In this episode, Becky breaks down how to build a real digital product business (the kind that runs while you’re making dinner) without falling into hustle culture or burning out. She shares how she grew a catalog of 1,500+ digital products across multiple platforms while working 60-hour weeks and raising her son—then used AI + simple systems to scale from around $20K/month to $80K–$100K/month without posting nonstop.
You’ll hear the biggest mindset shift (you don’t need more hours—you need leverage), why digital products are the best “busy life” business model, and the exact weekly rotation she used to create, list, and promote consistently. Becky also covers the 3 mistakes that cause most people to quit (trying to be everywhere, over-perfecting instead of listing, and relying on willpower for marketing) and the tools/systems that keep sales and support running 24/7.
Register for Becky’s free live workshop on Thursday, February 19 at 1 PM CST at beckybeach.co/all-aiworkshop, everyone who signs up gets two free digital products + the replay.
Podcast 101 Transcript: “How to Build a Digital Product Empire Without Burnout Using AI + Systems”
Hook:
Let me guess. You’re listening to this podcast while doing seventeen other things. Maybe you’re folding laundry. Or sitting in a parking lot between meetings. Or hiding in your car, eating lunch because it’s the only quiet moment you’ll get today. And you’re thinking, ‘I want to build something… but when?’ Friend. I get it. And today, I’m showing you how.
Intro:
Hey, welcome back to the Becky Beach Show! I’m Becky Beach and today’s episode is all about how I built my million-dollar digital product empire without burnout.
And when I say “empire,” I don’t mean the hustle-porn, sleep-when-you’re-dead nonsense.
I mean a business that operates while you’re making dinner. Or wiping sticky toddler hands off the couch. Or just… being a human who needs to, like, exist.
Because here’s the thing — if your business only works when you’re glued to your phone?
That’s not freedom.
That’s a fancy job with a boss named You, and honestly? You’re kind of a terrible boss.
So stick with me today because I’m walking you through:
- how I built a digital products business with over 1,500 products across BeckyBeach.AI, Shop.mombeach.com, PLRBeach.com, Etsy, Redbubble, and Teachers Pay Teachers
- how I did it while working 60-hour weeks as a lead UX product designer
- and yes… while raising my boy, Bryan (who does not care about my content calendar, by the way)
- and then how AI + systems helped me go from about $20k/month to $80k–$100k/month without posting eleventy billion times a day
We’re keeping it simple, practical, and doable.
Let’s go.
PART 1: The Lie That Makes People Quit
Okay, first things first.
Let’s call out the big fat lie that’s keeping you stuck:
“If you want big results, you have to work big hours forever.”
Nope.
Hard pass.
Working hard in a season? Sure. I get it. Sometimes you’re in build mode.
But building a business where grinding is the only strategy?
That’s how you end up exhausted, resentful, and scrolling Instagram at 11 PM wondering how everyone else has it figured out while you’re over here barely holding it together.
Here’s the reframe that changed everything for me:
You don’t need more hours. You need better leverage.
And leverage comes from:
- digital products
- systems
- automation
- and now — thanks to AI — a whole new level of speed that honestly feels a little like cheating (but in a good way)
Because if you can create something once… and sell it forever?
That’s the game, friend.
PART 2: How I Started (With Zero “Extra Time”)
Let me take you back.
When I started my digital products business, I was working 60-hour weeks as a lead UX product designer.
Long days. Big mental load. A lot of responsibility.
And then I had Bryan.
If you’re thinking, “I don’t have time…”
Friend.
I get it.
I didn’t have time either.
I had 25-minute time blocks using the Pomodoro technique.
I worked on my digital products:
- in the morning before anyone else was awake
- on my lunch hour (glamorous, I know)
- before bed when my brain was basically mush
- and yes… on weekends
Not because I’m some superhuman productivity robot.
But because I was building my exit plan.
And here’s something I really want you to hear:
You don’t need a perfect schedule. You need a repeatable one.
Even 25 minutes a day adds up fast when it’s consistent.
Tiny steps compound.
It’s not sexy. But it works.
PART 3: Why Digital Products Are the Best “Busy Life” Business Model
Let’s talk about why digital products are such a good fit — especially if you’re a busy human who doesn’t have time to pack boxes or answer customer service emails about shipping delays.
