Starting an online business is a popular choice for people who want to make some extra money on the side. Some people eventually turn their online business into a full-time gig too, but most begin running their business as a side project. Anyone can technically start an online business, and it’s a lot easier than launching a restaurant or a brick-and-mortar retail store.

However, you might have heard a lot of things about starting a business that just aren’t true. If you fall for some of the most popular myths about starting an online business, things could soon go badly wrong for you. So which myths should you avoid?

Starting an Online Business Is Easy

In some ways, launching an online business can be easy. At least, it can be easier than starting a business that’s entirely offline. But just because it could be harder, it doesn’t mean that it’s really simple. You might be able to launch your business from your home office, but it is still a business. There are lots of things to take care of, including creating a website, deciding how much to charge, and outsourcing some of your tasks. And before you do any of that, you need to make sure you have a business idea that will work.

You Don’t Need Any Money to Get Started

Starting an online business can be done with a small budget. And there are also ways that you can make some money online without having to put much or any money into it. However, that doesn’t mean that you can launch a business with absolutely no money at all. There are costs involved in starting an online business, even if they’re not that high. For example, you need to be able to pay for website hosting and other website costs. You might need to pay for products or supplies to help you get started with your business.

You Don’t Need a Plan

You could just launch an online business without much idea of what you’re doing with it, where it’s going, or what your goal is. But this would be a pretty sloppy way to start a business. Even if you were capable of keeping it going for a while, there would likely come a point when you realize that you don’t really know what you’re doing. A business plan is just as important for an online business as it is for any other business. You need one to give your business structure and goals.

It’s Not Necessary to Have a Lot of Time

Many people think about starting an online business on the side. They might think about dedicating an hour or so to it each evening. Unfortunately, if you’re going to start a business, you could be spending a lot more time trying to run it. You may need to spend many hours a week running it, especially when you’re first trying to get your business off the ground. You need to be prepared for it to take your time and energy.

Starting an online business isn’t impossible, but it’s not as easy as you might think it is. You need to understand the reality of running a business before you do it.