We recently connected with Ty Cohen and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Ty thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We love asking folks what they would do differently if they were starting today – how they would speed up the process, etc. We’d love to hear how you would set everything up if you were to start from step 1 today

If I had to start over, knowing what I know now, I’d do three things differently—and they’d shave years off my learning curve.

First, I’d stop chasing “expert status.”
I used to think I had to be the best, know the most, or have some big credential before I could teach, create, or sell anything. Because I grew up poor, with Sickle Cell Anemia, and never graduated college, I lived with imposter syndrome for a very long time. It paralyzed my actions. That mindset cost me time. Today, I know that you only need to be one step ahead of the person you’re helping. That’s it. People pay for guidance, not perfection, and they will always appreciate you if you are sincere in your actions.

Second, I’d build my email list and audience from day one.
I focused too much on products early on—books, courses, offers—without realizing that your list is the real asset. You could have the best product or service, but if no one knows about it, it doesn’t matter. A list/audience gives you leverage, feedback, and cash flow. Even if you’re broke and unknown, a tiny, engaged list can change your life. It took me years before I started to work on building my list/audience

Third, I’d create a simple offer around what I already know—even if it feels basic.
Most people overlook their own knowledge. But the “obvious” stuff to you is gold to someone else. I would’ve packaged my early lessons, tools, and frameworks into something small and sellable: a $27 course, a $7 workbook, a $47 workshop. You don’t need 10 products. You need one that solves a real problem.

If you’re reading this and thinking you need more time, more money, or more confidence—let me say this clearly:
You don’t need to be an expert. You just need to be honest, helpful, and consistent.

And if I had to start with $0 today, I’d use free tools like Canva, ChatGPT, and Google Docs to build my first product in a weekend—and I’d offer it to my growing list. I think, that’s how you build momentum without a big budget.

Ty, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I didn’t grow up with money. I didn’t have connections. And I definitely didn’t feel like the “expert” type.

What I did have was a desire to break out of survival mode—and a belief that if I could just learn how to turn knowledge into income, I could change my life.

That’s exactly what I did.

I started by self-publishing books, testing small digital products, and learning everything I could about online business. Today, I run a handful of digital education brands—including Kindle Cash Flow and The 7 Day Business™—that help everyday people turn what they already know into digital income streams.

We teach people how to create books, courses, coaching programs, and businesses—without needing a big audience, fancy tech skills, or expert status.

What makes our work different is that we keep it simple, honest, and doable.
This isn’t about hype. It’s about helping people finally start.

The thing I’m most proud of isn’t my revenue—it’s the thousands of students who’ve gone from stuck to successful using what we teach.

So if you’re reading this and wondering if you’re too late, too old, too unqualified, or too overwhelmed…
You’re not.

All you need is a reason to start—and a process that works.

That’s what we give people.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Years ago, just as things were starting to take off in my business (for the third time—after being up and down), my mother was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer. Her health was rapidly declining. I was still rebuilding from scratch, and suddenly I found myself in and out of hospitals, barely sleeping, and questioning whether I could keep any of it going.

There was a night I’ll never forget.
I was sitting in a hospital room with my laptop open, trying to finish an email campaign between the sound of beeping monitors and nurses coming in and out. I remember thinking, “This is the moment most people would quit.” And honestly, I wouldn’t blame them.

But I had a choice to make: fold… or keep building something that could buy back my time, freedom, and peace of mind.

I chose to keep building—even if it was just 20 minutes a day. Even if it meant writing sales copy at 2 a.m. or recording videos in my car, in between caring for my four kids, supporting my mom through cancer, and managing my own health condition.

That season taught me something I carry with me—and teach my students—every single day.

It came from a line in a DJ Quik song, “Summer Breeze.” He said,

“Either I’m gonna stay strong, or I’ma break down and simply cry about it.”

I must’ve heard that song hundreds of times. But one night, that line hit different. I made a conscious decision to live it.

Discipline beats motivation. Vision beats burnout. And small, consistent action beats waiting for the ‘right’ time.

Resilience isn’t always loud.
Sometimes it’s just showing up—when it would be easier to disappear.

Do you have any stories of times when you almost missed payroll or any other near death experiences for your business?

There was a moment I’ll never forget.
I had a team counting on me. Bills due. My merchant account had frozen funds without warning. $100k after doing a launch, spending lots of money on ads and affiliates and having one of my best weeks at the time. My credit card processor couldn’t believe that we did that well, thought there was some type of fraud involved and froze our accounts.

That week, I was staring at payroll with no clear way to cover it.
I remember refreshing my bank account every few hours, hoping something would land. I was already pulling from personal savings and maxed out on favors.

But what hit hardest wasn’t the money. It was the weight.
The thought that people were depending on me to feed their families—and I might have to tell them I couldn’t pay them on time. That messed with my head big time.

Here’s what I did:
I got on a live training that night and sold a low-ticket workshop. I showed up raw, tired, and honest. No fluff, no big pitch—just value. And you know what? It worked. We pulled in just enough to get through the week.

That moment taught me a lesson I’ll never forget:

If you can build relationships and solve problems, you’ll never be broke for long.

The business didn’t die that week—but a part of me did:
The version that thought everything had to be perfect before I launched something. The version that played it safe.

Now, I always keep a “just in case” revenue lever ready—an offer, a product, or a skill I can deploy fast. Because close calls will come. But prepared people don’t panic—they pivot.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.TyCohen.coom
• Instagram: http://instagram.com/cohenty
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CohenTy
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cohenty/
• Twitter: https://x.com/TyCohen
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TyCohen
• Other: Podcast:
  https://tycohen.com/podcast