Digital products:
- don’t require inventory cluttering up your house
- don’t require shipping
- can be sold while you sleep
- and let you build a catalog of assets that compound over time
And that compounding thing? That’s the secret sauce.
Because most people think it’s about one product going viral.
But for me, it was about building an ecosystem.
Over time, that became 1,500+ products across BeckyBeach.AI, Shop.mombeach.com, PLRBeach.com, Etsy, Redbubble, and Teachers Pay Teachers.
The more “doors” you have into your stores — different types of products for different needs — the more people find something that actually fits them.
PART 4: Then AI Showed Up… and Everything Changed
Back in 2022, when AI hit the scene with ChatGPT, I started playing around with it to create digital products.
And at first, I was just curious.
Like, “What the hell can this thing actually do?”
But then I realized something:
AI wasn’t replacing my creativity. It was multiplying it.
It helped me create digital products faster — things like:
- workbooks
- planners
- journals
- clipart
- stickers
- templates
- prompts
- printables
- educational resources
And here’s the big win:
AI helped me build more revenue streams by expanding my catalog with different product types… so I could serve more people with what they actually want.
Because not everyone wants the same format, right?
Some people want a workbook.
Some want a planner.
Some want quick stickers.
Some want classroom resources.
Some want clipart.
And when your stores have more variety?
You reach more people. You help more people. You sell more consistently.
Before AI, I was earning around $20k/month.
After I integrated AI into product creation and my systems?
I scaled to $80k–$100k/month from my digital products and BusinessBeachClub.com membership.
Not because AI is magic…
But because it gave me leverage.
It made the “create” part faster — and it helped me build a business that doesn’t require me to manually push every button every single day.
PART 5: The Real Secret Is Systems (Not Motivation)
Okay, this is the part people skip.
They think the key is:
- “post more”
- “try harder”
- “be more consistent”
But here’s the thing — consistency is hard when you’re tired.
And you’re going to be tired.
So instead of relying on motivation (which is basically a flaky friend who shows up when she feels like it)…
I built systems that promote my products 24/7.
Here are a few tools I use:
- Opus Clip to turn longer videos into short-form clips quickly
- Make for AI agents and automations
- ManyChat to automate DMs and lead capture
- and Go High Level to connect everything and run my customer journey systems
Let me highlight Go High Level for a second because this has been a game-changer.
I built an AI support bot inside my system that helps customers get answers fast.
So I’m not answering the same questions all day long like some kind of human FAQ page.
And beyond support, I use Go High Level to run automations with AI — like:
- delivering freebies automatically
- tagging and segmenting leads
- sending follow-up sequences
- triggering workflows based on what someone clicks or buys
- keeping customers supported without me being “on” 24/7
Friend.
That’s how you prevent burnout.
Not by pushing harder.
But by building a machine that supports you.
Behind-the-Scenes: What My Weekly Schedule Actually Looked Like
Let me give you a quick behind-the-scenes, because I think people imagine I had this perfectly curated, aesthetic schedule.
I did not. 🤣
I had a real schedule. The kind that fits around work, life, and a baby who does not care about your content calendar.
Here’s what my week looked like when I was working those 60-hour weeks and growing this on the side:
Monday: “Create Drafts” Day
I’d use AI to generate first drafts fast — outlines for workbooks, journal prompts, planner ideas, product titles, listing descriptions… all the raw material.
Not to publish instantly.
Just to kill the blank page.
Tuesday: “Make it Pretty + Make it Mine” Day
This is where I’d edit. Add my voice. Fix the flow. Make it better.
Then I’d format in Canva or my tool of choice and make it look like a real product someone would actually pay for.
Wednesday: “Listings + SEO” Day
I’d list products in one place — Etsy, Teachers Pay Teachers, or my store.
Strong title, clear benefits, mockups, keywords, and a description that actually helps people understand what they’re buying.
Because your product can be amazing… but if your listing is confusing, people won’t buy.
Thursday: “Promotion Systems” Day
Not “post nonstop” day.
System day.
This is where I’d:
- record one video
- let Opus Clip turn it into multiple short clips. Go to coachbeckybeach.com/opusclip to try it free.
