63 Blog Success Stories [2024]
In recent years, blogging has become a highly sought-after & lucrative Business. This location-independent business is a creative outlet to reach a broader audience and even work at any time. According to Optinmonster’s list of blogging statistics and facts:
- Blogs have been rated as the 5th most trustworthy source of gathering online information.
- 77% of internet users read blogs.
- Each month, approximately 409 million people view more than 20 billion pages.
Originally blogging started as an online journal, but today it is a highly profitable career option. Many people are choosing blogging as their full-time career and are earning their bread and butter from this profession.
If you want to start blogging as a side hustle or as a full-time profession, choose a niche you will enjoy writing about and have a content strategy ready. Then, create a mailing list, and decide on a good blog posting routine to keep your audience engaged.
In this list, you'll find real-world blog success stories and very profitable examples of starting a blog that makes money.
1. Impression ($7.8M/year)
Aaron and his university friend, Tom, founded Impression as a side project while working in-house for a renewable energy business. They couldn't find an agency partner that met their expectations, so they decided to create one themselves. Starting with services like paid media, SEO, and digital PR campaigns, they evolved Impression into a strategic agency partner, reaching milestones like employing 100 staff and aiming for a revenue target of £10m.
How much money it makes: $7.8M/year
How much did it cost to start: $0
How many people on the team: 103
Impression - a digital marketing agency started by two friends who were able to grow the business from scratch by profit-funding and recently reached the milestone of employing 100 staff, serving as a strategic agency partner to clients, and set to hit its next revenue target of £10m.
2. Think Future ($3.52M/year)
Kalaboukis, a futurist and innovator, always dreamt of living in the future and creating it. After realizing that people's fear of change is what holds them back from embracing innovation, he started hellofuture to provide tools, workshops, and coaching to help individuals and companies innovate without fear. With revenues of around $293k per month and a portfolio of 122 patents, Kalaboukis is helping others create their ideal future.
How much money it makes: $3.52M/year
How much did it cost to start: $1K
How many people on the team: 2
A futurist and innovator has built a business strategy consulting company with revenues of around $293k per month by helping companies increase revenues and patent portfolios, and generate employee engagement, using a set of tools, workshops, and coaching to move people from their comfort zones, with a highly structured process for lead generation that he considers a trade secret.
3. Sign Spot ($2.64M/year)
Lerno Esmaeilian, inspired by his father’s three-decade sign-building career, co-founded Sign Spot in 2016. After taking over in 2020, Lerno's modernization efforts catapulted the business to $220K in monthly revenue, with a projected 25% growth in 2022.
How much money it makes: $2.64M/year
How much did it cost to start: $45K
How many people on the team: 14
Sign Spot, a family-owned custom signage business, earns $220,000 in revenue per month and is projected to grow 25% in 2022, thanks to the streamlined processes and infrastructure it implemented through continuous investment in innovative machinery and technology.
4. Millennial Money Man ($1.8M/year)
After paying off his own debt and becoming passionate about personal finance, Bobby Hoyt started his blog, Millennial Money Man, to teach millennials how to make more money, save more money, and pay off debt.
After realizing the success of his own Facebook ads for local businesses, Hoyt partnered with Mike Yanda to create the Facebook Side Hustle Course, which teaches others how to run ads for local businesses.
The course had a six-figure launch, leading Hoyt and Yanda to start Laptop Empires, where they help people start and grow online businesses.
How much money it makes: $1.8M/year
How much did it cost to start: $5K
How many people on the team: 4
Millennial Money Man founder Bobby Hoyt and partner Mike Yanda created Laptop Empires, which boasts a seven-figure revenue through their flagship Facebook Side Hustle Course, helping retirees and millennials launch and grow their local Facebook ad agencies.
5. The Smart Passive Income Blog ($1.5M/year)
Pat started the Smart Passive Income blog after being laid off from his architecture job in 2008. He created a website to help people pass the LEED exam, which unexpectedly attracted thousands of visitors daily. Encouraged by positive feedback and initial ebook sales, he launched Smart Passive Income to share his entrepreneurial journey and insights.
That first month, I made $7,008.55. That was just life-changing for me. I was so excited I wanted to share how it all happened and what I had learned, so I created SmartPassiveIncome.com that same month. — Pat Flynn (Source)
How much money it makes: $1.5M/year
Pat Flynn's Smart Passive Income Blog generates $125K/month on average, with $1.5M/year in revenue since its inception in 2008, offering guidance for those seeking to transition from traditional jobs to online businesses generating passive income.
6. Kindlepreneur ($1.44M/year)
than the leading software, but it will also work seamlessly on both Mac and PC. With a proven track record of success in the software industry and a strong customer base, the future looks bright for Dave Chesson and his new venture.
How much money it makes: $1.44M/year
How much did it cost to start: $10K
How many people on the team: 6
Founder Dave Chesson shares how he created a successful book marketing software, generating $120k a month, and offers advice for non-techies on how to hire programmers, prioritize support, and innovate continuously.
7. Ditto Transcripts ($1.2M/year)
Ben Walker, the founder of Transcription Outsourcing, was inspired to start his business after hearing about a friend starting a medical transcription company. He saw an opportunity in the healthcare industry and decided to join forces with the founder to create a transcription service that catered to not only medical professionals but also the legal, law enforcement, financial, academic, and general business industries. Through effective advertising, SEO, and a commitment to exceptional customer service, Transcription Outsourcing has been able to attract and retain clients, leading to their success as a $100k/month company.
