Introduction
When I first stumbled upon Ben Adkins – The Shovel Business, I was immediately struck by the brilliant simplicity of the concept. We’ve all heard the phrase about selling shovels during a gold rush, but Dr. Ben Adkins has masterfully adapted this timeless business principle for the digital age. In a world where everyone seems to be chasing the next big trend or trying to become the face of their brand, this course offers a refreshingly different approach: building highly profitable businesses by selling essential “digital shovels” to passionate niche markets.
I’ve reviewed countless online business courses over the years, but few have captured my attention quite like this one. The promise isn’t about becoming the next influencer or launching complex SaaS platforms that require venture capital. Instead, Ben Adkins – The Shovel Business focuses on creating simple, essential digital tools that specific audiences desperately need—and selling them repeatedly without the constant trading of time for money. With a proven system designed to scale to $50,000-$100,000 per year in revenue, this course represents a viable path to financial independence for digital entrepreneurs who prefer working behind the scenes.
Course Description
Ben Adkins – The Shovel Business is a comprehensive training program that demystifies the process of building automated income streams through digital product creation. Dr. Ben Adkins, a seasoned entrepreneur behind Serial Progress Seeker, has developed a six-part framework that takes you from absolute concept to scaled business. The course methodology centers on identifying underserved niche markets and creating “digital shovels”—essential tools, templates, and systems that these markets need to succeed—then outsourcing the creation while keeping the profits.
What makes this course particularly valuable is its emphasis on building assets rather than just offering services. The teaching style is practical and action-oriented, with Dr. Ben taking you behind the scenes of his own successful ventures. You’ll learn how to spot opportunities before they become saturated, create prototypes without technical expertise, and leverage affordable outsourcing to bring high-quality products to market. The entire system is backed by a 60-day money-back guarantee, giving you ample time to validate the strategies within the Serial Progress Seeker ecosystem.
Ideal Student
This course specifically serves individuals who are tired of the service-based hamster wheel and want to build scalable digital assets. You don’t need to be a tech wizard or marketing guru to benefit from this training, but certain characteristics will make you an ideal fit for Ben Adkins – The Shovel Business.
- Aspiring Digital Entrepreneurs: Individuals looking to escape the 9-to-5 grind by building automated income streams that don’t require constant hands-on management or client calls.
- Service Providers Ready to Productize: Consultants, freelancers, and agency owners who want to package their expertise into sellable digital products rather than trading hours for dollars.
- Niche Market Enthusiasts: People who understand the value of serving specific, passionate communities and recognize that riches exist in the niches rather than broad markets.
- Outsourcing Novices: Entrepreneurs who want to leverage global talent to create assets without learning complex technical skills themselves or managing large teams.
- Passive Income Seekers: Anyone focused on building a portfolio of digital assets that generate revenue 24/7 through automated sales systems and evergreen funnels.
Learning Outcomes
By implementing the strategies taught in this program, you’ll develop a comprehensive skill set for building sustainable digital product businesses. The learning outcomes extend far beyond theory, providing you with actionable frameworks you can deploy immediately.
- Opportunity Identification: Master the art of spotting “shovel opportunities” in niche markets before they become mainstream, using Dr. Ben’s proprietary research methods.
- Rapid Prototyping: Learn how to create detailed product blueprints and prototypes quickly without writing code or designing from scratch.
- Strategic Outsourcing: Develop systems for finding, vetting, and managing affordable freelancers to build high-quality digital assets you can sell thousands of times.
- Profit Maximization: Apply the Shovel Pricing Formula to determine optimal price points that maximize revenue while maintaining high conversion rates.
- Automated Sales Systems: Build conversion-optimized sales pages and identify the exact “hot spots” where your ideal customers are already looking for solutions.
- Scaling Methodologies: Implement the full-time digital shovel sales model to systematically grow your operation from first sale to $50,000-$100,000 annual revenue.
