In this episode of Breaking Solo, host Donna Amos speaks with Tanya Puri, a consultant and founder of Peer Insights. Tanya shares her journey of transitioning from corporate America to becoming a solopreneur, discussing the challenges of defining her expertise, finding her niche, and the importance of establishing productive routines. They explore industry trends, particularly the rise of fractional executives and the impact of AI tools on business operations. Tanya also emphasizes the significance of personal branding and offers advice for new solopreneurs, highlighting the importance of getting comfortable with self-promotion. The conversation concludes with Tanya sharing her upcoming projects and resources for solopreneurs.

BIO

With 15 years of experience across Morgan Stanley, BlackRock, Credit Karma and others, I bring the rare combination of financial rigor, strategic clarity and deep operational leadership.

I work with founders as a fractional strategy & operations partner to sharpen their strategic vision and build the foundations needed to scale.

WEBSITE

https://purinsights.com/

SOCIAL MEDIA

Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/tanyapuri/

Instagram https://instagram.com/tanyapuri

In this episode of Breaking Solo, host Donna Amos speaks with Evan Cox, a solopreneur specializing in nonprofit marketing. They discuss Evan's journey from working in a large nonprofit to becoming a solopreneur, the challenges he faced, and the importance of understanding multiple audiences in marketing. Evan shares insights on standing out in a competitive market, industry trends for solopreneurs, essential tools for business management, and daily routines that enhance productivity. He also offers valuable advice for those starting their solopreneur journey and highlights exciting projects he is currently working on.

takeaways

• Evan emphasizes the importance of serving multiple audiences in nonprofit marketing.
• His journey includes unexpected career turns that shaped his approach to business.
• Entrepreneurship reveals personal gaps and encourages self-discovery.
• A clear message is not enough; it must also be compelling and relevant.
• Evan's unique approach to StoryBrand helps him stand out in a crowded market.
• Simplicity in business processes is crucial for scalability.

BIO

For more than fifteen years, I have served businesses, nonprofits, churches, and the leaders who guide them.

Whether serving on staff at internationally-renowned nonprofits or running a coffee company in Southeast Asia that helped local farmers develop sustainable agriculture and business practices, my work has taken me around the globe.

Today, my team and I have the privilege of working with small to mid-sized businesses, nonprofits, and churches across multiple continents so they communicate the right message and then infuse it throughout all their marketing–from strategy and copy to websites and fundraising.

Website

https://evancoxconsulting.com/

Social Media Links

https://www.linkedin.com/in/evancox1?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_c

Freebie Giveaway Linkhttps://evancoxconsulting.com/resources/

In this episode of Breaking Solo, host Donna Amos speaks with Holly Fisher, a marketing strategist and owner of Fisher Creative Marketing. Holly shares her journey into solopreneurship, the challenges she faced, and how she found her unique niche in the marketing industry. They discuss the impact of AI on marketing, essential tools for solopreneurs, and daily routines that enhance productivity. Holly also offers valuable advice for those starting their solopreneur journey and shares her upcoming projects and workshops.

BIO

Holly Fisher is the owner of Fisher Creative Marketing and a long-time StoryBrand Certified Guide. She’s helped dozens of organizations build a marketing strategy, clarify their marketing message, and develop an effective sales funnel that generates more leads and boosts their bottom line. A long-time professional writer and former full-time journalist, Holly believes in the power of story to inform and engage. She has worked with clients around the globe and in a variety of industries.

Holly is also an Unreasonable Hospitality coach, helping organizations transform their customer experience. She is a sought-after workshop facilitator and speaker. Holly lives in Asheville, North Carolina, with her husband, teenage daughter, and two dogs. She enjoys CrossFit, reading, cooking, and hiking.

