The Insatiable Solopreneur™

Succeeding and Surviving as a Solopreneur

Archive for the category “Freelancing”

08 May 2013
2 Comments

Ways to Whack Your Inner Whiner

When running a small business, you face a lot of challenges. And as a solopreneur whose quality of work can largely No Whiningdepend on your ability to stay focused and function within the right frame of mind, dwelling on what’s not going your way will sink you quickly. To be a successful solo-professional, you can’t be whiner.

We all have those “Whoa is me” moments. I know I do, and I don’t know anyone who is immune to them. And I know some people who just don’t seem to be able to get past them. But on the flip side, I also know people who are dealing with some quite heavy, incredibly sad circumstances, but yet somehow manage to see the positive in every day and give others hope and inspiration.

As a solopreneur, it’s important to remain cognizant of – and appreciate – what’s going right even when certain things are going all wrong.

How?

Make it a habit!

A few ideas to help you keep your chin up and cop a “lemons into lemonade” attitude:

  • Write down the steps for tackling whatever’s challenging you. Creating a plan will help you see that you do have some control over the situation.
  • Every day, start the day by reminding yourself of at least three things that you should be thankful for. And it’s OK if they’re the same three things every day!
  • Think ahead to an event or activity that you have planned and are looking forward to in the near future. That can serve as a source of light at the end of the tunnel.
  • Remind yourself that our mistakes – and those made by others – can be our best friends and best learning tools.
  • Listen to music that lifts your mood.
  • Get outside for a breath of fresh air a few times every day – even if only for a minute or two at a time.
  • Make a sincere effort not to complain. In many ways, we create our own attitudes by how we choose to react to situations. I haven’t taken it to the extent of the 21-day complaint-free challenge, but I’ve experimented with it to some degree and have absolutely noticed some positive changes in my level of stress.
  • If possible, minimize your exposure to people who are consistently negative. And if you can’t avoid them, recognize that it’s not you, it’s them!

Again, mumbling and grumbling every now and then about less than ideal circumstances in business is perfectly normal, but don’t get settled into “victim mode” where the pity party never ends. Your prospects and clients need to know that you’re capable of weathering the occasional storm – and that starts with your ability to shed your inner whiner and focus on making the best of every situation.

Your turn: Know anyone in your professional circles who is an incessant whiner? What techniques help you stay positive during challenging times?

Posted in Business challenges, Freelancing, Professional Development and tagged , , , , ,
23 Apr 2013

Why Your Solopreneur Business Needs “Wiggle Room” – and How to Fit It Into Every Day

If you’re a professional services solopreneur, there’s great satisfaction in having a full plate of billable projects. After all,

Leaving "wiggle room" between projects & appointments lets you "plan" for the unexpected.

Leaving “wiggle room” between projects & appointments lets you “plan” for the unexpected.

that’s what you’ve been aiming for, right? To fill your calendar with billable, revenue-generating work. But don’t forget that you have only a limited number of hours in every day!

As you build your client base – and the list of projects that need your time an attention – make sure that you build some “wiggle room” into your schedule, too.

Wiggle room involves setting aside time every day for the unexpected.

It’s a simple idea. Yet I suspect a lot of small business owners and solopreneurs don’t embrace it. I hadn’t until recently…but the busier I get, the more I recognize how important it is. If I don’t set time aside for those little things that seem to pop up out of nowhere, I risk falling behind on my commitments.

Get organized first!
Of course, scheduling wiggle room assumes that you already schedule your work. If you haven’t made it a habit, I urge you to start blocking out time on your calendar for the different projects you’re working on and your administrative tasks. Paying attention to deadlines is great, but how do you know you’re capable of handling your workload unless you can see that you have the available hours to get things done? And planning your project work in that way will help you give realistic deadlines to clients.

How to fit it in
Now back to wiggle room! As you plan your projects, ALSO ADD WIGGLE ROOM into your day! You don’t have to add hours at a time, but schedule short bursts of a half hour to an hour every few hours between your planned meetings and projects.

What’s it good for?
So, what types of activities might you use your wiggle time for? Here’s the short list of the activities that typically tap into my wiggle room…

  • Responding to a quote request
  • Returning a phone call to a client
  • Tweaking work that requires minor changes
  • Meeting with a client or lead on short notice
  • Providing advice and guidance to business colleagues who have asked for direction
  • Refreshing my brain with a quick wog (walk/jog) on our treadmill

Other less common uses of wiggle room…

  • Cashing it in if I’m feeling run down
  • Driving my daughter’s forgotten packed lunch to her school
  • Medical appointments
  • Grocery store run

Really, you can use your wiggle room for anything that you haven’t otherwise planned for. Again, the essential element to making wiggle room work is to be well-organized in the first place. That may take some practice and discipline at first, but your efforts to plan your work – and your wiggle room – each and every day will make you a more effective, more efficient business professional.

