My First Shopify Sale: The Ding, the Lessons, and the WTH Moments

What. The. Heck: The Sound That Changed Everything

It was nearing midnight. I’d been glued to my screen, obsessively tweaking every last detail of a product description on my Shopify store. My eyes were burning, my back ached, and I was one more error message away from giving up for the night.

But I couldn’t stop. I was determined to get it just right.

And then—DING! 

My heart skipped a beat. I froze, ears straining to pinpoint the sound. 

DING! 

There it was again. Where is my phone?! My pulse quickened. Could it be what I think it is? I scrambled, tossing aside papers and cushions, desperately searching. Finally, I found it. 

Cha-ching! You’ve made a sale!

I stared at the notification, my tired eyes widening. I read it again.

And again. 

Slowly, a grin spread across my face. My heart raced as the realization hit.

It’s working! It’s really working!

For a moment, I just sat there, staring at the screen, afraid the notification might vanish. But it was real.

Someone—a complete stranger—had bought something from my store. This wasn’t a pity purchase from a friend or family member. 

This was real.

A flood of emotions surged through me: pride, disbelief, and a shot of pure adrenaline. 

My exhaustion vanished faster than a Death Eater disapparating under Dumbledore’s glare.

I wanted to dance (even with my two left feet) and jump for joy, just like I did when I passed my NCLEX exam.

In that instant, every late night, every moment of frustration, every skeptical comment telling me I was “crazy” disappeared into the background.

Finding Freedom in a Side Hustle

That ding was a breath of fresh air. For years, my world had revolved around shifts, scrubs, and the organized chaos of nursing.

Shopify offered something new: a sense of control over my time, my work, and my outcomes. It became my escape—a space where I could experiment and create on my terms -no deadlines or shift reports looming over me.

This was more than just a side hustle. My initial motivation was to help with my parents’ expenses as they aged and needed more care. 

But deep down, I craved something that was mine. Something beyond the routines and hierarchies of nursing—a project that gave me space to pause, breathe, and, if I felt like it, dance in my living room at midnight just because I could.

What I didn’t expect was how much every small win would mean.

Each sale, each tweak to my store, felt like diving headfirst into a world I didn’t understand—seriously, my tech skills stopped at writing on a Word document.

I was scared of the unknown, the kind of person who liked to know every step before taking it.

But even with the fear, there was a spark of hope, this tiny voice saying, “What if this actually works?“

The Mastermind Group: My Lifeline

Remember the first business conference I ever attended in Maryland? That’s where it all began.

I met a group of people who would become my support system. We formed a mastermind group—a fancy name for “a bunch of dreamers figuring it out as we go.” (If you think that sounds crazy, you should check out my Crazy is as Crazy Does post.)

This group became my lifeline—a safe space where I could vent about frustrations, celebrate small wins, and remind myself that giving up wasn’t an option.

There were days when I felt completely overwhelmed—every decision felt like stepping onto a minefield, and my confidence was as wobbly as a Jell-O on a hot day.

But then, I’d hop on a call with my mastermind group, and the chaos would start to untangle. We shared stories of epic fails and little victories, and suddenly, the journey felt a lot less lonely.

Through my mastermind group, I learned the magic of asking for help. 

They became my tribe, the people who understood the struggle and didn’t judge me for it.

They celebrated everything with me, from brainstorming a store name to surviving the terrifying process of uploading my first product.

One night stands out: I was on the verge of tears, utterly defeated by payment settings that refused to cooperate. I was ready to hurl my laptop out the window. 

Then, a message popped up from one of my groupmates: 

“You’ve got this. Hop on a call, and let’s figure it out together.” 

That moment hit me like a warm hug I didn’t know I needed.

The First Facebook Ad: Confusion, Frustration, and a Glorious Win 

Building my store was one thing, but getting people to actually see it was another.

Enter Facebook ads. It felt like trying to decode a secret language with no cheat sheet—like high school math all over again, where the teacher’s explanation sounded more like alien gibberish a.k.a Klingon (looking at you, Star Trek fans).

