Can a pastor make money doing business online or offline?
I didn't think so.
We were brought up to believe that a pastor shouldn't do any secular job.
Just cling to your Bible and devotionals, do the work of God, and He will supply your needs.
What a misleading idea!
Growing up in ministry, the greatest challenge I've ever faced in pastoring was finances.
I never had a large congregation that could cover my bills. And yet, I was scared for many years to start my own business.
However, after a friend saw some of my self-published books and other publications I'd written, he insisted I'd be the one to publish his first set of books.
I agreed to handle his book projects, though not for much profit. The books came out beautifully.
From that experience, my friend challenged me not to waste my talent. He encouraged me to start a publishing business. That was in 2004.
So, I began publishing books for others under a pseudo-company, and I did this for many years.
It wasn't until 2018 that I officially registered my first company—MillionValues Concepts.
Guess who my first client was after registering the company.
It was a 6-figure client, which led to projects worth over $6,000 the following year in 2019!
If you're afraid to start your business, whether online or offline, my story should encourage you to take that bold step today.
You could be on the verge of stepping into financial freedom.
Financial Difficulty Is Embarrassing
Why Start An Online Business?
Because financial difficulty is a pain in the neck.
Because people will mock you if you're always broke and you'd be a nuisance.
That alone should make you mad at lack.
Your constant mantra must be: "Millionaires and billionaires ain't got two heads. They only do what I'm not doing."
Meaning, if you're willing to do what they do, you'll have what they have.
If you're constantly struggling with finances, you're positioning yourself wrongly.
If you're a salary earner, understand that your salary may not take you out of financial struggles.
Look around and see that the movers and shakers of any country are business owners, not salary earners.
This is why I advocate starting a business as your retirement plan.
When I say retirement plan, don't overthink it.
It doesn't mean waiting till you retire at 60, 65 or 70 as the case may be.
You can retire from your 9 to 5 at any age into a life that you have full control of.
I never received a salary for over 30 years as a pastor.
I'm not the type who could stand in front of people to raise money for anything, so I knew that wasn't the route for me.
But after starting a business, especially as a publisher and ghostwriter, I've managed projects that make me 6-figures all year round.
Financial struggles don't respond to prayer alone. They respond to inspired ideas.
How To Land Your 6-Figure Client (Even If You Have No Experience).
Let me share with you how I landed my first 6-figure client, which has spiraled into more 6-figure clients ever since then.
You can follow the exact same steps to begin your own online or offline business.
Step 1: Learn High-Income Skills.
High income skills.
That's the starting point.
Your journey to financial freedom begins the day you decide to learn high income skills.
When it comes to learning high-income skills, I’ve never had a lackluster attitude.
However, I never knew these skills will later be what I'd fall back on.
I’ve always been eager to learn something new and develop my abilities.
I remember when I first started out at 24, just beginning my journey as a pastor.
I knew I couldn’t spend all my time just carrying a Bible from morning till night—I had to learn something more.
So graphic design was the first skill that occurred to me.
But there was a challenge. I had no computer.
Back then, owning a personal computer was rare. If you had a computer, it was a big deal.
Most people who owned desktop computers started business centers, and laptops weren’t common at all.
This was in the 90s.
I’d pay to use other people’s computers because they thought I was taking up too much of their business time.
So, I’d hop from one business center to another just to get a computer to use.
But sitting in those centers, experimenting with different programs, is how I started learning graphic design.
Graphic design opened a new world for me.
I began handling my own books—designing covers and even the inner pages. I used CorelDRAW, probably Corel 6 or 7.
Looking back at those designs now, they were horrible—but that’s how it all began.
I taught myself, sitting there as a young pastor, knowing that while ministry was my calling, building skills was my responsibility.
I studied civil engineering at university, but since I wasn’t practicing it, I decided to invest in new skills that would afford me time for ministry work.
When I got married in 2000, my wife and I moved back to Ilorin, Kwara State, and I felt the urge to keep building more skills.