What would you use your wiggle room for? Already doing this? How do you use your wiggle room?

Posted in Freelancing, Life balance, Productivity and tagged , , , , , | Leave a Comment
19 Apr 2013

“Do Not Give Up. The Beginning is Always the Hardest.” – Fortune Cookie

It’s been a while since crafted a “Fortune Cookie Friday” post! For those of you not familiar, Fortune Cookie Friday Fortune cookie-April 2013involves me unwrapping – and interpreting within a small business context – the so often overlooked nuggets of knowledge inside one of those folded confections that accompany takeout Asian cuisine.

Today’s fortune: Do not give up. The beginning is always the hardest.

Could this have been any easier? This fortune is about as relevant to solopreneurs as you can get.

Starting out as a solopreneur or small business owner IS difficult. If anyone tells you otherwise, they’re blowing smoke. Among the challenges that small start-ups face…

  • Getting others to see you as an entrepreneur instead of a [insert former position/career path].
  • Not having a consistent flow of income.
  • Funding of all the start-up essentials needed to get up and running.
  • Gaining traction in your networking endeavors.
  • Building a social media following beyond your BFFs.
  • Gaining leads’ confidence in that you’re every bit as good – and better – than your competitors who have been in the game longer.
  • Figuring out how to grow your billable hours and keep up with all of your other business responsibilities, too
  • Weeding through all of the marketing opportunities available and zeroing in on those that will give you the best results for your time and money.

And depending on your specific situation and type of business, you could probably add all sorts of new and different bullet points to the list.

But if you’re thinking of starting out as a solopreneur, don’t be discouraged! Self-employment has its perks as well. Among them…

  • Flexibility with your schedule.
  • The professional and personal satisfaction of building your brand.
  • New connections and meaningful friendships with others in the business community.
  • No dealing with petty corporate cliques.
  • The freedom to choose the professional learning and development opportunities you’re interested in and can gain the most from.
  • The freedom to choose your customers.
  • Increased self-confidence.
  • The sky is the limit! With time, talent, use of the right resources, and a lot of hard work, you can accomplish your goals.

So, yes, the beginning is the hardest when you start a small business, but keep your eye on the prize. Growth and success don’t come easily, but they do come to those who are willing to put forth the effort, who aren’t afraid to expend energy to the cause, and who can adapt to change.

What can you add to the challenges and perks of starting a small business?

Posted in Business challenges, Fortune Cookie Friday Posts, Freelancing and tagged , , , | Leave a Comment
26 Mar 2013
2 Comments

Small Efforts to Move You Closer to the Big Picture in Your Solo-Business

Whether you’re laying the groundwork or are already up and running as a solopreneur, long-term goals and aspirations Big Pictureare probably at the very core of many of the decisions that you make and actions that you take. Those objectives serve as guide posts to keep you on track, but they can also lead to paralysis if you overthink every little move that you make and put too much constant thought into and emphasis on accomplishing big initiatives. To stay nimble and make progress in building your brand, there are lots of little things you can do in the here and now to make a big difference when getting to where you’re ultimately going.

To name just a few…

Give Linkedin a tad more effort

You can gain so very much by doing just a little bit more on Linkedin.

  • Update your photo – or add one if you’re one of those folks with the shadowy silhouette representing you.
  • Grab the business cards that you collected at recent networking events and send at least 5 professionals (personalized!) invitations to connect.
  • If you’ve got invitations from others waiting for you in your in box, accept them and send messages in return to thank them for asking you to join their network.
  • Post a link to a particularly helpful article and share as a discussion on one or more of the Linkedin group pages that you belong to.

All of these will help people put a face with your name, build your network and make you more top of mind with both your online and offline connections.

Get your bookkeeping crap in order

OK, so you’ve got a sea of receipts piled on your desk or stuffed in a drawer…maybe it seems like too much work to dig through them right now, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be more organized from this moment forward. Make it a point to document, categorize and file receipts AS YOU RECEIVE THEM. Seriously, it takes just seconds if you deal with one or two at a time as opposed to saving them for one monumental moment when you’ll be stuck with the nearly impossible task of total recall. As with any other business task, procrastinating with financial records keeping will just make it harder in the long run.

