Growing to 1k Monthly Online (After 22 Months of False Starts, Pivots &
Mini-Wins)
A quick, inspirational case study for anyone who thinks they’re “behind.”
Most case studies start at the win but this one starts at the struggle.
When Lillith Elaina first tried to make money online, nothing worked. Not YouTube. Not social media. Not the “post every day” grind. She spent nearly two years fumbling through platforms, trying things that flopped, and discovering the hard way that having passion doesn’t automatically translate into income.
But here’s where her story becomes relevant: She didn’t quit.
She pivoted.
And with each pivot, she collected a micro-skill that would eventually help her break through.
The $100 Breakthrough: Etsy
Her first real progress came from Etsy—not because she loved crafting, but because Etsy already had traffic. She didn’t have an audience, so she “borrowed” one from a platform that had millions of shoppers built in.
Her early sales were tiny: $44 her first month, then $154, then $165. But she learned Etsy SEO, product photography, how to write listings that convert, and how to fulfill orders efficiently. Nothing glamorous. Everything foundational.
Etsy taught her the first big lesson of online business: If you can’t market yet, start where the customers already are.
The $750 Lesson: A Website Client with a Hidden Price Tag
Her next win came from a simple referral. She built a six-page website for her boyfriend’s boss and earned $750.
But here’s the kicker: The project dragged out four months, turned into unexpected tech support, and taught her exactly what underpricing + unclear boundaries leads to.
She walked away exhausted, smarter, and determined to build something more scalable.
The $1,000 Month: Fiverr Changes Everything
Her real breakthrough came when she treated Fiverr like a serious business, not a side experiment.
She took a Fiverr course. She optimized her gigs. She studied what top sellers were doing. And instead of pitching endlessly (like on Upwork), she let the platform bring customers to her.
Month two on Fiverr: $381.
A client who found her through Fiverr: $850.
Combined with Etsy, she crossed her first $1,000+ month, after nearly two years of trying.
That moment—the slow, earned, hard-won milestone—didn’t feel like luck. It felt like accumulation.
Every failed attempt, every skill learned, every small win she stuck with… it all clicked at once.
Why This Matters for Anyone Starting Now
Lillith didn’t succeed because she found “the one platform.”
She succeeded because she learned how to:
- leverage platforms with built-in audiences
- pivot when something wasn’t working
- stack micro-skills until they compounded
- keep going long enough to let the data guide her
- build foundations instead of chasing trends
She didn’t blow up overnight.
She built up over time.
And that’s the part most creators need to hear.
The Inspirational Punchline
Her first $1,000 month wasn’t magic. It wasn’t viral. It wasn’t passive.
It was earned through persistence + platform leverage + skill stacking.
If you feel behind, scattered, inconsistent, or unsure of your niche?
Good. That means you’re exactly where almost everyone starts.
- Pick a platform with traffic.
- Ship something imperfect.
- Learn one skill at a time.
- Pivot when needed.
- Let the small wins compound.
Give yourself 12 months, and your “first $1,000” story may look a lot like hers—longer than you expected, but ultimately the thing that changes everything.
I’m bestselling USA Today and Wall Street Journal author Connie Ragen Green. My goal is to help at least a thousand people to reach six-figures and beyond with an online business for time freedom and passive income and to simplify your life. Come along with me, if you will and let us discover how we may further connect to achieve all of your dreams and goals. This is also why I want you to think about growing to 1k monthly online. Perhaps my “Monthly Mentoring Program” is right for you.
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