How much money it makes: $1.2M/year
How much did it cost to start: $150K
How many people on the team: 5
How this founder started a $100K/month guaranteed transcription service for medical, legal, law enforcement, financial, academic and general business industries, winning the NASPO ValuePoint transcription services contract over 26 other companies and learning valuable lessons about getting a coach and getting as much PR as possible.
8. Create and Go ($1.2M/year)
Attracted a lot of subscribers, but it also helped us build trust and establish ourselves as experts in the blogging industry. We also focused on providing valuable and actionable content on our blog and social media platforms, which helped us attract and retain customers who were looking for guidance and support in starting their own successful blogs.
How much money it makes: $1.2M/year
How many people on the team: 0
Two friends built an online blog that grew to generate an average of $130k per month, eventually turning it into a successful course business Create and Go with over 10,000 students, by focusing on what their readers needed, investing in their business, building an email list, and utilizing social media platforms like Pinterest and YouTube for traffic.
9. Wholesome Yum ($1.01M/year)
Maya started her healthy low-carb lifestyle in 2010 and was amazed at how fabulous it made me feel.
She had struggled with low energy, mood swings, anxiety, and sugar addiction since age 14, and eating this way made these issues virtually disappear.
In 2015, she decided to start a website to have a place to record these recipes – Wholesome Yum was born!
How much money it makes: $1.01M/year
How many people on the team: 8
Wholesome Yum helps health-conscious individuals with easy and delicious keto recipes, generating an impressive $84K per month and $1.01M per year, mostly from Pinterest and search engine traffic, offering valuable content and meal plan subscriptions to beginners of the ketogenic diet.
10. Making Sense of Cents ($996K/year)
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner came up with the idea for Making Sense of Cents as a way to document her personal finance journey.
She started the blog as a hobby, but after readers suggested she monetize it, she leaped and quit her stable job as an analyst.
Making Sense of Cents now earns over $100,000 a month and has made over $5 million in total.
How much money it makes: $996K/year
How much did it cost to start: $100
How many people on the team: 1
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner earns $100,000 a month from Making Sense of Cents, a personal finance and lifestyle blog where she writes informative and fun articles about financial freedom and her life on the road, thanks to a diversified traffic approach and monetization strategies, such as affiliate marketing, sponsored partnerships, and course sales.
11. Ellen Yin Media LLC ($960K/year)
Ellen Yin, founder of Ellen Yin Media and creator of Cubicle to CEO, started her business after quitting her corporate marketing job. She initially took on small projects, but when a coworker became her first client, she realized she could monetize her skills into a service. She then made a pivot to focus on creating and scaling digital products, launching her first program with zero content and pre-selling it to beta students. To attract and retain customers, she leveraged partner campaigns, utilized a self-liquidating offer funnel, and gained media features. Today, the business has reached seven figures in lifetime revenue and is on track to make over one million dollars in annual revenue.
How much money it makes: $960K/year
How much did it cost to start: $100
How many people on the team: 3
Founder Ellen Yin shares how she profitably bootstrapped growth from a $300 client project into 7 figures in lifetime revenue and how she launched a $10K/month online course using pre-selling to test and validate her offer.
12. Buildapreneur ($960K/year)
Spencer Mecham, the founder of Buildapreneur, was introduced to the concept of affiliate marketing while working at a digital marketing agency.
Inspired by a co-worker's successful blog that reviewed vacuum cleaners, Spencer decided to enter the affiliate marketing space.
He initially struggled with starting a blog and trying other platforms like Instagram, but found success by accident when a YouTube video he created blew up and received hundreds of thousands of views.
From there, he pivoted to YouTube and has since grown his audience to nearly half a million people across various platforms, using content marketing to attract and retain customers.
How much money it makes: $960K/year
How much did it cost to start: $0
How many people on the team: 0
This case study explores how Spencer Mecham founded Buildapreneur, an affiliate marketing business, and has made over half a million dollars in profit with no employees, relying solely on content marketing through platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
13. Nomadic Matt ($744K/year)
In July 2006, Matt set off on a global adventure. As an early travel blogger, he encountered backpackers who demonstrated that he didn't need to be tied down to a job or be wealthy to travel long-term on a budget. They showed him that millions of people did it every year. After this trip, he returned home with the idea of creating a website to teach people how to "travel better for less".
How much money it makes: $744K/year
Learn how founder Matthew Kepnes turned a global adventure into a profitable business with an average revenue of $62k/month, teaching millions how to travel for less through his blog, Nomadic Matt, starting in 2008.
14. EF Specialists ($688K/year)
Sean G. McCormick came up with the idea for his online executive functioning coaching business after realizing the high demand for support in managing school for students with ADHD and other learning disabilities. By niching down into executive function coaching and leveraging his expertise in special education, McCormick was able to quickly grow his business and establish himself as valuable in the education community.
How much money it makes: $688K/year
How many people on the team: 10
How Sean McCormick's online executive functioning coaching business went from $0 to over $100k per month in revenue in just a few years, with an average monthly revenue of around $57k, and grew from a sole proprietorship to an S-Corp with 16 employees and 125 active clients, serving parents and school districts mainly in California.
15. World Renowned Coaching & Consulting ($576K/year)
Neal Oates, Jr. identified a growing demand for coaching and consulting services in the real estate sector and launched World Renowned Coaching and Consulting in 2022. By leveraging his luxury real estate experience, Neal turned his business into a $48,000/month enterprise that serves nine different industries.
How much money it makes: $576K/year
How much did it cost to start: $1.2K
How many people on the team: 0
Case study about the founder building a successful coaching and consulting business generating $48,000 monthly, expanding from real estate to service-based businesses in nine industries, with growth for three consecutive quarters.