 

Check in with a client about something other than work

It will only take you a few minutes at most, but it can generate goodwill that lasts. Simply send an email to a client (ideally one whom you haven’t had much contact with recently) to check in and say “Hello.” If it seems awkward to reach out only to say something along the order of “Hi, how are you?” then consider finding and sharing an article or blog they might find interesting or telling them about an upcoming event or webinar that looks right up their alley. Going the extra mile to show that you care or to be helpful in some (non-billable) way can put you way up there on the likeability meter.

In the interest of space and time, I’ve listed three here, but I’ll follow up with another post soon to share more small steps that can move solopreneurs closer to checking off their big picture business plan to dos.

And I’d love your help! Please either comment here or email me at dawnmentz@gmail.com with the little actions you’ve discovered can make a big impact when working toward achieving overarching business goals.

Image courtesy of imagerymajestic / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Posted in Business Planning, Communications, Customer Service, Freelancing, Marketing, Networking and tagged , ,
07 Mar 2013
4 Comments

Two C’s Every Solopreneur Needs to Consider BEFORE Accepting Projects

When considering “yes” or “no” about taking on a project, it’s tempting to jump in with a resounding, “Yeah, I’ll do that!”Thumbs up. Thumbs down. if the price is right. But as your business and base of clients grow, accepting every project and new client that comes down the pike can become problematic. Some of the adverse effects include failure to deliver quality work, not having enough time for your long-time loyal clients, and jeopardizing your well-being.


Let the Two C’s Guide You

Though I think you should always consider them, I strongly recommend that these two C’s stay in the forefront of your mind when you find yourself exceptionally busy. BEFORE agreeing to work on any project, assess your…

Capability

Do you have the skills required to do what the client is asking you to do? Remember, your reputation depends on doing quality work. If you’re presented with a project opportunity that requires talents and experience that you don’t possess, it might be in your best interest to decline it. That’s especially true if you’ve already got enough work to sustain you. Never try to be the square peg squeezing into the round hole. That’s never a good fit!

Capacity

Do you have the time to complete the project and meet the client’s deadline? The foresight to plan ahead and strong organizational skills are your best friends when making the call. You need to get a good handle on the scope of projects, determine how much time they’ll require, and reserve space for them on your calendar. If you don’t, you’ll never know whether or not you can comfortably take on any additional client commitments.

Keep in mind that capability and capacity are interwoven. If you’re presented with a project opportunity that’s similar to those that you tackle on a regular basis, it will likely take less time and effort than a type of project that you have little or no experience with. Always pay attention to both capability and capacity when a new client or an existing one brings new work to the table – or you’ll risk making a poor go/no-go decision!

What other ways to you qualify work before you accept it? Please share your tips for taking on work that’s a good fit!

 
Click here to register for the FREE Referral Source Secrets from Solopreneur Superstars telesummit!

Image: digitalart / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Posted in Business challenges, Freelancing, Productivity and tagged , , , ,
14 Feb 2013
6 Comments

4 Ways to Keep Love for your Business Alive after the Honeymoon is Over

Starting a new business is exciting, exhilarating…and kind of sexy! There’s a great deal of satisfaction and gratificationHappy Valentine's Day in putting in long hours, facing challenges and moving things forward as a budding solopreneur. You can sense the electricity in the air. You feel boundless energy.And then, you wake up one morning to realize that you’re no longer in that intense mode of the unknown and the unexpected. You’re operating a business – and you’re responsible for paying attention to a lot of less-than-titillating details day in and day out. A downer, right?
 
It doesn’t need to be!Sure, the honeymoon might be over, but that doesn’t mean that your relationship with your business is. Like any relationship worth keeping for the long haul, the one you have with your business will change over time. It won’t always be chocolates and roses, but there are some things you can do to keep the magic alive. That involves making an effort to appreciate what you have – and nurture the bond that you share.A few ideas for how to treat your business right and keep the love alive…

Wine and dine it

Get out and mix and mingle with like-minded business professionals in casual settings where you can relax and enjoy yourself. Chamber of Commerce mixers and other networking events provide opportunities to escape from the grind and make face-to-face connections while sipping cocktails and noshing on hors d’oeuvres.

Take it out of town

Sometimes you and your business simply need a change of scenery and perspective to reinstate your passion. Whether you take one day to go to a nearby social media seminar or leave the home office behind for a 4-day professional development conference, leaving town for a learning opportunity can help motivate you to do business better.

