Solo Professional Success – Wishes and Do Overs on the Solo Professional Road

Do you ever wonder what successful solo professionals would’ve done differently if given the opportunity to go back?
I did, and asked that very question of several women’s groups within LinkedIn.

The answers varied widely, and I’m sharing them with you so you can avoid these potholes on your path to success!

Increase your networking. Creating connections is the lifeblood of a solo professional business. Spend 10% of your time in this area, whether attending live events, connecting in person over coffee, or participating in social media.
Create a business plan. Without a business plan you don’t have a map for success. Your plan can be as simple as 2-3 pages, especially if you aren’t in need of outside funding. Take a look at your plan at least once per year and make sure you’re heading where you want to go.
Establish an advisory board. Advisory boards are usually associated with multi-person businesses and not solo professionals. But you still need other minds to share ideas with and ask for advice. Your advisory board may be 2-3 trusted individuals or a mastermind group.
Use technology. Technology is a great equalizer in the solo professional world. Take the time to learn where technology can enable your business – by either saving time or increasing your bottom line. One example is the use of autoresponders to keep in touch with your clients.
Ask for help! Delegate those tasks that aren’t core to your business. This could be hiring an assistant, an accountant, a web designer, or a copy writer. When we take on tasks that we don’t have time for or aren’t good at, it slows down our progress.
Join a local chamber of commerce. Your local chamber is a great source for networking, marketing opportunities, and staying connected within the community.
Create (and implement) a targeted marketing strategy. Get crystal clear on who you serve, or you run the risk of diluting your personal brand. Any marketing efforts you put into place won’t have the impact you need. A marketing strategy (and implementation plan) are a foundational aspect of your business. And in the spirit of tip #5, get help with this if you’re not sure where to start!
Leave the 9-to-5 (or 8-to-late) world sooner! Do you remember when you plunged into the world of self-employment? Most of us wish we would’ve done it sooner. It takes a leap of faith and a solid plan to leave the 9-to-5 world behind and go after your dreams, but the rewards are well worth it!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off

Solo Professional – It’s Much More Than You Think

Our workforce is changing and being your own boss is in, of course, often it’s not by choice, as circumstances beyond individual control present such options, and are chosen by those who seek a rewarding career and/or gainful employment as a professional representative for a larger corporation or rep’ing for several. It turns out that a good many solo-professionals are able to work from home office and are much happier than ever before.

Indeed, as with anything there are positives and drawbacks, still the positives for solo-professionals tend to outweigh any of the real hardships to conquer. In this article, I’d like to address and discuss the ins and outs, things you need to know before becoming a solo professional to make your transition smoother, I’d also discuss ideas, and concepts on how to make your workflow more efficient, and get more out of being your own boss and accelerating your career.

You see, as the Founder of the Online Think Tank, I see these trends and have been watching them since the late 70s. As a Franchisor, I also noted our many consultants and key vendors operating as solo professionals. It worked, it was efficient, and we could get more done, faster, utilizing such folks on our team. Today, I bring to you my observations, experience, and a few forwarding looking concepts as this future continues to unfold and evolve.

Smooth Transition

Being self employed is a mindset, you have to realize that you make all the rules, and you must focus on your objectives. From now on killing time at work is not an option. Secondly, there is a time for work and play, but you must make that separation in your life and understand things will be different from here on out, and lastly, you need a plan, this isn’t going to happen by itself, and nothing good in life is going to be easy – life just doesn’t work that way, of course, you already know that – so don’t kid yourself here.

Maximize Efficiency

You need a strategy to ensure that you complete your tasks, and never assign a task to your to do list that you really don’t need to do, for if you do, you will be wasting your time, and time is what you must leverage to win. Think about production, systems, and strength of your knowledge – add value at every turn and systematize your work flow for maximum performance.

If you do these things, you can make it as a solo-professional, others are doing it, and they are winning in their careers, so please consider all this and think on it.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | Comments Off