E-Commerce, Online Business

How To Build An E-Commerce Business With No Budget

September 5, 2024
By itssophiebiggerstaff.com

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How I Built My Own E-Commerce Business (And What It Taught Me About Starting One)

The universe has a funny way of nudging us into the right opportunities, doesn’t it? After years of helping other founders build their e-commerce businesses, I decided to finally take my own advice and create one myself.

I used to say I’d never start an e-commerce business. Never say never, right? But, yet in 2023 I decided to build my second business TINAH – a brand new mental well-being marketplace, because the idea just felt SO worth pursuing.

And more importantly – it was almost a test for msyelf to show me I could build an e-commerce business from zero, too.

Where the Idea For My E-Commerce Business Began

Launching TINAH wasn’t a random decision. This idea had been brewing for at least a year before I started working on it – I began thinking about it back when I was living in Bali in 2022 – when I was deep in my own mental health healing journey. I kept thinking: Why isn’t there one place where I can find everything I need to feel better?

That question eventually became a business idea I couldn’t shake.

Fast forward to the summer of 2023. I was nomading in Albania, helping other founders start and grow their e-commerce businesses, and thought… why am I not following my own advice of “when you have a persistent idea, you have to just go for it – nobody else will do it for you”?

So I did! I knew it wouldn’t be easy. But I also knew I had the skills and tools to figure it out.

What Is My E-Commerce Business TINAH?

TINAH also known as Time Is Not a Healer was originally built as a mental health marketplace, designed to support those who want to pursue their own self-healing journey.

The name Time Is Not A Healer was inspired by a phrase that hit me hard during a difficult mental health season. Because the truth is, time alone doesn’t fix everything. Time is simply the resource you have to heal. Healing takes intention, support, and the right tools.

TINAH began as an online marketplace filled with the resources, products, and practices that helped me feel more like myself again – from apps and journals to wellness brands and digital downloads. My goal was simple: make it easier for people to find what they need to support their mental health, especially when they’re too overwhelmed to go looking for it.

Bringing On A Business Partner

Before I even started building TINAH – I knew I didn’t want to do it solo.

For what we wanted to create, I knew TINAH felt too big and too personal to build by myself. And I also knew that I didn’t possess the qualifications or all-around experience to truly do a mental health business justice.

So I brought in a business partner, – a friend I met during my time in Bali who supported me massively during my own healing journey. She actually approached me to join when she heard about what I wanted to do. She has a psychology background and runs a performance coaching business, and we couldn’t have more different skills, but our beliefs in the project were in 100% alignment. We complemented each other so well, so our business partnership just made perfect sense.

In my opinion, the best partnerships come from shared lived experience, and a mission that matters so if you find a business partner like that, jump at the opportunity. Building a business with (the right) someone can be such a powerful thing.

The Challenges We Encountered Building TINAH

Starting TINAH was hard! We bootstrapped the entire thing with a dropshipping and affiliate model – no startup capital, just us, our experiences and a deep belief that this needed to exist.

But even with said experience, it wasn’t easy…

Here are the biggest things we had to overcome in our launch phase:

Building a team with zero cash – You need people who believe in your vision – not just the paycheck. That takes time (and a lot of trial and error).

Pivoting the business plan – Feedback forced me to get out of my head and evolve the model constantly. It wasn’t one and done – it was version after version.

Marketing without an audience – This was a wake-up call. If you’re starting from zero, your audience needs to be your number one priority.

Big dreams, small budget – Balancing the dream with the reality of what’s actually doable on limited funds? That’s a skill in itself.

How We Built TINAH From Scratch

1. Set the foundations – I went back to basics – the same strategy I now teach to other entrepreneurs. Audience, offer, brand values, vision. Get clear, then build from there.

2. Craft the brand – Coming up with the name was surprisingly emotional. But once we landed on TINAH, the rest fell into place – the visuals, the tone, the feeling. I used Canva to get the first drafts out and refined them later with a designer.