Take some time apart

When you’re feeling burned out, it just might be time to take a little break. Completely remove yourself and your mind from your business for a weekend and do something you enjoy. Make a spa appointment, go biking or hiking, rent that bunch of movies you’ve been wanting to watch…just make sure you focus on only non-business activities. And when Monday rolls around, you’ll feel energized and ready to once again devote yourself to your business.

Don’t hold it to unrealistic standards

We’re always the toughest on the ones we love. Though we know that’s not fair, we can’t help ourselves. Keep in mind that your business is under a lot of pressure from a variety of sources – vendors, clients, finances, regulations, competition and the list goes on. You’ll find that it will sometimes make mistakes, drop the ball or in some other way fall short of your expectations. Don’t chastise it. Forgive it – and find ways for it to do better next time. Because all it really wants to do is make you happy.

Happy Valentine’s Day! XOXO to you and your business!

Posted in Business challenges, Freelancing, Life balance and tagged , , ,
07 Feb 2013
12 Comments

How to Show that You Mean Business in your Freelance Business

One of the biggest challenges with a freelancing career can be getting others to recognize that you’re running a business. Serious business womanFriends, family, colleagues, and, yes, even clients – because they haven’t ventured down the path themselves – often have a difficult time grasping that like any other business, you have processes, procedures and boundaries. If you don’t yet have any operating principles for managing your business – and your time – you should really work on getting some in place. The first step in convincing others to take your business seriously is for you to take it seriously.

Your business. Your way.

Though you might not need a fully-documented operating procedures manual for your business, you should have some general guidelines set for how you’ll go about your work. That’s not to say that you won’t sometimes want – or need – to bend your own rules at times. But having a plan for dealing with leads, clients, projects and administrative duties can help your productivity and keep you on track toward your goals.

Some suggestions to consider as you define your freelancing M.O.:

  • Avoid emailing or making business phone calls after hours and on weekends. Why? Because you’ll give the impression that you’re a 24/7 shop and clients and prospects might start to expect that you’ll get back to them at all hours of the day and night. I admit that I do at times email clients when I’m “off the clock,” but those clients are people who I have a strong relationship with and who I know won’t unnecessarily infringe on my personal time.

 

  • If you can take care of it with a phone call or email, don’t spend time commuting to an off-site meeting. Though it’s nice to meet face to face with clients, doing too much of that can pull you away from your work unnecessarily. Besides the actual time you spend meeting, you’ll also spend precious time dressing for the occasion, packing up your notes and electronics, driving there and driving back. Unless you’re meeting about a new project or have other important business that can truly benefit from an in-person collaborative session, push to take care of business by phone or by email.

 

  • Cluster your out-of-office meetings and appointments to save time. When you do need or want to meet with clients or prospects in person, try to schedule your meetings on the same day and at nearby locations. Though you might be forfeiting a full day of in-office work, overall you’ll save time by consolidating some of the commute and other aspects of preparing for out-of-office meetings.

 

  • You’ve got voice mail. Use it! Unless you really do have the time to talk on the phone, resist the urge to answer it every single time that it rings. If you’re in the throes of working on a project, grabbing a phone call will set your productivity back a heap. Not only will you lose time, but you’ll also lose your concentration. I have yet to find a prospect or client who seemed inconvenienced or angry about leaving a voice mail message. Just be sure to respond as promptly as possible – that’s the key!

 

  • Have a work plan every day.  Before any given day arrives, have a plan set for it. Know what work you’ll need to accomplish and block out time to do it on your calendar. When you’ve got multiple clients’ projects, marketing, plus administrative tasks that need attention, setting dedicated time aside for all of it will help you stay organized and efficient.

 

  • Don’t let unpaid work go without a reminder that it’s unpaid. Unlike larger businesses, freelancers usually don’t have the volume of customers and steady stream of revenue to give them the luxury to wait until clients’ invoices are 30 days or more overdue before sending reminders. I usually send a gentle, polite email reminder to clients after an invoice is a week overdue. I’ve never had a client take unkindly to my reminders – and I think that has a lot to do with using an approach that’s not in any way confrontational or accusatory. Usually, there was an oversight or the invoice simply got lost in the shuffle – keep in mind that you’ll probably work with some clients who simply don’t have a system in place for working with freelancers. Again, a simple and friendly reminder will keep your cash flow flowing.

