Trailnotes
“I update every old review each spring. Fresh pages are what keep the readers coming.”
LBLotte Bakker · Trailnotes · Since 2020
12-mo revenue$84,380+10% vs last yearOpen Banking
Based on 100 real content sites worldwide, including 52 that closed.
✓Your budget should cover this.
Bills run about $100 a month (fuel, insurance, rent, phone). Most owners make a profit after about 9 months. Keep this much aside to pay bills until then.
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Register with your province (about $60 to $360). Get a free business number from the CRA.
Free to about $15 a month. Keeps business money apart from yours.
Sets up your books and files your first tax return.
$3.6k
Before costs. November–December peak for affiliate sales.
| Slow | Typical | Strong | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $726 | $1.8k | $4.5k |
| Year 3 | $1.9k | $4.3k | $9.6k |
| Year 5 | $2.4k | $5.6k | $13k |
Slow: 1 in 4 make less than this. Typical: half make more, half make less. Strong: 1 in 4 make more than this.
“I update every old review each spring. Fresh pages are what keep the readers coming.”
about $85k
Starting costs about $81.4k less. Buying costs more, but you earn from the first month and skip the risky early years.