How I’d Make My First $100K in Business (Starting From Scratch)

Ep. 139 // How I’d Make My First $100K in Business (Starting From Scratch)

[00:00:00] jamie–she-her-_1_03-18-2026_155600: Welcome back. Excited for this episode because someone asked me a really powerful question that got me thinking, and in fact it got me thinking this would be a great podcast episode. I wanna record this. So someone recently asked me. Jamie, if you had to start your business all over today from scratch, no audience, no clients, no momentum, what would you actually do to create your first 100 K?

[00:00:32] And why I love that question is. It made me really think about it because I started my business 10 years ago now. Things were different 10 years ago. Of course, there are a lot of foundational pieces of business that were, you know, needed to be implemented and are gonna be the same. But the world has changed a lot in 10 years.

[00:00:51] Technology has changed a lot in 10 years. We have ai, now we have. You know, just feels like the market’s different than it was 10 years ago. Naturally, of course, it’s evolved and so what worked 10 years ago is different than what would work today. So it was kind of fun to think about how would I start it today?

[00:01:09] What would I do that’s the same that I did when I started back when and what would I change? What would I do differently now? So I’m excited to unpack this with you and. Um, I really wanted to go through both the strategic side and actual tangible things that I would do from a business perspective, but also talk about a little bit more of the mindset that I would take on the energetics, how I would use manifestation, how I would use the power of my mind.

[00:01:40] To help accelerate the process and create a hundred K in my very first year if I was doing it all over. So we’re gonna dive into it. Some of the strategy will probably be aligned with my business, a coaching business. So just know that if you have a different kind of business you can think about, what would that be for you if you were starting over or what do you wanna focus on?

[00:02:03] Or maybe some of the things that I share are gonna be helpful If you are starting out your first a hundred k. Journey. So without further ado, let’s dive into the strategy first, and then we will dive into the mindset and manifestation that will help accelerate it. Okay. First, strategy wise, what would I do if I was starting over?

[00:02:25] No list, no momentum. No clients at all. I would honestly pick an expensive problem to solve, so I would actually hyper niche down if I was starting from scratch. Now if that scares you, just listen. Hear me out. I know a lot of people freak out about. Niching down, and for me, I would hyper niche down and I wanna tell you why.

[00:02:53] This is actually something that I did two years into my business. So the first two years of my business, I was a little more general, general life coach. I did some health coaching, I did some money coaching, but then I decided to hyper niche down and solve a problem that I knew a lot of women were struggling with because it was a problem that I had previously.

[00:03:13] Really, really, really struggled with, and I couldn’t find answers. I couldn’t find a solution. So after years and years and years of struggling with it and finally finding a solution, I thought, this is what I want to niche down and this is what I want to help people with. So my very first, not first, but I would say the second evolution of my coaching business after it first being general.

[00:03:37] But then moving into whenever I decided to hyper niche, that was actually when I made my first a hundred K year and things started really gaining momentum. So I became a coach for women with PCL West who want to lose weight. So it wasn’t just a weight loss coach. I was a coach for women with PCOS who wanted to lose weight.

[00:04:03] And so I would call that a hyper niche, meaning, um, it was a very specific group of people. Someone knew if that was them. Also someone else, like if they heard a family member talking about that they were struggling with PCOS and couldn’t lose weight due to it. They would probably immediately think, you gotta go to Jamie Berman.

[00:04:23] Right? And that’s exactly what happened. And this is why I was a big fan of hyper niching down, um, my first a hundred k because what happened when I did that, when I moved from being more of a general health money life coach into just this weight loss coach for women with PCLS, is when I created my website.

[00:04:45] The SEO was off the charts. I didn’t know a darn thing about SEO either, right? Like I didn’t have an SEO expert come in and tweak my messaging, tweak my content. I was literally living from lived experience and speaking to a super specific person with a super specific problem, and it naturally, whoops.

[00:05:14] It naturally made the SEO just rise to the top. So I was like the very first person that came up when you looked at weight loss for PCOS. And I remember my web designer saying, Jamie, I cannot believe how well your SEO does, how searchable you are. Like, that’s amazing. She’s like, I think it’s just the value of having the super specific niche.

[00:05:36] So people would literally find me from Google. Um. So that really helped. It also helped me grow my social at that time, because I wasn’t running ads or anything like that when I first started, but my content was so hyper-specific that the algorithm helped me find other people who were searching for that.

[00:05:55] So I just think it really supported my growth and helped me skyrocket my business by getting even more specific. So again, solve an expensive problem when I. Say that. What I mean by that is solve a problem that people are struggling with, that people will pay for. And this was a problem people would pay for because they were in a lot of pain around it.