3. Source the right products – Thanks to my fashion buying background, I knew how to spot quality. I reached out to brands I already loved and secured dropshipping and affiliate deals that aligned with our values.

4. Build brand awareness (without ads) – Our biggest challenge. With no ad budget, we leaned into organic marketing – our podcast, Pinterest, email, and collaborations. It’s slow growth, but it’s real growth.

5. Launch (and stay flexible) – We planned for a 3-month launch. It took nearly a year. But honestly? I wouldn’t change a thing. The slower pace gave us time to refine, learn and build with intention.

What's Next For TINAH?

So… where is TINAH at today in 2025, and what’s next?

The truth is, during our first iteration of TINAH the business model burned us out. It didn’t align with the kind of lives we were trying to create. It wasn’t failure – it was feedback. We did make money with the e-commerce business model, but the return on time, energy, and emotional bandwidth? Nowhere near sustainable.

We realized we were overcomplicating something that could (and should) feel simpler. Especially being a mental health business…

So we took a step back to re-evaluate and decide how to proceed. We still deeply believe in the mission behind TINAH, but the model of the business needs to be reimagined. We decided to strip it all back. Simplify the model. Focus on aligned impact, not just doing things because that’s how you’re “supposed” to run an online business.

And honestly – this experience is a huge part of why I now do what I do.

Because building a business that gives you freedom isn’t just about making money online. It’s about building something that feels good, fits your values, and actually works for you.

If that’s the kind of business you want to create, you’re not alone – and you don’t have to figure it out on your own.

Thinking About Starting Your Own Online Business?

You don’t need to have it all figured out – or a big budget to start. But what you do need is a business model that actually works for you. One that supports your lifestyle, plays to your strengths, and doesn’t leave you burnt out or boxed in.

That’s exactly what we focus on inside The Freedom Model Method.

It’s not about forcing yourself into a one-size-fits-all strategy – it’s about building a business around your vision of freedom.

Inside the program, you’ll learn how to:

Design a business that gives you time, location and income freedom
Get crystal clear on your niche, audience and aligned offers
Create simple, strategic content that connects and converts
Build a brand that attracts the right people – without constant hustle

Whether your dream business is coaching, digital products, or even an e-commerce model – this framework helps you make it sustainable, spacious and true to you.

Your next steps:

👉 Take the Freedom Seekers Quiz to discover your best-fit business model: https://onlinebusinessschool.itssophiebiggerstaff.com/freedom-seekers-quiz
👉 Watch the free Masterclass on how to start a freedom-based online business: https://onlinebusinessschool.itssophiebiggerstaff.com/registration-page
👉 Join The Freedom Model Method to get my full framework and coaching support: https://onlinebusinessschool.itssophiebiggerstaff.com/Freedom-Model-Method

TINAH’s story isn’t over – it’s just evolving. And maybe, yours is too.

meet the writer

I'm Sophie

Online business coach, podcast host, mental health advocate, speaker, founder of TINAH, community builder, full-time digital nomad, and general trailblazing, rule breaker…

I tried to live a “normal” life: I spent 11+ years working my way up in the fashion industry, working for brands like Ralph Lauren and Burberry. I had the apartment in the city, I lived for going out at the weekends, spent money on designer bags and holidays – until I realized this lifestyle DID NOT FULFIL ME – I was waking up with anxiety every day – surviving, but definitely not thriving.

So I quit. I left my 9-to-5 behind to start an online business that supported the lifestyle I actually wanted. Now that looks like slow mornings, daily beach walks, co-working with like-minded entrepreneurs, yoga, meditation, and lots of social connections.

Since 2020, I’ve built multiple online business offers – from online business coaching and consulting to online courses, digital products, and a mental health marketplace – all while travelling the world and living life, and earning money on my own terms.

Now… I’m on a mission to help more people break free from lives that don’t feel good for them and create more freedom through starting and growing an online business.