Website

https://fisher-creative.com/

Social Media Links

https://www.instagram.com/fishercreativemarketing/https://www.youtube.com/@fishercreativemarketinghttps://www.linkedin.com/in/hollyannfisher/https://www.facebook.com/FisherCreativeMarketingFreebie

Giveaway Link

https://mailchi.mp/fisher-creative.com/jfb8kkwudq

In this episode of Breaking Solo, Donna Amos sits down with Shampaigne Graves, entrepreneur, founder of two businesses, and a powerful voice for women in business.

Shampaigne shares how she started with just $20, a free Shopify trial, and a mission to help women start and stay in business—and how that early vision grew into a micro school, training center, and expanding team. She also opens up about the deeply personal loss that inspired her entrepreneurial journey and how she chose to turn grief into purpose by carrying forward her best friend’s dream.

You’ll hear practical and inspiring insights on:

• Growing from solopreneur to building a team (including equity/profit-share options)

• Why personal branding helped her stand out (“the girl in pink”)

• How relationships helped her find her niche and grow without money, mentorship, or a roadmap

• Why solopreneurs need to stay current on AI, automation, and tech stacks

• How to use AI as an assistant without losing your voice

• Daily habits that support focus and productivity (including a morning routine you may want to steal 👀)

Shampaigne also shares one of the best reminders for anyone starting out: be brave and do things scared. If you’ve been waiting to feel fully ready before making your move, this conversation is the nudge you need.

BIO

Starting in business with just $20 and a dream - Shampaigne Graves is a Women’s Consumer Research Strategist who explains why billion-dollar companies keep losing money by misunderstanding the $31.8 trillion women’s economy. She developed the proprietary WCR4™ Method after watching manipulative marketing campaigns exploit her sister as a new mother, which ignited her mission to dismantle predatory tactics disguised as empowerment. Her research reveals patterns like “Purchase Panic” (how imposter syndrome sabotages checkout) and “Legacy Consumerism” (how brand loyalty passes through generations like heirlooms) that traditional marketing models completely miss. She’s spoken to over 10,000 people internationally and been featured in Newsweek, WCPO ABC, and Observer for her controversial take that most consumer research is just expensive confirmation bias. Through her consulting practice and owned platforms like the Women’s Trends Summit, she teaches organizations that empathy is a systems design problem, not a soft skill, and translates complex consumer psychology into revenue-protecting operations.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Website

www.shampaignegraves.com

Social Media Links

LinkedIn.com/in/shampaigne-gravesFreebie

Giveaway Link

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfl5UI-A_bkmDfEmDwRVhN_K5YlGNz0BZQGraWM03onfDcl3w/viewform?usp=header

What if the thing you’re calling “branding” is actually just a costume change… and your customers are now wandering the store like, “Where did my ice cream go?”

In this episode of Breaking Solo, Donna Amos talks with Beatrice Gutknecht, a positioning strategist who helps service-based businesses (think landscapers, accountants, home builders, and other “we-all-sound-the-same” pros) claim a clear, market-dominating place in their industry—without confusing the audience or forcing a fake voice onto the team.

You’ll hear why Beatrice is fiercely anti-rebrand-for-no-reason, how to find an “enemy” to sharpen your message, and why the best businesses don’t just sound different—they’re operationally set up to deliver the difference. They also dig into the growing challenge of too many loud opinions online, how to keep your own instincts intact, and why AI should support your voice—not replace it.

Plus: the tools they can’t live without (Notion vs. Donna’s CRM/Pandarus), and Beatrice’s best advice for solopreneurs: avoid shiny distractions and have real conversations before you build anything.

BIO

Beatrice Gutknecht is the Founder of Badassery by B, shifting how businesses are seen with ROI (like increasing brand value, AKA business value, and reducing sales and marketing costs) and practical operations-focused brand strategy, and Host of The Art of Branding Podcast.

Beatrice is a firm believer that the classic ‘rebrand’ is BS and a great way to spend a bunch of money while losing market share and trust and restart the growth cycle from scratch. What’s effective? Repositioning and refreshing your brand.