16. Lioness ($540K/year)
Ariella had a background in tech communications and public affairs, but she wanted to take a more authentic and journalistic approach to storytelling. Inspired by her experience co-founding a workplace rights organization, she launched Lioness, a storytelling company that aims to connect individuals and enterprises to the media, giving untold stories more exposure and impact. Despite facing challenges during the pandemic, Lioness has attracted and retained clients through monthly retainers and referrals, and they plan to expand their services in the future to include a public policy division and their own content platform.
How much money it makes: $540K/year
How much did it cost to start: $60K
How many people on the team: 10
Ariella started Lioness, a storytelling company, that currently makes $45k a month working with startups, corporations, non-profits, and individuals by democratizing access to the news media using a journalistic approach to public relations to bridge a gap helping people bring their stories forward.
17. Just a girl and her blog ($480K/year)
Abby, a stay-at-home mom, desired to pursue a personal project alongside her fulfilling yet all-consuming role of caring for her two young sons. Leveraging her background in English education, she delved into blogging as a form of self-expression, without ever expecting an audience for her writing.
What she initially thought would be solely for personal fulfillment unexpectedly transformed into a highly appreciated platform, resulting in her feeling incredibly grateful.
How much money it makes: $480K/year
"Discover how Abby Lawson grew Just a Girl and Her Blog from a personal project to a lucrative business, making an impressive $40K per month and $480K per year, using social media engagement and SEO as key growth strategies."
18. CopySmiths ($480K/year)
Katrina McKinnon came up with the idea for CopySmiths after noticing the significant impact that blogging had on organic traffic and sales for her clients. She closed her 20-year-old agency and started CopySmiths, offering a productized service of high-quality blog articles for eCommerce stores and affiliate sites. Since its launch in 2020, CopySmiths has grown to over 100 clients and 40 writers.
How much money it makes: $480K/year
How much did it cost to start: $8K
How many people on the team: 7
CopySmiths, a content shop that specializes in writing blog articles for eCommerce stores and affiliate sites, has grown from 2 clients and 4 writers in 2020 to now over 100 clients and 40+ writers by using a business operating system inspired by the book "Work the System" by Sam Carpenter and focusing on product-market fit and referrals as their primary drivers of growth.
19. ryrob.com ($480K/year)
Ryan Robinson started his blog ryrob.com in college as a way to share the lessons he learned from starting a business around his product, the iStash. After a viral post on HackerNews and Twitter, Ryan saw the potential to build a community around his blog and turned it into a full-time business. Now, his blog has around 500,000 monthly readers and generates between $25,000 to $55,000 in revenue each month through affiliate partnerships, sponsorships, and the sale of his own digital products.
How much money it makes: $480K/year
How much did it cost to start: $500
How many people on the team: 1
Ryan Robinson explains how he built a blog with over 500k monthly visitors and generates $25,000-$55,000 in revenue each month through affiliate partnerships, sponsorships, and his own digital products like courses and books.
20. Zenmaster Wellness ($480K/year)
A pay cut at his job, and a friend's success in this niche inspired Matt to start during the pandemic.
How much money it makes: $480K/year
How much did it cost to start: $500
How many people on the team: 0
Matt Oney quit his full-time job to pursue his side hustle full-time: an affiliate marketing-based content site called ZenmasterWellness that generates around 80k monthly visits and average monthly revenue of about $40,000 by leveraging SEO and affiliate partnerships.
21. Visualmodo ($360K/year)
to the market response, competitors, and trends. Secondly, customer support and satisfaction are crucial. Providing excellent support, addressing customer questions and concerns promptly, and going above and beyond to exceed their expectations will not only retain existing customers but also attract new ones through positive word-of-mouth. Lastly, investing in content and establishing yourself as an authority in your field through valuable resources, helpful documentation, and educational materials can greatly contribute to brand credibility and customer trust.
How much money it makes: $360K/year
How much did it cost to start: $10K
How many people on the team: 3
Visualmodo co-founders Claudio Pires and Jared Dias started a global WordPress theme development company which generates $360k per year, with the market growing rapidly.
22. TechJury ($360K/year)
Deyan Georgiev came up with the idea for Techjury.net after experiencing frustrations with dishonest laptop reviews and wanting to provide unbiased information. Despite initially struggling to monetize the site and facing challenges with SEO, they focused on organic traffic and quality content, which eventually led to success. Techjury now makes $30,000/month in revenue and helps over 200,000 people find the best software and products.
How much money it makes: $360K/year
How much did it cost to start: $10K
How many people on the team: 13
Affiliate website Techjury.net achieves $30,000/month in revenue after a very slow start by disrupting the industry with unbiased reviews, achieved with a small team of 13 and attracting over 200,000 visitors a month, with founder Deyan Georgiev attributing their success to handpicking his team and treating people with respect.
23. OneHourProfessor.com ($360K/year)
Ron Stefanski, the founder of OneHourProfessor.com, came up with the idea for his online business when his step-brother asked for help finding a job with a felony record. Seeing a need for employment resources for those with criminal records, Stefanski launched a website that quickly went viral, attracting thousands of visitors in a short period of time. The business has since become highly profitable, with Stefanski making over $1 million in profit and earning $30-$40k per month.
How much money it makes: $360K/year
How much did it cost to start: $140
How many people on the team: 3
Learn how Ron Stefanski generated over $1 million in profit from his online business, OneHourProfessor.com by obsessively measuring and following data, using SEO, and focusing on reinvesting profits into growth.