Course Modules
The course is structured as a six-part intensive that walks you through every phase of building your digital shovel empire. Each module builds upon the previous one, creating a cohesive system that takes you from concept to scaled business. Here’s what you’ll discover inside each section of Ben Adkins – The Shovel Business:
Module 1: How to Find Hidden Shovel Opportunities
This foundational module reveals Dr. Ben’s secret sauce for market research and opportunity identification. You’ll learn how to analyze niche markets to find the exact moments when communities are experiencing pain points that can be solved with simple digital tools. The training covers:
- Advanced techniques for monitoring niche communities, forums, and social groups to spot emerging needs before competitors
- The “Essential Tool” framework that helps you distinguish between nice-to-have products and must-have shovels that sell themselves
- How to validate demand before investing time or money in product creation, ensuring you build only what the market already wants
- Case studies of successful digital shovels in obscure niches that generate consistent five-figure monthly revenue
Module 2: Creating Your Shovel Prototype
Once you’ve identified a winning opportunity, this module teaches you how to rapidly design the blueprint for your digital asset without getting bogged down in technical details. Dr. Ben demonstrates his rapid prototyping system that allows you to define exactly what needs to be built so you can outsource it efficiently. Key elements include:
- Step-by-step prototyping methodologies that require zero coding or design skills but produce clear specifications for freelancers
- How to create wireframes, user flows, and feature lists that communicate your vision clearly to outsourced teams
- The “MVP Shovel” concept—building the minimum viable version that solves the core problem without feature bloat
- Templates and frameworks for documenting your digital product requirements so developers can quote accurately and deliver quickly
Module 3: Outsourcing the Build of a High-Quality Shovel
This is where the magic happens for non-technical entrepreneurs. Module 3 provides the complete playbook for finding affordable talent to build your high-quality digital assets, allowing you to sell their work thousands of times over. You’ll discover:
- Specific platforms and hiring strategies for finding skilled developers, designers, and content creators at rates that preserve your profit margins
- The vetting process that ensures you hire reliable freelancers who deliver professional-quality work on schedule
- Contract structures and intellectual property protection methods that secure full ownership of your digital shovel
- Project management techniques for overseeing remote teams without micromanaging, ensuring products are built to specification the first time
Module 4: The Shovel Pricing Formula
Pricing can make or break your digital shovel business, and this module demystifies the mathematics behind profitable pricing strategies. Dr. Ben shares his exact formula for determining what to charge based on market positioning, perceived value, and revenue goals. You’ll learn:
- The psychology of pricing digital tools in niche markets, including why underpricing actually hurts sales and customer satisfaction
- How to calculate your break-even points and target margins to ensure every shovel generates substantial profit
- Tiered pricing strategies that allow you to serve different segments of your market while maximizing average order value
- Real-world examples of pricing tests and their results, showing you exactly what price points convert best in various niches
Module 5: Shovel Selling Hot Spots
Creating the perfect digital shovel means nothing if you can’t get it in front of buyers. This module focuses on setting up high-converting sales pages and identifying the exact channels where your ideal customers are already searching for solutions. The training covers:
- How to design simple but effective sales pages that convert visitors into buyers without complex funnels or expensive software
- Identification of “hot spots”—specific forums, groups, marketplaces, and platforms where niche audiences congregate and buy
- Organic traffic strategies that bring targeted buyers to your offers without spending thousands on advertising
- Launch sequences and promotional tactics that generate initial sales momentum and social proof for new digital products
Module 6: The Full-Time Digital Shovel Sales Model
The final module transitions you from side-hustle mode to full-time business owner. This is where you learn to scale your digital shovel operation to $50,000-$100,000 per year through systematic growth strategies. Dr. Ben reveals:
- The portfolio approach—how to manage multiple shovel products across different niches to diversify income streams
- Automation systems that handle customer service, delivery, and updates without your daily involvement
- Advanced scaling techniques including affiliate partnerships, white-label opportunities, and recurring revenue models
- Time management frameworks that allow you to maintain multiple digital assets efficiently while working fewer hours than traditional employment
Real-World Applications and Success Stories
The beauty of the digital shovel business model lies in its versatility across virtually any niche market. Imagine creating specialized spreadsheet templates for Etsy sellers that automate their tax calculations, or developing workflow checklists for specific medical professionals looking to streamline patient onboarding. These aren’t hypothetical examples—this is exactly the type of product that generates consistent passive income. The course teaches you to identify professionals and hobbyists who are actively spending money to save time, then position your digital tool as the obvious solution to their daily frustrations.
What I find most compelling about Dr. Ben’s approach is the emphasis on assets that appreciate over time. Unlike service businesses that reset to zero each month, the digital shovels you create continue selling while you sleep, vacation, or build your next product. Students of Ben Adkins – The Shovel Business have reported replacing their full-time incomes within 6-12 months by following the outsourcing strategies, allowing them to focus on strategy rather than execution. The scalability means you’re not limited by your own technical skills or daily availability—your earning potential is determined by how many problems you can solve for how many niches.
Pricing
Access to this comprehensive business training represents a significant value considering the potential return on investment. The course is structured as a one-time purchase that grants lifetime access to all materials and future updates within the Serial Progress Seeker platform.
- One-Time Payment: The complete Ben Adkins – The Shovel Business course is available for a single investment, providing permanent access to all six training modules, templates, outsourcing guides, and community resources.