Website

https://www.badasserybyb.com

Social Media Links

Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/beatricegutknecht

Freebie Giveaway Link

https://www.badasserybyb.com/brand-health

In this episode of Breaking Solo, Donna Amos interviews Laurie-ann Morabito, a former shy individual who transformed into a confident speaker and coach. Laurie-ann shares her journey from corporate life to becoming a solopreneur, emphasizing the importance of public speaking in building credibility and attracting clients. The conversation explores the challenges of being a solopreneur, the evolution of finding one's niche, and the significance of personal branding in today's market. Laurie-ann also discusses essential tools for managing a business, effective habits for productivity, and offers valuable advice for those starting their solopreneur journey. The episode concludes with insights into upcoming projects and resources for aspiring speakers.

BIO

BioLaurie-Ann Murabito is a reformed painfully shy gal who couldn't make eye contact with others and accidentally became a professional speaker. 2x Best Selling Author of Rethink Leadership and Rethink Your Leadership. Host of Be IN Demand, a Top 1.5% podcast. A few of her clients are Johnson & Johnson, American Towers and Far East Recycling. Today Laurie-Ann works with coaches, consultants, and service provides who hate to sell and help them write and deliver a speech that does the selling for them. Her clients routinely step off the stage to more clients, leads, and future stage bookings.

Website

https://SpeakAndStandOut.com

Social Media Links

LI-> https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurie-ann-murabito/IG-> https://www.instagram.com/laurieann.murabitoYT: https://www.youtiube.com/lamurabito

Freebie Giveaway Link

https://SpeakAndStandOut.com/Magic

What do you do when the career you planned disappears overnight?

In this episode of Breaking Solo, host Donna Amos sits down with Deirdre Martin, a business coach from Kilkenny, Ireland, who turned an unexpected layoff in retail banking into a purpose-driven solopreneur business.

Deirdre shares how being laid off forced her to rethink everything—from income and identity to how she truly wanted to help others. She opens up about the real challenges solopreneurs face, including cash flow, defining a profitable niche, and the mindset shift behind the phrase “sales is vanity, profit is sanity.”

You’ll also hear how Deirdre evolved her work into “neuro strategies,” why psychographics matter more than demographics, and her cautionary take on using AI without losing authenticity.

If you’re navigating reinvention, building a business solo, or questioning your next move, this conversation will resonate.

BIO

Deirdre Martin is a Neuro-Strategist who helps purpose-driven founders attract clients they love working with, overcome decision fatigue, and scale beyond their first million by monetising their expertise, without burnout, bottlenecks, or sacrificing what matters most.After twenty years in retail banking, where she guided entrepreneurs through high-stakes financial decisions, she developed a deep understanding of what motivates business leaders under pressure. Seeing how trust, stress, and bias drive behaviour more than spreadsheets ever do, she retrained in neuroscience-based coaching and brand strategy to combine brain science with practical growth systems.Today, Deirdre works with growth-stage coaches and consultants to replace cookie-cutter funnels with messaging frameworks grounded in how the brain builds trust and processes value. She teaches founders to leverage neuroplasticity to rewire limiting beliefs, decision-making habits and reduce cognitive load, to create frictionless customer experiences and resilient teams. Her clients achieve significant revenue growth while working fewer hours and building businesses that thrive without constant oversight.She is the creator of the Millionize Method™, a framework for sustainable, repeatable growth that equips founders to scale well beyond their first million, and the Millionize Mastermind, her flagship program for coaches ready to expand their dreams and grow with impact, without burning out.

An award-winning business coach, best-selling author, podcast host, and keynote speaker, Deirdre is also Ireland’s only Certified StoryBrand Coach and Level C Brand Strategist, uniquely positioned at the intersection of branding, storytelling, neuroscience, coaching, and strategy.

