Four in ten businesses don’t reopen after a disaster according to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). Another 25% fail the following year. And the failure rate by the end of the second year after disaster strikes is greater than 90%. The question we have to ask ourselves as solopreneurs is: Are we adequately prepared? This question has been on my mind quite a bit … [Read more...]
Christina DeBusk
Regular Contributor
Brand Clarity Expert Shares Branding Mistakes and Offers Tips for Building a Stronger Brand as a Solopreneur
If you’ve followed The Successful Solopreneur column for any length of time, you know I love a good business book. Who needs crime or romance when you can read about how to grow your business or learn effective ways to differentiate yourself from others in the market? I’d rather take the latter any day. Well, one of my latest reads is Personal Brand Clarity: Identify, … [Read more...]
What to Look at When Doing Your Mid-Year Review
The middle to end of May is the perfect time to do your mid-year review. There’s still over a month left to reach the first-half-of-the-year goals you set for your one-person business. It also gives you enough time to really think about what you’d like to accomplish before the year comes to an end and a new one begins. While everyone’s mid-year review is likely a bit … [Read more...]
How To Take Time Off as a One-Person Business
I have a vacation scheduled in a few months and I have to admit that I’m already starting to sweat when I think about taking the time off. In the past, I used to look forward to my time away from work. I could step out of the office without a care in the world because I knew that someone else would cover for me while I was gone. Plus, I was still getting paid, so why not get … [Read more...]
25 Failure Quotes That Inspire Success
Some days it is easy to feel as if you’ve failed. Your business isn’t growing like you expected, there’s tension in your relationships, and no matter what you do to try to turn things around, nothing seems to work. Though failure can make you feel incredibly alone, this is one feeling that most everyone has endured at one time or another. It represents all of the doors that … [Read more...]
3 Books I Found Helpful as a Solopreneur
I’m the type of person who would rather snuggle up with a good self-improvement book than spend my time reading a book in any other genre. As a solopreneur intent on providing my clients the best service possible, many of these books fall into the business realm. Yet, one thing I’ve noticed is that a majority of these writings are geared toward employee-based companies. They … [Read more...]
Stay in Business for Yourself or Work for Someone Else: Is It Time to Hang Up Your Solopreneur Shoes?
A couple of months ago, my business started to slow a bit. I’ve worked for myself long enough to know that there are natural ebbs and flows, with some times of the year being more lucrative than others. However, the unknowns created by the pandemic caused me a bit more concern. How long would this downturn last? Was it time to get more work? After a few weeks of being less … [Read more...]
How to Make 2021 Your Best Business Year Yet
The first day of January has long been synonymous with hope. This day signals the beginning of a bright new year that is full of endless possibilities. You think of all of the things you want to accomplish over the course of the next 365 days and feel like you can nail each one. January 1st of 2021 is probably even more hope-filled than many years past. For me, there is hope … [Read more...]
7 Gift Ideas for the Solopreneur in Your Life
Christmas. Birthdays. A business anniversary. There are many good reasons to give a gift to the solopreneur that you’re honored to call family or friend. The problem is, solo business owners and operators aren’t always easy to buy for. We tend to walk a different walk than everyone else. This sometimes makes it difficult to figure out what we’d like. So, what do you get the … [Read more...]
How to Not Feel So Alone When Working from Home
I’m a social person. Yes, I’m the one who will stand in line behind you at the grocery store and attempt to make small talk about the weather or some other irrelevant topic. I don’t do it to be annoying, I promise you. It’s just that I really enjoy speaking with others and learning about their opinions and life experiences. That’s why I sometimes struggle as a solopreneur who … [Read more...]