 

  • Provide a way for clients to pay electronically. Some clients will want to pay you by credit card. An easy way to allow them to do that is by having a PayPal or Intuit account set up. That way you won’t have to establish your own relationship directly with credit card companies, but you will enable your clients to pay with credit or debit through those electronic payment systems. I use PayPal – and find that invoices issued through PayPal to clients get paid much more quickly than those that I email and receive checks for later. Yes, there are transaction fees attached, but to me they’re worth it. Plus, they’re tax deductible.

 

  • Don’t undervalue – and don’t let others undervalue – what you do. Business Strategist for Solopreneurs, Michele Christensen, recently shared some tips for handling situations when people are looking for you to provide your billable services for free. Sometimes it is appropriate and beneficial to give your time away for nada, but be wary of doing too much of it and setting a precedent that makes others believe you’re willing to do it for everyone all of the time. Saying “no” doesn’t mean you don’t want to help. It demonstrates that you know your services are worth something. If they weren’t, you wouldn’t be building a business around them!

Of course, the list could go on and on and on when setting up your own ground rules for how you’ll approach your freelance business to make others realize that you mean business. Stay in tune with what’s working and not working for you, build your M.O. – and get your business the respect it deserves.

Do you have any ground rules for how you do business? How have they helped you get others to take your freelancing business more seriously? 

Image courtesy of imagerymajestic / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Posted in Business challenges, Freelancing and tagged , , ,
22 Jan 2013

3 Reasons Far-Reaching Solopreneurs Should Hold Fast to Local Roots

Business technology is beautiful! It enables us to expand our reach far and wide as solopreneurs. We can network, Face-to-face networkingcommunicate, collaborate and complete projects across the cloud – and across the world – without ever talking on the phone or meeting in person. Without a doubt, we’re faster and more efficient than ever before.

But that doesn’t mean local relationships aren’t necessary to solo-professionals.

As unlimited as your potential may be to do business online and out of your geographical territory, building camaraderie with other professionals in your own back yard remains important. Even if you do the bulk of your business out of the area, strong local ties bring unique benefits.

Solopreneurial Support System

Chances are your local business community includes solopreneurs of all varieties who deal with the same challenges and issues that you do. Many of them are probably ready and willing to offer their insight over a cup of coffee to help you overcome the obstacles that they’ve encountered and persevered over. Nothing trumps advice from someone who has walked the walk and beaten the odds.

Targeted Referrals
Getting to know nearby professionals face to face allows the opportunity for you to establish trust more quickly and easily than you might be able to online or over the phone. When people take the time to meet you in person, they’re showing genuine interest in learning about you and what you offer – and that can increase the odds of you getting meaningful referrals. Just remember to be equally engaged in listening about the other person’s business, products and services so you can reciprocate by giving targeted referrals in return.

Sense of Belonging

Though the majority of your work might be untethered to a single space, having professional roots provides stability and identity. Being an active participant in your local business community also allows you to be involved in something larger than yourself. In short – It feels good. It’s motivating. It feels like home.

Share your thoughts! What perks have you discovered by developing relationships in your local business community? Any of you find that it hasn’t helped you very much?

Image courtesy of Ambro / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Posted in Freelancing, Networking, Professional Development and tagged , , , , | Leave a Comment
18 Jan 2013

Thanks, But No Thanks! – When to Pull the Plug on a Prospective Opportunity

Knee-jerk reactions and doing business typically don’t a successful combination make, but sometimes you need to goPulling the plug with your gut as a solopreneur. While some opportunities justify a fair share of analysis and consideration before making a decision on pursuing them or not – others can be better left behind because they simply don’t feel right.

Heed the warning signs
Laura Spencer of Freelance Folder recently wrote a blog post to help new freelancers detect a scam when it crosses their paths. Though her key points address how to identify less than credible clients, it made me think about how we sometimes need to also ferret out legitimate prospects who might end up being a lot more trouble than they’re worth.

What makes a prospect a bad fit depends on your own expectations and tolerances, but here are a few signs that I believe most solopreneurs would agree point to a potential customer who you should run – not walk – away from:

  • They expect you to drop what you’re doing to talk with them for non-urgent matters.
  • They balk at a reasonable price for quality work.
  • Rather than efficiently sharing pertinent details by email, they insist on talking by phone so you can take notes.
  • Your time conversing with them has already exceeded the amount you normally spend with other clients before entering into an agreement.

Pulling the plug before you’ve flipped the switch
This is extremely top of mind for me right now. After numerous phone calls that took up a good deal of my time and a prospect’s apparent aversion to communicating important details and documentation via email, I gracefully withdrew my interest in moving forward. Truly a shame because the project sparked my interest and would have resulted in recurring work, but I decided it just wouldn’t be worth it. The M.O. seemed all wrong for me – and so I pulled the plug before we set anything in stone.