That’s when I reached out to someone who knew HTML and coding to teach me how to develop websites.
There weren’t many online resources back then. No YouTube tutorials or free courses.
The guy came to my house to teach me, but it didn’t last long because he got married and became unavailable.
It wasn’t until around 2014 that I discovered I could design websites without coding, thanks to WordPress.
I dove into YouTube tutorials and started teaching myself. Little by little, I lbecame skilled at web design.
Shout out my online teachers like Ferdy Korpershoek, whose tutorials helped me master website building.
Today, I know how to manage websites, handle cPanels, and work with various hosting companies like SiteGround, Hostinger, Bluehost, and others.
As a pastor, I taught myself all these skills.
From coding, I transitioned into digital marketing.
Back then, I had no idea these skills would become valuable beyond ministry. Initially, I thought I’d use them solely for ministry—designing books, publishing magazines.
But over time, people began to get drawn to my work. They’d ask,
"Can you build a website for me?"
"Can you help publish my book?"
"Can you design my magazine?"
That’s how I started offering my skills as a service.
I’ve published books for many people, even those who didn’t know me personally but saw my work and reached out.
This is why I advocate that the first step to transforming your life is to learn high-income skills.
Don’t be deceived into thinking that just because you’re a pastor or a salaried employee, that’s where it ends.
If you work 9 to 5, that’s for your employer.
What you do from 5 to 9 is your own business. Use that time to build skills.
Now, I can charge whatever I want.
Someone might ask me to edit their book, and I’ll quote $1,000 because I know the value of my time and expertise.
When I publish, I can make profit anywhere from $1,000 to $3,000.
That’s the power of high-income skills.
It’s not about making small profits—$25, $50, or $100.
However, if you are currently at that level, you can always upgrade.
Rich people are looking for those who can solve their problems—people with high-income skills.
The big question is, are you one of them?
I wouldn’t have landed seven-figure clients if I didn’t have these skills.
It’s your expertise that earns you high-paying opportunities.
So, the first step is simple: learn a high-income skill.
Step 2: Use Your Skillset To Build Personal Projects
Start creating your personal projects with your skills.
After developing your skill set, or even while you're still building it, don’t wait for a client to start using it.
For example, when I was hopping from one business center to another just to access a computer, I didn’t wait for paid gigs. I used the computer to work on personal projects.
At that time, I had no idea I would one day offer these skills as services to others.
Instead of waiting for a client, I rather:
Designed handbills for the church.
Transcribed my messages
Formatted my personal books and
Designed my own book covers
I became addicted to working on my personal book projects because I knew writing books would be a big part of my life.
And to date, I've written over 200 books. That’s not even counting newsletters and magazines.
People knew me around town because of my writing—even more than some pastors who had been there for years.
Invitations to speak in churches and seminars began to pour in, simply because people came in contact with my work.
And who did all those designs? I did them myself!
If I learned a new graphic design technique, I used it to create my own book covers or handbills.
I did this for years before people started asking, "Who designed this? Can they do something for me too?"
Eventually, I started offering my design services to others.
The mistake most people make is trying to monetize a skill immediately after learning it. But you haven’t even proven it yet.
The best way to test any skill is to build something for yourself with it.
For instance, when I learned website design, I created multiple websites—many of which are outdated now or had expired domains because I was practicing.
At one point, I had around 10 to 12 websites. Some I designed for friends for free. Others were personal projects.
Every new skill I acquired, I applied to my own projects first. This allowed me to refine my craft without risking my credibility.
Failing on your own projects isn’t a big deal. But failing on a client’s project can damage your reputation.
That’s why you should keep practicing, honing your skills, and perfecting your projects.
By the time you start offering services to clients, you’d have minimized your chances of failure.
Step 3: Get Eyeballs On Your Personal Projects
You need eyeballs.
Quality eyeballs = quality clients.
Once you’ve built personal projects, the next step is to make sure people see them.
In the online world, this is called building an audience or gaining followers which is the foundation of all marketing.
