Building this site with Site Build It

As a nurse you only have to work 3 days a week if you do 12-hour shifts. For me, that is a lot of thinking time. I was playing on the internet one day and read about people making money by having a website. Supposedly these people were not selling anything, just using Google ads.

I wasn't sure what to think about this, but I jumped in headfirst anyway. I bought a domain name in September 2006 from a popular domain name site, bought an HTML for dummies type book and went to town. It was awful. My first site was laughable. There were lines where there should be dots and words over each other, and did I mention it was ridiculously boring. I just wanted to make money quickly. This is NO way to start a business. Scrap site numero uno.

Moving on to Summer 2007. Ok, I am still bored on my days off. I start a greeting card business and decide to try the website thing again. I was better at HTML by this time, but no better at making a quality site and learning how to drive traffic to it. Also, did I mention hobbies aren't as much fun once they become mandated by orders?

I mean $299 gets me a website to build and keep for one year. I don't see the point, I have gotten 2 (admittedly miserable) sites for under $100. I figured it was me, not the domain name site I bought from. So I Google SBI. Being the ever skeptical girl that I am I Google "SBI failures", "Site Build It scam", and "bad SBI". I expected horror stories. I got nothing but success stories.

People said they were

• writing about something they loved (Remember Follow your Passion?--I feel an Oprah moment coming on)
• making money (some a lot, some not so much)
• really enjoying sharing their information and expertise with other people

They talked about the community of support they had and that they LOVED Site Build It. They tell how they didn't have to know ANY html or website building skills. I am still skeptical.

I wait a month. Googling SBI, Yahooing SBI, Ask Jeeving SBI the whole time. I keep getting the same sort of stories. So I think to myself--"well what is $299? If it is $25 a month, it is less than if I went out for dinner one time. If I don't make the money back, at least I tried. And this time, I do solomely swear, it will be my last website venture." I talk it over with the ever patient husband, double read EVERY SBI page, and FINALLY an hour later buy the darn thing.

By the way..for those commitment phobes out there...you know who your are...SBI now has a monthly subscription option for a little more at $29.99 a month just in case you want to make sure before taking the big leap like I did.

Update as of January 1st, 2010--I have received 2 google adsense checks! That's right...2 days at the spa for this girl. It isn't much yet, but I see the ball is starting to roll! Not to mention, I am helping others get into nursing, and that makes me feel great. I never realized how much I would like that. I am even thinking maybe I still want to go back and get my master and be a professor.

Update as of September 1st, 2010--So big change of plans for me, I GOT INTO CRNA SCHOOL!!!. Financially that means NO PAYCHECK for 2.5 years. Luckily, I am getting a check at least every 2 months from google and this Site Build It site pays for itself now!

As for my website, it will always be here. I love learning new things and meeting new people. Site Build It even has yearly conferences you can attend.

Thanks for listening. If you think you might be interested feel free to check out this Site Build It video. It will take about 30 minutes and give you a full picture of SBI. If site building isn't for you, get back to my home page and get ready for your new nursing career! Don't worry, the nursing info is on the house.