24. Contact Any Celebrity ($360K/year)
Jordan McAuley, founder of Contact Any Celebrity, came up with the idea while in film school to make extra money. Starting in 1997, he built his website into a membership site and online database. Over time, he pivoted the site to cater to professionals, attracting customers from nonprofits, authors, entrepreneurs, and media people. The business has lasted 23 years and continues to thrive, with a 7-day free trial and an affiliate program that pays 50% monthly recurring commissions. The site even received recognition from Tim Ferriss in his book, 'The 4-Hour Workweek.'
How much money it makes: $360K/year
How much did it cost to start: $100
How many people on the team: 2
Contact Any Celebrity founder Jordan McAuley shares how he turned his teenage hobby into a six-figure full-time business with a membership site and print directory of over 59,000 celebrity contacts, and his marketing strategies including an affiliate program, Google AdWords, and free trials.
25. Kinda Healthy Recipes ($312K/year)
Mason Woodruff started his blog Kinda Healthy Recipes in 2014 as a side project and portfolio for his freelance writing. In 2017, he made the decision to work on the blog full-time and focused on creating recipe and food content. Since then, his blog has experienced revenue growth, attracting over half a million monthly sessions and bringing in $15k-$20k per month.
How much money it makes: $312K/year
How much did it cost to start: $10K
How many people on the team: 1
How one food blogger turned his passion into a business that brings in $15k-$20k per month through display advertising, affiliate marketing, and exclusive content, and doubled in revenue every year since going full time in 2018.
26. The Savvy Couple ($240K/year)
Kelan and Brittany Kline started their personal finance blog, The Savvy Couple, over three years ago with the mission of helping families find financial freedom. Through their blog, digital workbooks, and flagship course, they have helped thousands of families budget, pay off debt, and make money online. They are on track to make over $250,000 this year alone and have created products and services to solve their readers' biggest problems.
How much money it makes: $240K/year
How much did it cost to start: $500
How many people on the team: 2
Learn how one couple created a successful personal finance blog, The Savvy Couple, that now makes over $20,000 per month and has sold thousands of digital workbooks and courses, by focusing on purposeful content and optimizing their ROI with efficient time management.
27. Crowded Kitchen ($204K/year)
Lexi Harrison, the co-founder and CEO of Crowded Kitchen, came up with the idea for her plant-based recipe website and content business while studying abroad and facing dietary challenges. With the help of her mom, she grew their audience to 20k followers within the first year. With their expertise in photography and recipe development, they diversified their business by offering content creation services to food and beverage brands, which now accounts for 50% of their revenue.
How much money it makes: $204K/year
How much did it cost to start: $5K
How many people on the team: 3
How co-founders of Crowded Kitchen, a plant-based recipe website and creative content business, grew their social media following to nearly 200k and became a leader in the plant-based recipe space, while also offering photography and recipe development services to major food and beverage brands.
28. Crowd Work News ($156K/year)
Starting a remote work blog was both a pain point for Sireesha (while she was searching for remote jobs) and a way to earn a passive income.
How much money it makes: $156K/year
How much did it cost to start: $500
How many people on the team: 0
Sireesha Narumanchi shares how she turned her passion for flexible, remote work into a successful blog generating five figures a month by focusing on affiliate marketing, email marketing and SEO.
29. My Media Pal ($144K/year)
James Kuck, co-founder of My Media Pal, came up with the idea for his business after experiencing the struggle of generating inbound local leads for his construction company. He discovered the power of local SEO and decided to pivot, creating My Media Pal as a digital marketing agency that helps local businesses with web design, SEO, and paid ads. Eventually, they realized the value of owning the assets that generate leads and shifted their focus to rank and rent, offering optimized websites and exclusive leads to local businesses.
How much money it makes: $144K/year
How much did it cost to start: $2K
How many people on the team: 1
My Media Pal is a successful digital agency that has morphed into three divisions, including a rank and rent business focused on generating local service leads, bringing in an average of $12,000-$15,000 per month.
30. Yoga Strong ($120K/year)
After retiring from a seven-season professional basketball career and struggling to land job interviews, Jason Deutchman turned a family dinner conversation about making yoga more fun into Yoga Strong, a luxe performance fitness accessory brand now raking in close to $10K monthly sales.
How much money it makes: $120K/year
How much did it cost to start: $20K
How many people on the team: 0
Yoga Strong, a performance fitness accessories company, developed the perfect quality yoga mat with "Composite Technology," sourcing materials from over 200 yoga mat tests, and uses limited drops and influencer and affiliate partnerships to attract and retain customers, all while showing close to $10,000 in monthly sales.
31. Information Guide Africa ($120K/year)
Igbo Clifford Chimaizuobi, along with his twin brother Igbo Stanford Onyemaizuchi, launched Information Guide Africa to provide a platform for writers to earn together. Starting with a general niche blog, they embraced multi-niche content and monetized through ad networks, affiliate marketing, and sponsored posts, growing their monthly readership to over 200,000. They are now expanding into movie making and plan to launch apps for their blogs and movies.
How much money it makes: $120K/year
How much did it cost to start: $300
How many people on the team: 4
Twin brothers from Nigeria launched multi-niche website, Information Guide Africa, which now attracts over 200k unique visitors per month and generates $60k annually through ad networks, affiliate marketing, and sponsored posts.
32. Christian Hypnobirthing ($120K/year)
Tara Menzies, the creator of the Christian Hypnobirthing App, came up with the idea after experiencing anxiety and fear during her own pregnancy and difficult labor. As a Christian, she wanted a scripture-based alternative to traditional hypnobirthing methods. With no app-building or software background and limited funds, she used a free app-building platform and recorded the tracks herself to create an app that helps expecting mothers feel more relaxed and connected to God during pregnancy and birth.