Even if your work is better than that of people with huge followings, it won’t matter if no one knows you exist.
When I started, I ensured my projects got exposure.
Remember that those years, there wasn't anything like the internet or social media.
Every marketing effort could only be done manually and what we today call 'offline'.
So, in order to get eyeballs on my works, I launched a weekly newsletter called 'Faith Booster'. The first edition was published in 1995.
It was a simple, one-color publication where I shared my messages and advertised my books.
And I even distributed free copies in churches and on university campuses.
This got my work in front of people who valued it.
Pastors and other professionals noticed and started asking for my services.
Even though social media wasn’t around, and the internet was just emerging. Yet, I was finding ways to get visibility.
Imagine what you could achieve today with social media and online platforms.
Don’t just create projects and let them sit in silence:
Share your designs, books, skills and services online.
Take your work to places where people will appreciate it.
Target audiences that value your craft.
Artists hold exhibitions not just to sell their art but to get their work seen. That exposure often leads to new clients.
In the online world, exhibitions are your social media posts, blogs, and digital portfolios.
Optimize your work for visibility. Talk about it, post about it, and let people see your excellence.
You never know who might stumble upon your project and offer you a life-changing opportunity.
For instance, I once visited a company to pitch an ad placement for my magazine, "Dear Minister."
While discussing with the CEO, he noticed the magazine's design quality. He was impressed with my books as well.
Little did I know he'd been struggling to find someone to publish his drafts.
Seeing my work solved that problem for him.
And that meeting turned into a six-figure deal because I dared to showcase my work.
Today, you have the internet. Share your projects widely. Someone will eventually see your work and reach out, saying, "I want you to do this for me."
So, get eyeballs on your projects. It’s the gateway to landing your first high paying client.
Step 4: Target Rich Customers You Can Help With Your Skills
"If you want to catch whales, you don't go to ponds. You go to the deep seas"
The fourth step to getting your seven-figure client is to ensure the people who see your work are those who can afford to pay for it.
Always keep that in mind.
These are the people you must intentionally target at the onset.
Don’t just spread your work to people who don’t have the means to pay.
It’s not about looking down on anyone. It’s business.
And the goal of business is profit. You’re here to attract clients who will pay for your services.
Business isn’t charity. It’s not driven by pity. You’re working to take care of yourself, family and your aging parents, as the case may be.
That requires income. So, your services must be paid for.
That’s why you need to be intentional with your distribution strategy.
Find the right audience—people who are capable, authentic, and ready to invest in your offers.
I remember when we started distributing my newsletters in the 90s.
It wasn’t always easy to control who received it.
Sometimes, it fell into the wrong hands.
I invested a lot in writing, printing, packaging, and even posting the newsletter.
Yet, some recipients would write back asking for money or food.
That was never our intention. Our goal was to be a blessing through the newsletter and also inspire support for our work, not to distribute charity.
But when our newsletter reached the right people—those who valued the content—they responded differently.
Some even called to ask how much it cost to produce the publication, so they could support.
That’s the kind of audience you need.
If your work reaches the right people, it doesn’t matter the price, whether it’s $500 or $5,000, they’ll pay because they see the value.
I recall working with a well-known gospel singer. She wanted to publish a book, and I suggested producing both hard and soft copies.
She referenced a sample from Amazon, asking if I could match its quality.
I assured her I would, and I delivered.
That project ran into millions because she was a client who could pay.
You don’t target clients who can’t afford your services.
Think about it like fishing.
If you want to catch a shark, you don’t go to a pond. You go to the ocean—that’s where the big fish are.
The same applies to marketing. Target people with the means to pay.
How do you identify them? Look for individuals who regularly invest in high-ticket items. They don’t hesitate to spend on quality.
Online platforms like Facebook make this easy.
Facebook offers advanced targeting features. You can specify exactly who should see your ads—people with strong spending habits. Those who buy courses, products, or services like yours.
Facebook identifies these individuals and ensures your ads reach them.
Why?
