and freelancers
- Lock in longer (6m+) contracts
- Rebrand properly (no more Canva-looking logo)
- Reinvest into personal content + ads
- Get better at pitching and closing
I’m actively avoiding promotion because I can’t take on more work — which hurts, but is necessary.
Final Thoughts
Looking back, the last few months were:
- Uncertainty
- Guesswork
- Following and discarding guru advice
- Trying to understand what people actually wanted
There’s no single magic takeaway.
But progress does happen if you:
- Think logically
- Run small experiments
- Put one foot in front of the other
And yes — get a whiteboard.
And go for walks.
TL;DR
Try new things.
Do free projects.
Turn them into case studies.
Build a micro-brand.
Promote it on your personal profile.
Launch a core offer.
Upsell related services.