[00:06:17] They were in a lot of struggle. There wasn’t a lot of solutions out there. And so I would say it was a fantastic niche. As you know, that is not my niche anymore. I, I just didn’t have a passion for it after a while, I absolutely loved it. My first couple years coaching, I built a very successful business doing it.

[00:06:37] I helped a lot of women. It helped me heal by doing that work. But there came a point where I was like, I’m complete with this internally, and I, I don’t think it’s my soul calling to do for life. So I let myself shift and evolve, but. It’s how I made my first a hundred K. So if I were to do it again, I would do the same thing and I would hyper niche down and I would.

[00:06:59] Figure out like what is a problem that people are really having? What are people really struggling with, and how do I have the solution to that? The next one that I would do is I would just build one offer that works. Like I wouldn’t have a million different offers, a million different freebies. I would really think about one thing that I want to.

[00:07:20] Sell and just get good at selling that one person, one problem, one transformation. And that way I could just master the skill of that. And then, you know, once I got created a hundred K, you can build on from that. But that’s how I would do it. I think for me, I’m someone who just really appreciates simplicity, really appreciates.

[00:07:45] A single focus, or like not only one single focus, but less focus, right? Not thinking about a million different things. So I think that approach just really works for me. Um, and so that’s what I would for sure do my first a hundred K. I’d also become an energetic match to selling consistently, meaning I would become someone who gets comfortable selling consistently, not just when I feel inspired, not just when I want to.

[00:08:16] I would normalize in my entire system selling on a daily basis, right? And just get used to that. Get used to talking about the problem that I solve, and invite people in regularly. Share client wins, make. Offers because if I wanted to make a hundred K, that’s necessary. You can’t just dip in and out and overthink and all of those things.

[00:08:42] So I am a big fan. What I learned from Brooke Castillo was do B minus work, right? Just do it. Do like put more out there imperfectly. And so that’s what I would do when it comes to selling, and I just become someone who sells consistently. The fourth strategic move that I would make is I would pick one platform and go all in.

[00:09:07] Um, especially now, there’s so many different platforms out there, and when, especially in the beginning when I haven’t mastered one and I’m trying to master ’em all that would get. So confusing and overwhelming. So kind of like the constraining to one offer in good and good at that. I would also constrain to one primary platform that I use to market and sell, and I would go all in on that and, um.

[00:09:43] What’s fun about that is you can repurpose content on other platforms, but it’s just repurposing. So the way that I would think about it is what do I actually enjoy? Right? I’d ask myself these questions that I’m gonna post to you. Do I enjoy being on video? Do I like doing short form content kind of.

[00:10:02] Instagram or TikTok, or do I like more long form where I can be more descriptive and kind of talk things through like a podcast for example, or a YouTube channel. Do I like audio? Do I like speaking Or again, do I like video? Do I like to, you know, have a visual included with it and, you know, learn to edit that and get really good at that.

[00:10:25] Um. You could also ask, do I like writing? Because there’s things like substack, you know, what do I actually enjoy? That’s what I would ask myself. Or probably when it was my first a hundred K, I might ask myself, what’s the path of least resistance? Meaning what is it going to be the easiest for me to get out?

[00:10:45] In this first phase in the beginning, right? Like, will it be easiest for me to get out a substack every week or will it get be easiest for me to get out a podcast episode, or will it be easiest for me to get out, you know, five social posts. Right. What’s gonna be the easiest? What’s gonna be the path of least resistance?

[00:11:05] And that’s probably actually where I would start. And then I would just get good at that and master that and go all in on that platform, learning what works, how to, you know, how to grow it. And I would, again, do B minus work, do it messy, and then kind of evaluate, oh, of the messy stuff that I put out there, what seems to be landing, what seems to be working.

[00:11:26] And just evaluate from there and then double down on what’s working. Now the fifth thing that I would do strategically. Now, this was not something that I had the option to do 10 years ago, but if I was starting in 2026, I would learn AI and I would use that as my team member, as my support system, like an assistant, right?

[00:11:47] I would treat. Ai, like a team member. And that’s why I think in so many ways it’s so much easier to start a business in 2026 than it was in 2016 because we do have AI and it’s such an amazing support. So it can really help you save time, right? So it can help you refine content ideas or refine your messaging or, um.

[00:12:15] You know, things with offer creation or just in terms of learning faster, learning how to use a program faster. You can literally type into ai what are the steps of this? Whereas we used to have to like. Just like I would sometimes try to search it on YouTube and get in there and fail at it, or have to take an entire course on something.

[00:12:35] So I was telling my husband, I’m like, what used to take me two weeks to do can literally take me two hours to do these days? So use AI as your support system, and again, we’re not. Trying to have it take over our brain and do everything, but use it as a super helpful support and it will save you so much time.