Because people who have a spending or purchasing habit are more likely to spend again.
On the other hand, if someone has never paid for anything similar, they probably won’t start with your product.
So, focus on targeting people who will pay.
Seek out audiences with financial capacity and a proven track record of purchasing. They’ve done it before, and your offering won’t be the last they invest in.
Step 5: Be Willing To Work for Free To Hook The Right Clients.
Work for free?
Why?
Well, don't overthink it.
Let me clarify what I mean by working for free.
Fishermen catch fish with hooks and baits. That's another way to attract high-ticket clients.
That's why I suggest you should be willing to work for free for the first few projects. That's the hook and bait in marketing.
The key is to pitch something that catches their interest. Identify what they need most in their organization and offer to solve that problem.
For instance, I had a client who had already published many books.
I noticed he didn't have a website, so I approached him and said, "You need a website. Don’t worry, I’ll put it together for free. Just cover the hosting cost, and I’ll upload all your books for people to see."
He was excited and gave me the go-ahead. When I finished the website, he paid me. It wasn’t as much as I expected, but it was something.
Be willing to offer free services initially. If you do this a few times and prove you can solve their problems, you can then charge for future projects.
You can say something like, "For your next project, I’ll offer a discount. Normally, I charge X amount, but I’ll do it for 30% off."
Over time, they’ll trust you so much they won’t want to work with anyone else.
I have clients like that. They won’t publish their books, hire a ghostwriter, or design without me.
Why?
Because I provided free services that showcased my value.
They saw the quality of my work, my attention to detail, and my commitment to excellence—things they couldn’t find elsewhere.
Many years ago, a young man approached me. He had learned how to repair generators from reputable places but wasn’t getting jobs.
I advised him to target elite neighborhoods, knock on doors, and offer free generator servicing.
I told him he should leave his phone number behind. Before long, he'd have more clients than he could handle.
The lesson? Be willing to work for free.
A lot of people resist this.
Even small service providers can be shortsighted.
I knew a vulcanizer who refused to inflate tires unless his patrons paid the exact amount he charged.
Contrast that with another vulcanizer who willingly inflated all my car tires and tell me to pay whatever I had.
Guess who I kept going back to? Guess who I referred others to?
It’s not about being cheap. It’s smarter to offer free services than to slash your prices.
Once clients know your rates, there’s no need to negotiate. But to get your foot in the door, demonstrate your value through free work—especially for tasks that don’t cost you much.
This approach will earn you the trust of high-paying clients, and eventually, it will land you seven-figure deals.
Step 6: Start Charging From Low To Premium
By the time you’ve earned a client’s trust after a free service rendered for them, they’ll be the ones asking you, "How much do you charge?"
That brings us to step six which deals with pricing your services.
Start by charging from low to premium.
When you’re new to the market, don’t copy the pricing of experts who’ve been in the game for years. They’ve worked their way up. You’re just starting.
For instance, if my standard rate per book is $1000 , I might tell a new client, "Since I’m just starting with you, I’ll charge $800. But my usual rate is $1000."
This way, they know your true value.
Alternatively, if you don’t want to lower your price, you can pack more value for the same amount.
Say, "I can do two projects for the price of one." This keeps your pricing intact while increasing the perceived value.
Learn how to price strategically—from entry-level to premium rates.
Even what I call “low” pricing is still premium compared to others.
The goal is to start where you’re comfortable, then work your way up.
Eventually, people will accept your rates without negotiation. The only discussions might be about delivery timelines or bundling specific services.
If you set out and take those six steps above, you’ll be surprised by what your bank account will look like in the next few months. You, who couldn’t boast of $500, will soon be handling checks worth millions.
I challenge you to read another letter I wrote about making your dream a big deal if you truly want to realize your dreams.
If you want to double down on this and change your financial story, why not enroll in The Smart Entrepreneur today?
I’ll show you practical steps to start your online business and begin earning a solid income.
If you’re ready, click here and I’ll see you inside.
Peace out.
