Being a solopreneur gives you a sense of control and freedom that being an employee can’t. While setting up and running a business on your own is indeed a huge challenge, it’s also immensely rewarding.
If you’re considering making this transition, first of all, congratulations! And second, keep these 11 things in mind.
11 Things to Know About Being a Solopreneur
1. It All Depends on You — Everything
Whether things go splendidly or awful, whether you make a ton of money or lose everything, whether you land that huge client or totally blow it, it all comes down to you.
This is both terrifying and liberating. It means you run the show. But also… you run the show. You have the power to decide what happens and which direction your business — and thus, your life — takes.
2. Your Motivation Must Run Deeper Than Money
I love money, and I work very actively to make more. I also have money goals.
But money is not my number one priority and it’s not what lights my fire in the morning. If cash is what keeps you going, you either need to get your mind right or find another career path, because being a solopreneur isn’t for you.
Ultimately, you need to be driven by the desire to help people. Money will come and go. You’ll get new clients and others will leave you. If your happiness and sense of purpose and success hinge on your revenue/income, you’re going to experience way more emotional rollercoasters than you need to.
3. Get Comfortable With Being Uncomfortable
Your comfort zone might feel nice and cozy, but that’s not where any of the action happens.
Being a solopreneur inherently means having to take action when you don’t even know exactly what to do. It demands that you make decisions you’re not ready to make and be brave in the face of uncertainty.
This is a great lesson in resilience, and it’ll permeate other facets of your life.
4. Figure Out What Problem Your Audience Has… And Solve It
If you want people to care about you and spend money on your product or service, you have to be solving a problem they have. Otherwise, why do they need you?
So, as a solopreneur, simply ask yourself, “What’s my target audience’s problem, and how am I effectively offering a solution?” If you can’t answer that, go back to the drawing board.
5. Surround Yourself With People More Successful With You
This is one of the best pieces of advice my mom ever gave me.
Of course, we all want to be the smartest person in the room, the fastest, the wealthiest.
But when you surround yourself with people who are better than you, they lift you up and push you to improve further. Find people who are like the person you want to be. Surround yourself with greatness.
6. You’ll Make Many Mistakes — View Them as a Positive
If you have the tendency to beat yourself up over every mistake you make, you’re in trouble.
Mistakes are inevitable, so why not learn to embrace them? Instead of letting them get you down, be grateful for them, because we typically learn more from our mistakes than we do our successes.
The mistakes you make are a good time to pause, look back, and ask yourself, “What could I have done differently to change the outcome?”
7. Work Smart, Not Just Hard
This one was a rude awakening for me, because I’ve always known how to work hard. But working smart? That’s another conversation.
For example, working hard is spending three hours scheduling out your social media posts. Working smart is paying a social media manager to do it for you so that you can devote that time to tasks that generate revenue.
Working hard is sending out emails manually. Working smart is using a tool like ConvertKit to automate the process.
See the difference? Work smart, not just hard.
8. Become a Chameleon and Learn to Adapt (Fast)
Because a lot of this is going to be new territory, at times, there will only be so much you can do to prepare. Other things, you’ll have to learn on the fly.
This goes against my nature because I’m a planner. I always like to have at least a rough idea of what’s going to happen. But when you run your own business, that’s just not the case, period.
Learn to adapt. Learn to go with the flow. Don’t sweat the small stuff.
9. Pretend You’re Going to Work in an Office
Working from home is the best. Nothing beats it. Don’t get me wrong — you should absolutely take advantage of the fact that you can work in your comfies and maybe not even wear underwear.
Maybe.
The tricky part, though, is that being productive when you work from home is actually quite hard. And when you don’t do those little things like getting dressed, combing your hair, putting on a little make-up, or whatever, it takes you out of “work mode.” You get too comfortable.
So, get dressed. Put on something nice. Comb your hair. Pretend you’re still going to an office, even if that office is your living room.
10. Invest in Yourself
We don’t do this enough.
You’re going to spend so much time trying to grow your business that you’ll forget entirely about growing yourself.
I’m here to give you a gentle reminder: You’re worth the investment.
Take that online course that you’ve been eyeing to improve your skills. Go to that conference. Join the mastermind. You get the picture.
If it contributes to your growth, happiness, and success, it’s worth it.
11. Whatever Your Mind Can Conceive, You Can Achieve
It might sound cheesy, but it’s completely true, and that’s why I want to leave you with this.
If you can think it in your mind, then you can make it your reality. The only boundaries are the ones you set for yourself. The others don’t even exist.
So, if you want it, make it a goal. Write it down and put it out into the universe. Then, chase it. Everything you want — all of your solopreneur dreams — can be yours.
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