Podcast Summary: The Abigail Peugh Podcast
Episode 42: Launching a Digital Product with a Small Following - Student Spotlight with @iamcristina.suarez
Release Date: January 28, 2025

Introduction

In Episode 42 of The Abigail Peugh Podcast, host Abigail Peugh welcomes Christina Suarez, a fellow entrepreneur and mother, to discuss her journey of launching digital products with a modest social media following. This student spotlight delves deep into Christina's experiences, highlighting the challenges she faced, her strategic pivots, and the invaluable lessons she learned along the way. Christina's story serves as an inspiration for aspiring online business owners who may feel constrained by a smaller audience.

Christina's Journey into Digital Products

Christina opens up about her initial foray into the online business world. Motivated by the desire to stay home with her fourth child and avoid returning to the demanding field of nursing, she embarked on building an online business.

Christina (02:08): "I was determined to do something that would allow me to stay home. I started on Amazon FBA, which didn't work. I didn’t like it. It was too risky."

After an unsuccessful stint with Amazon FBA, Christina transitioned to Etsy, where she began selling website templates. However, her Etsy shop was unexpectedly shut down without a clear explanation, prompting her to seek alternative avenues.

Christina (02:35): "My shop got shut down and I was never told why. While appealing, I realized I couldn’t just sit and do nothing."

This setback led her to explore the realm of digital products. Inspired by Abigail's content, Christina invested in Abigail’s "Rich Girl Launch" course, which provided the framework she needed to develop her own digital products.

Christina (04:30): "When I purchased Rich Girl Launch and put the time and effort into launching a product on something I knew how to do, everything made sense."

Challenges Faced During Launches

Christina candidly shares the hurdles she encountered during her initial product launches. Her first attempt to create a guide on selling digital products faltered because she lacked firsthand experience in selling them herself.

Christina (04:00): "I was trying to create a guide on how to sell a digital product when I hadn't sold digital products. It just didn’t make sense."

Despite the beautifully designed product, it didn’t resonate with her audience, leading to low sales and confusion about her target market. This failure, however, became a pivotal learning moment.

Christina (16:14): "I didn’t have a Persona. I didn’t have a target audience. I wasn’t talking to anyone in particular."

Pivot to UGC Content Creation

Upon reflecting on feedback from her audience, Christina identified a genuine interest in her editing skills. This insight drove her to pivot from selling a generic digital product to creating a specialized editing course tailored for beginners.

Christina (05:17): "I started following you and purchased the digital toolkit. I began working on my own digital product but realized I needed to align it with what my audience wanted."

Further encouragement from her community led Christina to explore User-Generated Content (UGC) creation. She launched a TikTok account optimized for UGC and quickly secured a significant brand partnership within her second week.

Christina (09:22): "On my second week, I landed a huge gig with a huge brand here in the UK. It just blew my mind."

This successful pivot not only broadened her income streams but also aligned closely with her passion for content creation.

Balancing UGC and Digital Products

Balancing her time between UGC content creation and developing digital products became a new challenge for Christina. While UGC brought immediate income and satisfaction, digital products required ongoing effort and strategic marketing.

Christina (12:41): "At the moment, I’m doing more UGC than digital products because it takes time and I’m putting a lot into creating content for brands."

Christina emphasizes the importance of finding a balance that suits her lifestyle, especially as a mother of four, and aims to harmonize both revenue streams in the coming year.

Christina (13:25): "2025 is all about finding that perfect balance where I will be able to do both."

Lessons Learned and Mindset

Throughout her journey, Christina has adopted a resilient mindset, viewing setbacks as stepping stones rather than failures. She highlights the significance of perseverance and adaptability in the entrepreneurial path.

Christina (19:07): "You just have to keep getting up and then change something and try again. That’s what I’ve done from day one."

She also underscores the value of connecting deeply with a targeted audience, regardless of its size, as meaningful connections often translate to sustained business success.

Christina (23:24): "The most important thing is to find your audience. Even if it's 500 people, talk to those people because it will pay off."

Advice for Listeners with Small Audiences and Considering Pivoting

For Entrepreneurs with Small Audiences:

Christina advises that a small audience is not a barrier but an opportunity to build genuine connections. Focusing on engagement rather than numbers can lead to loyal customers who are eager to support your offerings.

Christina (23:24): "Create a connection and talk to that one type of person. The content will come so much easier and natural."

For Those Considering Pivoting:

Christina encourages entrepreneurs to embrace change and pivot when necessary. She highlights that pivoting is a natural part of the entrepreneurial journey and should be driven by passion and market demand.

Christina (25:05): "Go for it. Just do it, because you’re going to regret not doing it sooner. If it doesn’t work, do it again."

Conclusion

In this insightful episode, Christina Suarez exemplifies the entrepreneurial spirit of resilience, adaptability, and continuous learning. Her journey from struggling with initial product launches to successfully pivoting into UGC content creation offers valuable lessons for anyone looking to build a sustainable online business. By focusing on genuine connections and remaining open to change, Christina has carved out a unique space that aligns with her personal and professional aspirations.

Listeners are left with actionable advice to embrace their unique paths, leverage their existing audiences, and never shy away from pivoting when necessary. Christina’s story reinforces the podcast’s core message: building an online business is a dynamic journey that requires honesty, hard work, and the willingness to evolve.

Notable Quotes:

• Christina (02:08): "I was determined to do something that would allow me to stay home."
• Christina (05:17): "When I purchased Rich Girl Launch and put the time and effort into launching a product on something I knew how to do, everything made sense."
• Christina (16:14): "I wasn’t talking to anyone in particular."
• Christina (09:22): "On my second week, I landed a huge gig with a huge brand here in the UK."
• Christina (23:24): "The most important thing is to find your audience. Even if it's 500 people, talk to those people because it will pay off."
• Christina (25:05): "Go for it. Just do it, because you’re going to regret not doing it sooner."

Connect with Christina Suarez: @iamcristina.suarez