How to Start a Dropshipping Business (Step by Step)

Starting a business from scratch can feel overwhelming, especially if you’ve never built one before. The good news? Dropshipping makes it easier than ever.

With minimal upfront costs, no need to buy inventory, and the flexibility to work from anywhere, dropshipping is one of the best business models for beginners who want to start a lifestyle business.

So if you’ve ever wondered how to start a dropshipping business step by step, this guide is for you. I’ll walk you through exactly what to do, in order, so you can launch your store in as little as three weeks, even if you’re starting from zero.

Step 1: Choose a Profitable Niche (Days 1–2)

Your niche determines everything: your products, your suppliers, and your customer base. Spend the first two days brainstorming at least 50 niche ideas.

Criteria for a winning niche:

Look around your home, browse big-box retailers, or scan Amazon’s bestseller categories for inspiration. Don’t overthink it. Just get 50 ideas down; you’ll validate them in the next step.

Step 2: Validate With Market Research (Days 3–5)

Now it’s time to narrow your list of 50 down to one. Use these three filters:

At the end of Day 5, choose your niche and commit to it. Keep the rest of your list for future stores.

Step 3: Build Your Shopify Store (Days 6–10)

This is where things get real. Even if you’ve never built a website, Shopify makes it simple.

Essential setup tasks:

By Day 10, your store should look polished enough to show suppliers. Remove the password protection so it’s live.

Note: I had my team build a demo store so you can experience how your future store should look and function. Here's the link: https://shakasurfboards.com/

Step 4: Get Approved With Suppliers (Days 11–15)

You can’t sell without products—and suppliers won’t take you seriously unless you already have a live store.

During this stage, reach out to 20–30 suppliers in your niche. Use a professional email, explain who you are, and why you want to sell their products. Aim to get at least 5 approvals by Day 15.

Once approved:

Step 5: Optimize for Conversions (Days 16–18)

Now that you have real products, it’s time to make sure your store can actually convert.

Checklist:

This is the polish that separates a store that gets traffic from one that makes sales.

Step 6: Launch Traffic Campaigns (Days 19–21)

Your store is ready. Now it’s time to bring in customers.

By the end of Day 21, you’ll have real traffic, real products, and a store capable of making sales.

Why Dropshipping is the Perfect Lifestyle Business

The Drop Ship Lifestyle model isn’t just about making money—it’s about building a lifestyle business. That means:

Final Thoughts

You now know how to start a dropshipping business step by step:

Follow this plan consistently and you can go from idea to your first sale in just three weeks.

Want my full blueprint, including supplier scripts, ad templates, and live coaching calls? Join my free training and I’ll show you exactly how to get started.