Running a Facebook ad was a maze of decisions. I spent hours—and I mean hours—trying to figure out the ad settings.

My eyes blurred as I stared at options like ‘create a campaign’ and ‘boost a post.’ I had no idea what to choose: conversion campaign or awareness campaign? Custom audience or lookalike audience? Cost per click or cost per impression?

And seriously, what in the world is the difference between ad creatives and ad sets?

The choices felt endless: audiences, budgets, objectives. I had no idea if I was building a marketing strategy or accidentally signing up for NASA’s next mission to Mars.

More than once, I wanted to throw in the towel. Frustration buzzed in my head like a mosquito I couldn’t swat. But every time I felt like quitting, my mastermind group swooped in with reminders that even the pros once started clueless.

So I pushed forward, taking it one step at a time. 

I made mistakes—a lot of them. But each misstep taught me something new. When it got too overwhelming, I’d step away, clear my head, and return with fresh determination.

After what felt like a lifetime of tutorials, trial and error, and enough ad copy drafts to fill a small novel, I finally launched my first Facebook ad. My mastermind group cheered me on like I’d just crossed the finish line of a marathon.

And then it came: my first sale. That notification wasn’t just a transaction—it was validation

Bloopers, Oops, and Lessons Learned

Building my store was anything but smooth. There were plenty of mishaps—moments that still make me laugh, cringe, or both even until now.

One unforgettable night, I accidentally uploaded an entire product listing with the wrong description. A friend messaged me a screenshot, asking, “Is this supposed to be a sweater or a coffee mug?” 

My cheeks burned. It was a rookie mistake that quickly became a running joke in our group chat: “Remember the Sweater-Mug Incident?”

And then there were the technical hurdles. 

I had to lean heavily on one of my groupmates who knew a whole lot more about online stuff. Every small task felt huge. Setting up a payment gateway? No clue. Creating a return policy? Even less of a clue.

What? I need to create a Facebook Fanpage too? Well, how in the fiddlesticks am I supposed to do that?

It was like building a rocket ship when all I’ve ever driven was a bicycle.

But every mistake, every ‘oops’ moment, came with a lesson. This wasn’t just about learning e-commerce and Shopify. I was learning patience, resilience, and an unexpected joy in figuring things out for myself.

There’s a unique satisfaction in messing up, fixing it, and laughing about it later.

Biggest Takeaways: Lessons I Never Expected

Looking back, I realize that this journey has taught me far more than just how to run a Shopify store. Here are a few takeaways that stick with me every time self-doubt tries to creep in:

There’s a Whole World Outside Healthcare
Nursing is a big part of who I am, but this venture showed me there’s life beyond hospital walls. The resilience and problem-solving skills I developed as a nurse carried over, proving healthcare lessons thrive in unexpected places.

You Can Do Anything (With the Right People)
Having like-minded people around made all the difference. When I was down, they lifted me. When I celebrated, they cheered louder than I did. The right tribe keeps you grounded, pushes you forward, and reminds you that limits are just imaginary lines.

Ignore the Naysayers
People thought I was a bit out there for juggling an online business while working as a nurse. Maybe I was, but I’ve learned to tune out the negativity—not everyone will see my vision, and that’s okay.

My journey is about growth—MY growth—not theirs.

Stepping into the Great Unknown

Looking back on the night I earned my first $$$ online through Shopify, I feel like Alice after falling down the rabbit hole—caught between the demands of nursing and the unforgettable moments of that journey, but with more hustle and wisdom in my pocket.

That midnight ‘ding’ was the start of something bigger. It proved that stepping into the unknown could open doors I never imagined and gave me something I hadn’t felt in years: freedom beyond shifts, routines, and expectations.

This journey wasn’t just about learning a new skill or starting a side hustle. It taught me that we’re not limited by the roles we take on—nurse, entrepreneur, dreamer—but by the boundaries we’re too scared to challenge.

Ultimately, it’s not about the uniform you wear or the job title you hold. It’s about the courage to imagine something different—and the willingness to chase it, one step (or one “ding”) at a time.