In many ways, solopreneurship is one of the most demanding jobs in the world. When you’re a solopreneur, you have to assume every role in your company in order to find success in your endeavors. Just the fact that you’re willing to go it alone says a lot about you: it means you’re a dedicated, flexible individual with a clear passion for your business.
That said, wearing all these hats will eventually lead to obstacles on your journey, especially when you’re starting out. The best way to avoid these obstacles is to anticipate and prepare for them. Here are some challenges all solopreneurs face and how you can overcome them.
- Marketing to the Right People
Here’s a question every solopreneur should have a good answer to: “What’s your target audience?” If your answer is something along the lines of “Everyone can use our services or products,” you’re on the wrong track. If you’re not specific about your niche, you’ll spend a whole lot of time marketing your stuff to the wrong people.
Not sure where to start? If so, focus on offering a single service or product. Think about what your product solves and who can benefit from it, then choose one group to focus on. Now, design your marketing strategy exclusively around that group of people. Also, don’t offer products you think will make the most money – focus on what you do best.
- Finding Your Balance
When you’re a day-to-day taskmaster and a strategic visionary at the same time, the best thing you can do for yourself is to find the right professional balance. For example, consider prioritizing things that are important or require the least amount of effort. It’s okay if you can’t do everything, but you need to make sure you can do something every day.
- Building a Professional Network
As a general rule, most of the concerns you have over being a solopreneur have already been faced and overcome by other people. This is why you should find some time to cultivate relationships with these people. Focus on seasoned small business owners who have managed to create profitable businesses in your general niche.
Fortunately, there are plenty of networking organizations (free and membership-based) where you can find smart solopreneurs. Start by checking out organizations such as BNI, trade companies, or online groups on LinkedIn. With some luck, you’ll quickly find like-minded entrepreneurs who understand what you want to achieve with your business.
- Having Enough Time in the Day
As a solopreneur, chances are you’ll always feel like there are not enough hours in a day to do everything. This is to be expected, as nobody is an expert at everything. The easy solution to this issue is to outsource specific projects to independent contractors. This allows you to grow your business faster while not being responsible for payroll, as you’ll pay per project.