[00:12:59] Now, the sixth thing I would do strategically is I would really try to create proof. Fast, meaning I wouldn’t wait till I’m perfect to put myself out there. I would really just wanna get out there, get a few clients, overdeliver, use those wins as momentum. Probably wouldn’t overthink the price, probably wouldn’t try to go really high ticket in the beginning.

[00:13:24] I would just wanna create some momentum and some proof and get some clients under my belt and get going. Right? Um, so the second, let me say that again.

[00:13:59] So the seventh thing I would do, this is a biggie. This one’s huge. I would make sure to invest in two things. I would make sure to invest in a coach that can help me see where I’m limiting myself, help me overcome my brain, help me regulate my nervous system through the ups and downs of business, and through the rejection and through failures and all of that, that’s going to inevitably happen.

[00:14:25] And it’s gonna always happen, but for sure your first a hundred K, it’s a hundred percent gonna happen. So I would definitely have a coach that I am seeing weekly to help support me through that growth. Because when you start a business, it is a massive growth phase. And so having someone holding your hand is gonna.

[00:14:43] Oh my gosh. Make the process so much smoother and make you, not make you, but allow you to just move through it faster so that you’re not getting bogged down in self-doubt and stopping and starting and all of that. So for sure I would invest in a coach and I would also. Make sure to build relationships.

[00:15:02] So I’d invest in high level relationships, meaning, you know, um, getting into rooms, maybe it’s a mastermind or a community or, um, some kind of support where, you know, it’s a community of people who are on the same track as me or maybe a little bit ahead. Right? And I would regulate too. Normalizing a hundred k, you know, success being normal and being around other successful women.

[00:15:28] Huge. Huge, huge. They do say you are like the. What seven people that you are around the most. And so I would want to surround myself with people who are going after it, who are successful, who are on the path, who are, you know, normalizing a hundred K. Like that’s just the beginning because that will infuse into your system and your brain.

[00:15:50] And so I would. Absolutely have those two things, probably like a mastermind or some kind of community and a coach. Now, the last thing that I would do strategically, this is actually a, what I wouldn’t do, I would limit my scrolling. I would limit consumption, which. Oftentimes goes up against what our brain thinks we need to do when we’re growing or when we’re learning something or when we’re evolving into the next phase.

[00:16:17] But what I find is that whenever I scroll, I get overwhelmed because everyone’s telling you something different to do, it can get confusing. I, for me, even now, feel like. If I’m over scrolling, I’m doing everything wrong. There’s so much I need to do because it’s just so much content, so much info. Not that it’s not great to lean in and listen and soak up the teachings and the lessons and the learnings, but I would be really intentional with it.

[00:16:46] Right? And notice how you feel when you’re listening to content. Am I learning? Am I actually growing or am I feeling overwhelmed? Right? So for me, it’s about strategically consuming the right content. For me, I love consuming podcasts because it’s a slower pace. It’s a deeper dive. I can really pick and choose what I wanna listen to when I wanna listen to it, versus scrolling on something like Instagram or TikTok or Facebook.

[00:17:14] I don’t get to choose, it’s coming at me, right? So those are the places I would really, really limit scrolling, and in fact, that’s something that I’m personally practicing myself. Limiting that stuff because I find that I’m a more creative, I’m a better problem solver. I take more action when I’m not hearing everyone else’s voices all the time.

[00:17:37] And also, this can help if you’re someone who tends to compare yourself or feel like you’re behind. It’s just gonna help. Solve for that if you’re not scrolling as much. So I would 100% do that as a strategy. I would limit it big time. I would limit my screen time and be really intentional with where I’m getting information and where I’m listening to content.

[00:17:57] Okay. Let’s move into my favorite part, which. Is the identity piece, the who I would be if I were just starting out. This was me stepping into my first a hundred K in business, starting from zero, starting from nothing. How would I use my mind to help accelerate this process? My mind, my intention, my consciousness, all the things we talk about on this podcast, what I would do is I would decide I’m a hundred K coach now.

[00:18:32] Regardless of my results, regardless of what the bank account looked like, regardless of the number of clients that I have, regardless of the number of consults, I would just decide it’s who I am, and I would step into that energy of 100 k. CEO energy. In fact, this is something that I did my first year that made me my first 100 K year, not my first year as a coach, but my first a hundred K year.

[00:18:59] I really stepped into who, how does my a hundred K self show up? How does she show up today? How does she handle this? Right? How does she look at her calendar? What does she do? What does she not do for the day? And I just. I matched her. I matched her energy. And I remember like trying to create a funnel and at first I was like, oh, I don’t even wanna record a video.

[00:19:21] But I was like, wait, my a hundred K self just does it. My a hundred K self just does it. So I got up in the office, I just did it so. That is a hundred percent something that I would do again. The second thing that I would do, kind of more identity wise mindset, um, manifestation wise is I would also show up in 100 K energy.

