This Is the Only Online Business I’d Start in 2025 (After 15 Years of Trial and Error)

By Mark, Founder of MarksInsights.com
👉 Real advice. No hype. Just what actually works.

If you’re like most people searching for a legit way to make money online, you’ve probably run into more nonsense than you care to admit.

I know I have.

In fact, over the last 15+ years, I’ve tested just about every so-called opportunity out there — affiliate marketing, crypto pumps, low-ticket funnels, drop shipping, survey apps, paid ads, you name it.

Some worked (for a while).
Most didn’t.
And a few were flat-out scams.

If I had to start all over again in 2025 — with no email list, no big following, no audience — there’s only one model I’d focus on.

It’s the same business I quietly use today to generate consistent, recurring income without needing to post on social media or chase shiny objects.

Rewind to 2010: The Beginning

I left my 9–5 job in 2010 to go full-time online.

At the time, I was doing a bit of freelance SEO work — mostly because I’d spent years trying to build niche sites and learning the hard way what didn’t work.

The idea of working for myself, having freedom, and making money from a laptop was addictive… but also incredibly frustrating.

I’d jump from strategy to strategy.
One month I was deep into affiliate blogging.
The next I was trying some new “auto webinar funnel” from a guru who’d never even used their own system.

The Harsh Truth I Learned

Over time, I started to see a pattern:
The people selling you the dream were often the ones making all the money.

Everyone else?
They were left struggling with:

Complicated software
Expensive traffic
“Passive income” promises that never materialized

And don’t get me started on the endless loop of survey apps, games that pay you cents, and GPT platforms that sound good on paper but burn you out fast.

So What Actually Works?

After trying it all, one thing became painfully obvious:

Real businesses still need one thing… customers.

That’s where local marketing comes in.

You don’t need to be an expert.
You don’t need to manage their Instagram or run cold email campaigns.

You simply help connect real businesses with real customers, and get paid to do so — often on a monthly recurring basis.

We use simple 2-page websites, a bit of traffic (free or paid), and a system that does most of the heavy lifting.

No complicated tech.
No customer service.
No inventory.
Just results.

What This Business Has Done for Me

I’m not the flashy type. I’ve had the cars, I’ve taken the trips… but the best part of this business isn’t material.

It’s freedom.

Freedom to walk my kids to school and pick them up whenever I want. To never miss a sports day or school event. To work from a café in Barcelona or from home in the UK — whatever suits our life that day.

Sure, I’ve bought dream cars like a Porsche 911 and even a Lamborghini in my 20s. We built our dream home. Took a long trip around Europe last year, exploring Seville, Barcelona and the Balearics with my family.

But it’s not really about that. It’s about not having to answer to a boss. It’s about choosing how I spend my time.

Often it’s the simple things, like having coffee on morning whilst everyone else rushes to get to their 9-5 jobs…

And that’s what this business model gave me.

Why I Still Use This Business Model Today

After 15 years of trial and error, this is the business I still run behind the scenes.

I don’t spend hours on social media.
I don’t need a massive audience or email list.
And I don’t have to explain what I do to my friends and family anymore — it’s a real business that makes sense.

Best of all? It’s scalable, simple, and still wildly underserved.

Just think about your local area…
How many business owners do you know who are actually good at getting customers online?

Exactly.

What I Recommend

I’m not promising you’ll get rich overnight.
That’s not how this works.

But if you want a business that’s real, that doesn’t require constant posting or tech overwhelm — and you’re willing to put in a bit of effort — this could be the breakthrough you’ve been looking for.

You don’t need to be a guru.
You just need a system that actually works.

👉 Click here to see how the system works and watch the full training
(It’s hosted by James — the person who taught me everything I know about building a sustainable online business.)