On this episode of Thinking Solo, host Ryan Derousseau, CFP®, EA, sits down with Wendy Shore, a business growth advisor, LinkedIn and AI strategist, and longtime entrepreneur.

Wendy shares her unconventional path: from CPA to restaurant owner (running seven locations and managing hundreds of employees), to walking away from that industry after a major turning point that impacted both her business and her health. What followed wasn’t a clean pivot, but an identity shift… one that eventually led her back to consulting, and ultimately into helping small business owners grow through LinkedIn and strategic positioning.

This conversation digs into the real challenges of solopreneurship: finding your niche, learning how to sell yourself, navigating income volatility, and building a business rooted in experience.

Ryan and Wendy discuss:

• Wendy’s journey from CPA to restaurant owner to business growth advisor

• Why leaving the restaurant business created an identity shift

• The hidden lessons that come from business setbacks

• Why niching down is one of the hardest but most important parts of solo business growth

• How to get comfortable charging for your experience

• Why people pay for access, perspective, and proximity, not just information

• How LinkedIn comments can help you build visibility and relationships

• Why solopreneurs should not try to build completely alone

• Wendy’s new book, Common Currency

• Practical advice for anyone going out on their own for the first time

This episode is a direct look at what it actually takes to evolve as a solopreneur… not just in strategy, but in identity, confidence, and how you position your value.

#Solopreneur #LinkedInStrategy #Entrepreneurship #SmallBusinessGrowth #BusinessGrowth #CareerPivot #ThinkingSolo #WendyShore #RyanDeRusso

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Connect with Wendy Shore

Website: https://wendyshore.co

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Connect with Ryan Derousseau, CFP

Email: [email protected]

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

Website: https://thinkingcapfinancial.com/