Every purchase includes the 60-day money-back guarantee, allowing you to thoroughly test the strategies risk-free. If you implement the methods and don’t see the value, you can request a full refund with no questions asked. This pricing structure makes it accessible compared to ongoing coaching programs while delivering the complete blueprint for building your digital asset empire.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- No Technical Barriers: The outsourcing-focused approach means you don’t need to learn coding, design, or complex software to build sellable products.
- Proven Market Strategy: The “sell shovels, not gold” concept is time-tested and particularly resilient during economic fluctuations.
- Scalable Income Model: Digital products can be sold unlimited times without additional production costs, creating true passive income potential.
- Actionable Framework: Dr. Ben provides specific templates, scripts, and formulas rather than vague motivational content.
- Risk Mitigation: The 60-day guarantee and validation strategies taught help minimize financial risk when launching new products.
- Behind-the-Scenes Access: Learning from Dr. Ben’s actual business operations provides real-world context that theoretical courses lack.
Cons
- Initial Capital Required: You’ll need budget for outsourcing product creation and potentially advertising, which may be a barrier for those with zero startup funds.
- Management Complexity: Working with freelancers requires coordination and quality control skills that some beginners may find challenging initially.
- Market Research Time: Finding the right niche requires patience and thorough investigation before seeing any return.
- No Done-For-You Solution: While templates are provided, you must still execute the strategy yourself—this isn’t a franchise model.
- Niche Saturation Risks: As more students enter popular niches, differentiation becomes increasingly important.
- Learning Curve for Outsourcing: Managing remote talent effectively is a skill that takes time to develop and mistakes can be costly.
FAQs
What exactly is a “digital shovel”?
A digital shovel is an essential tool, template, or system that helps a specific niche market accomplish their goals more efficiently. Unlike information products that just teach, digital shovels are assets that customers use repeatedly in their work or hobbies—things like specialized calculators, workflow automations, industry-specific templates, or organizational systems.
Do I need any technical skills to succeed with Ben Adkins – The Shovel Business?
Absolutely not. The entire course is designed around outsourcing technical work to affordable freelancers. You need to understand your target market and how to manage projects, but you don’t need to write code, design graphics, or build websites yourself. Dr. Ben specifically teaches non-technical entrepreneurs how to hire talented people to execute their vision.
How much money do I need to start?
While the course itself requires the enrollment investment, Dr. Ben recommends having at least $500-$1,000 available for your first outsourcing project and basic tooling. This covers the cost of having your initial digital shovel built by freelancers. However, many students start smaller and reinvest early profits to build their portfolio.
How long does it take to make the first sale?
Timelines vary based on niche selection and execution speed, but many students report making their first sale within 30-60 days of completing the course. The validation techniques taught help ensure you’re building something the market actually wants, which significantly reduces time-to-revenue compared to guessing what might sell.
What is the refund policy?
Ben Adkins – The Shovel Business comes with a 60-day money-back guarantee. If you complete the training and determine it’s not right for your business goals, you can request a full refund within 60 days of purchase. Serial Progress Seeker honors this guarantee with no complicated hoops to jump through.
How is this different from other digital product courses?
Most courses teach you to become the product—creating courses about your expertise or building a personal brand. The Shovel Business teaches you to sell tools that others use to build their businesses, positioning you as the essential supplier rather than the competitor. Additionally, the heavy emphasis on affordable outsourcing makes this accessible to people who aren’t already skilled developers or designers.
Final Verdict
After thoroughly reviewing the curriculum and methodology, I believe Ben Adkins – The Shovel Business offers one of the most pragmatic and sustainable approaches to online business currently available. In an era where everyone is selling courses about how to sell courses, Dr. Ben’s focus on selling essential tools provides a refreshing and potentially more stable business model. The course doesn’t promise overnight riches or push risky business models; instead, it offers a systematic approach to building real assets that solve real problems for specific audiences.
What truly sets this program apart is the outsourcing framework. By removing the technical barrier to entry, Ben Adkins has democratized digital product creation, allowing entrepreneurs to focus on market research and strategy rather than getting bogged down in development work. The 60-day guarantee provides adequate time to validate the process, and the Serial Progress Seeker community offers ongoing support as you implement these strategies.
If you’re tired of the service-based hustle and want to build something that generates income independent of your hourly availability, this course provides the blueprint. It’s particularly valuable for existing business owners looking to add passive revenue streams or individuals seeking location-independent income without becoming public figures. While it requires initial investment and patience during the research phase, the potential for building a portfolio of digital assets makes Ben Adkins – The Shovel Business a worthwhile investment for serious digital entrepreneurs ready to do the work.
