Carers & Job Seekers – have you ever wanted to start an online business?
Did you answer yes to starting an online business? You’ve come to the right place. Here at OBL, we’re passionate about creating opportunities for people who can’t work a traditional “9 to 5” job.
If you fit one of the following categories, we are able to help:
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A carer who is 26 or over, who provides personal care, support and assistance to someone in their immediate or extended family, who is disabled, injured, sick or elderly
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A Job Seeker between 50 and 64, who is receiving Newstart from Centrelink
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Over the age of 50 and worried about long-term unemployment
Our Online Business Lift-Off Program can help you start an online business, whether or not you have an idea in mind. Thanks to government funding, if you fit in any of the above categories, you can do this program for free!
Our Course
The Online Business Lift-Off Program is a 12-week course that shows you how to come up with a good business idea, validate it, get your website and other online tech set up and get people coming to you for help with their problems. When it comes to starting your own business, we’re here to guide you along the way.
Find An Idea
Business ideas are a dime a dozen, but not every idea is created equal. We show you how to find ideas that solve problems that people actually want solved – we’ll also show you how to be paid for this too.
Get Yourself Set Up Online
Getting the technical components of your business setup, like your website, can be challenging. We make it quick and easy so you can get started helping customers fast.
Help People Find You
Content is the cornerstone of online business. We show you how to discover what people are looking for, as well as how to help people find you and your content.
Grow Your Business
Lots of things contribute to your business growth, but the secret is to continually improve the things that matter! We show you how to do this – and help decide what matters to you.
Study When It Suits You
Everyone’s timetables are different – You may only have evenings free, you might be working split shifts, or simply don’t have full days off. With the Online Business Lift-Off program, you can learn what you need as you need it, from wherever works for you.
Modern Tools & Courses
We teach you the tools that we think will help you the most, for people who are starting their online business for the first time. And we practice what we preach! We use these tools ourselves to create, build and grow our own portfolio of online businesses.
A Team Who Cares
We’re passionate about creating opportunities for a better life. Everyone is welcome – our speciality is working with people who struggle with traditional 9 to 5 jobs. And we’ve been blown away – there are some amazing success stories so far.
Testimonials
OUR STORY
The OBL story began in 2016, as a solution to help the vision-impaired find work. Now the OBL program is used to help serve anyone who cannot work the traditional “9 to 5” job.
Our founder, Trudy Rankin, explains how she got to her big ‘why‘ moment and the inspiration behind the Online Business Lift-off program.
We support you through the learning process
Setting up your own online business isn’t easy – that’s why we make sure you have plenty of support and mentoring when you need it.
Find & Validate An Online Business Idea
Learn how to reliably generate online business ideas that solve real problems – problems that you care about – and problems that others will pay you to fix.
Get Your Website & Other Tech Sorted
No need to be afraid! We help you get your website, email list and other online technology set up. We teach you how to look after them and get them working for you.
Learn Useful New Skills
Pick up the basic skills you need to start and grow your online business. You’ll get personalised attention and coaching when you need it.
Get Community & Expert Support
We’re here to help you, so ask lots of questions. Get answers from our experts, and be part of a supportive online community where you can help others too.
Help Others With Your New Skills
Highlight your new online business skills in your CV and other places. If an online business isn’t for you, you can always use your new skills to help someone else!
Approved
If you’re living in Australia and meet the following conditions, you may be able to get a scholarship to the Online Business Lift-Off Program.
Carers 26 and over
Between 50 and 64, and on the NewStart Program
Over the age of 50 and worried about long-term unemployment
Supported by the Try, Test and Learn Fund — an initiative of the Australian Government Department of Social Services.
Frequently Asked Questions
I'm not very good with computers. Can I still take part in the Online Business Lift-Off Program?
Yes. You don’t need to be tech-savvy in order to create your own online business. You DO have to be comfortable with using the internet, though. If you can do Facebook, you can do online business.
What kind of tools do I need to get started?
You are going to need an internet connection or some way to regularly access the internet. You will also need a desktop computer or a laptop. It may be possible to use a tablet in the future, but for now it’s best to have a desktop computer or a laptop.
Can I use my phone's internet connection instead of a laptop?
It is possible to use your phone’s data plan to give yourself an internet connection. However, it’s not advisable unless you have a cheap, “all you can eat” data plan. It may be a very expensive way to access all the software tools you will be using to build your online business. It is recommended to have access to a desktop computer or laptop instead.
What if I just want some help with finding an idea, instead of doing the full program?
If you want to get going right now, you can purchase the Online Business Ignition course, which teaches you how to find and validate an online business idea. The 7 short modules will get you started … in 4 hours or less.
What if I live in a different time zone?
The great thing about the internet is that you can take our courses at times that suit you. We want everyone to succeed, and we’ll do our best to make sure we help you with any questions as quickly as possible.
What if I already have an idea? Would I be wasting my money doing the course?
That’s exciting that you already have an idea for an online business! Doing the Online Business Lift-Off Program is going to help you validate your idea and actually turn it into reality. More importantly, you’ll have our expert guidance and support, which results in fewer unnecessary mistakes and dead ends. In the end, we hope to save you time, money and energy in the long-run.
What's the catch? Something this good can't possibly be free?
You’re right – it costs money to run the Online Business Lift-Off program. HOWEVER, the Australian Government is currently footing the bill if you meet the criteria. So YES, it’s free!
But we do ask something in return. Since this is a pilot program, we need your help to make it better. We ask anyone who does the program to give us lots of feedback and suggestions as to how to improve, so others like you can reap the benefits of what you’ve helped us learn. Sounds like a good trade to me!
GET INVOLVED
Joining the Online Business Lift-Off Program allows you to:
- Come up with a great business idea
- Build your very own website
- Build your customer email list
- Create things that will bring people to your website
- Learn how to track your results and use them to grow your business
- Create ways of staying up to date with your customers and what they want
- Access to plenty of peer support and mentoring throughout the process
- Work to a timetable that suits you
- Grow your business … and start changing your life!