Digital Services Business

7 Digital Services Business Success Stories [2024]

Pat Walls

•

Updated: October 8th, 2024

Tired of trading hours for dollars? Starting a digital services business might be your solution. A digital services business encompasses any skill-based offering that can be delivered online—think content writing, web design, digital marketing, and virtual assistance.

What sets this type of business apart is its low overhead. You can work from anywhere, eliminating the need for physical office space. All you need is a reliable internet connection, the right tools, and a skill set that’s in demand. Platforms like Upwork and Fiverr can connect you with clients who need your services.

Given the growing reliance on digital solutions, there’s ample room for scaling your operations. You can build a team of freelancers or consultants to handle larger projects and diversify your service offerings. Setting up efficient project management and communication tools will be crucial. A digital services business lets you monetize your skills effectively and flexibly, making it an attractive option for self-starters.

In this list, you'll find real-world digital services business success stories and very profitable examples of starting a digital services business that makes money.

1. Gumroad ($21.2M/year)

Sahil loves building stuff. He really enjoyed the process of taking a problem coming up with a solution, and then shipping a prototype of that solution to see how good his concept was. Before finishing college he had already shipped a dozen products. Most of the time, they weren't that great.

But sometimes something works out really well, and then he has to decide if he actually wants to work on the idea some more. Very rarely, the answer is yes. That was the case with Gumroad. The question at its core was really compelling to him: How easy could one make it to sell something?

How much money it makes: $21.2M/year
How much did it cost to start: $0
How many people on the team: 17

Gumroad: Revenue, Profit, Growth, & Story Behind It All

Learn how Sahil Lavingia grew Gumroad from a weekend project into an e-commerce powerhouse generating $21.2 million annually, using nothing more than elbow grease and cold emails to drive their early growth.

Read this case study

Read by 950 founders

2. BrandBurp Digital ($1.2M/year)

Anshul Sharma, the founder of BrandBurp, was working at a corporate firm when he realized his true passion was entrepreneurship. He started BrandBurp in 2015 with the vision to revolutionize the functioning of websites, mobile applications, and brands. Since then, the company has grown into one of the fastest-growing digital marketing agencies, leveraging over 2,000 brands and generating over 1,000 leads and 3 billion USD ROI globally.

How much money it makes: $1.2M/year
How much did it cost to start: $1K
How many people on the team: 175

How We Started A Digital Marketing Company In India

BrandBurp, a digital marketing company founded in 2015, has leveraged over 2,000 brands to strategically market their business and boost their revenue, generating over 1,000 leads and 3 billion USD ROI globally and working with big names such as Coca-Cola and Supreme.

Read this case study

Read by 4,721 founders

3. Tungsten Branding ($1.2M/year)

Phil Davis, a brand naming expert, came up with the idea for his business, Tungsten Branding, after realizing that the traditional advertising agency model was broken. He wanted to create a new type of agency that focused on natural attraction and alignment to help businesses succeed in a more intuitive and effective manner. Starting with a basic website and leveraging referrals and networking, Phil grew Tungsten Branding into a top-five global-rated naming and branding agency that now bills nearly seven figures a year.

How much money it makes: $1.2M/year
How much did it cost to start: $1.5K
How many people on the team: 5

I Built A $1.2M/Year Business Finding The Perfect Name For Brands

Tungsten Branding, a naming and branding agency started with virtually no expenses and showcasing only quality work, has become a top-five globally rated naming and branding agency, billing nearly seven figures a year and naming over 500 companies, products, and services including international companies such as Hitachi, Johnson Control, Lumenis, and AO Smith.

Read this case study

Read by 4,868 founders

4. theta. ($864K/year)

Emmanuel Iroanya, the founder of theta, had a unique journey that led him to start his civic and government-focused digital firm. Inspired by his father's entrepreneurial efforts in working with the City of Baltimore to provide mental health and family preservation services, Emmanuel realized he could make a difference by working with federal agencies. His time at a large federal systems integrator solidified his idea to create a company that existed at the intersection of technology and government, with the goal of addressing the limitations and implications of technology in the public sector.

How much money it makes: $864K/year
How many people on the team: 0

Inspired By My Father, I Started A $72K/Mo Digital & Management Firm [Baltimore]

Digital and management firm theta. has served over six government agencies since its inception, providing innovative solutions to unique computing problems that meet client needs so effectively, it has doubled its employee number and is aiming for a 50/50 prime-subcontractor revenue split.

Read this case study

Read by 4,422 founders

5. Legit Check By Ch ($240K/year)

The founders of Legit Check By CH stumbled into their business unintentionally. What started as a side project to help people authenticate luxury items quickly gained traction and turned into a full-fledged business. With almost 10 million users and 25,000+ paying customers, they now offer authentication services and have even helped customers get back as much as $5,000 from scams.

How much money it makes: $240K/year
How much did it cost to start: $50
How many people on the team: 8

We Grew Our Authentication Tool To $200K/Year With Zero Marketing Spend

Legit Check By Ch is an authentication company for luxury items that has almost 10 million users and generates $200,000+ per year with 95%+ profit margins, helping customers get their money back from scams and proving a model for building distribution before building the product.

Read this case study

Read by 6,172 founders

6. Aun Digital ($240K/year)

When a friend's cleaning business couldn't afford a website, Aun Ali discovered that many UAE startups faced similar challenges, inspiring him to launch Aun Digital. The firm offers affordable, comprehensive digital services and now generates annual revenue between $200,000 and $300,000, serving 20 regular clients.

How much money it makes: $240K/year
How much did it cost to start: $60K
How many people on the team: 50

How I Scaled My Web Design Agency To $250K/Year

Aun Digital, a UAE-based web design company, generated $200,000 to $300,000 annually by offering affordable and reliable digital services to small businesses, startups, and medium-sized enterprises, with 20 regular clients per year and an average project cost ranging from $10,000 to $15,000.

Read this case study

Read by 776 founders

7. Prop Media ($186K/year)

Ebs Turner started Prop Media after realizing that traditional advertising was cost-inefficient for companies. His breakthrough came during his university years while balancing exams and entrepreneurship, eventually growing his London-based marketing agency to $18,000/month.

How much money it makes: $186K/year
How much did it cost to start: $0
How many people on the team: 2

How I Started A $15K/Month Marketing Agency Specialised In Lead Generation

A 25-year-old entrepreneur shares his journey of starting a property marketing agency, with a current monthly income of $18,000/month, and divulges the importance of having a niche and going all-in on client results and experience.

Read this case study

Read by 6,866 founders