One of the scariest things about giving birth to a business is starting from zero. Zero customers, zero money–just nothing but a hope that you can make something happen. Maybe.

In modern society, starting from zero can feel even more stressful due to social media pressure. Having a bunch of followers doesn’t always translate to them buying from you. On top of that is the feeling that the exposure of your work is at the mercy of constantly changing algorithms.

The good news is that you don’t have to let having a small audience (or even an audience of zero) hold you back from starting a business – even if that business is entirely online.

And this may come as a shock, but social media is optional.

So here are four articles that will help with overcoming the fear of getting started when you have no audience:

  1. You don’t need to be an expert. Be authentic and share your journey: What Happens When People Start Designing Their Own Learning Paths?
  2. Focus on creating things that help others and build relationships: Your Business Doesn’t Need Social Media to Grow by Sarthak Sharma
  3. Getting the word out about your product and “networking” doesn’t have to feel icky: Marketing Without Social Media* 21 ways to find clients and customers without using social media. | Alexandra Franzen
  4. A reminder that the definition of success only belongs to you: No social media, no email, no website. And she’s a business success

Are you feeling braver now? I hope so. Don’t let starting from zero stop you from doing your thing.

Writing about this is especially personal to me because my social media following is small, but yet the reach of my work keeps growing despite that.

Do you know anyone who is struggling with getting the word out about their business or creative work? Share this article with them! I’m sure they’ll appreciate it.

I do link round-up posts like this every month. If you want to keep up with them, feel free to subscribe. However, this is the last post related to my series, The INFP Entrepreneur.

My next season of posts will be on the topic of Thoughtful Planning. I’ll be sharing how moments of reflection can make it possible to combine productivity with fulfillment. If that interests you, consider subscribing to my blog.