How much money it makes: $120K/year
How much did it cost to start: $200
How many people on the team: 1
Tara Menzies created the Christian Hypnobirthing App, which has 5,000 downloads a month and average revenue of US$10K a month, to help expecting mamas feel more relaxed and connected to God throughout pregnancy and birth, and later expanded to include a childbirth education course.
33. Tracie Fobes ($120K/year)
Tracie Fobes started her blogging education and coaching business after successfully monetizing and selling her first site for six figures. Realizing that she had valuable knowledge to offer other bloggers, she created a course to help them with printable products and priced it affordably for her target market. By showing up every day and providing value to her customers, Tracie has been able to attract and retain a loyal following, resulting in continued growth and success for her business.
How much money it makes: $120K/year
How much did it cost to start: $150
How many people on the team: 0
Learn how Tracie Fobes built a blogging education and coaching business that now brings in over $10,000 per month through her products and how she launched it to success through offering value, listening to her audience, and consistent effort.
34. Mommy On Purpose ($120K/year)
Carly, a stay-at-home mom, started her first blog, Mommy on Purpose, with no knowledge of the internet or online businesses. She invested $2,000 in courses and resources to learn how to monetize her blog, and after nine months of hard work, she replaced her desk job income. She later launched Blogging Like You Mean It to help other bloggers monetize their own sites, and her book, Pinteresting Strategies, now sells 75+ copies per month.
How much money it makes: $120K/year
How much did it cost to start: $2K
How many people on the team: 1
Mom blogger creates two related businesses, one generating 8-10k Canadian dollars per month in traffic revenue, and another offering courses to new bloggers about how to monetize their sites, all at an initial investment of $2,000, and largely based on her Pinterest presence.
35. Prosmartrepreneur ($114K/year)
Sayan Neogie, an engineering student, started his personal finance and entrepreneurship blog in 2018, initially as a way to make money on the side. After reading an article about a blogger who made over $100,000 per month, Sayan jumped into blogging without hesitation. Fast forward to 2021, his blog now attracts over 160,000 monthly readers and generates a full-time income, proving that blogging can be a profitable venture with minimal investment.
How much money it makes: $114K/year
How much did it cost to start: $4
How many people on the team: 0
This case study is about a college student who started a personal finance & entrepreneurship blog and now makes $9.5k a month with over 160k monthly visitors, showcasing how blogging can be a profitable business model with little investment and high potential for growth.
36. The Modest Wallet ($102K/year)
Ricardo Pina, an engineer, started The Modest Wallet after feeling frustrated with financial advisors who didn't provide access to the best financial products. He wanted to share his knowledge and help others achieve their financial goals, leading him to create a personal finance blog. Through hard work and an SEO strategy, The Modest Wallet has seen success, bringing in an average of $8,500 per month in revenue after almost two years in business.
How much money it makes: $102K/year
How much did it cost to start: $1.5K
How many people on the team: 0
The Modest Wallet is a personal finance website founded by Ricardo Pina that generates an average of $8,500 a month in revenue by using an affiliate commission revenue model, with a strong emphasis on SEO to drive website traffic.
37. FITnancials ($90K/year)
Financials initially started as a fitness blog when Alexis had lost 60 pounds while in college and people came to her for advice. With time however, it blossomed into something Alexis was passionate about, which was helping women manage, save, and earn more money.
How much money it makes: $90K/year
How much did it cost to start: $100
How many people on the team: 1
Learn how one woman turned her personal finance blog into a $7.5k per month business through affiliate marketing, ad revenue, and sponsored partnerships, and discover the tools and resources she used to grow her business and achieve work-life balance.
38. Money Tamer (Now HerPaperRoute) ($84K/year)
A zookeeper by profession, Steffa started this finance blog when she had her son as a way to earn a passive income and fulfull her interests, and entering this niche stemmed from her interest in finance, which she even joked among her coworkers in the zoo.
How much money it makes: $84K/year
How much did it cost to start: $300
How many people on the team: 1
Learn how Steffa Mantilla transitioned from being a zookeeper to earning $7,000/month gross income through her personal finance blog, Money Tamer, by offering digital printables and focusing on SEO and email marketing.
39. Ask Holly Hall ($72K/year)
Holly Hall, a clairvoyant life coach, was introduced to the world of astrology and spiritual therapy through a book lent by a co-worker. With her unique abilities and a deep understanding of individuals, she launched her business, Ask Holly Hall, and has since garnered endorsements from esteemed figures like Dr. Shefali. With an average income of $5,000-8,000 per month, she aims to expand her reach through podcasting and publishing her book with a publishing company.
How much money it makes: $72K/year
How much did it cost to start: $200
Meet the Clairvoyant life coach who has built a highly successful business generating an average income of $5,000-8,000 a month through her talents as an Author, LifeCoach Astropsychologist, Spiritual Therapist, astrologer, and Clairvoyant with the ability in remote viewing to help clients understand their existence, relationships, careers, and connection with the universe or source.
40. Startups of London ($72K/year)
Startups of London was founded by an entrepreneur who noticed a lack of rich media content about the startup scene in London. With a background in understanding human behavior and previous experience in startups, the founder launched the business in September 2019 as a documentary company profiling startups with video and rich content. The pandemic shifted their focus to SEO and discovering niche areas of need, resulting in impressive growth with over 100,000 people reached and becoming the number one organic result for key search terms in their audience.
How much money it makes: $72K/year
How many people on the team: 4
Startups of London is a media company profiling startups in the UK with a focus on high-value content creation that has seen over 100,000 people reached and is the number one organic result for many key search terms, since their launch in September 2019.
