How I Quit My Day Job by Selling Simple Digital Products (& You Can, Too)
How I Built a 6-Figure Passive Income Stream Without Complex Courses or Fancy Tech
Let me paint you a picture: For years, I've run a successful resume writing and career coaching business.
The money is good, but I was trapped in the time-for-money cycle. Every dollar required direct work with clients – endless Zoom calls, constant email back-and-forths, late night texts, and the perpetual pressure to maintain a full roster of clients to keep income stable.
Sound familiar? If you're a service provider, consultant, or coach, you probably know this hamster wheel all too well.
Maybe you're:
Struggling to scale beyond trading time for money
Feeling burned out from constant client demands
Watching potential clients slip away because you're at capacity
Dreaming of passive income but unsure how to create it
Worried about what happens if you get sick or need to take time off
The worst part? I was leaving money on the table. My audience had other problems I could solve, but I didn't have the bandwidth to help them all 1:1. Meanwhile, I was watching my calendar fill up with calls while dreaming of more freedom and flexibility.
Here's where it gets interesting: Over the last 6 months, I've completely transformed my business model.
Through creating simple digital products, I've been able to "fire" many of my 1:1 clients and drastically reduce my working hours – all while maintaining (and even growing) my income.
The best part? I did it without:
Creating complex courses
Building fancy websites
Hiring a team
Running expensive ads
Becoming a "guru" on social media
Here’s exactly how I did it…
1. Find ONE Problem You Want to Solve
The biggest mistake I see people make is trying to solve every problem at once. When I started, I made a simple decision: I would focus on the single most common challenge my LinkedIn audience kept asking about.
I didn't do complex market research. I didn't send out surveys. I simply paid attention to my DMs, comments, and email replies. What were people consistently struggling with? What questions kept coming up again and again?
Your audience is already telling you what they want to buy - you just need to listen. In my case, I noticed people constantly asking about resume templates and their remote job search preparation. But here's the key: I didn't try to solve both at once. I picked one specific pain point and focused entirely on that.
2. Create a Simple Digital Product
Here's a truth: Your first digital product doesn't need to be complex. In fact, it shouldn't be. I started with a simple resume template bundle. No fancy course platform, no complex membership site, no endless modules.
The best first products are:
Templates that solve a specific problem
A focused ebook that addresses one key challenge
A planner that helps achieve a specific goal
A recorded masterclass (60 minutes max) teaching one valuable skill
People are tired of long, 10+ module courses. In fact, 90% of people who buy a full-length course never even get halfway through. You’re doing your audience a disservice by making them watch hours of content to solve their problem.
The alternative? Choose one problem to solve and help them solve it as quickly as possible. It should take no longer than 90 minutes for someone to read or watch your product. Give them a quick solution and you’ll have a customer for life.
The key is to create something that delivers quick wins. My resume templates helped people get immediate results - they could download them and start using them the same day. This led to instant positive feedback and testimonials, which fueled future sales.
3. Choose a Simple Platform
Don't get caught up in complex tech stacks. I use Stan Store for all my digital products, but Gumroad is another excellent option. These platforms handle everything:
Payment processing
Product delivery
Customer service basics
Analytics and tracking
Why do I prefer Stan Store? The conversions are good. They make it very simple to set your product up and also very simple for a customer to buy.
The best part - You can set these up in under an hour. No coding required, no complex integrations needed. Just upload your product, write your description, set your price, and you're ready to go.
4. The Two-Week Launch Strategy
This is where most people go wrong - they create a product and immediately try to sell it. Instead, I use a two-week launch strategy I learned from studying successful product creators.
Week 1 - The "Pre-Sell" Week:
Monday: Share a personal story about the problem
Tuesday: Discuss common mistakes people make
Wednesday: Share tips on solving the problem
Thursday: Address FAQ about the problem
Friday: Share success stories related to the problem
Notice something? I don't mention my product at all during this week. I'm simply building awareness and anticipation.
Week 2 - The Launch Week:
Monday: Announce the product is available
Tuesday: Share specific features and benefits
Wednesday: Address common objections
Thursday: Share early customer wins
Friday: Final call for purchases
This strategy works because it builds trust before asking for the sale. By the time you open cart, people are primed and ready to buy.
5. Set Up Your Evergreen Sales System
Once your launch is complete, it's time to make your product available permanently. This is where the real passive income magic happens. I:
Added the product link to my LinkedIn profile
Created a simple landing page
Added it to my email signature
Set up automated email sequences for new subscribers
The key is to make your product easily discoverable without being pushy. Let it become a natural part of your online presence.
6. Rinse and Repeat
This is where most people stop - they create one product and call it done. But the real power comes from creating multiple products that solve different problems.
After my resume templates succeeded, I created:
An interview preparation guide
A LinkedIn optimization checklist
A masterclass on remote job search strategies
Each new product builds on the success of the previous ones. Your audience already trusts you, and they're ready to buy your next solution.
Real Numbers and Results
Let me share some specific numbers, because I believe in transparency:
My first digital product (resume templates) made $2,300 in its first month. Not life-changing money, but it showed me what was possible. That same product now generates about $1,000/month on autopilot.
Each subsequent product launch has performed better than the last:
Interview Guide: 10-20 sales per month
LinkedIn Optimization Pack: 10-20 sales per month
Remote Job Search Class: 50+ sales per month
These aren't massive numbers, but they're life-changing when you add them up. More importantly, they require zero additional time from me once they're created. And they help you replace or supplement you day job income.
Here’s Some Common Objections I Hear
"But my market is different..." - Every market has problems that need solving. I've seen digital products work in industries from pet grooming to industrial equipment sales.
"I don't have a big audience..." - Neither did I when I started. My LinkedIn following was under 2,000 people. It's not about size, it's about having an engaged audience who trusts you.
"What if no one buys?" - That's actually the beauty of this approach. If you follow the two-week launch strategy, you'll know whether there's interest before you invest significant time in creating the product. If people aren't engaging during your pre-sell week, you can pivot to a different problem.
Here’s a Quick Win You Can Implement Now
Grab a piece of paper or open your notes app. Think about the last 5 to 10 conversations you've had with your audience, clients, or peers. What problem keeps coming up? What do people consistently ask for help with?
Write down that ONE problem in the comments below. This small act of commitment is your first step toward creating your digital product. I'll read every comment and share my thoughts on which problems have the most potential.
This is your first step to begin identifying your audience’s problems and create your first simple digital product to solve it.
Need Help NOW? Ready to Build Your Own Digital Product Empire?
If this resonates with you, I’ve reopened my Six-Figure Digital Product Masterclass, my entire framework for creating simple digital products that sell over and over again. Inside, I show you:
How to identify your most profitable product idea
My exact two-week launch framework with email templates
Tech tutorials for setting everything up
Real examples of successful digital products
How to scale beyond your first product
The masterclass is open for enrollment again, but only for the next 3-4 days. After that, the doors close until next quarter. If you’re ready to start creating your first digital products, click the button below and join 100+ others inside the class:
Life's too short to be stuck on the time-for-money hamster wheel. Let's build you some leverage.
Thanks Wes, clear and actionable. I'm feeling inspired and subscribed to your newsletter!
Loved this post Wes. You had a very logical approach to scaling up and surely it worked.