Website

www.deirdremartin.ie

Social Media Links

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deirdremartincustomerexpeience/

Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/deirdremartinconsulting/Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/DeirdreMartinConsultingDeirdre Martin Master Your Business Podcast Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3o6b65R0gcibJjtn5lPe4yDeirdre Martin Master Your Busienss Podcast Apple:https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/the-master-your-business-podcast/id1667327376Freebie Giveaway Linkhttps://www.deirdremartin.ie/LinkedInVisibilityChecklist

In this episode of Breaking Solo, host Donna Amos interviews Annie Figenshu, a solopreneur and content marketing expert. They discuss the challenges and rewards of running a solo business, the importance of effective content marketing, and the value of in-person networking. Annie shares her journey from performer to entrepreneur, the difficulties she faced during her divorce, and her strategies for maintaining productivity. The conversation also covers essential tools for solopreneurs, advice for those starting out, and the significance of building an email list. Annie emphasizes the need for consistency in content creation and the benefits of video content.

Takeaways

Annie Figenshu emphasizes the importance of effective content marketing.

Solopreneurs often face overwhelming demands for content creation.

Networking in person is vital for building relationships.

Collecting email addresses is crucial for business growth.

Daily routines can significantly impact productivity.

Annie's journey highlights the challenges of balancing personal and professional life.

Less is more when it comes to tools for solopreneurs.

Consistency in content creation is key to success.

Video content can enhance engagement and trust with audiences.

Building a niche helps attract the right clients.

Bio

BioWhen you’re the face of your brand, it’s easy to spend lots of time creating content and very little time understanding whether it’s helping you reach your goals. Annie Figenshu, founder of Downstage Media, helps business owners build clear content strategies and systems that make their marketing pull its weight.

Website

www.downstage.media

Social Media Links

https://www.linkedin.com/in/anniefigenshu/

Freebie Giveaway Link

https://www.downstage.media/signup

In this episode of Breaking Solo, host Donna Amos speaks with Tami Murphy, a business coach specializing in the toy and game industry. Tami shares her journey into entrepreneurship, the challenges of working alone, and the importance of finding joy in business. She discusses her strategies for differentiating herself in a competitive market, staying ahead of industry trends, and maintaining work-life balance. Tami also offers valuable advice for aspiring solopreneurs and shares exciting news about her upcoming projects.

BIO

Launching a new toy and game business is not all play, it takes a lot of strategy and foundational work to set a business up for success long term. Whether a company is just launching or they've had a successful launch but are now plateauing, they need to define their goals, clarify their messaging so customers actually understand what makes them different, and build operational systems that can scale without burning out the founder.

Website

www.tamicstrategies.com

Social Media Links

https://www.linkedin.com/in/murphytami/

Summary

In this episode of Breaking Solo, host Donna Amos interviews Reena Duell, a former solopreneur turned business coach. Reena shares her journey of starting her own business while balancing family life, the health challenges she faced, and her transition to coaching other solopreneurs. The conversation delves into overcoming imposter syndrome, the importance of community support, and practical advice for maintaining productivity and work-life balance. Reena emphasizes the significance of building a supportive network and shares insights on differentiating oneself in the coaching industry. She also discusses her upcoming projects aimed at helping business leaders connect and share their experiences.

Bio

Rena Duell is a business coach at One TEAM Partners, guiding female small business entrepreneurs to lead with clarity, confidence, and purpose, without burning out. After 25 years of building her own business while juggling family and travel, Rena hit a wall that cost her everything. That breakdown became her breakthrough. Today, she helps women build sustainable businesses without sacrificing their health and happiness. Her belief is simple but powerful: you are the ceiling of your business. When you grow, your business grows.

Website

https://oneteampartners.com/

Social Media Links

linkedin.com/in/rena-duell

Freebie Giveaway: A free month to the Skool community where we host weekly brand calls four business owners. Email me at: [email protected] and include the [name of podcast-Breaking Solo] in the subject line.