- queue content
- and connect automations so leads didn’t fall through the cracks
Friday: “Review + Repeat” Day
I’d check what sold, what got clicks, what got saves, what flopped.
Then I’d decide:
- what to make more of
- what to tweak
- what to stop wasting time on
Weekends: 1–2 focused pockets
Not all-day grinding.
Usually one focused block during nap time or early morning.
And here’s the key:
I didn’t try to do everything every day.
I rotated the focus.
That’s how you build without frying your brain.
The 3 Biggest Mistakes I Made (So You Don’t Have To)
Okay, now let’s do the mistakes — because I made them so you don’t have to.
And I say this with love… most people don’t fail because they aren’t smart.
They fail because they’re trying to do this the hardest possible way.
Mistake #1: Trying to be everywhere at once
I thought I needed to launch on every platform immediately.
And that sounds ambitious… but it’s actually a fast track to scattered energy and feeling like you’re doing everything badly.
What I should’ve done — and what I recommend now — is:
Pick one platform + one product type until you have momentum.
Then expand.
Growth loves focus.
Burnout loves chaos.
Mistake #2: Overbuilding instead of listing
Oh my goodness… I spent way too long perfecting products that weren’t even listed yet.
I’d tweak fonts, adjust layouts, rewrite prompts…
Meanwhile, the cash register was like: “Hello?? We need listings.” 🤣
Real talk:
A product can’t sell if it isn’t published.
So now my rule is:
Done and listed beats perfect and hidden.
Mistake #3: Relying on willpower for marketing
I used to think promotion meant:
- “Be online constantly.”
- “Post every day.”
- “Stay relevant.”
And that’s fine… until you have a life.
So I built systems instead.
Now tools like ManyChat + Go High Level help me capture leads and follow up automatically, and Make runs automations behind the scenes, and Opus Clip helps content creation move way faster.
Because willpower runs out.
Systems don’t.
And once I started thinking like a systems builder instead of a content hamster on a wheel?
My income grew — and my stress dropped.
Which is kinda the whole point.
PART 6: Proof This Works for “Normal People”
And I want you to hear this loud and clear:
I’m not the only one.
I’ve helped several others quit their full-time jobs and start their own digital product business too — hitting five figures a month.
Not because they were special.
But because they followed a process:
- Pick what to sell
- Use AI to create efficiently
- List consistently
- Build a system to bring in traffic and leads
- Keep stacking products like bricks
That’s it.
And once you have momentum?
It starts to feel less like pushing a boulder uphill…
and more like steering something that’s already moving.
PART 7: “Okay Becky… But How Do I Start?”
If you’re brand new, here’s the simplest way I’d start — like if you and I were texting and you asked, “Becky, what would you do first?”
1. Pick a buyer + problem
Who are you helping, and what do they need?
2. Choose one product type
Don’t do 17 things. Pick one: workbook, planner, journal, templates, clipart.
3. Use AI to create a first draft
Then you edit, personalize, and make it yours.
4. List it in one place
Etsy, Teachers Pay Teachers, your store — pick one to start.
5. Repeat weekly
Tiny steps. Consistent output. Compounding catalog.
And as you build, you add systems so you’re not doing everything manually forever.
Because the goal isn’t “work harder.”
The goal is build smarter.
CTA: Free Live Workshop
If you want me to walk you through this live, step-by-step…
I’m hosting a free live workshop on:
Thursday, February 19th at 1 PM CST
It’s all about getting started creating digital products with AI — without overwhelm, without perfectionism, and without burning out.
Go register at:
beckybeach.co/all-aiworkshop
And here’s the best part:
Everyone who registers gets two free digital products by email PLUS the free replay.
So even if you can’t make it live — friend — still sign up.
You’ll get the freebies, and you can watch when life calms down a little.
Again, that link is:
beckybeach.co/all-aiworkshop
OUTRO
Let me leave you with this:
You don’t need to be “ahead.”
You don’t need a giant audience.
You don’t need to know everything.
You just need to start stacking.
Be a creator, not a consumer.
You can do this.
And if you want my help building your AI + systems-powered digital product machine…
beckybeach.co/all-aiworkshop
I’ll see you there. Have a great day! Goodbye!