41. Katie Goes Platinum ($72K/year)
Katie Emery, founder of KatieGoesPlatinum.com, came up with the idea for her business after deciding to embrace her gray hair and noticing a lack of information and products available for women going through the same transition. Within a few months of starting her blog, she earned $500 in ad revenue, and two years later, her site consistently averages $6,000 per month in revenue.
How much money it makes: $72K/year
How much did it cost to start: $500
How many people on the team: 1
Katie Emery founded KatieGoesPlatinum.com, a website advising women on how to transition from dyed hair to their natural gray hair, which earns an average of $6,000 per month in revenue through affiliate marketing, sponsored posts, and advertisements.
42. Food Truck Empire ($64.8K/year)
Stemming from an idea to start a food truck business himself, Brett was shocked to see no information available on the internet on how to start one.
With his experience as an online marketer in his full-time job, he saw huge search results for keywords like "food trucks for sale". That's when Brett decided to start a blog and a podcast on this niche without quitting his job.
How much money it makes: $64.8K/year
How much did it cost to start: $500
How many people on the team: 1
How Brett Lindenberg built a profitable food entrepreneurship blog, FoodTruckEmpire.com, from his apartment in Minnesota that now gets over 300,000 monthly page views and has an email subscriber list of over 35,000, grossing $5,400 monthly in 2018, by conducting over 100 interviews with food entrepreneurs and offering an online Food Truck Academy class to prepare aspiring entrepreneurs for the real challenges of starting a successful food business.
43. Ghana Talks Business ($60K/year)
Amma Antwi, the owner and Managing Editor of Ghana Talks Business, came up with the idea to fill the gap in knowledge-based content on business management and personal finance in Ghana. As management consultants with a passion for writing, they realized the need for a platform to publish their content and reach a wider audience. With a unique approach to simplifying business topics and conducting webinars, Ghana Talks Business has attracted a loyal audience and seen steady revenue growth.
How much money it makes: $60K/year
How much did it cost to start: $5K
How many people on the team: 4
Ghana Talks Business is a successful niche business content platform, earning between $3000 and $5000 monthly through expert knowledge-based content on business management and personal finance catered towards business professionals, entrepreneurs, and students.
44. TechySex ($60K/year)
Martin Moore, the founder of TechySex, stumbled upon the idea for his business when he realized there was a lack of information and quality content on sex toys and sexual wellness.
After working as a freelance writer in the industry, he decided to create his own blog to provide valuable resources and recommendations.
With a focus on SEO and organic traffic, TechySex has become profitable, generating around $5K per month and attracting readers from both the USA and Europe.
The future looks promising as Martin plans to expand his team and explore new ways to increase income.
How much money it makes: $60K/year
How much did it cost to start: $20
How many people on the team: 0
TechySex is a website that offers sexual wellness education and sex toy reviews, making around $5k per month on average and featuring affiliate programs as the main source of income; the founder Martin Moore started it after having experience as a ghostwriter in the adult industry and noticing a huge lack of information on sex toys as well as sexual wellness in general.
45. Mrs Daaku Studio ($60K/year)
Chhavi, the founder of Mrs Daaku Studio, had a desire to achieve financial freedom and work from home. After finding success as a freelance writer, she and her husband Amit realized there was a demand for information and guidance on working from home and starting side hustles. They launched their blog and YouTube channel, offering valuable resources and products like The Client Magnet Bundle and The Content Mojo, which have helped them earn $5-7k per month and live a flexible life.
How much money it makes: $60K/year
How much did it cost to start: $500
How many people on the team: 3
Learn how this entrepreneurial couple made $5-7k a month by helping others find legitimate work from home jobs and creative ways to make money online through their blog and YouTube channel, as well as offering two flagship products designed to help beginner freelancers and new bloggers accelerate growth.
46. Let's Reach Success ($60K/year)
Lidiya started her blog as a hobby in 2013, combining her passion for personal development and writing. Over the years, she gained traffic, learned about SEO and monetization, and turned her blog into a 5-figure online business. Inspired by other bloggers, she created her signature course, "Financial Freedom Through Blogging," to help others achieve the same success.
How much money it makes: $60K/year
How much did it cost to start: $100
How many people on the team: 0
How a full-time blogger created a 5-figure online business from a hobby, and now helps people start a side hustle and earn passive income with a signature program that teaches how to start and grow a blog, reach 100K page views and $5,000/month, and live life on their own terms.
47. Stray Curls ($54K/year)
Angela, the founder of the blog Stray Curls, turned her passion for illustration and creativity into a profitable online business. Her skills in computer science, graphic design, and illustration came in handy in creating a unique blog that helps young women establish creative online businesses.
With her colorful illustrations and engaging content, Angela has built a loyal following. She continues to grow her business by using email marketing and creating digital products that cater to her audience's needs.
How much money it makes: $54K/year
How much did it cost to start: $99
How many people on the team: 0
Angela shares how she turned her love for creating comics, drawings and graphic design into a successful blog and business that helps young women build creative online businesses, earning $4.5k a month on her blog and selling digital products.
48. Leader Connecting Leaders ($54K/year)
Jodi Carlson, a professional web designer and former Girl Scout leader, started her blog to share her knowledge and resources with other leaders.
She accidentally stumbled into a profitable business when she received an email from a leader on the other side of the country interested in one of her badge activity booklets.
Since then, Carlson has grown her blog into a profitable venture, generating $5,000 - $8,000 a month from activity booklet sales, ad revenue, and affiliate marketing.