Though turning away business isn’t something you might feel you have the luxury to do, consider these side effects of taking on a prospect who shows signs of sucking the life out of you:

  • You’ll have less time to devote to finding quality clients who respect your time.
  • You’ll spend more time “herding cats” than doing productive work.
  • You’ll feel stressed.
  • You’ll lose focus on other clients’ projects and your business in general.

If prospects prove to be extra needy or demanding of your time, expertise and energy in the exploratory and negotiation phase of discussing opportunities, you can expect that you’ll probably be faced with more of the same – to a greater degree – if you pursue the work. Unless you can charge them enough to make that worth your while, you should consider walking away.

Remember, your time is precious. Your time is money. Be careful not to waste it on endeavors that aren’t going to be a win-win!

Please share your thoughts! What warning signs have you learned to heed when evaluating opportunities?

Image courtesy of Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Posted in Business challenges, Freelancing and tagged , , , , , , | Leave a Comment
19 Dec 2012
2 Comments

Success as a Solopreneur in 2013: 5 Tips to Take into the New Year

With nearly three years under my belt as a solopreneur, I can in no way pretend to know all there is to

New Year 2013

know about being one. But I can honestly say that I’ve learned a ton as I reflect on where I started and where I am now with my freelance business. Like all other solopreneurs, I’ve experienced the trials with the tribulations. And I’ve found that there’s nothing that I’d rather do professionally – but it’s not always easy.

If you’re just starting out as a solopreneur, or have been working hard to find your way, it can only help to listen to the lessons learned by others who have been walking the walk. So, with 2012 nearing its denouement, I thought I’d share a few of the solopreneurial bits of advice and epiphanies that I’ve picked up and learned from as I’ve ventured down my freelancing path.

Put yourself out there

Shyness and solopreneurship don’t make a great combination. Maybe you’re not cut out to be a social butterfly, but you’ll need to stretch your wings and go outside of your comfort zone to make connections. Doing business as a solopreneur requires building strong relationships – online and offline.

Develop a proficiency in herding cats

In an ideal world, projects will go according to plan and you’ll be able stick to the schedule. Know that despite your best efforts to meet deadlines, clients and vendors will sometimes have competing priorities and not provide you with the info or feedback you need on time. Don’t be bashful about or wait too long to – tactfully and respectfully -remind folks when the ball is in their court and that you need their attention to move things forward.

Realize that nothing is ever a “done deal” until it’s a done deal

For a variety of reasons, you may find that projects that you’ve quoted never get off the ground or get grossly delayed. Again, competing priorities come into play – and so do budgetary constraints. Sometimes, prospective clients are big on the idea of having you do work for them, but they just plain aren’t prepared to focus on it. Result – you spend precious time determining the scope of a project and pricing it, only to find that you’ve wasted your time. Tip: Before presenting a formal proposal (You know – the one with all the fancy formatting and nitty gritty details), send an email with a brief outline of the scope, rates and payment terms and conditions. Then tell them you’ll issue a formal proposal if they want to move forward. It’s not foolproof, but it really does help weed out some projects that are more pipedreams than something they’re taking seriously.

Say “no” to multi-tasking

By “multi-tasking,” I mean trying to do little bits and pieces of different tasks or projects simultaneously in a compressed time period. Naturally, as a solopreneur, you’ll constantly have multiple priorities nagging at you. But rather than jump from this to that constantly thinking about what you need to do next, instead learn to focus completely on the task at hand. In my own experience, I can tell you that checking Facebook comments and retweeting while writing a client’s web content do not a productive combination make. If you constantly let “noise” interrupt your projects, you’ll find yourself spending more time picking up where you left off than you will actually doing the work. Consider carving out appointments on your calendar for specific tasks and projects – and ONLY work on those particular things during the time periods when you have them scheduled.

Evolve

Above all, be flexible and open-minded as a solopreneur. Just when you think you’ve arrived where you believe you want to be in your journey, you might find yourself wanting more – or wanting something different. Always stay open to entertaining new concepts and approaches. And view every experience – every perk and pitfall – as an opportunity to learn, improve and grow.

I welcome you to add to the list! What lessons have you learned this past year that could help other solopreneurs

Image courtesy of Mr. Lightman / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Posted in Business challenges, Freelancing and tagged , , ,

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