When people picture building a six-figure digital product business, they often imagine complicated funnels, big ad budgets, and fancy software stacks.
But a bunch of creators in the Shortcuts Squad are showing that a lean, relationship-first approach often wins—especially when the internet feels louder than ever.
Whether they’re building courses from a tiny island or selling templates between therapy sessions, they have one big thing in common:
They don’t overthink it. They just start—with what they’ve got.
What These Creators Did Differently
Anthony Kuo runs a career coaching business rooted in simplicity and trust. Instead of chasing virality, he focused on real connections. “Your next sale is probably a lot closer than you think,” Anthony says. Most of his clients came from friends, therapist referrals, and organic outreach—not cold ads or massive launches.
Jonathan Green, based in the Philippines, pulls in $20K/month from his digital business. He uses automation but always leads with a personal touch. “People are tired of perfection. They want to connect with someone real,” he says.
Kim Lange didn’t start her business planning to sell anything. She launched a Facebook group to support fellow child therapists during the pandemic. When people kept asking for resources, she turned those conversations into digital products.
Dara Sklar hit $200K by shifting her messaging. Instead of talking about “digital organization,” she started saying she helps people fix their “Google Drive mess.” A small change—but a powerful one.
None of these stories are about flashy launches or flawless branding. They’re about paying attention, starting small, and solving real problems.
Tools They Use (and Skip)
Across the board, these creators keep their tech stacks lean. They pick a few tools—and stick with them.
- Anthony Kuo: Kajabi, ClickUp, and Discord
- Kim Lange: Payhip and ConvertKit
- Jonathan Green: ThriveCart, Swipe Pages, and Pabbly
- Sarah Masci: ThriveCart, MemberVault, and WordPress
What they don’t do? Obsess over every metric or jump on the latest tool just because it’s trending.
As Anthony puts it, “I don’t even look at my analytics anymore. For my business size, a 0.1% difference doesn’t matter as much as having real conversations.”
Lessons Learned
After chatting with dozens of creators, a few common threads stood out:
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Start small. Big businesses often start with one idea or offer.
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Let your audience lead. The best products come from listening, not guessing.
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You don’t need all the tools. Most creators use just 2–4 key platforms.
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Build trust before funnels. Human connection beats automation every time.
- Done is better than perfect. Launch now. Adjust later.
Final Takeaways
Success with digital products isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing the right stuff—and doing it consistently.
If you’ve got an idea sitting in a doc or floating in your head, don’t wait for the “perfect” plan. Start small. Keep it simple. And remember—chill strategies can scale too.
Want more shortcuts for life? Browse the World of Shortcuts marketplace to find affordable, time-saving digital resources for your business, family, and more. Created by real people.