Five Common Barriers That Can Stop You from Advancing
Some of you may have attempted to create an online business, failed, lose interest, or get frustrated and never return to it. However, other people return, again and again. If you’re in the latter group, it’s a massive indicator that your ambitions go way beyond superficial levels of entrepreneurial ship. And you’re not alone.
You’ve landed in the right place. Know that many successful people who are now happily running businesses in the online marketplace can share one or more similar hard lessons when they started out however, they also returned!
Read on to find solutions to each of these.
Where Am I Going Wrong?
Understanding the core principles of the online marketplace-and how they differ from the physical marketplace- is a crucial first step. Equally important is recognising the hurdles you may face due to limited resources, which can create barriers or restrictions on the business you wish to pursue.
At 1stOnlineBiz101 our mission is to empower ordinary individuals, regardless of experience or skill level, with the confidence to build a low-budget online income. We also aim to equip them with the necessary knowledge to repeat their success across multiple online business opportunities.
Through my years in this space, I’ve identified these five reasons as the most cited as to why many aspiring entrepreneurs struggle to progress with their business ambitions. Unless these obstacles are confronted, they will continue to resurface — ultimately leading many to abandon their dreams forever.
1. Valid Business Idea
There are thousands of people just like you successfully making money online. If you have a business idea, it may have the potential to be lucrative and successful. However, as a starter business, not all ideas are viable without significant upfront capital.
Additionally, the less business knowledge or technical skills you have, the more control as you’ll increasingly become reliant on other professionals, such as paid freelances.
Developing a viable business idea requires a certain level of insight before committing to building a venture around it (see blogs: “Is my Business Viable?” or “The Best Online Businesses for Beginners“).
2. Lack of Time
Waiting for the perfect moment to start is never a good plan. Many people feel they don’t have enough time to launch a business, especially when juggling full-time jobs and personal commitments. However, with effective time management strategies and small, consistent efforts, progress is possible—even with a busy schedule.
One crucial way of managing time efficiently is to avoid reinventing the wheel. That’s way at 1stOnlineBiz101 we recommend Starting from Where You Are — or as close to that position as possible. When time is limited, the learning curve needs to be as shallow as possible, as getting started quickly is key to seeing results sooner. See point 5 below for more on finding the right place for you to start.
3. Limited Funds
Startup costs can feel overwhelming, and the fear of financial loss prevents many from taking the first step. Unlike traditional physical businesses, many online businesses can be started with minimal investment—leveraging free or low-cost tools, platforms, and strategies.
At 1stOnlineBiz101, we advocate starting with our recommended low-cost business model which allows you to explore opportunities without the pressure of high upfront costs. Learn more here.
4. Fear & Self-Doubt
A lack of confidence, fear of failure, or imposter syndrome often discourages people from taking their first step. Many worry about what others will think or doubt their ability to succeed. Doubt leaves you in a cycle between belief and disbelief which just leads to indecision.
Overcoming this barrier requires a mindset shift—recognising that mistakes are valuable learning opportunities and that real progress happens through action. This directly connects to the final barrier identified.
5. Uncertainty & Lack of Knowledge
Not knowing where to begin—what business model to choose or how to market effectively—can leave aspiring entrepreneurs feeling stuck. The good news? 1stOnlineBiz101 provides essential resources, connects you with affordable courses when needed, and offers both free and paid one-to-one services designed specifically for novice entrepreneurs—guiding beginners through every step of the process.
In this journey, a thorough self-assessment of your knowledge, skills, innate interests, and talents is crucial. Identifying these strengths will allow you to maximize their potential, ensuring long-term success in the online business space.
We encourage you to compile this list, even if some of the items appear irrelevant. These are your portfolio or package of assets that can be utilised when attempting to find your unique selling proposing (*USP). It will also be ‘your optimum starting position.’
*USP – it’s basically what makes your product or service stand out from the competition. If you want to learn more on how this process can help you, read my blog about Skill Stacking: It’s the practice of combining multiple complementary skills to create unique advantages – you might be good at a few things but have only currently mastered one but when skills are combined, more opportunities become available.
BONUS
I so wanted to keep this list to the most cited reasons stopping people in getting started with an online business however there are some additional ones that I think impact you more, I just couldn’t leave without sharing these with you.
6. Overcomplicating the Process
Many aspiring entrepreneurs believe they need the perfect business plan, logos, website, or a strategy before they can start. They get stuck in analysis paralysis and never launch. Here, we start small, in stages. We create content before a website, or even quicker and cheaper, we promote the use of online portfolios which can easily convert to websites later down the line. Learning as you go can be far more effective than waiting for the “perfect” moment.
7. The Crab Mentality
This describes a common reaction some people have when they hear ambitious plans. While this phenomenon is rarely discussed as a major barrier, it’s a far greater hindrance than many realize—so I wanted to highlight it here.
If you’re unfamiliar with this behavioural trait, look it up; it’s both fascinating and true. Think of crabs in a bucket—when one tries to climb out, the others instinctively pull it back down.
Be mindful of whom you share your plans with. This reaction occurs when someone resists another’s growth for various reasons—one being that they don’t want them to rise above them. Read about them here.
The Key Takeaway of the Core Lessons
Success is often achieved by starting with your current skills and talents, allowing you to reach your goal in the shortest time possible. This means choosing a business model that matches your strengths and expertise, and in some cases, upskilling as necessary. Your initial business may not earn accolades from your peers, but the objectives are twofold:
- To generate an income that as the potential to fund your desired business.
- To become disciplined in the fundamentals of what makes an online business successful, so you can take advantage of multiple opportunities for earning online.
We only discuss businesses with the potential to earn at least around £500 per month. This amount is an adequate amount to use as seed funds towards a desired business, if you have one in mind. So, even if the business you eventually start with, isn’t your first choice – maybe you feel it doesn’t enhance your social status, don’t worry—it’s the starting that matters!
And to Finish!
Paulo Coelho once said, “You are what you believe yourself to be,” and this often holds true for most people. If you have a creative or entrepreneurial flair, congratulations, you belong to the ranks of about 5% of the population. Treasure and nurture it; others don’t need to understand your motivations. If you believe that taking control of your financial security, then becoming a business owner to achieve financial independence might be the right path for you.
This mindset will undoubtedly help you succeed.
Barriers to Reaching Success is Real!
Some are practical – others are psychological. If you’ve got an idea for a business topic and it’s just ‘hang around’, you’re on one or both categories.
Unfortunately, this blog can only give you an insight, as this topic is huge. I hope I’ve given you enough to allow you to understand what your obstacle might be and how to overcome it or I’ve pointed you towards identifying further help.
In my blog ‘Still Just Thinking About Starting That Online Business’, I addressed the broader issues surrounding starting a business online as a beginner. You’ll discover why your starting point is crucial to your success-the reason why so many people find it hard to keep their momentum or abandon their dream.