[00:19:44] So I would show up. Confidently. I would lean into that tap, into that energy before I go on my podcast or whatever I’m creating, right? Um, before I go live or before I hop on a call or before I create content, I would think, okay, let’s take a deep breath. What’s the CEO energy? Like what’s my hundred KCEO energy like?

[00:20:07] And I would just tap into that and create from that space because this is what people feel before they buy. People can smell the energy that’s behind you, I swear. Right? So you don’t have to be perfect, but if you’re in like. Confident, loving leadership energy. People feel hell. They feel like, oh yes, like you got me, right?

[00:20:34] So I would definitely practice stepping into that energy. The third thing is I would regularly regulate my nervous system around. Money, sales business, um, I would really practice feeling safe, receiving more, receiving bigger payments, feeling safe with greater visibility, with greater responsibility. So I would regulate my nervous system to feel safer in that, whether that’s through kind of visualizing it ahead of time, seeing myself doing it, telling myself I’m safe.

[00:21:11] But also on the other side, I would notice when I get triggered, when I get stuck, when I feel doubt creep in, when I feel rejected, and I would pause in those moments. And I would do some body regulation. So I would try not to act from the place of self-doubt or panic or worry or rejection, and instead learn to go into the body and regulate my nervous system and come back to a place of safety.

[00:21:38] Right? So I would use it in two ways. One is to regulate and to. Feel safe having a bigger business, and then also use it when I’m triggered, which I have a podcast episode on that of seven different ways to regulate your nervous system. Just a couple of episodes back from this one that you can absolutely dive into and save it and use it any time you need to regulate.

[00:22:02] Okay. The fourth thing I would do kind of identity wise is. I would detach from immediate results. This is huge because when we’re too attached and we think, I need to make this happen, I need to get this sale, I need to get this consult. And when we’re really needy, people smell that. I swear it serious.

[00:22:24] ’cause that’s how I used to be and I remember. My first many, many, many consults of trying to sell my coaching. I was very attached. I was like, Ugh, I need this in order to hit my results. Right? And it wasn’t coming from true service. It wasn’t coming from a neutral place, and people wouldn’t sign up. And it wasn’t until I shifted into non-attachment into.

[00:22:45] Safe no matter what into, I just want to manifest the clients who are meant to be. I know who’s meant to be for me, is going to end up happening. Like I don’t have to manipulate this. I don’t have to make it happen. And when I came to that place of detachment, that’s when things. Went way, way, way smoother.

[00:23:05] So I would absolutely practice detaching from results, especially immediate results. And I would just decide, I’m worthy, I’m good. I am doing this right. And I don’t know the how, but I’m committed to showing up. I’m committed to creating value. I’m cre committed to helping people. And it doesn’t have to be this person or that person or this day, but for sure it’s all happening, right?

[00:23:29] And just trust the journey. So for me that’s a much smoother way of doing business and I would a hundred percent practice that. I would also,

[00:23:52] I. I would also move like it’s inevitable. Like a hundred K is inevitable, right? I would just decide this is happening. No backing out. No constant pivoting. No. Maybe this won’t work. Energy. No, this is happening. That would be my mantra. It is happening. I’ve decided it’s happening. So even when it doesn’t look like it’s happening, it’s happening, right?

[00:24:20] And you have to really trust in that. You have to move into certainty, but I’ll tell you what, that is gonna accelerate the process of it happening. So I would absolutely use that energy of inevitability. I would also use my mind to accelerate everything, so I would actively practice manifestation, meaning I would do my belief work, I would do the visualizations, seeing it done, seeing myself.

[00:24:47] In front of a group of people seeing myself, um, getting my bookkeeping report and seeing how much income came in, seeing those stripe payments coming through, right. Use the mind first and then results will follow. I would also do work around identity expansion and seeing my. Self as a hundred K earner.

[00:25:12] Not just thinking it, but really like seeing myself doing it. So I would visualize, visualize, visualize, because the brain doesn’t know the difference between what is real and what is imagined. And so you can literally program yourself through visualization and kind of carve out the path ahead of you.

[00:25:32] And you, once you start doing this, you’ll witness it works. So I would use my mind to accelerate. Everything. And that is the final piece of what I would do, you know, in terms of my inner work, I shall say. But yeah, let me think. Take out the, but yeah, in terms of the inner work.

[00:26:02] Yeah. Anyways, it’s really fun to think about and honestly, very helpful because a lot of this I do, but I’m like, oh, these are things that I could still double down on because the way that you create your first a hundred K creates the foundation for so much more. It literally is the foundation. So these are what I would lean into.

[00:26:20] So if you’re wanting to make your first a hundred K or accelerate your next a hundred k. Evaluate. See if you can take any of these ideas with you. See if there’s anything that you can use to amplify your business and accelerate the results. All right, my friends. Happy manifesting. I’ll see you next week.