How much money it makes: $54K/year
How much did it cost to start: $100
How many people on the team: 0
Jodi Carlson, a professional web designer, turned her Girl Scouts hobby into a successful profitable blog, making $5,000 - 8,000 a month from printable booklets and affiliate marketing, through focusing on Pinterest and Facebook as marketing platforms along with offering free resources and collaboration opportunities.
49. My Curly Adventures ($48K/year)
Jessica, the founder of MyCurlyAdventures, came up with the idea for her business after realizing that there was a demand for travel destinations close to home that could be visited on a weekend getaway. By showcasing these unique and lesser-known locations in Texas through her blog and social media, she was able to attract a growing audience and monetize her platform through advertising, sponsorships, and affiliate income. With her income steadily increasing and a constant focus on creating high-quality content, Jessica's future looks bright as she continues to inspire others to explore and travel.
How much money it makes: $48K/year
How many people on the team: 2
Learn how Jessica started a niche travel blog and quit her 9-5 job, earning a living wage through Instagram advertising, sponsorships, and affiliate income, while traveling 3-4 times a month and increasing her website traffic from 400 to 25k page views in a year with Pinterest and Instagram growth tactics.
50. Mommy Enlightened ($36K/year)
Audrey started her blog, Mommy Enlightened, with the goal of making money and providing valuable information to struggling moms. She later expanded her business by creating a graphic design course for Pinterest pin creation. Through hard work and dedication, Audrey has seen success, making three times the amount she made working a full-time job and generating over 10k in one month alone. Her key to success has been diversifying her income streams and constantly adapting to changes in the online business world.
How much money it makes: $36K/year
How many people on the team: 2
This case study follows a blogger who started making over $3,000 per month within a year and a half of launching her blog about motherhood, and shares tips on diversifying income streams, networking, and prioritizing spending.
51. Frugal and Frills ($36K/year)
After becoming a mother for the second time and wanting to find a way to combine her financial background with her everyday life as a mother, Asia Crawford decided to start a blog. Despite having no prior knowledge of website design or blogging, she taught herself everything through YouTube tutorials. In just two years, Asia has grown her blog to 18.5K Instagram followers, 1.2 million monthly viewers on Pinterest, and 12.5K monthly blog pageviews, generating between $1,500-$3,000 in extra income every month.
How much money it makes: $36K/year
How many people on the team: 1
How one mother built a profitable frugal motherhood, life, and travel blog from scratch, using Instagram, Pinterest, and paid sponsorships to grow from 0 to 18.5K followers and generate $1,500-$3,000 per month in less than two years.
52. The Customize Windows ($33.6K/year)
Abhishek Ghosh, founder of The Customize Windows blog, was inspired by his passion for electronics and programming. He launched the blog in 2010 to share his knowledge of tweaking Microsoft Windows and gradually expanded its scope to include theoretical discussions on various tech topics. Over the years, the website has attracted direct advertisers and stabilized its monthly earnings at $2,500, offering valuable content to readers in the software and electronics niche.
How much money it makes: $33.6K/year
How much did it cost to start: $500
How many people on the team: 4
This case study is an inspiring story about how a founder started a blog on Microsoft Windows technology and, after a decade of hard work, dedication, and patience, managed to make it a sustainable business earning $30,000 per year, outlining the process of designing, prototyping, and launching the website and the lessons learned along the way.
53. Spreadtheworld ($24K/year)
Xavier Coiffard, a developer turned solo entrepreneur, came up with the idea for his business, Spreadtheworld, after struggling to find online places to post his startup. He curated a list of 100 places and shared it on Reddit and IndieHackers, which gained significant traction. This led him to create a product, and from there, he launched several other successful ventures following a similar approach.
How much money it makes: $24K/year
How much did it cost to start: $0
How many people on the team: 0
Learn how Xavier Coiffard generated $2000 per month in revenue by building 4 products in 4 months with no-code tools like Carrd, Airtable, Gumroad, and Zapier, as well as how he soft launched his products on Twitter and iterated on his launch strategy.
54. Indie Worldwide ($24K/year)
Anthony came up with the idea for Indie Worldwide after experiencing setbacks in his career and freelancing. He leveraged his experience in running events and his desire to be like other successful founders in the indie hacking community to create a virtual meetup for indie hackers. Through organic growth and strategic launches on platforms like Product Hunt, the community has grown to over 2,000 members and has multiple revenue streams, including a successful Founders' Club with $5.5k in ARR and sponsorships.
How much money it makes: $24K/year
How much did it cost to start: $1.2K
How many people on the team: 1
Indie Worldwide has scaled to 2,000 members with revenue streams generating $5.5k ARR and $3k in sponsorships, offering aspiring founders a blueprint for creating profitable virtual communities.
55. Grandmas House DIY ($24K/year)
Tarah Wolff, the founder of Grandma's House DIY, came up with the idea for her blog while renovating her grandparents' 100-year-old farmhouse. Inspired by her love for DIY projects and woodworking, Tarah decided to document and share her renovation journey, providing inspiration and motivation for others. Since its launch, Grandma's House DIY has seen steady growth, with monthly revenue currently reaching $2,000.
How much money it makes: $24K/year
How much did it cost to start: $1K
How many people on the team: 0
A DIY and renovations blog called Grandma's House DIY, founded by Tarah Wolff, is bringing in around $2,000 a month, and has grown to average 40k monthly sessions with around 70k monthly page views, through consistent posting and promotion on niche websites.
56. Super Smash Cache ($24K/year)
Cy, an award-winning sex blogger, started her review blog, Super Smash Cache, after realizing the lack of honest information about body-safe sex toys. With a background in biology and art, Cy wanted to create a platform that challenged assumptions about sexuality and provided a space for sexually expressive individuals. Today, her blog has amassed over 11,000 followers on Instagram and brings in around $2,000 a month through affiliate commissions, sponsored posts, and banner ads.
