My First Website Earned Me Nothing. My Next Ones Earned Me ₹270.

When I started the EYFI (Earn Your First Income) Challenge, I decided to do something with the skills I already had. I knew how to build websites, so I thought I'd use that skill to earn my first income.

My first project was building a website for my college. I put in the work, completed the website, and expected to earn from it.

But the payment never came.

It was frustrating, but instead of letting that experience stop me, I decided to use the project to showcase my skills and find other people who might be willing to pay for my work.

That's how I got started with building portfolio websites for students, eventually earning my first ₹270.

The Project That Didn't Pay

My first idea was to build a website for my college to improve its digital presence and usability.

I planned and developed the website, putting my technical skills to use on a real-world project. But even after completing the work, I didn't receive any payment.

Looking back, I realised I'd made a mistake. I hadn't established clear expectations or confirmed the payment terms before starting the project.

It was a frustrating experience, but it wasn't entirely wasted. I now had something tangible to show potential clients: a website I'd actually built.

That became my starting point for finding paid work.

Turning My Skills Into a Service

After the college project, I decided to approach juniors and other students in my network and offer to build portfolio websites for them.

The idea was simple. Students could use these websites to showcase their projects, skills, and contact details in one place. I could use my existing web development skills to help them build something useful while earning money myself.

I offered the websites at affordable prices, usually between ₹150 and ₹200, to attract clients and gain more experience.

I started by reaching out to people I already knew. I showed them my previous work, explained what I could build for them, and used my college network to find potential customers.

This time, things worked out.

I started getting clients for portfolio websites, turning a skill I already had into a service that other students were willing to pay for.

From an Unpaid Project to My First ₹270

Through my portfolio website projects, I earned a total of ₹270, with no additional investment.

I spent around 7 to 10 days working on the challenge, averaging 3 to 5 hours a day. My work involved designing and coding websites, making changes based on client feedback, and delivering the finished product.

It wasn't just about writing code anymore. I had to understand what each student wanted, communicate with clients, incorporate their feedback, and make sure the final website met their requirements.

I also realised how useful my existing network could be. Personal connections and word-of-mouth helped me find clients, while positive responses and referrals motivated me to continue.

My first project hadn't generated any income, but it had given me something valuable: proof that I could build a website and deliver a real project.

That proof helped me find people who were willing to pay for my skills.

What My First Income Challenge Taught Me

Looking back, there are three things I took away from this experience.

Always clarify expectations before starting.

My college website project taught me to discuss the price, requirements, timeline, and deliverables before beginning any work. Being able to do the work isn't enough. You also need to be clear about the terms of the agreement.

Start small and grow step by step.

Instead of looking for big projects straight away, I started with portfolio websites for fellow students. Offering an affordable service helped me find my first paying clients, gain experience, and improve my skills.

Real projects teach you things theory cannot.

Working with actual clients meant dealing with feedback, revisions, delivery, and payment expectations. These were lessons I couldn't learn from coding practice alone.

If I were doing the challenge again, I'd establish clearer agreements from the beginning, gradually increase my prices as my skills and demand grew, and work on building a stronger portfolio to attract better-paying clients.

My First Attempt Didn't Work. But It Helped Me Get Started.

My EYFI Challenge didn't begin with a successful sale. It began with a project that didn't pay.

But that first attempt gave me something I could use to move forward. By showing potential clients what I could build, approaching people in my network, and offering an affordable service, I found a way to earn ₹270 from my skills.

The experience taught me that your first attempt doesn't have to go exactly as planned for it to be useful.

Sometimes, a project that doesn't work out financially can still become the starting point for your next opportunity.

I'm Akhilesh Kumar C, a Cohort 2 fellow at PES College of Engineering, Mandya, and this was my experience with the EYFI Challenge.

If there's one thing I'd tell another student, it's this: start with the skills you have, find someone who could use them, and don't be afraid to try.

You might not get everything right the first time. But you'll learn something you can use the next time around.

---

This story was adapted from my original EYFI Challenge report and edited by the YouStart team.