Seventeen years ago, I sat down to write online for the very first time.
I wasn’t building a brand. I wasn’t chasing an income. I wasn’t even sure what I was doing.
I was just… writing. For me.
And for six months, I didn’t get a single like. Not a single comment. I didn’t even know anyone was reading my blog posts.
Back then, I didn’t know how to copy and paste. Google wasn’t around to walk me through it, so I had to ask someone — and in 2008, not many people even knew how to do that.
Part of me wasn’t surprised. I still carried the voice of my 8th grade teacher in my head — the one who told me I’d never be a writer. And I believed her. For years, I believed her.
But here’s what happened: I kept writing anyway.
Even when nobody clapped or cheered.
Even when the words felt awkward and clumsy.
Even when it looked like nothing was happening.
We All Start at Zero
We all start at zero:
- 0 impressions
- 0 subscribers
- 0 likes
- 0 $
Nobody skips the starting line.
Just start — so the right people can find you.
My First Online Sales
The first sign of progress came years later.
When I changed companies in December of that same year, I earned my very first affiliate check:
Not much by today’s standards, but at the time, it was everything. It was proof that writing, showing up, and building online actually worked.
That little check felt like possibility.
The Hummingbird Lesson
And then, all these years later, a reminder showed up right in my hands.
One August evening, I was sitting on the back porch with my husband, watching hummingbirds dance at the feeder. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed one that had flown up into the peak of our porch ceiling. She buzzed and bumped against the walls, unable to figure out how to get out.
Eventually, exhausted, she slid down the wall and collapsed on the floor.
I rushed to pick her up, cupping my hand gently around her. At first her wings fluttered, startled. But then she rested. Her eyes locked on mine as if she was deciding whether she could trust me.
After a few minutes, her tiny beak closed. Her breathing slowed. She rested. And when she was ready, she flew away.
Protect. Care. Release.
That tiny bird reminded me of the rhythm we all need — in business and in life:
Protect. Care. Release.
It also reminded me of my own journey.
From zero likes, zero comments, and zero clue…
To my first online sale.
To $188.59 in a check that proved it was working.
To the business I have today.
Resilience is what carries you forward.
Beginnings are always messy. Growth takes time. But if you keep going, you’ll fly farther than you ever imagined.
Your Turn
Maybe this is your hummingbird moment.
Maybe it’s time to stop waiting to feel ready, and just begin — even if it looks messy, even if nobody claps at first.
💛 Angela
👉 Want to see more of my journey? I shared the full story here: angelabrook.com/mystory
👉 Read the hummingbird story with the video on Substack: Video Story on Subsctack