How much money it makes: $24K/year
How much did it cost to start: $14
How many people on the team: 0
Sex blogger turns a free WordPress blog into a $2,000 a month part-time digital business by investing in education, self-hosting, and building relationships within the NSFW community.
57. Startupily ($18K/year)
Safwan Khan, founder of Startupily, came up with the idea for his blog when he was struggling to find a job and needed to earn an income. Inspired by the trend of blogging for side income, he started interviewing entrepreneurs and publishing their interviews on Startupily. Over time, he expanded the blog by adding business articles, templates, and documents, attracting traffic and positive response from entrepreneurs worldwide.
How much money it makes: $18K/year
How much did it cost to start: $50
How many people on the team: 0
Founder Safwan Khan started Startupily, a blog for entrepreneurs seeking business articles and resources, after being inspired by Pat Flynn's podcast and networking app DUST, providing free PR services for small business owners, before expanding into publishing business articles and selling business plan templates and documents, resulting in partnerships with global sites Influencive and Thrive Global.
58. Dreamfruit ($12K/year)
Elizabeth Russell, creator of the Dreamfruit Almanac for Earthlings, came up with the idea after closing the doors of her integrative arts and community event space. In a moment of inspiration, she created a prototype for a moon-based planner/journal hybrid that blended her concern for the world with her faith in human compassion. She collaborated with her partner, worked with a designer to create a new website, and launched her business, attracting customers through emails and in-person events.
How much money it makes: $12K/year
How much did it cost to start: $15K
How many people on the team: 1
Dreamfruit Almanac for Earthlings is a unique moon-based planner and guided journal self-published by Elizabeth Russell which resulted in a successful crowdfunding campaign with over 100% community support, building a core of supportive people through live-events and community-focused marketing.
59. Our captions ($12K/year)
and staying updated with the latest trends and strategies is crucial. Some of the most influential resources for me have been "SEO 2021: Learn search engine optimization with ... 150 problems with ... solutions" by William Ross, "Digital Marketing for Dummies" by Ryan Deiss and Russ Henneberry, and "The One Thing" by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan. These books have provided valuable insights and actionable strategies that have helped shape my approach to growing my business. Additionally, I regularly listen to podcasts such as "The Smart Passive Income Online Business and Blogging Podcast" by Pat Flynn and "The GaryVee Audio Experience" by Gary Vaynerchuk. These podcasts provide valuable knowledge and inspiration from successful entrepreneurs in the industry.
How much money it makes: $12K/year
How much did it cost to start: $50
How many people on the team: 3
OurCaptions founder Siddharth Malhotra shares how he built a social media website that attracts over 200k visitors per month purely via organic searches, and offers tips on writing SEO-optimized articles.
60. Blooming Anomaly ($8.4K/year)
Ann Remo, founder of Blooming Anomaly, started her gardening blog in 2017 with the goal of making enough money to cover her monthly student loan payments. Through research, learning how to write for a blog, and utilizing social media platforms like Pinterest, she has grown her blog to make around $700 a month, exceeding her initial goal. Ann's focus on writing helpful articles and utilizing SEO has been key to attracting and retaining customers.
How much money it makes: $8.4K/year
How much did it cost to start: $200
How many people on the team: 0
Ann Remo turned her love for urban gardening into a profitable blog, Blooming Anomaly, which earns her around $700 a month through Mediavine ads, Amazon affiliates, and other affiliate programs. She recommends focusing on writing great posts with keywords, and investing in SEO and social media through courses.
61. CarSpiritPK ($4.8K/year)
Usman Ansari, the founder of CarSpiritPK, came up with the idea for his automobile blog after experiencing manipulation in the content he wrote for other publications. He wanted to provide unbiased and genuine content for auto consumers in Pakistan, and started the website to shape opinions and provide quality reading material. Despite rejection of lucrative offers to promote obsolete products, CarSpiritPK has gained a reputation as a trusted source of information and attracts over 65-85k visitors each month, generating ad revenues of $250-400 USD.
How much money it makes: $4.8K/year
How much did it cost to start: $150
How many people on the team: 2
CarSpiritPK is a dedicated automobile blog attracting between 65-85k visitors each month, generating ad revenues of around $250-400 USD a month, all whilst staying unbiased.
62. Crypto Fireside ($2.4K/year)
Andrei Rotariu came up with the idea for Crypto Fireside after being inspired by Pat from Starter Story. Combining his love for writing and his passion for cryptocurrency, he created a crypto-related publication that focuses on education and features interviews, guides, reviews, and satire. After going through various online ventures and learning the ways of the web, Andrei found his niche in the crypto space and started Crypto Fireside.
How much money it makes: $2.4K/year
How much did it cost to start: $1.5K
How many people on the team: 1
Crypto Fireside is a cryptocurrency publication that focuses on crypto education, boasting over 1 year of establishment and an average monthly turnover of $200, with a focus on testing and preparation for future growth.
63. Foundation for a Human Internet ($1.2K/year)
In 2019, Bastian, leveraging his decade-long experience in digital marketing, witnessed rampant bot-generated misinformation during Indonesia's presidential elections, inspiring him to create humanID—an anonymous Single Sign-On solution, now supported by Harvard Business School and Mozilla.
How much money it makes: $1.2K/year
How much did it cost to start: $0
How many people on the team: 0
HumanID, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting online privacy and fighting fake news, has created an anonymous online and anonymous Single Sign-On (SSO) service to block spam and automated accounts, charging just 1 cent to run it, and has already attracted hundreds of users across various sites.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
