How Shelties Help Pay My Bills!
This is the story of how I escaped the rat race and began earning a living from my own hobby websites...
 |
Me and Piper |
I was 23 years old.
I worked in London as a financial journalist, for a stroppy Editor who screamed at me on a daily basis.
My job meant I had to make big calls about the stock market, that would influence the trading decisions of wealthy private investors.
I had to network with slick city professionals - PR execs and rich CEOs. Most people were obsessed with money - flaunting it, and making more of it. But that wasn't me.
I hated the corporate lifestyle. I hated the suits. I hated getting up early and getting home late, losing all personal freedoms from Monday to Friday - and spending the weekends wishing they would last forever.
I soon became afraid that life was passing me by while I was busy chasing the carrot and doing what I (then) thought I had to do to be "successful".
Deep down, I wanted to travel, to get out of the UK and explore foreign shores...
And then I met Peter.
A Whirlwind of Change
Pete was from New Zealand, a world away, and had been traveling around Europe for several months. He decided to stay in London and took a job at our company.
We became friends straight away. When I finally plucked up the courage to tell him how much I liked him, I was elated to find out he felt the same way.
Work stress didn't matter anymore. Being with Pete changed everything. I was on a natural high all day long as I got to work right next to him.
We kept our romance a secret from the office for many months - we didn't want them to treat us differently. But eventually people got suspicious when we both wanted to take 3 weeks off at the same time... to visit New Zealand.
 |
The Long Haul Flight to NZ |
In January 2007, we made the 22-hour flight from London to Auckland, stopping only to change planes in LA.
We spent 3 fantastic weeks exploring Pete's homeland - beaches, islands, forests and lakes - so many natural wonders. There was no question about it...
This is where I wanted to live!
When we got back to England, I started planning my great escape. First I applied for my New Zealand visa. Then Pete and I quit our jobs.
By August, I had packed my entire life into five large shipping boxes, said goodbye to my family and friends, and jumped onto the plane to NZ.
I was finally free - in every sense of the word!
 |
"Hole in The Rock" |
A New Life in New Zealand
We chose to live in Pete's hometown, a developing suburbia by the sea.
Job opportunities were limited - unless I wanted to commute to the city every day. Which I didn't!
But that lack of jobs turned out to be a blessing in disguise....
I decided to become a freelance writer, making use of my London contacts and taking all kinds of home-based writing jobs. Even if it meant doing really dull copy like accountant's marketing brochures. At least it paid the bills.
 |
Handsome Howard |
Then we got Howard, our first Sheltie puppy. He was the most adorable creature I ever saw. He still is!
I love his cute little face and big fluffy ears. I love it when he yawns and makes a little squeak. I love rolling rocks for him to chase and herd on the beach. I love watching him wake Peter up in the morning by pawing at his face and sitting on his head :)
I am pretty obsessed with Howard.
And it was only a matter of time before I realized that I could combine two of my greatest passions - writing and Shelties - by making a website about them and earning a living from the internet.
Starting a Website
Though I had no technical knowledge about making websites, I found a tool called Site Build It that promised to teach me everything I needed to know. As a beginner, it was ideal for me because of two things:
- The Education - With animated video lessons, Site Build It told me in a step-by-step manner how to do everything. From choosing my website niche (that was easy) to planning my content (from breed information to dog training) to attracting thousands of web visitors (Facebook helped me a lot) to making money (through donations and advertising). With this careful plan, Site Build It ensured that Sheltie Planet became an international success, reaching 100,000 Sheltie owners a year.
- The Tools - I didn't have to get my hands dirty or learn any complex technical stuff. Site Build It provided me with point-and-click tools to simplify the whole process. From designing the site (with ready-made templates) to writing new pages (their motto is: write what you know) to adding images (my own photos of Howard and Piper). And while I was doing the fun creative stuff, Site Build It ran dozens of tasks in the background to help grow my website on the internet.
Site Build It is the only all-in-one program in the world that does such a thing. Though I did it as an online course in my own home, it is actually taught in more than 30 colleges and universities around the US and beyond. Today it's well known for helping beginners of all ages and skill sets to create profitable online businesses.
Financial Freedom
Within six months of starting my first Site Build It website, my advertising revenues were totaling $1,000+ per month. This was the start of my online business!
I advertise mainly related products - on Sheltie Planet this means advertising grooming brushes, flea control, dog training courses, and so on. My readers benefit from free content about Shelties and if they choose to click on an ad, I get paid.
I have found an honest, legitimate way to make a living from the internet and best of all, it means learning more about Shelties and their adorable ways. Since launching Sheltie Planet in 2010 I have chatted with hundreds (if not thousands) of other Sheltie owners and cooed over all their fur babies. What a way to make a living!
It is exactly what I needed to avoid the rat race, while providing me with a secure income and giving me something creative to do with my time. Today I run a handful of websites just like this one and together they generate more money than I ever made working that stressful London job.
Inspired?
What have I learned from all this? Well, for a start...
"Never be afraid to try something new; remember amateurs
built the ark, professionals built the Titanic."
Site Build It gave me the confidence to try something new - and now I have total career freedom as a result. Now I share this story with everyone I know who hates their job and wants to follow a more fulfilling career path.
If starting a profitable website interests you, I strongly recommend looking into Site Build It and seeing if it could work for you. This 2-minute video is a good overview:
I also recommend watching the full 30-minute video tour which clarifies everything - from the benefits of working at home, to the tools you'll use to make money online.
My Life Today
 |
Pete and The Shelties |
In 2010, Pete and I bought our first house together. We live in the hills in the North Island with our two beautiful Shetland Sheepdogs.
We both enjoy working from home. I write my own websites and Pete runs his own online businesses.
We have the freedom to take time off at no notice, go on vacation for as long as we want, and keep the dogs company while we work.
And our income is scalable. So the more articles I add to my websites, the more traffic it generates, and the more my readers pay me back. My websites work for me 24/7. It is the complete opposite of working for a boss for a pay check every month.
Sometimes people write to me saying they are inspired to start their own website like Sheltie Planet, but they're afraid they won't succeed. To that, I say:
"I don't know the key to success,
but the key to failure is not even trying."
I hope this gives you the courage to start your own website if you think this lifestyle would work for you. And I highly recommend using Site Build It to do it.
...Still here? What are you waiting for!
"Nothing happens until something moves."
(Albert Einstein)
PS - If you have any questions about Site Build It you can submit a question via their online form and receive a response via phone or email.
PPS - If you want to see what other Site Build It websites look like, check out these real life case studies. I think the range of topics is hugely inspiring.
Here's a couple of good ones I pulled from the SBI website...
"I feel so fortunate to be a part of it and I suppose I'd be considered 'one of the lucky ones,' living the best of both worlds... At home to raise my kids, giving them the gift of always being there for them, while running a successful business at the same time. Passion, freedom and fulfillment... Does it get any better?!"
- Michelle Schill, www.Style-Hair-Magazine.com
"I now have a business that I can grow over the years. A business that is fun. I'll never do a 9 to 5. I'll always own my own life.
That, more than money, more than learning about the Web, more than Anguilla-Beaches, more than learning how to write well, that is the most important thing I've learned from SBI. Own your own life. If you don't, what's the point?"
- Nori Evoy, www.Anguilla-Beaches.com
