Month 1 Total Income
$0.00
This is exactly what I expected, and it's important that I say it out loud.
Why $0 Is the Right Starting Number
Almost every site that starts a "build in public" journey either skips Month 1 or conveniently starts the income report after the first commission came in. I'm not doing that.
Month 1 is the foundation month. You don't earn in Month 1. You build the infrastructure that earns in Months 3–12. Here's exactly what I built.
What I Built This Month
Launched Ledger to Owner website with 10 foundational articles
Created free beginner checklist, study planner, and expense tracker (freebie/lead magnet)
Applied to Bookkeepers.com affiliate program (15% per enrollment)
Applied to FreshBooks affiliate via Awin (up to $200/subscriber)
Applied to LegalZoom affiliate via Impact ($125+ CPA)
Enrolled in Intuit Academy Bookkeeping Certification (free)
Started AccountingCoach accounting fundamentals module
Set up QBO test company for hands-on practice
What I Spent
| Expense | Amount | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Domain name | ~$12/year | ledgertoowner.com (example) |
| Udemy QBO course | $12 | Structured QBO beginner training |
| Hosting | $0 | Using free tier during build phase |
| Total | ~$24 |
Traffic & Metrics (Month 1 Baseline)
0
Organic Visitors
0
Email Subscribers
10
Articles Published
What I Learned
- Affiliate programs take time to approve. Apply early — most take 1–3 weeks to review.
- Building the site before traffic makes sense. You need content to build trust before readers convert on anything.
- Choosing free courses was right for me. $24 total spend in Month 1 keeps risk low while I verify this is the right path.
- Publishing at beginner level is valid. "I'm researching X" and "here's what I found" content is honest and useful even without years of experience.
What I'd Do Differently
- Apply for all affiliate programs on day 1, not week 2. Processing times mean lost potential commissions while waiting for approval.
- Build the email list opt-in earlier. The site needs a lead magnet from Day 1.
Month 2 Goals
Get accepted into at least 2 affiliate programs
First 50 email subscribers
Complete Weeks 1–4 of the 12-week study plan
Publish 5 more articles (total: 15)
First affiliate link click (even 1 counts)
📈 Follow Every Month
I publish a new income report at the end of every month. No cherry-picking. Sign up to get it the day it drops.
See My Journey Page →