The Remote Work Reality Check: What I'm Actually Learning While Building My Business from Zero
An honest look at my first 30 days trying to build a remote business. Real failures, lessons learned, and what the remote work dream actually looks like when you're starting from scratch.
I had this vision: working from anywhere, building websites for clients, writing about my journey, and making a living doing what I love. Thirty days ago, I decided to make it happen. Here’s what I’ve actually learned about building a remote business from zero.
The Dream vs. Reality
The Dream: Wake up in a new city, open my laptop, work on client projects, write insightful blog posts, and watch the money roll in while living the digital nomad lifestyle.
The Reality: Sitting in my apartment, staring at my laptop, wondering why no one wants to hire me, and questioning whether I actually know what I’m doing.
The gap between these two scenarios is wider than I expected. But here’s what I’m learning in the process.
My First 30 Days: The Ugly Truth
Week 1: The Optimism Phase
I started with a burst of energy. I updated my portfolio, created a business plan, and reached out to everyone I knew. I was convinced that within a week, I’d have my first client.
What Actually Happened: Zero responses. Not even a “thanks but no thanks.” Just silence.
Week 2: The Doubt Phase
I started questioning everything. Maybe my portfolio wasn’t good enough. Maybe I was targeting the wrong people. Maybe I didn’t actually have the skills I thought I did.
What Actually Happened: I spent more time doubting myself than actually working on improving my skills or finding clients.
Week 3: The Research Phase
I decided to learn from others who had done this successfully. I read every “how to get your first client” article I could find. I joined freelancing platforms. I started networking online.
What Actually Happened: I learned a lot, but I was still not getting any clients. The platforms were saturated, and my proposals were getting lost in the noise.
Week 4: The Reality Check
I sat down and looked at my actual results: 0 clients, 0 income, but a lot of lessons learned. It was time to be honest with myself about what was working and what wasn’t.
What I’m Learning About Coding
The Gap Between “Knowing” and “Doing”
I thought I knew enough to build websites for clients. I was wrong. There’s a huge difference between building projects for yourself and building them for someone else’s business.
What I’m Actually Learning:
- Client communication is as important as technical skills
- Understanding business requirements is harder than writing code
- I need to improve my debugging and problem-solving skills
- Documentation and clean code matter more than I realized
Take this blog, for example. I’m building it as a real project to learn and grow, and I’ve been documenting the process - including how I’m using AI to build and improve this blog. It’s one thing to read about best practices, but actually implementing them while building something real teaches you so much more.
My Learning Strategy
Instead of trying to learn everything at once, I’m focusing on:
- Building real projects - Not just tutorials, but actual applications I can show potential clients
- Understanding the business side - Why clients need what they need, not just how to build it
For example, I’ve been using AI to help me build and improve this very blog - you can read about how I’m using AI to build and improve this blog and the lessons I’m learning along the way.
What I’m Learning About Business
Marketing Yourself is Harder Than Building Websites
I can build a website in a few days, but getting someone to pay me to do it? That’s a completely different skill set.
What I’m Actually Learning:
- Cold outreach doesn’t work (at least not the way I was doing it)
- Personal branding takes time and consistency
- Networking is about giving value, not just asking for work
- I need to be more specific about who I can help and how
The Client Acquisition Reality
I thought clients would just find me if I built a good portfolio. Wrong again.
What I’m Actually Learning:
- Most successful freelancers spend 50% of their time on marketing
- Referrals are the best source of clients (but you need to earn them)
- Pricing is more psychology than math
- I need to solve real problems, not just build pretty websites
What I’m Learning About Myself
My Work Habits Need Work
Working from home is harder than I expected. Without the structure of an office, I’m easily distracted and often unproductive.
What I’m Actually Learning:
- I need a strict routine to be productive
- I’m more productive in shorter, focused bursts than long work sessions
- I need to separate work time from personal time more clearly
Motivation is Fleeting
The initial excitement wore off quickly when I wasn’t seeing results. I’m learning that discipline is more important than motivation.
What I’m Actually Learning:
- I need to work even when I don’t feel like it
- Small wins matter more than I realized
- I need to celebrate progress, not just results
- My “why” needs to be stronger than my excuses
The Plan Moving Forward
Based on what I’ve learned, here’s what I’m changing:
1. Focus on One Thing at a Time
Instead of trying to be a web developer, blogger, and business consultant all at once, I’m focusing on becoming really good at one specific service first.
2. Build in Public
I’m going to share my journey more openly - the good, the bad, and the ugly. Not just for marketing, but to hold myself accountable and connect with others on the same path.
3. Learn from Real Projects
Instead of just taking courses, I’m going to build real projects that solve real problems. Even if I don’t get paid for them initially, they’ll be better portfolio pieces than tutorial projects.
4. Network Authentically
I’m going to focus on building genuine relationships with other developers, entrepreneurs, and potential clients. Not just asking for work, but offering value first.
What I Wish I Knew 30 Days Ago
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Start with a niche - Don’t try to serve everyone. Pick one type of client and get really good at serving them.
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Build a portfolio that solves problems - Don’t just show what you can build, show how you can help.
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Focus on relationships, not transactions - People hire people they know, like, and trust.
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Track everything - What works, what doesn’t, how much time you spend on different activities.
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Be patient - Building a business takes time. Don’t expect overnight success.
The Bottom Line
Building a remote business from zero is harder than I expected, but I’m learning more than I ever would have in a traditional job. Every failure is a lesson, every rejection is feedback, and every day is an opportunity to get better.
I’m not giving up. I’m just getting started.
What about you? Are you on a similar journey? What lessons have you learned while trying to build something from scratch? I’d love to hear your story in the comments below.
If you found this post helpful, consider sharing it with someone else who might be on the same path. And if you want to follow along with my journey, make sure to subscribe to get updates on my progress.
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